Mediation and Advocacy Literature Review Essay

In the human services field there is a combination of areas that require mediation and advocacy. Human services consist of and utilize a number of disciplines. Mediation is usually defined as a process in which an impartial third party helps parties resolve a dispute or plan a transaction by assisting their negotiations. Approaches, however, can vary considerably. Many mediators tend to use the same approach regardless of the situations of the parties. But others are flexible and do whatever will work. Each approach has potential advantages and disadvantages. Advocacy is helping or assisting those within a special population acquire the services they need. Advocacy is when someone supports you to speak up about a certain thing. It aims to make sure that an individual’s opinions and/or plight are heard and understood. Many disputes are presented when working as a mediator and an advocate in the human services field. Advocacy and Mediation necessitate a person to stay unbiased in order to assist individuals resolve their issues. The roles of advocates and mediators also come with restrictions which if not followed, could lead them to have severe legal problems. Mediators recognize that research is essential to the advancement of knowledge and that all investigations must be conducted with respect for the rights and dignity of participants and with concern for their welfare. Specifically, the conditions of the Human Subjects Experimentation, as designated by the Department of Health and Human Services of the United States Federal Government, shall be adhered to. (www.mediate.com) Being an advocate can present ethical, moral and legal issues, ethical issues are presented everywhere within advocacy. Those advocates have the ethical liability to act with honesty and sincerity. Advocates have the moral responsibility to help clients and social reasons. The most difficult task in their obligations is the legal and ethical limitations they face when taking on their cases. Some of the most rigorous limitations include laws regarding defamation or even hate crimes. These hate crimes are not only at hand in relation to racisms. An increase in hate crimes has been seen towards and in relation with same-sex marriages. These advocates are faced with the intricate task of protecting these people from hate crimes and must at the same time uphold their ethical and moral obligation to their clients regardless of their own personal beliefs (Barsky, 2007). The assimilation of advocacy and mediation plays a vital role within all human services agencies. These positions are highly recommended to unbiased knowledgeable individuals seeking to help improve society. Advocates support and preserve their stance on their meticulous beliefs and do so in an organized group fashion. A mediator in contrast assists people with decision making; they provide alternatives to their problems through coordinated counseling or support groups. Mediators strive to assist in a wide array of approaches and provide both parties with the best tools and documentation in order to realize a positive result, nevertheless mediators do not make the final decisions as they are only there to facilitate both parties to a arrive at an agreement (Barsky, 2007). Mediation and advocacy also allow clients to become familiar with the laws and limitations in relation to their issues in hopes to eliminate further escalations of the issue; whether it is a social or legal topic. Advocacy allows people the opportunity to defend their personal beliefs and voice what he or she believes to be right or wrong. The presence of these two entities allows the resolution of conflicts and conflic ting beliefs from escalating in to violence or further legal actions. Whether it may be defending the basic human rights or the difficult topics of parental rights or partial custodies; mediators provide an undeniable crucial Advocates understand the complex interface between the individuals and even the communities in which they live in. Being around the individual helps the advocate and mediator access and determine what type of people they are around and see how society interacts with their lives. The individual’s behavior would provide insight into what makes them comfortable; so there want be a need for barriers. Advocates and mediators recognize this type of closure and are specialized in learning how to gain the individuals trust. Advocates and mediators also distinguish how an individual lives with one another and can determine a lot about their lifestyle. Human services act as advocates as well when trying to determine any needs that have not been facilitated for clients. The needs could be great but it is up to human services to determine whether it’s assistance at home, medical and school issues for their children if they have any because unfortunately when adults are having problems, they do reflect on their children. Children are easiest to please but when their parents are having issues at home it can be emotionally offensive to the children if the parents aren’t careful, going to counseling and getting their children involved could help determine the cause and hopefully find a solution. In conclusion I have discovered that mediators and advocates provide a strong backbone for the different disciplines that encompass human services. Human services, advocates and mediators are all allowed to form a positive and engaging environment with the individuals that they relate with. Advocates work with clients in order to help them negotiate more effectively on their own behalves while also acting on behalf of one client. Human services are aware of their own cultural backgrounds, principles, and ethics, recognizing the prospective impact on their relationships with others. Human services advocate for the rights of all members of society, particularly those who are members of minorities and groups at which discriminatory practices have historically been directed (National Organization for Human Services, 2009). Connecting mediation and advocacy to human services involves all parties fully engaged in helping individuals surpass their disputes. Obtaining commitments and considering alternatives are good negotiation ethics that a professional must encounter to have a balanced reasonable connection with their clients (Barsky, Chapter 3 , page 78, 2000). References: Barsky. A.E. (2000). Conflict Resolution for the Helping Professional (2nd ed.). Retrieved From the University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Mediation Council of Illinois. (1999, August). Standards of Practice for Mediators, Illinois Retrieved February 10, 2013, from http://www.mediate.com/articles National Association of Social Workers. (2011). Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. Retrieved February 10, 2013, from http://www.socialworkers.org

“Travel Broadens the Mind” – or Does It?

I do agree, but I also disagree with this axiom, this self evident truth. What is â€Å"broadening one ;s mind†? What is â€Å"traveling†? â€Å"Travel broadens the mind†, at least according to an axiom that is very well known, as well as used. I am not quite sure that this particular axiom still holds true. At least not for me. But then again, maybe it does. And this, exactly, is my point. First of all, the ever expanding international tourism makes the world smaller.Not in actual size as a planet, of course, but people (and peoples) get ever more closer to ACH other, and have now, more than ever, probably, an amazing ability and opportunity to go and see new places; distant and exciting destinations are suddenly â€Å"available† to them, places people only dreamed about and was â€Å"out of their reach† only a few decades ago. Now, It's all there – cheap, fast, exciting†¦ Nearly everyone Is â€Å"golf abroad† these days. Going a broad can, and does, broaden your mind. I ; m sometimes Just not sure about the travelers awareness, or â€Å"motivation†, If you will, for his or her or their traveling.So, why do we travel? To get away from home. To get that perfect tan we missed because of the rainy Norwegian summer of 2011. To visit a friend. To see the Seven Wonders Of The 10 go snooping canapà ©, expensive stun. 10 see Tanat Tavern Dana AT ours Tanat din ;t come to Norway because they only toured Canada this year.. L could go on and on, and on†¦ There are as many reasons for traveling as there are travelers, I suppose. Or even more. In one way or the other, the traveling around is bound to have at least a minimum of effect on the â€Å"mind-broadening†.Even though, in some cases, you aloud ‘t necessarily be aware of this – you Just (at least) feel some kind of satisfaction from the fact that you really have â€Å"done something for yourself†. Well done! Traveling exposes us to a huge variety of NEW sensations; there are sights to be seen, sounds to be heard, food to taste, and wine, and there are smells and beliefs and cultures and rituals†¦. All of which are, or can be, new to us. It's right there. One click away. If, or rather when, I go too place where I have or haven ;t been before, I always look forward to these things, these new sensations.. SST of all, the food, I must admit, but every single discovery and new experience is heartily welcomed. One of the very best memories I have from traveling around the world, is one from Mexico around ten years ago†¦.. L sat all the way out on the tip of the YuccaГn Peninsula, all by myself, with my left foot in the see-through blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and my right foot in the Caribbean Sea. In that particular situation, I know for a self-established fact, that my mind was broadened. Not intellectually, I'd say, rather more in a spiritual way. It was awesome.This brings me to a poin t where I'd like to stress something quite important, more or less my topic sentences for this essay: What exactly does â€Å"broadening one's mind† mean? .. And what exactly is â€Å"traveling†? I dare say that this could, and probably will be, discussed, forever. Talking with other people's, surfing the internet, reading books, cartoons, texts, watching TV-shows about The Great White Sharks in the Pacific Ocean†¦. This is also part of the whole aspect of traveling, and it also hopefully does, broaden peoples ‘ minds. You can maybe even learn a few new words!So, the mission of your (or my) traveling is an aspect that is quite interesting†¦ Why do we do it? What do we want to achieve? What's out there that's not here? Let's face it. Some, or many of us, are lazy. We sit at home, right in the midst of summer, watching â€Å"Characterize† . We laugh at, not with, the television personalities that at least actually got their bottoms out of their cou ches, to go on vacation. To have fun. And we feel that we are better people than them. I know at least I do. And a few toners. I guess It always apneas on ten traveler s â€Å"mission†, or goal, Tort ten trap.Is It the tan? Is it to learn Hieroglyphs? To walk the mountains around Everest? Or is it something completely different? Is Charter-tourism broadening one's mind? Going â€Å"All Inclusive†, with everything paid for and made out for you beforehand.. You don ‘t actually do anything but follow the orders that you ordered online? It can be. But you could also stay at home, get a housekeeper for a few weeks, go to the tanning studio and maybe save a couple of pennies for the piggy-bank†¦. And rent some movies, and surf the internet and listen to good music.That probably would be cheaper, and as I see it, much more mind- broadening. But then again, if you chose the charter-way, you would have the opportunity to see Grand Canadian ‘s beautiful countrys ide, the mountains, the small towns, the local fishermen.. Outside of Lass palms and all the other tourist-traps. You would ‘t have that opportunity if you stayed home, obviously. Conclusion: â€Å"Travel broadens the mind†. Yes it does, and no, it doses ;t. But then again, it does. And so it goes. It all depends on the â€Å"Whoso†, the â€Å"What's†, the â€Å"Whereas† – the definition f â€Å"broadening one's mind† and â€Å"traveling†.Also, it depends on the purpose of the traveling, if there is one. But, I presume that one can say that there always is. And, of course, the WAY you re traveling. Are you actually, physically on Flight 943 to New York, sitting in seat F in row 34? Or are you perhaps reading a book about it? Or are you dreaming about doing so? Maybe you're already in Lass Palms, physically, in the Magnolias desert, rambling around having the time of your life in a dune-buggy†¦. Or, as the flogger â€Å"Kan ata† insightfully states : â€Å"l am reminded of E. M. Forester's A Room with a View.

Memory, Thinking, and Intelligence UNIT 4 IP Essay

Memory, Thinking, and Intelligence UNIT 4 IP - Essay Example Although Spearman's Intelligence Model is a useful guide to the comprehension and measurement of the phenomenon of human intelligence, Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Model is both more precise and comprehensive, rendering it more consistent with psychology today. Spearman's Model of Intelligence maintains human intelligence to be comprised of two factors. These are General Intelligence, "g," and Specific Intelligence, "s" (Deary et al., 2004). General Intelligence refers to the general performance of individuals across a wide variety of tasks and is a measurement of their capacity to assimilate and utilise information/knowledge. Specific intelligence, on the other hand, refers to the performance of individuals on specific tasks, as in their gift, or lack thereof, in certain areas (Deary et al., 2004). Specific intelligence, as Spearman contends, and as may be inferred from both definitions, is partially predicated upon general intelligence, with the inference here being that general intelligence supports and promotes specific intelligence. Spearman established the correlation between the two through mathematical formulae (Deary et al., 2004). Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Models can be defined as a step beyond Spearman's Model of Intelligence and identified as a more evolved model. ... These are (1) verbal/linguistic; (2) musical; (3) logical/mathematical; (4) visual/spatial; (5) bodily kinaesthetic; (6) interpersonal; (7) intrapersonal; and (9) naturalist (Shearer, 2004; Jie-Qi Chen, 2004). A review of Gardner's different intelligence types indicates that his theory of intelligence is consistent with Spearman's insofar as he similarly identifies and defines specific intelligences. The primary difference between the two, and as attested to by Jie-Qi Chen (2004) is that Gardner specifies the different types of specific intelligence. It is, thus, that his model can be identified as a progression of the Spearman model. The value of Gardner's model of intelligence lies in the fact that it recognises the complexity of the human intelligence phenomenon, and concedes to the fact that an individual can display gifted intelligence levels in one area while exhibiting below average intelligence levels in another. Shearer draws attention to this particular aspect of the Gardner Multiple Intelligences Model Shearer (2004) and highlights the fact that it builds upon the Spearman one. Quite simply stated, the Gardner model focuses upon the factor of specific intelligences and identifies and defines them. More importantly, by defining and identifying the various types of specific intelligences, Gardner furnishes an explanation as to why some individuals are highly gifted in a particular skill set, such as mathematics, while being under-skilled in other areas, such as bodily kinaesthetic. In attempting to determine which of the two models is more consistent with the study of psychology today, one is bound to, as are Brten and Strms (2005) favour the Gardner model. As Brten and Strms (2005) contend, psychology has,

Assignment 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Assignment 3 - Essay Example More so, if gays are allowed to marry, it will pile pressure to those who have not married to marry. It is observable that if gays and lesbians are allowed to marry, they will be fully integrated into normal society because relationship will engulf our thoughts and view this marriage as normal and eventually confining both the straights and gays in society. In addition, there is a greater fluidity in the relationship of gays and lesbian than straights because gays are more likely than straights to stay friends with old lovers and are less likely to become compartmentalized into isolated couples (Isaacson 302). Specialized references, books, encyclopedias, and regular book collections provide information that the reader trusts. Due to this, they offer data that is relevant and typical from personal experiences. For example, we in the gay community should not downplay the real benefits that legalizing gay marriage will bring. We are denied legal rights of marriage that the straights enjoys (Isaacson 92) Those who argue for the need to legalize gay marriage should provide relevant evidence. For instance, they argue that gays should fight for other important issues such as denial of their legal marriage rights and marginalization rather than fighting for legalization of gay marriage. This is because, some people will think that gay marriage has no biological benefits thus it should not be legalized. However, when they fight for their legal rights, it will be sensible to most people who will feel that they need to be offered a chance to medical treatment, tax benefits, and other legal rights that the straights enjoy (Isaacson 301). Internet search engine will provide up to date information on the issue of legalizing gay marriage. It is likely to be persuasive to the audience because of the credibility of the information provided. For instance, on such issue, the United States data bureau will give numbers of those people who are gays

Barnes and Nobles Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Barnes and Nobles - Research Paper Example The company increasing the use of online sales as a technique of embracing technology related to knowledge and skill framework KSFs is one of its success factors. Additionally, consumers’ behaviors especially on making purchase especially on books have completely been revolutionized as they prefer the online purchase compared to the traditional physical ways of purchase. The expansion of online mode of purchase of books enabled Barnes and Noble Inc to gain competitive leverage over its competitors or rivals such as Borders. The ability of this firm to maintain its position as one of the largest book sellers can be attributed by its modalities in maintaining the ever emerging presence of technology. Moreover, its development of its e-reader called the Nook has proved to be success with time (Sidney, 2010). The second indicator of success for this company is related to its manufacturing strategy. It acquired Sterling Publishing Company as a part of its strategy in increasing its manufacturing capability (Hall & Gupta, 2010). It also has a well coordinated distribution system where the sales of Nook are inside their bookstore for example best –buy and B & N website (online). In addition, its marketing strategy encompasses its ability to establish the company as a brand in the market as it offers its client’s e-books, magazines et cetera. Customers are also able to enjoy reading at the companies stores due to the availability of free wi-fi. Furthermore, retail stores are employed in geographic markets that are attractive in not only the promotion but also the selling of devices that are digital and have contents (Sidney, 2010). The management of the company is cognizant to the ever changing circumstances in the business climate of books. They have embraced these changes by incorporating the use of online sales platform (Sidney, 2010). The firm enables sharing information between its workers as well as the customers. This

Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Discussion - Essay Example Personality characteristics, such as shyness, or a reluctance to be frank with people not known on a personal level, also come into play. These barriers can be overcome by gathering regular feedback and arranging meetings in which the team members make physical contact and have an idea of whom they are working with. Technological training is essential for every member to be comfortable with the software used. When Virtual Communication is reinforced by written and spoken communication, the margin for error decreases. Communication Barriers are usually centered on different perceptions of work expectations and are often aggravated when the supervisor resorts to indirect channels such as e-mails, where the chances are high that the meaning of the message gets distorted. The employee may not be comfortable with the computer technology used. Even a telephone line with noise distortion can pose a barrier to communication. The employee, who differs culturally from the supervisor in terms of education, economic background, religious beliefs and other personal traits, may misinterpret the supervisors’ communication, particularly when a language barrier exists and the employee is not fluent in the language or the jargon of the work place. Emotional overtones also tend to confuse the receiver of the message. These barriers can be overcome by the supervisor having a clear idea of his expectations from the employee, communicating on a face to face basis, using gestures and other non-verbal clues to r einforce the message, using a noise free, relaxed environment, reducing the links in the channel of communication, gathering employee feedback and regularly monitoring performance. Corporate ethics can be subjected to various interpretations, particularly in the context of cultural differences. The Japanese business culture, in which expensive gifts are considered a symbol of the esteem in which the business is held, is opposed to our perception of gifts as bribes and

Company law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Company law - Case Study Example tors of Made in Wales (MIW) of refusing to buy the land only for them to allow Lisa to buy the land and then resell it to the firm at a much high profit margin, the officers are liable and the firm as a whole was liable. However, considering that the person who is suing the firm one of the shareholders, the liability in this case will not be on the firm but the directors. However, since Derek was not directly involved and he had not been attending board meetings, he may be exempt from this. Derek was not officially aware of this transaction and therefore from a legal point of view, he is not at default. Part (b) of section 82 also outlines that a person guilty of such an offence is can be prosecuted and given the punishment hat is in line with his or her offence. However, it also provides that for continued contravention, a daily default fine may apply. However, even though Derek had not attended any meeting, and was not involved in the transactions that led to MIW being in trouble, he still bears some responsibility as a director. In Re Hydrodam (Corby) Ltd [1994] 2 BCLC 180, the court made a decision, which showed what a shadow director is. This could be useful a court of law to implicate him. Section 197 outlines that for a company to give loans it requires members approval (Van Duzer, 2007). Subsection 1 of this section outlines that company may not (a) make a loan to a director or (b) give a collateral or provide security for a loan given to any of its directors director by any person or party. The section however gives an exception such as when such a transaction when the shareholders of the company have given an approval by a resolution. Section 209 however outlines that for money-lending companies, such an approval does not have to be there as long as the loan is through the correct procedure that would be in place when giving a loan to any other customer. In such a case, the do require would not be getting the loan or the security to a loan as a director

Recycling E-waste An Essential Solution to a Growing Problem in Essay

Recycling E-waste An Essential Solution to a Growing Problem in Clayton County, Georgia - Essay Example There is a shortage of existing programs and resources dedicated to such recycling and proper disposal" (Georgia General Assembly). There are hardly a few recognized, licensed re-cycling agents for electronic goods in Georgia. This is a proposal from EFEWROPS or the "Environment Friendly Electronic Waste Recycle Options" - a non-profit organization with registered body volunteers (with plans to take in two paid workers), who possess the knowledge and expertise required for careful handling and re-cycle of electronic waste materials. This body aims to offer useful, qualitative service in the much needed arena of electronic-re-cycling by providing 1) on-site inspection services, 2) free-consultations regarding recycle options, 3) more collection centers, as well as 4) adding one more electronic re-cycling unit in Clayton County, Georgia, at a total approximate cost of $ 30,000 with aid from Solid Waste Trust Fund Program, Georgia DCA and philanthropists and private donors. In a report titled "Is a PC landfill tax inevitable" Declan McCullagh (cnet.com 2005) cites the California Democrat Mike Thompson stating that, the about 3000 tons of obsolete electronic items were trown away in the United States, everyday. Electronic discards affects the Clayton community in two important ways a) the availability of space in landfills and warehouses for storing the discarded products, b) the environment because of the potential leak of toxins such as lead, chromium, and mercury into the atmosphere c) water contamination too may take place as the toxins dissolve in landfills (Research from University of Florida cited in Pilot Project 2003, p.2). Environmental Protection Agency has reported that the lead, cadmium, the hexa-valent chromium, found in CRTs cpabale of causing nervous problems and mental retardation in children, are carcinogenic, and may cause high blood pressure (Meyer, El Ella, & Young 2004, p.1). Fortunately for Georgia, there has been no contamination of groundwater due to electronic materials wasting away in landfills (Pilot Project 2003, p.3). However, in a bid to prevent such occurrence, the General Assembly of Georgia has reckoned the necessity to include in the Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Act, "to develop and assist in the establishment of pilot programs and ongoing programs for the recycling and proper disposal of computer equipment." (Code Section 12-8-33.1) It is the aim of EFEWROPS to join hands with the state, with the support of the community to take positive preventive measures to minimize pollution and all its related problems. This program is necessary because, it is likely to affect the health of 267,966 people (Wikipedia 2007) - the population of Clayton County (2005 Census estimate, see Table 1). One of the County Council member has kindly agreed to make available his old warehouse in Jonesboro, for the good cause, until a permanent place is fixed with the help of the concerned authorities. While other parts of Georgia like the Hall County, Floyd County and Athens-Clarke County have been covered by the

Genre report on road movies Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Genre report on road movies - Movie Review Example The movie was written by a female which is why their characters are shown as strong and powerful. The movie shows a bold and courageous road journey completed by the two women showing their friendship and hardships that they had to face because they were women. Many of the audience agreed that this film showed the bravery and power of women that had not been exposed so openly before. The reason why it was shocking and pleasing for the audience to watch is because the road genre movies were mainly shot with male characters in accordance to their position in the society. Society at that time had the concept of male dominance and males being more powerful than females. Road trips require high energy and courage to be fulfilled as they cover long distances on roads without proper sleep or food. In this movie the female characters were shown in a new position where they set off on a road trip all alone and faced the several problems boldly. In fact the film shows how these females were at tacked on the most sensitive issue related to women which is rape. The film shows that one of the characters was about to be raped when the other shot the person who was attempting to rape. The two friends then escape to Mexico but later find out that the American police are searching for them. The film shows a new face of the road movie genre that the audience had not seen before. This movie clearly shows the bold and powerful perception about women of the writer and director. Little Miss Sunshine is another movie that was released in 2006 and shows a family road trip. The movie is comedy and it contains humour from the start till the end. A family comedy on a road movie is a unique combination as all the movies about road trips are usually focusing on young men travelling across any country or in the case of Thelma & Louise two women travelling. The history of the road movie genre shows that the genre shows a particular culture where a small group of young friends usually set off to explore places or their lives. Little Miss Sunshine was a surprising movie which shook the audience with its unique combination. The movie broke all the stereotypes for road movies which were the themes of bachelor’s party, or vacations or any other leisure purpose. This movie had a different theme which was based on a beauty pageant competition in which the 7 year old girl was selected. The competition was west to California where they had to drive to reach in time. The journey took place in a VW bus with all the members of the dysfunctional family. All the members of the family were facing some problem or the other because of which the mother did not want to leave any one behind. The road trip disclosed many of the emotional aspects such as life and death, rejection, loneliness and the feeling of belonging; all with the never stopping punches of humour. The expectations that the audience and critics have from the road movies are the themes of the development of the journ ey, characters and purpose. The most important aspect is the development of the journey since the journey is what directly connects to the purpose of the road trip. The audience is most interested to connect the characters, their purpose and their journey till they reach their destination. The journey shown in the road movie shows various events taking place on the way which can change the characters

Human Relations - Conflict Resolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human Relations - Conflict Resolution - Essay Example For example, Heitler (1993) focuses a lot of attention on the psychological aspects of a conflict and Varney (1989) gives similar ideas in his own research. It is noted that the primary sources of conflict are based in miscommunications, the relationship of the people involved in the situation and personal biases. All of these are linked directly to psychological issues and thus it may be possible to handle the situation with the tools used by psychologists. The ideas presented in the book are also in agreement with those presented by Nelson (1995) who gives several approaches to resolving conflicts amongst which the first is to directly confront the problem of the conflict. Psychologically, conflicts may be difficult to bring out to the open but handling them in an objective manner and then deconstructing the issue for a resolution may be the best way to go. Heitler (1993) also links conflicts to emotions and the approach given by PDI (1999) is no different since the approach seeks to build understanding rather than to accept the conflict as a given. If there is understanding between conflicting parties, it would be possible for them to see each other’s viewpoint and then empathize with each other about how one solution could be acceptable to all parties involved in the conflict. Such inclusion would certainly create a win-win situation that would certainly be taken by all individuals who are seeking fair play and justice. The book goes into a lot of depth about how bargaining and negotiations can be used to arrive at a settlement of many issues but in certain cases, a bargain may even have to be enforced in the case where there is a clear guilty party. However, in most cases the conflict will need to be resolved with negotiations and bargaining where individuals can present their own solutions to the problems they have. The person mediating the conflict then has to see which parts of the two possible

College Success Essay Example for Free

College Success Essay Some people may think that, the most un-responsible person can become a successful college student in today world; but without personal responsibility you have no self-meaning because everyone is responsible for the actions and decisions they make. Personal responsibility to me is the first step in becoming successful and without personal responsibility you are setting yourself up for failure in college and life. Lorii (2013) once said that; The power behind taking responsibility for your actions lies in putting an end to negative thought patterns. You no longer dwell on what went wrong or focus on whom you are going to blame. You dont waste time building roadblocks to your success. Instead, you are set free and can now focus on succeeding. (p . 1) Personal obligation, relates to study skills, is taking charge of one’s own learning. It implies completing assignments on time, studying for tests, taking the responsibility for one’s own learning mistakes or failures, and performing to the best of one’s ability. Personal responsibility recognizes the importance of parents and teachers as learning partners but puts the student in charge. (Personal responsibility, n. d). Without personal responsibility you will not have success. Becoming a successful college student, there are many personal responsibilities that you have to be accountable for. If you are not a responsible student in college, you are not going to be successful. The most important responsibility is attendance. If you do not show up to class , you are missing out on important information that is discussed in the class and now you have to take on an extra responsibility of finding out what went on in class and when you are going to find time to make up the work. After being responsible for attendance, now you have to be responsible for completing your work, and then participation. As you can see personal responsibility and being a successful college student comes hand to hand. That is why you have to have personal responsibility and be liable for them to become successful in life. Devoid of personal responsibility you are setting yourself up for failure. he Personal responsibility (n. d) website stated that; † being responsible is a learned behavior. It is not an accident and it requires patience and effort. If you want to be more responsible and practice the skills that will help you, you can become more responsible† There are a lot of things that can be referred to as personal responsibility. For example a plan is a part of personal responsibility. It is you responsibility to make a plan for yourself regarding things you want to accomplish in life. No one else is going to take time out of their day or go out of their way to make a plan for you on how to become successful in college or while looking for a job, while they have their own personal responsibilities to handle. As a college student I want to be successful, so in order for me to be successful I came up with not only 1 plan but 2 plans that can back me up just in case one fails. My plans for becoming successful as a college student include my duties as I am being personally responsible. Some of those duties include; planning certain days and times I would be able to complete school work, study times, and major projects. My plan also includes planning ahead, doing assignments or overlooking assignments before they are due so that I know which ones I should work on first depending on which assignment I find more challenging. My second plan just includes my second approach to finding time in my schedule to do my work and to find time to study. Another one of my plans is making a schedule of things I have to complete when I’m not in school. These tasks are important to complete on time because if I am backed up in my personal life, then I would be backed up in my school work as well. Personal responsibility is so important for anyone who wants to be successful because without it you would be lost and confused this is why I say without personal responsibility you are setting yourself up for failure. In conclusion, although some people may think that, the most irresponsible person can become a successful college student in today’s world, without personal responsibility for two main reasons. First, lacking personal responsibility you are setting yourself up for failure. Furthermost importantly, everyone is responsible for the actions and decisions they make. Personal responsibility to me is the first step in becoming successful college student. What kind of introduction did you write for your expository essay? What other types of introductions might be appropriate for this kind of essay? What makes your introduction type more effective than another introduction type for your particular essay? What kind of conclusion did you write for your expository essay? What other types of conclusions might be appropriate for this kind of essay? What makes your conclusion type more effective than another conclusion type for your particular essay? The type of introduction I used to write for my expository essay was a quotation introduction. I could have also started my essay with a question or fact. The reason I chose this type of introduction was because I feel that an interesting quote would grab the reader attention and make them wonder where I am going with this essay. The type of conclusion that I picked to finish my essay was a simple summary of my main points. I could have ended my essay with more facts or questions to give the reader something to think about. The reason for me choosing a summary conclusion was because I felt that I had enough information in my essay for the reader to take away and to think twice about my main points and facts. I did not want to add any more information at the end because then I would have to provide evidence, which would turn my conclusion into another body paragraph.

Effect of Mindfulness on Attention, Learning and Memory

Effect of Mindfulness on Attention, Learning and Memory Chapter-3 METHOD The present study aims to investigate the effect of mindfulness on attention, learning and memory among adolescents. Present study is of interventional nature, as it tries to manage and maintain the attention, learning and memory. The present chapter gives a detailed account of the research method used to carry out the study. The description of various methodological aspects has been presented under various headings: Sample Measuring Instruments Administration of Test Interventional Procedure Scoring Statistical Analyses 3.1 Sample: The sample for the present study was drawn from various school students of Hisar district. A total of 600 subjects were drawn by using the technique of cluster sampling. It was ensured that equal numbers of male and female subjects are sampled for the study. After the screening of 600 subjects, 60 subjects were chosen for intervention having low level of attention, learning and memory. The age of subjects ranged between 13 to 16 years. 3.2 Measuring Instruments: The measures used in the study were selected in accordance with the objectives of the study. The measures used in the study are related to both verbal and non-verbal test which were selected to assess the key variables of the study such as attention, learning and memory. The brief description of the measures used in the study is as under: A). Standard Progressive Matrices (Raven, Court and Raven, 1996) B). The d2 attention test ( Brickenkamp Zillmer, 1998) C). Serial Learning (Janbandhu Deshmukh, 1985) D). Digit span memory test from Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III (Weschler, 1992) 3.2.1 Standard Progressive Matrices: SPM is a non verbal assessment tool which was originated by Raven, Court and Raven, (1996) for the measurement of Intelligence. It consists of 60 diagrammatic puzzles which are divided into five sets (A, B, C, D, and E) of 12 items each. Each puzzle has a part missing and in it subject’s task is to identify the missing part of the diagram from several alternatives. All subjects are given exactly the same series of problems and asked to work at their own speed. It is an untimed capacity test and the total score provides an index of intellectual capacity. Kuhnlein et al. found a split-half reliability of .94 in German sample of psychiatric patient. Stinissen (1956) Swinnes (1958) have reported correlations of .94 .95 respectively of group of Belgian school children while Barahemi (1974) found the range from .89 to .95. Reliable correlation of SPM with the Binet Weschler scales range from .54 to .86 (Raven, 1948; Taibl, 1951; Sinha, 1951; Borratt, 1956). Rogers Holmes (1978) demonstrated SPM WISC – R correlations range from .83 to .92. 3.2.2 The d2 Attention test: The d2 attention test has been developed by Brickenkamp Zillmer (1998) to measure the selective attention and mind concentration in response to the discrimination of similar visual stimuli while selectively orient to relevant aspects in task and ignoring other irrelevant ones as well as doing so quickly and accurately. This test includes only one form which can be administered either individually or in group. Possible age range of this test is from 9 to 60 years. It comprised 14 lines with 47 characters for a total of 658 items. These contain characters â€Å"d† and â€Å"p† with one to four little dashes set either individually or in pairs above or below each letter. The subjects need to identify and cross out all â€Å"d’s† with two dashes. The d’s† with two dashes considered as the relevant elements in this test whereas the remaining combinations (the â€Å"p’s† with or without dashes and the â€Å"d’s† with one or no dash) are considered as irrelevant elements since they should not be crossed out. The subject is permitted 20 seconds for each line. The internal stability of test proved to be very high (r>.90) and test retest reliability also demonstrated satisfactory (r >.70). Many researches support the multiple clinical and empirical applications of the d2 test. For e.g. d2 test has been used in study of the remediation of attention deficits (Penkman, 2004), the neuropsychological markers of schizophrenia in adolescents (Stolz-Born, Heinrich, Kornhuber, Born, 1992; Klemm, Schmidt, Knappe, Blanz, 2006), the neuropsychological effects of irradiation for childhood leukemia (Langer et al., 2002). 3.2.3 Serial Learning Serial Learning is an experimental procedure developed by Janbandhu and Deshmukh (1985). This is an experiment in learning which includes a list of 10 nonsense syllables (CVC trigrams). In this experiment firstly subjects were show the list of CVC combination and asked to pronounce the syllable that would follow the preceding one. In it subject recalls the list in serial order. In this experiment, first trial is considered as a learning trial, consist ‘no responses’. From the second trial onward the trials taken by subjects are noted down. The subjects were given trials till the time they were not able to recall complete list in serial order. The more the number of the trials taken by subjects, the more the time subjects will take to learn and recall which indicates slow learning. 3.2.4 Digits span memory: Digits span memory test is the subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III by Weschler (1992). This subtest includes two parts a) digit forward and b) digit backward items. In it the researcher reads a series of numbers to the subject. In first part subject’s task is to listen and then recall these numbers correctly in sequence order as spoken by researchers. In second part, the subjects listen to a sequence of number and recall them in reverse order (Digit backward). The lengths of digit sequences begin with 2 digits, and two trials are given at each increasing list length. In both parts length of digit sequences increases as child responds correctly. Maximum scores of digit forward are 16 and of digit backward are 14. The average split- half reliability coefficient across all age group for digit span was .90 with an average standard error of measurement of .94. Digit span exhibited moderate criterion validity when correlated with the Stanford – Binet I V composite score (r = .48) and Stanford – Binet IV short term memory (r =.52) (Weschler, 1997). 3.3 Administration of tests: The subjects were administered above described tests namely the standard progressive matrices, the d2 attention test, serial learning and digit span memory test. The subjects were approached directly in their institutions for data collection. They were tested in small groups ranging from 10 to 15 subjects or individually after obtaining their willingness to participate in the study. The general testing conditions were satisfactory and atmosphere was uniform all through. Subjects were encouraged to respond in a realistic way without rumination on all tests too much. A good rapport was established with them in order to get real position on the measuring instruments. They were told about the importance of the study and that the data collected will not be made public, rather confidentiality of their responses will be maintained. Subjects were informed that their position on different behavioral measures would be intimated to them, if they desire so. Though there was no time limit, subjects were asked to complete the tests as early as possible. They generally completed serial learning in 15 to 30 minutes, intelligence in 20 to 30 minutes, digit span in 10 to 20 minutes and the d2 test is a timed test in which 20 seconds per line are allowed. The instructions and administration procedures were same for all the subjects, and in accordance with described by the respecti ve test authors. 3.4 Interventional procedure Before the beginning of intervention, the sample screening was done on a sample of 600 students with the help of standard progressive matrices by Raven , Court and Raven (1996), the d2 attention test by Brickenkamp Zillmer, (1998), serial learning by Janbandhu and Deshmukh (1985) and digit span memory test for the assessment of memory by Weschler (1992). In present research intelligence test has been used as a control variable to know about the normal IQ of the subject. These pretest tools were administered on students to measure the levels of decided dependent variables. Students having low score in attention, learning and memory were administered the mindfulness procedure for the period of 6 months. After 6 month’s training program, post testing was done of all three variables i.e. attention, learning and memory. Before Mindfulness practice, an orientation programme for fifteen days has been designed for subject with the help of breathing exercises and imagery techniques. At initial level, students were instructed to direct their attention towards the things present in their environment. Firstly they were instructed to notice whatever sounds they hear from the external environment and they observed, for example, sound of footsteps of passing person outside the room, ringing of bell, chirping of birds, any type of vehicle sound, sound of bench, noise of door etc. This procedure has been continued for a week for approx. 30-40 minutes per day. After that, students were asked to observe the movements of the children sitting around them, like sound of scrapping, sound of yawning, coughing. This procedure was also continued for seven days. In next session, with closed eyes they were asked to focus the attention on their own actions for instance, shaking of body, movement of hands, changing of body position etc. After an orientation program, mindfulness training has been received by the students. Mindfulness training focus on various aspects such as external environment, experience of the body, and attention to thoughts, feelings, mind and meditation exercise. The following are the some exercises which were adopted by subjects during 6 month interventional program. Mindfulness of the Environment: At initial level, Mindfulness Training directs children attention to things in their environment. The following two exercises are introduced in this section. Awareness of objects: In first exercise, children were shown an object (for e.g. clock, scenery) and asked to draw it. They were educated to spend time looking at the object and paying attention to smaller and smaller detail. Next day, same procedure was done. They were instructed to compare the drawings and the subjects were also asked to recognize the missing details from the first drawing that they memorized in the second. This procedure was followed for seven days for 30-40 minutes approximately each day. Awareness of Self in the Environment: In the second exercise of mindfulness training subjects were asked to pay their attention to themselves or experiences in the environment. This session was conducted in evening in which subjects were instructed to write down step by step what they did from morning to evening. They repeated this exercise for seven days and paid attention to their whole day activities and added new things from the previous one. Mindfulness of the Body: After the children awareness of the environment, the next exercise was to focus on their body awareness. This session follows three steps: Attending the senses: The Raisin meditation: This step involves being aware of one’s own experience of an object. For example, subjects were given 3 raisins and instructed to bring to their attention one raisin and observe that carefully as if they had never seen that before. They were asked to observe the thoughts and feelings regarding raisin while looking at it. After that they were asked to smell the raisin, and put it into their mouth, chew that slowly and feel the actual taste. They were instructed to consciously experience their all thoughts, feelings, smell and taste of the raisin. Later, they were instructed to repeat the same procedure with second raisin and considering it as the first raisin which they have ever seen. Same procedure was followed with third raisin. This exercise was also continued for seven days with another small food items such as popcorn, almonds and chocolate etc. Awareness of Movement: In this step children were asked to pay attention to their own body while interacting with environment. Children were instructed to move around the room and to become aware of each movement of their body posture e .g. feeling the movement of thigh muscles, foot coming off the floor and setting it back down, movement of hands and arms were also noticed that they were moving slowly or faster. They were also instructed that if their thoughts begin to wander from their body and their moving experience, they should note it and return their attention to a part of their body. Meditation on the Breath: This 10 days exercise begins with a simple practice of breathing exercise. In this step subjects were asked to notice the movement of their breath in all parts of their body (lungs, stomach, ribs, chest, and shoulder). They were asked to be aware of the natural rhythm of the breath, how cool air enters in the nose and warm air is exhaled. Later on, subjects were instructed to count how many breath they inhaled. One breathes equals one inhalation plus an exhalation. They were told to avoid distracting thoughts and only to pay attention to their breath. This exercise focuses on the current breath and effectively enhances the subject’s awareness on the present moment. Mindfulness Meditation: Mindfulness meditation focused on the present moment, while being aware of the internal sensation, thoughts and feelings. This mindfulness meditation process follows under headings: Attending to the Thinking Process: The purpose of this exercise is to bring subject’s awareness to their thoughts and feelings. Children become aware that how they are the producers of their own thoughts. They were instructed to close their eyes and wonder what their next thought is going to be so that they become very alert and wait for the next thought. This exercise has been continued for 10 days. Meditation on the Bubble: Subjects were instructed to observe their thoughts, release them and let them go without any judgement. For this, subjects continued the meditation for a few minutes in silence. After that they were asked to envision the bubble which slowly rising up in front of them. They were told to visualize as if each bubble contains thoughts, feelings and perception. They were asked to notice the first bubble rising up and observe every thought slowly floating away with bubble. The procedure was same with each bubble. Now they were asked to observe that their mind goes blank, and then visualise the bubble rising up with â€Å"blank† inside and slowly floats away. Another example like imagination of clouds was also included. This procedure has been continued for 10 days. Visualization Meditation: Finding a safe haven: This exercise is related to visualization in which subjects were instructed to imagine a place that they feel comfortable, safe and relaxing. It might be beach, lake, temple and their own bed. Slowly the place becoming clearer to them. They were asked to look at the surrounding of that place, walk around the place. They were asked to stay focused on that place, look closer at certain things and observed their own feelings. If they found that their thoughts were wandering, they were asked to observe them, and then focus on bringing the image of their place back into focus in front of them. When they feel relaxed, can open their eyes. 3.5 Scoring: In Standard Progressive Matrices calculations are based on raw scores. Each of the 60 items were scored as 0 for incorrected or 1 for corrected. Total score is converted into percentile score which translated into IQ respectively according to norms table. The d2 attention was scored with the help of two scoring keys 1 and 2 that are placed in the upper and lower lines so that the number is read off on the scale. The resulting score are TN i.e. total number of elements tried on the 14 lines. Scoring Keys 1 computed E1 which is number of mistakes due to omission and scoring key 2 counted errors of commission. Then numbers of errors are added for each column (E = E1 + E2).For overall performance of D2 attention test; firstly, TN-E has been measured i.e. resulted from subtracting the number of errors (E) from the total numbers of characters processed and secondly, CP i.e. concentration performance which is derived by subtracting the type 2 errors (E2) from the number of correctly crossed out relevant items has been calculated. Standard Scores and percentile ranks can be determined by the raw scores from the appropriate norms table. In serial learning experiment, total numbers of trials were noted. In digit span memory test one score has been given to each correctly repeated digit forward items and digit backward items and then final score is total numbers of trials of both digit forward items and digit backward items. 3.6 Analyses of data The obtained data were subjected to various statistical analyses. Although analyses most pertinent to the objectives of the study are descriptive statistics, correlation, paired t test and independent t test. Correlations among all pairs of variable were computed through Pearson Product Moment method. Independent t-test was run to examine the difference between boys and girls in attention, learning and memory and paired t test computed to examine the effect of mindfulness on attention, learning and memory.

The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Ethnographic Studies Media Essay

The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Ethnographic Studies Media Essay Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of adopting an ethnographic approach to the study of society. Answer with detailed reference to at least one ethnographic study. Essay outline: Introduction the ethnographic approach to the study of society has its advantages and disadvantages; some of the disadvantages can be avoided if the researcher is made aware of the risk of encountering them I will first try to define the ethnographic studies and then analyse this approach from different perspectives, namely regarding the researcher, the participants and, respectively, the research process and, thusly, the final result Contents definition of the ethnography and briefly naming a few distinctive characteristics of the ethnographic approach, which basically comprises conducting interviews and doing fieldwork three perspectives from which one could look at the advantages and disadvantages of adopting an ethnographic approach to the study of society: regarding the researcher time-consuming requires sustained effort and engagement personal safety of the researcher in peril however, it is rewarding regarding the subjects privacy preciseness of the information which could be affected either by the way the researcher records information, or by the participants themselves regarding the research process and, thus, affecting the final result, the complexity and accuracy of the information from the ethnography first hand data unavoidable subjectivity covert research issues related to social identities, which leads to prejudice data which cannot be generalised -practical use of ethnographic studies Conclusion Despite noting more possible flaws than strong points in using an ethnographic approach to study the social world which are due to the fact that the ethnographic approach is a more complex way of studying reality because it poses diverse problems offering a complex final study as well, its main advantage stands out: to describe and discuss in its complexity the way in which a part of society manifests itself. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Ethnographic Studies Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of adopting an ethnographic approach to the study of society. Answer with detailed reference to at least one ethnographic study. The grade of complexity and accuracy of the results of a social research depends on adopting the most appropriate method. Every research method has its advantages and disadvantages, this also being the case of ethnographies. However, some of the disadvantages can be avoided if the researcher is made aware of the risk of encountering them. In order to outline and discuss some of the most relevant characteristics of an ethnographic approach to the study of society, I will first try to define the ethnographic studies and then analyse this approach from different perspectives, namely regarding the researcher, the participants and, respectively, the research process and, thusly, the final result. The theoretical aspects presented throughout the essay will be supported with methodological observations from Sidewalk, Mitchell Duneiers ethnography of the people who earn a living on Sixth Avenue, in Greenwich Village. Before proceeding to analyse the characteristics of an ethnographic study, we should cast our attention on one general definitions of ethnography. One should bear in mind that there are multiple understandings of the ethnographic approach, influenced by different schools of thought (Atkinson and Hammersley, 2007). Nevertheless, the most complete definition of the ethnography I have encountered is the following: [E]thnography at least (in its minimal definition) is iterative-inductive research (that evolves in design through the study), drawing on a family of methods, involving direct and sustained contact with human agents, within the context of their daily lives (and cultures), watching what happens, listening to what is said, asking questions, and producing a richly written account that respects the irreducibility of human experience, that acknowledges the role of theory, as well as the researchers own role, and that views humans as part object/part subject (OReilly, 2005: 3). Therefore, by using an ethnographic approach to the study of society, the social researcher enters a particular social environment in order to understand the participants in-depth, also employing open-ended interviews with the help of which to comprehend more thoroughly the participants social behaviour. After having established the broad distinctive features of ethnographic studies, we can now look at the advantages and disadvantages of adopting this social research method from the perspective of the researcher itself, namely how conducting an ethnographic research influences him or her. Doing an ethnographic research is time consuming, requiring the fieldworker to spend enough time in order to be accepted into a particular social system and then observe and reliably interpret the social relations which develop in that specific environment, as an insider (OReilly, 2005), and so to understand other peoples own worldview (Taylor, 2002: 3); it is also important to regard the normal as unfamiliar (May, 2001: 157). The research Mitchell Duneier (2001) conducted for Sidewalk lasted, for example, more than four years. This aspect also enables ethnographers to conduct open research, such being the case for Duneier, as well, at the beginning of his research, according to the methodological s ection of Sidewalk: I had only approximate notions about what I would do with the data I collected and what I sought to learn (2001: 336); however, during his fieldwork the leading questions became clear. Engaging in doing ethnographic research has other consequences for the researcher as well. Having to adopt a different role than when using quantitative research methods, the researcher becomes instrumental in the process of collecting the data to be analysed (Padgett, 1998; Marshall and Rossman, 2006). Thus, doing fieldwork requires more effort and commitment from the researcher, as May argues: participant observation is the most personally demanding and analytically difficult method of social research to undertake (2001: 153). Furthermore, after collecting information, the ethnographer has to analyse it, so that to elaborate categories for the relevant social issues denoted by the subjects (Padgett, 1998). This happened to Duneier (2001) in the process of writing Sidewalk, when after spending two years studying Hakim, the main participant in the research, he realised, helped by the useful feedback given by Hakim after reading the manuscript of the study, that he had omitted several important aspects from the social life on the sidewalk. Another effect on the fieldworker discussed here is related to his or her personal safety. If dealing with dangerous subjects, and mainly if undergoing covert research, i.e. research that has not gained the full consent, and is not conducted with the full knowledge, of the participants (OReilly, 2005: 60), the safety of the fieldworker could be jeopardized, such being the case if one studies criminals or other deviant people, especially in their own environment. Moreover, in order to better understand the participants, the ethnographer could engage in dangerous activities, for example drug dealing or smuggling, or in activities which would normally be considered morally degrading if judged by the current social norms. Duneier (2001) could have decided, for example, to buy and consume drugs himself, like some of the participants; this, he could have thought, would have enabled him to better understand their perspective on society. As a conclusion to this section of the essay, one could note that the work of an ethnographer has more disadvantages than advantages. However, the researcher who engages in such an effort should be willing to make some sacrifices in order to achieve a more lively and accurate account of how a part of society functions, this being what ethnographies offer, some would argue. Furthermore, despite the possible inconvenients, the work of an ethnographer can be rewarding because ethnographic studies always have at least one named author. For example, Mitchell Duneier (2001) has received an award for his first ethnography, Slims Table, and also numerous critical acclaims for Sidewalk. The participants in an ethnographic research are affected in various ways by the admittance of the fieldworker in their social environment. One of the aspects which should be considered is the privacy of the people involved as subjects. It should be noted that in an ethnographic research, the right of human subjects to privacy comes into conflict with other rights such as the right of the public to know (Homan, 1991: 65). The main disadvantage for the subjects of ethnographies is that the researcher intrudes in their lives and perturbs them. Although this happens especially when the ethnographer overtly assumes the role of a participant observer, i.e. openly conducted research, he or she can consent and even enjoy taking part in an ethnographic study, as Hakim and Keith do, two participants in Duneiers ethnography. In this situation, however, in the case of interviews, the subject has the chance to present as clearly as possible the information the ethnographer wants to know, not bei ng constrained by pre-defined answers, even if this means that they can distort information (Padgett, 1998). In qualitative research projects, participants remain individualities in the final result of the study, this being the reason why an ethnographer should always seek informed consent for using the real identities of the people observed and exact information, as Duneier did: I have received permission to quote almost all the people who were taped without their knowledge (2001: 13). Mitchell Duneier (2001) made sure that the people presented in his ethnography were content with the way they were presented in the book by having several meetings with each of them in which he showed them the pictures and read them the passages in which they appeared. In case the participants do not agree with their identity being revealed, information about their lives can still be found in the ethnography; however, this poses ethical questions. The problem becomes more important when the researche r is a covert participant observer. In this case, the subject is not made aware of the fact that aspects of his or her life will be made public through an ethnography, this raising more ethical issues, as OReilly asserts: ethical considerations are arguably most likely to be overridden when research is covert (2005: 60). Finally, we will cast our attention on the positive and negative aspects of doing fieldwork and its result: the ethnographic study. In order to do so, it should be noted that adopting an ethnographic approach to the study of society implies participating in a natural process which takes place in a dynamic and unforeseen reality, where people act in different and complex ways (Padgett, 1998). Being a participant observer means collecting first hand data, a part exact, recorded by technical devices as tape recorders or photo cameras, another part filtered by the ethnographer (Bourgeois, 2002). Hence, de facto, writing an ethnographic study is a very subjective process, as Duneier admits: [l]ike all observers, I have my subjectivities. [†¦] [However,] I try to help the reader recognize the lens through which the reality is refracted (2001: 14). Subjectivity can be identified as well in the fact that the researcher observes only what is caught in his eyesight and has to select the g athered information. However, by using technical devices to accurately register the words of the participants, the level of subjectivity could diminish: the meanings of a culture are embodied, in part, in its language, which cannot be grasped by an outsider without attention to the choice and order of the words and sentences (Duneier, 2001: 339); therefore this possible disadvantage of the ethnographic approach can be eliminated. In order to be a good participant observer, one has to gain the trust of the other participants, either overtly or covertly. The advantage when researching covertly is that people can be observed in natural circumstances in their environment; however, this raises ethical issues. Undertaking overt research, as the case of Duneier in Sidewalk, has the advantage of being honest with the participants, but it influences the normal state of the social relations observed; in this particular situation, Duneier emphasises the fact that there are many things members of the different races will not say in one anothers presence (2001, 338). Hence, issues of social identity rise in cases similar to the one presented in Duneiers Sidewalk (2001): the differences of race, class and social status (and in other situations of age and sex as well) between the ethnographer and the participants in the research not only made the people observed be more reserved in what they told Duneier, but also posed pro blems to the ethnographer who had to surpass his prejudices which were due to his social background. This could affect the researchers goal [which] is to describe the symbols and values of such a culture without passing judgment based on his cultural context (Marshall and Rossman, 2006: 82). Another critique of the ethnographic approach is related to the qualities of the research process, to the unsystematic way of conducting the fieldwork and collecting data (Atkinson and Hammersley, 2007; Padgett, 1998). However, social life itself is guided by unknown laws which are not systematic, so this is an adaptive method of studying it. The critics would continue by stating that this approach [is] using small, non-representative samples to produce impressionistic findings vulnerable to almost any bias one could imagine (Padgett, 1998: 12). Nevertheless, ethnographic studies reveal and explain the complexity of the human relations in a limited particular environment, which goal Duneier (2001) achieves in his ethnography, after a long lasting labour and several versions of manuscripts. As Taylor writes, an ethnographic study is said to produce situated knowledge rather than universals and to capture the detail of social life (2002: 3) and, according to Gray, some critics argue th at the findings are inadequate in representativeness and generalisability, two key criteria of validity in sociological research (2003: 15). Moreover, due to the fact that ethnographies are the result of a researchers work carried throughout long periods of time, they show a more accurate image of society, unlike the quantitative methods which register the reality of a particular moment in time. Moreover, by having contact with the world the interviewee is referring to, the ethnographer can discern what is true or plausible in his or her statements (Weinberg, 2002). Furthermore, the researcher can also make use of information related to aspects of their lives which are considered unimportant by the research participant. Duneier (2001) recalls a situation when he was rendered confused by an interviewee, without his intention; the ethnographer could realise which was the real situation because of his findings. The last point to be highlighted in this essay regards the practical use of ethnographic studies in comparison to quantitative analysis. If the latter is more useful for developing strategies, the work of an ethnographer resembles more the work of a writer; its use is not often that of changing policies, one of its critiques being concerned with its lack of impact on policy-making and practice, its limited payoff in the everyday worlds of politics and work (Atkinson and Hammersley, 2007: 17). Duneier (2001) emphasises in Sidewalk the importance of using the conclusions drawn from the ethnography to change policies and prejudices; apart from the measure he suggests the authorities should take, Duneier states that only by understanding the rich social organization of the sidewalk, in all its complexity, might citizens and politicians appreciate how much is lost when we accept the idea that the presence of a few broken windows justifies tearing down the whole informal structure (2001: 3 15). Besides the ineffective attempt to change policies, ethnographies can determine the readers to think in a different manner about what is happening around them, i.e. to think sociologically; I would say that the use of ethnographies is more personal, as is their subject. After reading Sidewalk, for example, it is desirable that people should start looking at least at the street vendors and panhandlers with different eyes, not expressing ready-made assumptions about them. To conclude, in this essay I have analysed a small part of the possible advantages and disadvantages of adopting an ethnographic approach to the study of society. I have looked at the effects of the decision to employ this research method on the researcher him/herself, on the participants and on the process and result of the research, drawing on examples from Mitchell Duneiers Sidewalk (2001). Despite noting more possible flaws than strong points in using an ethnographic approach to study the social world which are due to the fact that the ethnographic approach is a more complex way of studying reality because it poses diverse problems, offering a complex final study as well, its main advantage stands out: to describe and discuss in its complexity the way in which a part of society manifests itself. Word count: 2399 Mark: 65 (Mid Upper 2nd)

Fork Of A Road :: essays research papers

Fork in a Road "When you arrive at a fork in the road, take it." - Yogi Berra. Everyday we are met with circumstances and with the circumstances come the decisions we make in order to fulfill our lives and make them meaningful. However, once we make a decision, after we pass that "fork in the road", we need to move on, accepting what we have done, because what has happened has happened and there is nothing we can do to change the past. Such is a case in Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken';, and Alistair MacLeod’s short story “The Lost Salt Gift of Blood';. While the persona in Frost’s poem has knowingly come to a dilemma, in contrast, the narrator in MacLeod’s story makes a decision without glancing to the future. Everyone is a traveler, choosing the roads to follow on the map of their continuous journey, life. Robert Frost puts his persona in front of a road diverging, and he must make a decision on which to take. The two roads are almost identical, but one is less traveled by. He looks ahead, but can’t see far, due to “where it bent in the undergrowth';. Alistair MacLeod does it differently; the narrator has come to a fork in the road, but without hesitation he takes the more traveled by. This is the first contrast between the two literatures. "And both that morning equally lay in leaves no step had trodden black." the leaves had covered the ground and since the time they had fallen no one had yet to pass by on this road. Perhaps Frost does this because each time a person comes to the point where they have to make a choice, it is new to them, somewhere they have never been and they tend to feel as though no one else had ever been there either. The persona took the road less traveled by. The road he chooses makes him the man he is. MacLeod makes his narrator t ake the other road; he brings the glass of water to John’s mother without thinking of what lies ahead. To Jenny this had great meaning it represents engagement. Like most young males he takes the easy way and gets what he wants, or does he. He gets a son, loses his relationship with Jenny, and carries the guilt of not taking the right road before.

Vicos New Science: The Unity of Piety and Wisdom :: Philosophy Philosophical Essays

Vico's New Science: The Unity of Piety and Wisdom ABSTRACT: In Vico’s New Science wisdom is understood in a double sense. On the one hand, wisdom means the poetic wisdom that provides intelligibility for the peoples of the nations during their early stages of development. On the other hand, wisdom means the noetic knowledge gained by the Vichian scientist who contemplates concrete historicity in the light of the New Science. By means of an examination of three principle aspects of Vico’s science, and by looking to his conception of the origin of the most rudimentary institutions of humanity, primordial piety— fear of the mythic other— is shown to be the origin of poetic wisdom. And, by focusing on the necessity of surmounting the conceit of scholars and the conceit of nations for a science of universal history, philosophical piety— openness to the wholly Other— is revealed as the ground of philosophical wisdom. This paper sets out to show how Vico’s science of the principles of humani ty is, at the same time, a science of the unity of piety and wisdom. In the final paragraph of his magnum opus, the New Science, Giambattista Vico (1668-1744) provides a summarizing statement concerning the overall character of the work: Insomma, da tutto cià ² che si Ã…   quest' opera ragionato, Ã…   da finalmente conchiudersi che questa Scienza porta indivisiblmente seco lo studio della piet†¦, e che, se non siesi pio, non si puà ² daddovero esser saggio. [To sum up, from all that has been set forth in this work, it is to be finally concluded that this science carries inseparably with it the study of piety, and that he who is not pious cannot be truly wise.] Why did Vico conclude the New Science with the assertion that, from everything set forth in this work, this science carries inseparably with it the study of piety? And why did he choose to end the New Science with the declaration: "He who is not pious, cannot be truly wise"? In what sense is Vico's New Science a science of piety? Vico's conception of the ideal eternal history— the universal pattern of the histories of all the nations— signifies a passage from the traditional metaphysical conception of history, as the history of beings, to a metaphysic or science of the certain as the certain reflects or embodies the common nature of nations. This common nature of nations, moreover, is seen in the light of divine providence.

The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey Essay

Stephen R. Covey, the author of â€Å"The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,† is empowering readers with problem solving tools needed to overcome the routine to the extreme situations of personal and workplace environments. Covey explains simply that you don’t have to be a genius to apply these principles of 7 habits, but you will have to possess balanced dimensions of nature: physical, spiritual, mental, and social/emotional. The ideas explained by Covey start by using the principles of natural laws and using these laws such as fairness, integrity, and honesty to increase your â€Å"circle of influence† which builds off of your proactive energy. This energy depends mainly upon your physical dimension; therefore, if you are having trouble with energy, you may need to increase your exercise agenda. To influence yourself, you must maintain your proactive energy. This is what will make your steps progress. Covey moves on to explain that your movements today are in fact your step towards your ultimate life’s goals. These goals are envisioned in a spiritual dimension and developed with proactive energy. Every move you make will ultimately lead you away from or closer to your final demise or victory. By keeping the end in mind, you will consistently keep your sense of direction on a daily basis to create your own destiny. More often than not, things must be done that have to be done. Possessing the wisdom to decipher, which things must be done and which things can be left undone, requi...

Accounting Analysis of the 2011 Annual Report for Bank of Queensland Limited Essay

1. Executive Summary The aim of this report is to provide an accounting analysis of the 2011 annual report for Bank of Queensland Limited (BOQ), and a critique of the reporting of their performance. The report discusses the choice of accounting policies and the flexibility of these policies. The main objective of this report is to evaluate and recognise the possibility of using creative accounting within the company, recognise and questionable accounting numbers within items listed previously. A number of items have been selected from Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Statement. 2. Overview Bank of Queensland Limited (BOQ), has history of 137 years with network of over 280 branches operating in Queensland. It offers core banking (commercial/retail), equipment finance, wealth management and insuranceservices. BOQ is listed on the ASX and uses its unique concept of the Owner-Managed Branch (OMB),a partnership between the Bank of Queensland (franchisor) and experienced bank managers (franchisees) to provide banking services. See more:  Capital budgeting essay 3. Description of key accounting policies and standards 3.1 Loans and advances at amortised cost (Asset) As shown on BOQ’s Balance sheet in FY11, loans and advances at amortised cost are big-ticket itemsin its assets accounting for approximately 98 per cent. According to the significant accounting policies explored by BOQ annual report 2011, loans and advances are originated by the bank and are recognised upon cash being advanced to the borrower. Based on AASB13, loans and advances are initially recognised at fair value plus incremental direct transaction cost using the effective interest method. 3.2 Deposits and borrowing (Liability) Deposits, as the one of the most important cash inflows of the bank, follow ruleAASB13 as well. They are initially recognised at fair value plus transaction costs and thenby using the effective interest method, they are measured at amortised cost. It is classified in two concentrations: retail deposits and wholesale deposits. 3.3 Employee benefits (Expense) This item follows AASB119Employee Benefits which has been amended in its accounting rules affecting the measurement of its obligations and the timing of recognition of termination benefits. Employee benefits can be classified to four categories: wages, salaries and annual leave; long service leave; superannuation plan and share based payments. 4. Flexibility of Management in Selecting the Key Accounting Policies It is undeniable that having flexiblemanagement can exert positive effects on the presentation of company’s annual financial report. Specifically, from the Bank of Queensland ´s perspective, if mangers have considerable adaptability in selecting the key accounting policies, the financial performance of Bank of Queensland Ltd can be improved; therefore more investors and customers would give priority to cooperating with them in the future. 4.1 Loan and Advances at Amortized Cost 4.1.1 Flexibility Analysis The measurement of loans and advances at amortized cost is extremelyfavourable to commercial banks. From BOQ’s consolidated financial annual report, the loan and advances at amortized cost accounted for around 83.3% of total assets in 2011, it had increased from 31,736,5 million to 33,276,1 million during 2010 to 2011. This change in $1539, 6 million was caused by impairment charges made by managers of the bank. The increase of loans and advances at amortized cost could enhance the customers trust in the bank. Sincefinancial funds, credit business and debts are the core business transaction of the banking industry, this itemappears to increase receivable accounts. Also, as banks could charge a reasonable rate of interest on such future loans/advances, they are able utilizethis income to pay current liabilities, wage and salaries of employees, and also the tax liability of business. Consequently, the BOQ’s managers have selected a flexible accounting policy in this item. 4.1.2 Accounting policies analysis Being dominant in the assets, loans and advances at amortized cost carries the burden of generating cash. The way that Bank of Queensland recognizes loans and advances at amortized cost can be separated to two phases. Initially, loans are recognized at fair value plus incremental direct transaction costs. Secondly, BOQ uses effective interest method to measure the amortized cost at each reporting date. The advantage of this accounting policy is that including direct transaction cost in the loan price can offset the actual transaction cost occurred and maximize the profit for the bank. Additionally, the effective interest method is considered as one of the prior methods for amortizing a bond discount. Theoretically, investors require a discount on bonds because the market interest rate at the time of issue is higher than the coupon payments on the bond. Therefore, by amortizing the discount at the market interest rate, accounting statement of Bank of Queensland will exactly reveal the economic reality of the bond issue and its true cost of debt. 4.2Deposits and Borrowing 4.2.1 Flexibility Analysis Due to the characteristics of banking industry, there is a high flexibility for management in these two liabilities. It is noticeable that deposits and borrowing accounted for about 97% of total liabilities on the balance sheet. Occupying 69% of total deposits, managers pay more attention to Retail Banking Services because of itsattractiveness to customers compared to other types of deposits. 4.2.2 Accounting Policies Analysis This policy states that securitization set-up costs relating to on-balance sheet assets are included with securitization borrowings, and amortization is recorded as interest expense. Initially, excluding off-balance sheet costs makes the liability much smaller and enlarges their net assets. Likewise, interest on debt is a tax-deductible expense and creates a tax shield benefiting Bank of Queensland. The major function for this policy is to save cash flows for BOQ. 4.3 Employee Benefits 4.3.1 Flexibility Analysis Employee expenses mainly consist of share based payments and employee benefits. All of these kinds of financial activities are beneficialto BOQ.The result from increasing incentives to employees applies as it encourages them to performenthusiasticallywhicheventuallyleads to higher profits for the firm. 4.3.2 Accounting policy analysis Among Employee Benefits, shared based payments are distinguished. The accounting policy demonstrates that Bank of Queensland allows employees to acquire its shares, options and rights sold recognized in the Employee Benefits Reserve. This expense could be reversed if the loss is not due to a market condition. This is highly beneficial as it encourages employees to purchase shares of their own company but, on the other hand, as more shares are sold, the higher price rises in the stock exchange. 5. Quality of Disclosure Made in BOQ Accounts The quality of disclosure in the BOQ ´s policies, strategy, performance and financial statements and reports is satisfactory as it provides accessible, transparent and fairly justified information. As the BOQ is a listed company, it has to comply with all ASX disclosure policies and reporting but in addition it also complies with the ASX Corporate Governance Recommendations as well as the Australian Prudential Standards (APS) (Profit Announcement 2011). In the profit announcement report for 2011, BOQ discloses a number of disclosure principles which include management, board structure, ethical and responsible decision making, financial reporting, timely and balanced disclosure, respect rights of shareholders, recognize and manage risk, remuneration. 5.1 Business Strategy and Economic Consequences The business strategy and economic consequences are disclosed in the notes to the annual report in terms of the risk management of the company. As it explains in these notes the bank approach is to manage its risk in terms of credit risk, market risk, liquidity, operational risk, compliance policies and capital management. As it states in the annual report there is a high level of assessment and monitoring of these risks in order to follow the company ´s strategy. 5.2 Notes to the Financial Statements – Explanation of Policies The notes to the financial statements and reports do provide an explanation to the bank ´s management policies. According to the 2011 Annual Report these policies provide effectiveness and efficiency in terms of managing the risks described above as well as creating controls to support growth and competitive advantage. An example of these policies in 2011 was a strong expense management which lead them to reduce their cost-to-income ratio from 45.8% to 44.5%. Moreover, these policies provide regulatory compliance as well as performance management. 5.3 Explanation of Current Performance BOQ through its yearly Profit Announcement Report clearly explains its current performance in terms of its principal activities. It states its current level of profitability and the main reasons for any losses. As well as these profit or losses explanations the report shows explanations for changes in expenses, asset growth, retail deposit growth, branch network expansion and capital management. 5.4 Accounting / Financial Rules In terms of financial conventions that restrict the firm as a banking institution, the main one is the Basel II Accord in which the bank is obligated to maintain capital adequacy requirements. In the 2011 Annual report is mentioned that Tier 1 capital made up of equity capital and disclosed reserves was higher than required by Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA). Moreover, AASB 124 Related Party Disclosures is additionally disclosed in order to understand the impact on the firm. Moreover it discloses all its consolidated statements for all subsidiaries of the group following all consolidation standards. 5.5 Segment Disclosure The quality of the segment disclosure for BOQ is sufficient as it discloses its two operating segments, and since the bank operates only in Queensland, it does not need geographical segmentation. It discloses the high level metrics for both of the banking and insurance segments as well as consolidated totals (Annual Report 2011 pg. 89). Also, following consolidation requirements it eliminates inter-company transactions (Annual Report 2011 pg. 89). 6. Questionable Accounting Numbers The most important and questionable numbers can be seen in the yearly Profit Announcement where BOQ announced a net loss after tax of 90.6 million AUD. The explanation for this loss was attributed to significant impairment charges. As the income analysis shows that the company made a reasonable operating income loss, but the large part of the loss was due to a revision of their commercial loans and provisioning approach. They decided to increase these specific commercial loan provisions more than close to 90 million due to the continuous decline in commercial property in Queensland. Along with loan impairments, the bank also impaired a substantial amount of assets, also because of the decline if commercial property. Furthermore in the Directors Report in 2011 there were some potential red flags regarding remuneration. As the bank went through a restructure last year there were a number of high level managerial positions that changed in this period. During this transition there were a number of payments classified as  ´others` that did not have a clear explanation. An example of this includes a payment of half a million dollars to the previous CEO to  ´ensure a smooth transition` between him and the newly appointed CEO. While taking into account the Director ´s report is audited by KPMG, this payment seemed excessive. 7. Undone Distortions Based on previous parts, the conclusion has arrived that BOQ suffered net loss of $90.6 million because of the tremendous growth in impairment loss. The footnote disclosures in the Profit Announcement provide the composition of the impairment loss. According to note 11, loan impairment expenses totalled $327.7 million. $165.7 million of this amount is specific provision impairment and the rest $162 million relates to collective provision. Moreover, impairment loss for assets also amounts to $578.7 million. Note 4suggests that BOQ ´s management increase its impairment loss based on their estimates of dropping commercial property market. However, this estimate comes from historical experience and professional judgment. In contrast, the estimate might be different from actual results. Therefore, distortions may arise resulting from overstated impairment loss. In order to undo the distortion, the impairment loss should have been adjusted to a lower level with fewer provisions. 8. Financial Press Discussions Even before the Profit Announcement of BOQ came out, many financial reporters foresaw the net loss of BOQ resulting from increasing impairment loss. The downturns in tourism and recent natural disasters impacted Queensland’s economy negatively, and the conditions in Queensland were expected to remain challenging in the future because of strong Australian dollar. As a result, for BOQ— a company that is highly exposed to Queensland housing market, the current poor performance of might not change in short term.Following by the poor performance, BOQ isnow struggling to keep regulators happy and keep its capital at acceptable level. On 26 March 2012, BOQ announced aequity rising of $450 million. However, by doing this, the existing shareholders of BOQ will be heavily diluted and it will cause its share price to drop significantly.

Cations and Anion Lab Essay

Introduction In this experiment we will be mixing two ionic compounds: potassium chromate and lead nitrate; both are soluble in water. This will be demonstrating a double-replacement reaction/reactions between cations and anions. If a reaction does occur it will form a precipitate due to one of the newly formed compounds not being soluble in water. Once the experiment was completed there was what appears to be a â€Å"solid† substance remaining in the test tube. This shows that a reaction occurred. Procedure 1. Once in the ChemLab-Cations and anion reactions. You will need to obtain a 100mL beaker and 50mL of potassium chromate. This will be done by clicking on the Chemicals section of the toolbar, then selecting 1M Potassium Chromate, change the volume to 50mL, then select to add the Potassium Chromate to a new 100mL beaker. 2. Next, you will need to left click on the beaker, then select Chemicals from the toolbar, select 1M Lead Nitrate, change the volume to 50mL (ensure that the window indicated that it will be placed in the existing beaker. 3. Now you will need to filter the precipitate. Obtain an Erlenmeyer flask and a Buchner funnel. This will be done by selecting from the Equipment section on the toolbar and selecting Erlenmeyer Flask-250mL. Next, right click on the flask and select Buchner Funnel. Right click on the beaker and select Pour/Decant. Move the beaker above the funnel and you will see a white area at the bottom of the flask. 4. Lastly, you will need to record the weight of the precipitate. Right  click on the flask and select Buchner Funnel. A message will appear asking if â€Å"An amount of solid was found present in the filter, what action would you like to take?†, select place solid into 50mL Test Tube. You will now see the Test Tube with the precipitate in the bottom, right click on the Test Tube and click on show weight, the weight of the precipitate will appear, record the weight. Observations and Results There is a small amount of precipitate in the bottom of the test tube that appears yellow in color with some dots in the solution. Weight of filtered precipitate: 16.160g Due to a reaction occurring between the cations and the anions this has caused a reaction, therefore creating a â€Å"solid† that is not water soluble. Discussion When mixing the two ionic compounds: potassium chromate and lead nitrate and then filtering the solution this revealed a â€Å"solid† substance that remained. This substance is not soluble in water hence it was left behind after filtering. This shows that a reaction occurred between the cations and anions. Conclusion This lab represented a double-replacement reaction of the ionic compounds: potassium chromate and lead nitrate. Once these compounds were mixed and then filtered it revealed a â€Å"solid† substance that remained. This confirms that a reaction occurred between the cations and anions, and ultimately formed a new substance.

Prayer should be allowed in Public Schools Essay

The issue regarding the constitutionality of mandatory school prayer in schools in hinged on the separation between the church and the state that has been decreed by the constitution. On one side, there are those who argue that prayer in public school classrooms should be declared unconstitutional because it involves â€Å"excessive entanglement,† which is prohibited under the doctrine of separation of church and state (Clark 35). The other view is based more on the argument that such act is permissible because even the Pledge of allegiance contains the phrase â€Å"under God. (Clark 35)† It is humbly submitted in this position paper, however, that the more correct view remains to be that prayer in classrooms should be tolerated as long as it is not mandatory. In arriving at a better understanding of this issue, it is first important to define the constitutional issue at hand. The phrase, â€Å"separation of Church and State†, is actually from a letter that was written by one of the founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, to a group that called themselves the Danbury Baptists (Busher 13). In the letter, Thomas Jefferson wrote that, â€Å"I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between Church and State. † This was of course in reference to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution (Whitsitt 186). The basic precept of this doctrine is founded on a firm belief that religion and state should be separate. It covers a very wide spectrum, as mentioned in the previous sections of this discussion, ranging from the secularization or elimination of the church to theocracy wherein the state works in tandem with a religion in order to govern over the acts of people (Bradley 199) The problem is that while the church and state do maintain that there is indeed a necessity to abide by the doctrine of the separation of church and state there is no clear way of delineating the boundaries between the spheres of these two institutions (Bradley 199). There are still certain acts that require entanglement between the church and the state because of the duty of the government to cater to the welfare of its people who invariably belong to some form of religion, in most cases. One of these instances is when prayer is allowed in public school classrooms. To argue that prayer is unconstitutional would be to deny the people the right to their rich American history. The first settlers were Pilgrims and even the first thanksgiving meal, though not seemingly a prayer by conventional means, was actually an act of thanking the almighty God for all the blessings (Bradley 199). If prayer is to be considered as a religious affirmation that is offensive to the constitution then other forms such as the pledge of allegiance and the â€Å"In God We Trust† declaration on the dollar bill must also be struck down (Bradley 199). It cannot therefore be argued prayer in public school classrooms is a clear violation of the establishment clause when even the humble dollar bill has the sign â€Å"in God we trust† written on it. If it is to be argued that prayer is a violation of the establishment clause then so must the dollar bill be struck down as a violation (Bradley 199). Yet time and again the almighty dollar has prevailed. The reason for this is because such a declaration is not an endorsement of a single religion, which is exactly what the establishment clause prohibits, but rather it is a declaration by the American people of their belief in a superior being. This argument is not limited to a single God but to all Gods of whatever beliefs. The beauty of the American democracy is that it empowers instead of stifles. It encourages instead of denies. To argue that prayer should not be allowed is unpatriotic, it is un-American. A prayer is a sign of thanks for everything that has been given to everyone. A single word or phrase isolated and taken out of context does much to remove the original intent from it. Reciting a prayer in public school classrooms does not further the cause of any single religion. Instead, it serves to show the rest of the world the pride that Americans have for their great nation. It shows unity. It shows strength. It shows the American way. References: Clark, James R. (1965). Messages of the First Presidency. Brigham Young University, Department of Educational Leadership & Foundations. Retrieved on 2007-1-30. Fighting the Establishment (Clause). Bradley, Jennifer, The American Prospect, September 1, 1996. Available at: http://www. prospect. org/print/V7/28/bradley-j. html Religion in the Public Schools: A Joint Statement of Current Law. The American Civil Liberties Union, 1996. Available at: http://aclu. org/issues/religion/relig7. html West Encyclopedia of American Law. West Group, 1998. Busher, Leonard (1614). Religious Peace: or, a Plea for Liberty of Conscience. Whitsitt, Dr. William (1896). A Question in Baptist History: Whether the Anabaptists in England Practiced Immersion Before the Year 1641?. C. T. Dearing, pp. 69-70.