The Republic by Plato - 1202 Words

Wisdom, courage, moderation and justice are four essential virtues the ideal state must be built upon, as explained by Socrates in Plato’s Republic. Throughout the eight books of Socratic dialogue the ideal state and ideas of justice are debated, on both individual and state levels. The guidelines for a perfect state and how it will come about are thoroughly described. Socrates covers every aspect of political life and how it should work stating that â€Å"until power and philosophy entirely coincide†¦ cities will have no rest form evils† . In Plato’s Republic Socrates emphasizes the superiority of the philosopher and their abilities to rule as kings above others. He believes that they are best suited to rule as a result of their pure souls and†¦show more content†¦The spirited part of the soul is a level above the appetitive; it is the middle part of the soul and is controlled by the love of honor. It is often the auxiliaries who are able to move p ast the appetitive part but become stuck by the spirited middle. They are able to escape the cave of darkness and see that what has been hidden from them, but prefer the comfort of the cave to the light. They do not possess the desire to comprehend the truths of the universe. These men and women would not make suitable rulers for they are distracted by comfort and honor and are not ruled by reason. The desire for honor has repeatedly proved to be a negative thing in terms of power, as seen clearly in the Melian Dialogue. Honor distracts those who desire it from the true and important things in the world. â€Å"Consider if there had been any honors, praises, or prizes among them for the one who was sharpest at identifying the shadows as they passed by and who remembered which usually came earlier, which later, and which simultaneously and who could thus best divine the future† , they prefer the comfort and superiority held in the cave. Once they are exposed to the light they m ay be tempted to return to the cave where they are the brightest and things are easy. Due to the negative impact honor has on rulers, blurring their vision of truth and priority they would not make good rulers. They, unlike the clear minded philosophers, are unable to seeShow MoreRelatedThe Republic By Plato1341 Words   |  6 PagesIn book X of The Republic, Plato uses Socrates as his voice to discuss the topic of poetry in his ideal society. While he sees music and gymnastics as vital parts of society, he sees poetry as something that’s not only unnecessary, but also harmful. Glaucon is surprised by this and questions the reasons Socrates has this way of thinking. Socrates states that â€Å"all such poetry is likely to distort the thought of anyone who hears it, unless he has the knowledge of what it is really like†. Here, SocratesRead MoreThe Republic, By Plato2010 Words   |  9 Pages In The Republic, Plato presents a dialogue of Socrates, in which he seeks to uncover truths about what constitutes a just society, and what kind of men would rule such a society. As such a society would require a sound government, Plato, through Socrates, presents five possible types of governments, which involve varying levels of liberty and justice. Although the arguments demonstrate that aristocracy is the ideal form of government, all forms of government have fatal flaws that lead to continualRead MoreThe Republic, By Plato1412 Words   |  6 PagesIn Plato’s book, â€Å"The Republic†, there are many examples of rhetoric. In regards to the controversial topic of women and eugenics in which Plato is almost forced into mentioning because of Adeimantus and Glaucon, he uses various rhetorical statements to portray his view on the matter. His readers believe women should be equal, so Plato attempts to persuade his readers into thinking he believes the same. For example, in the passage on women and family Plato states, â€Å"we shall assign th ese to each accordingly;Read MoreThe Republic by Plato1645 Words   |  7 Pages In Plato’s Republic Book 1, Thrasymachus argues that morality is the advantage of the stronger. To support his view, Thrasymachus first claims that the governments, which are the stronger parties, always pass laws based on their own interest, and then argues that subjects must always obey these laws, therefore morality is the advantage of the stronger. Socrates gives two sets of counter arguments. First, by differentiating apparent advantage and actual advantage to the stronger, SocratesRead MoreThe Republic by Plato1411 Words   |  6 PagesAfter reading The Republic there are three main points that Plato had touched on. The first of these three points is that Plato is disheartened with democracy. It was due to Socrates’ untimely death during Athens’ democracy that led to his perception of the ideal state as referred to in The Republic. Plato perceived that the material greed was one of the many evils of politics; in Plato’s eyes greed was one of the worst evils of political life. Thus economic power must be separated from politicalRead MoreThe Republic, By Plato1250 Words   |  5 Pages In his text, The Republic, Plato leads us through an elaborate thought experiment in which he creates the ideal city. Throughout The Republic Plato constructs the laws and societal structures of what he deems will lead to a high functioning society. He names this city Kallipolis. A cornerstone of Kallipolis’ structure is Plato’s principle of specialization. The Principle of Specialization argues that each member of society must do the job in which he is best suited. Plato explains â€Å"The result,Read MoreThe Republic By Plato1385 Words   |  6 Pages In Book IV of The Republic, written by Plato, Socrates makes an argument for why an individual should strive to be just, or more importantly, why being just is more profitable than being unjust to the individual. The three parts of an individual: rational, spirited, and appetitive, must all strive to pursue truth in the just individual, but it is possible that this requirement may not be met while still profiting the individual. Through an analogy between justice in the city and justiceRead MoreThe Republic, By Plato1500 Words   |  6 PagesThis textual analysis will be based on the book â€Å"The Republic† by Plato, specifically the passage 475d-477a. The purpose of this essay is to analyze and evaluate the main concepts explored in the passage and their relation to the platonic political philosophy presented in â€Å"The Republic†. The essay will provide a summary of the passage, emphasizing the breakthroughs reached in the Socratic dialogue. The main points will then be singled out for a more in-depth review in order to see if the argumentsRead MoreThe Republic, By Plato1255 Words   |  6 Pageswas just beginning to surface as a notable substance within various societies. Athens, was perhaps, the greatest nesting ground of intellectual thought, and it hosted many great minds, such as Plato. While Plato is famous for many of his works, The Republic is the most read and circulated. In the Republic, Plato lays out two philosophical questions through a character named Socrates. Both questions re-occur as the foundation of dialogue amongst other characters, such as Glaucon, Adeimantus, and PolemarchusRead MoreThe Republic By Plato982 Words   |  4 PagesBook II of The Republic by Plato showcases the two very different views of Socrates and Glaucon in regards to the account of nature and origin of justice. Socrates and Glaucon discuss the theory presented by Glaucon that states that injustice is something that is intrinsically desired by all humans. Glaucon presents this argument to Socrates in order to understand and defend justice for its own sake. Glaucon seeks reassurance from Socrates that justice is not just only good for the positive consequences

The Taming Of The Shrew Essay - 980 Words

Katharina, also known as Kate, is the main protagonist and her fiery personality is the focal point of the Shakespeare play, â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew†. Her outspoken and quick-witted disposition is at odds with polite society thus earning her the offensive moniker ‘Shrew’, which essentially means a bad-tempered despicable old hag. Contrary to belief, she is, for the most part, an opinionated woman who has the courage to speak those opinions loudly to men that would prefer she’d be quiet. Throughout the play Kate’s demeanor evolves and shifts much like the incredible metamorphosis of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly; in this case a lovely socially acceptable butterfly. This essay will analyze Katharina’s performance throughout the play hence concluding that she is not befitting of the moniker Shrew. To begin with Katharina is a product of her environment and said environment yields more than a few reasons for Kate to act out. First off, she lives within the structure of a patriarchal social society where the men have absolute authority over women. The males are dominant while the women are supposed to be subordinate. Kate’s dominant personality is seen as socially unacceptable behavior for a woman. Her personality makes society treat her with disdain. She’s odd, misunderstood and feeling isolated. This rejection and isolation frustrates the young, opinionated Kate further thus acting out in shrewish like ways. Secondly, Kate comes from a broken home. Without a mother,Show MoreRelatedThe Taming Of The Shrew1180 Words   |  5 PagesDuring the 1600s, William Shakespeare wrote the play The Taming of the Shrew. This play has been well-known throughout the ages. The play has been adapted into film and the two most popular version of it are The Taming of the Shrew and 10 Things I Hate About You. The movie The Taming of the Shrew was released in 1967, while the newer version came out as, 10 Things I Hate About You which was released in 1999. Even though these two variations are based off the same play they have many similaritiesRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew916 Words   |  4 PagesThe Taming of the Shrew was written somewhere between 1592 and 1594 (Bevington 2). Taming of the Shrew’s titular theme is Petruchio â€Å"taming† his shrewish wife, Katharina, which was a common theme for plays during Elizabethan England. However, the play delves so much deeper into their relationship than just focusing on a male’s forced submission of a female. In fact, The Taming of the Shrew offers a sophisticated opinion on how a married couple should interact. Petruchio’s grand scheme of how he willRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew1313 Words   |  6 PagesThe Taming of the Shrew is a comedy/love story written by Shakespeare between 1590 and 1592. However, in the current era with new beliefs of men and women’s roles, The Taming of The Shrew is seen as pure misogyny. The plot of the play follows the idea that Bianca, the youngest daughter, is a beautiful young girl with lots of male attention and is eager to wed, though her wealthy father will not allow it until her older hot-tempered sister also has a suitor. Many modern films has been made on thisRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew1132 Words   |  5 PagesIn order for two comparative texts to develop ones understanding of shared themes and ideas they must over come the boundaries of differing contexts a nd explore the strong parallels between them. Shakespeare’s play â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew† (1590-1592) was composed during the Elizabethan era in contrast to Gil Junger’s â€Å"10 Things I Hate About You† (1999) set around 1990s America. Although the diverse time periods their correlating plots are indicators of appropriation and pronounce an intertextualRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew1723 Words   |  7 PagesThe Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare is a rich play for interpretation mainly because of its controversial content, due to the of power dynamics of Petruchio and Katharina. I chose to stage The Taming of the Shrew because I found the storyline engaging and I felt that the play would be able to be staged nontraditionally while continuing to retain its storyline and original language. For my production I would like Katharina and Petruchio to be in their late teens around 16 to 19 years oldRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew1322 Words   |  6 PagesIn Shakespeare’s play The Taming of the Shrew, the main character, Katharina Minola is portrayed as a shrew. Her behavior emanated from the fact that a father who treated her with indifference raised her and there was a lack of a motherly influence in her life. â€Å"Shakespeare sketches her character with a depth the typical shrew lacks† (â€Å"The Taming and Comic Tradition† 1) so her behavior is a defense mechanism used to protect herself from rejection. Katharina â€Å"is aggressive and belligerent, butRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew934 Words   |  4 PagesShakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew introduces the audience to the Elizabethan era. The mindset of the people in this era might be hard to grasp for the modern reader. The demeaning treatment and subsequent submission of women i s a constant theme in the play. During this era, women were meant to obedient, submissive, and compliant to their husband. Katherine Minola, the daughter of Baptista defies society’s standards and is known for her outspokenness and thus labeled a â€Å"shrew.† Due to her aggressiveRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew1023 Words   |  5 PagesKristine Lieu Mr. Smith English 2, Period 1 02 March 2016 The Taming of the Shrew Introduction What happens when two fouled tongue and short tempered human beings gets married and try to get dominate each other? In the play, The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare, the shrew, Katherine is compelled to marry the severe Petruchio, whose ravenousness for Katherine s settlement is coordinated just by his nonchalance for her contentious mentality. To start with, Katherine is unwilling to complyRead MoreTaming of the Shrew866 Words   |  4 PagesTaming of the shrew The Taming of the shrew was just one of William Shakespeares 4 great comedies. Taming of the shrew is based on a king named Baptista who had two daughters named Katherina and Bianca. Both daughters had arranged marriages by there father. Since Katherina was older she had to get married first. Her father chose Petruchio for her to marry. Katherina did not want to get married to Pertuchio, but Katherina did not have a choice. Katherina was very disobedient at the begging ofRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew1108 Words   |  5 PagesJude Brooks-Benham, The Taming of the Shrew Shakespeare s The Taming of the Shrew focuses not only on the roles of the sexes, but also plays with the varying social roles found in society from head of the house to foot of the house. Tranio finds himself at the bottom of this social ladder, a servant to Lucentio. However Tranio employs his wit and cunning to raise his status at the expense of his master. Tranio is a manipulative intellectual who uses persuasive rhetoric and wit to distract Lucentio

What Is the Immigrants American Dream Free Essays

?NANA YAA DWUMAAH ENG 102 B PROPOSAL What Is The Immigrants American Dream? If one is asked the future of this country, it is going to be a long debate and an unending talk about the failures and achievements of America. This is because different people see the same subject in different light. The phrase â€Å"American Dream† has made thousands of people leave their native country boldly in search of all that they deem impossible in their country to be possible here. We will write a custom essay sample on What Is the Immigrants American Dream? or any similar topic only for you Order Now This is why when asked, what the future of this country holds for its people, it will leave the people divided. Dr. Martin Luther King best defines the American dream when he exquisitely explains the Declaration of Independence. He highlights the fact that the American dream is not for a specific race or religion and that all its benefits, that is a right to life and right to liberty includes all mankind. These majestic words within which lies the American dream is what people everywhere search for in their country. They thirst for this dream, making the American dream a dream for all mankind and not only its natives. This is why America is country of people from so many racial and national backgrounds in search of a dream. Whereas Americans do not see how far this country has come, it takes only the immigrants to have them truly value their country. Being an American, yet growing up in Africa makes this issue very interesting since I can relate to both sides. The idea of the American Dream is rooted in the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence which states that â€Å"all men are created equal†. This statement is also backed by James Truslow Adams interpretation of the American Dream which states that, citizens of every rank should be able to achieve a â€Å"better, richer, and happier life. † Hence there are no exceptions to who can and cannot pursue the American dream. In the American dream, Dr. Martin Luther King states, â€Å"Never before in history of the world have so many national backgrounds assembled together in one nation. And somehow if we can’t solve the problem in America the world can’t solve the problem, because America is the world in miniature and the world is America writ large. And God set us out with all of the opportunities. † He then further states, â€Å"Are we taking this seriously? ‘All men are created equal. ’† (Juchartz 105). This is what I also question. This dream, I feel has been misinterpreted by immigrants, or better still immigrants have been lured at the forefront to hold on to this dream because it states â€Å"All men are created equal,† and perceive themselves as equal citizens of America. In reality, there are so many barriers rooted in the American system including racism, strict immigration laws that have prevented immigrants from sharing in this dream. It should be taken into account that if an individual is not a citizen he or she cannot benefit from what the country has to offer. Though the dream includes all men, race and religion, immigrants or the person outside the white American mainstream are perceived as threats to empire building and remain outsiders. This is what I mean when I retort that, the dream has been misinterpreted across various levels of people in America. I believe that the upper class and the lower class do not have the same benefits from this dream, but have similar notions of what it should be, equality for everyone. Even though some immigrants might have managed to make a better life out of this dream some immigrants living in this country can barely make ends meet just because the American dream no longer provide a hope for a better, richer and happier life. In today terms it is just about living in a western country and experiencing perhaps modernity. It beats my imagination when I think about the forces that drive immigrants to leave their native country in search of this dream sometimes risking their lives, leaving loved ones behind irrespective of the difficulties ahead. Maybe it is just to pursue a better education like myself or to earn money. How to cite What Is the Immigrants American Dream?, Papers

Sociology and Participant Observation free essay sample

Through the sample answers, specimen papers, mark schemes and examiners comments the booklet sets out to show how AS/A Level assessment works in practice. The responses of individual candidates are reproduced exactly and include original errors of grammar, spelling and punctuation. The Scheme of Assessment The scheme of assessment for the Advanced Subsidiary qualification is based on two examination papers. Paper 1 is presented in three sections and there are two essay-type questions in each section. Candidates are required to answer two questions, chosen from different sections, and the examination is of 1 hour 30 minutes duration. Paper 2 consists of three structured data response questions. Candidates are required to answer two questions and the examination is of 1 hour 30 minutes duration. The marks for each AS paper will be divided between three assessment objectives: †¢ †¢ †¢ Knowledge and understanding Interpretation and application Analysis and evaluation The marks for both papers will be divided between the assessment objectives on the following basis: knowledge and understanding – 40%; interpretation and application – 30%; analysis and evaluation – 30%. Success in the examination will depend heavily on the ability of the candidate to demonstrate the skills identified in the three assessment objectives. An effective teaching strategy will therefore include provision for teaching and supporting the development of these skills among the candidates individually and as a study group. Teachers and Centres will identify their own schemes of best practice to suit their particular circumstances and candidate requirements. The following recommendations are intended as a modest contribution to the process of formulating an appropriate teaching strategy that each Centre will approach in its own way, and they are not necessarily the only or most effective way of helping candidates to achieve success in the examination. Papers 1 and 2 are combined with a further written paper, Paper 3, to complete the scheme of assessment for the Advanced Level qualification. Paper 3 is presented in six sections and there are two questions in each section. Each question has a part (a) and a part (b). The part (a) questions ask the candidate to describe or explain the meaning of a key concept or theory. Answers should be illustrated with the use of examples. The part (b) questions are intended to be more demanding and carry a higher mark weighting accordingly. These are essentially essay-type questions. As some of the knowledge content required to answer part (b) of a question may have already been covered in responding to part (a), it is quite acceptable for the candidate to make cross-references to part (a) rather than repeating the same material. There is a clear demarcation between part (a) and part (b) questions on this paper. The style of response required of candidates is still essay-format but questions have been constructed in such a way as to make it easier for candidates to use their knowledge appropriately. Part (a) of the question requires candidates to focus on knowledge and understanding and to demonstrate that they have interpreted the question correctly. They need also to support their knowledge with the appropriate application of the work of key thinkers, empirical data and relevant examples from studies. In this section of the question there is no necessity for candidates to demonstrate the skill of evaluation. They will not be penalised by its use in part (a) but as their answers to part (b) are expected to be longer and show evaluation, their time would be more appropriately used here. Part (b) of the question will be related to part (a) but will require candidates to demonstrate all of the skills specified in the assessment criteria. Candidates will not be able to progress beyond level one of the mark scheme without including evaluation. At the most basic level, the candidate who uses more than one perspective when answering a question is displaying the skill of evaluation, albeit implicitly. Candidates who are more sophisticated in their use of evaluation will identify explicitly the strengths and limitations of different theories and arguments, and they may reflect on the validity of the evidence that they use to support or counter particular viewpoints. Part (b) answers should not have lengthy tracts of description, 2 as candidates will access the higher marks by extending the range of evidence used and the amount of analytical content. Study Skills The majority of candidates who under-perform in the examination do so not because they lack appropriate sociological knowledge, but rather because they have difficulty in demonstrating the key skills of interpretation, application, analysis and evaluation. These skills are in some ways more intellectually demanding than the relatively simple process of absorbing and regurgitating knowledge about a subject. They depend upon other underlying skills such as judgement, insight, empathy, reasoning, logic, and command of language. Nevertheless, much can be achieved through the use of carefully selected teaching strategies to stimulate and hone the required intellectual qualities in the candidate. Teachers may find it helpful to establish at the beginning of a course the idea in candidates minds that they are embarking on a process of learning new skills for which they must take some responsibility. They should not assume that they can acquire all the requirements for success in the examination simply by attending lectures, following the instructions of their teacher, and reading the course textbooks and other relevant materials. Teachers should emphasise that the skills have to be understood and practised by the candidates. Draw the parallel with disciplines such as music, dance and professional sport, where proficiency is developed primarily through a self-disciplined approach and the student’s diligent application and interpretation of the knowledge that is acquired from teachers and coaching manuals. Help the candidates to understand that success in the examination is similar to a star performance where skills that have been practised extensively beforehand are displayed with craft and style and agility of mind. Discourage the assumption that examinations at this level are essentially a memory test where success depends solely on the ability to reproduce, indiscriminately and almost verbatim, swathes of knowledge gleaned from the recommended textbooks. Candidates should be reminded that it is the ability to shape and apply appropriate knowledge that is all-important in achieving examination success. Knowledge itself is of little value if it is poorly applied or used uncritically and unimaginatively in answering a question. It is recommended that each candidate has access to a copy of the CIE authorised textbook for the specification, namely AS and A Level Sociology by Barnard, Burgess and Kirby. This textbook has been written by experienced examiners specifically to cover the requirements of the CIE AS/A Level Sociology specification. The syllabus document includes a list of other recommended textbooks. However, candidates should be discouraged from viewing the textbook and any other authoritative source materials as simply a body of knowledge to be absorbed mechanically and reproduced rigidly in answering examination questions. It is preferable to regard the knowledge in textbooks as a resource or tool that the candidate must become skilled in using in order to master their subject. An active rather than a passive approach to studying sociology is therefore to be recommended. Reminding candidates at regular intervals throughout the course of the importance of a skills-based approach to preparing for the examination is an important teaching tactic. Finding different ways of communicating this message will be a rewarding challenge for teaching staff and a marker of their success in encouraging an active and rigorous approach to learning amongst the candidates. Teachers who have studied the assessment objectives and thought carefully about the skills they require will be well prepared for the vital task of making their candidates aware of the various dimensions of the skills they will be expected to demonstrate in the examination. Teaching Strategy Knowledge of a subject is the foundation for learning and the basis on which candidates can progress to developing other skills, such as the ability to analyse and evaluate arguments and ideas. Some teaching time must therefore be devoted to communicating knowledge about the subject to the candidates. However, an effective teaching strategy will also include provision for developing and testing appropriate study skills. In particular, candidates should be encouraged to practise essay writing technique and the skills of analysing and assessing sociological evidence and theories. Possibly about one third of the available teaching time should be devoted to practising study skills with the candidates. It is envisaged that knowledge-based learning will occupy the remaining teaching time. Activities and projects designed to improve study skills might also be included in the work that candidates are required to complete in their own time e. g. homework. Practising study skills should begin early in the teaching course and continue on a regular basis – at least once a week – until the examination. The 3 teacher may wish to work with each candidate to agree a personal study programme that includes goals to be reached in terms of developing appropriate skills. Regular assessment of the candidate’s progress and feedback from the teacher on what has been achieved so far and how further improvement might be made should be key features of the teaching strategy. Teachers may find it helpful in planning a skills-based study programme to begin by reflecting on the qualities that the candidate will be required to demonstrate in order to achieve success in the examination. Make a list of these qualities or skills and then devise activities and study exercises that will help the candidates practise the necessary skills. For example, composing essay plans for answering past examination questions might be identified as an appropriate activity for developing the skills of interpreting questions and writing coherent and well-structured answers. Another relevant activity might involve the candidates working in pairs to identify arguments for and against a particular sociological statement or proposition. Working on these activities under the pressure of a time limit might be helpful in preparing the candidates to cope with the time constraints they will encounter in the examination. Other activities might be devised to help candidates understand what is involved in formulating clear and convincing arguments and reaching balanced and logical conclusions when responding to examination questions. Enthusiastic and skilful teachers will be able to identify a range of appropriate activities and study exercises that are ideal for the kind of skills-based learning that is essential for success in the examination. Designing an effective assessment scheme for monitoring each candidate’s progress in acquiring the relevant skills is another task that committed teachers will relish.

SOLO Report Essays - Crime, Murder, Psychopathy, Serial Killer

SOLO Report This book, in my opinion, is a very good example of a serial killer, and his ironic demise. The book begins with an example of serial killing, where a powerful, influential man is killed by an assassin. The book, after the killing, follows the killer to an unusual place-a concert hall. There it is found that the killer is internationally famous concert pianist John Mikali. This man, Mikali, has been tormented by death and pain all of his life. His family has been based through a stout naval history, as his father, and relatives past have all been commanders and captains of great naval ships. The one break in the chain was his Grandfather and him, John, who is a concert pianist. John is clever but physcotic, because his hobby, as gruesome as it may seem, is killing. It began one day when his nanny was killed. It seemed she was killed by a hit and run driver. John, who loved his nanny so much, decided to get revenge, and revenge he did. He killed the man who had been driving the car. The book starts out, as said, with a killing and then by revealing the killer. Then the book goes into a story of the life of the man Mikali. His mother and father had been killed at sea, and the only people he had left were his nanny and his aunt. The book gives an accurate description of his life and times before his incredible hobby. After the book describes Mikali's background, which itself is filled with death, the book goes into the current life of Mikali and how he got to where he is. Mikali discovered his great talent in music at a very early age. His grand-father, who is the only blood relative he has left, is committed to his grand-son. He gives his son the best schooling in the form of music he loves the most: the Piano. The book after it has dealt with the past then goes into the present. Using this method, it resembles a time line: MIKALI'S DEEP PAST--------RECENT PAST---------PRESENT TIME After the recent past, in which Mikali has killed over 30 well known and influential people all around the globe. He uses his influential piano connections to travel all around the globe. He then makes the fatal mistake someone else did to him by doing it to someone else, with even more power than him. Mikali's most loved relative was killed by a hit and run driver-and then one day Mikali kills the daughter of a retired SAS Soldier, Asa Morgan. Morgan is a trained and skilled killer himself. It is ironic in the fact that after Morgan's daughter is killed, he goes on a rampage, like Mikali after his aunt is killed. Mikali took out his rage on the entire globe-and Morgan took UT out on Mikali and everyone associated with him. Morgan, after learning his daughter is dead, throws all rules of the military system out the window and goes after Mikali. Although Morgan doesn't know who killed his daughter, he does know that the initial murder at the beginning of the book is related to his own daughter's murder. Mikali has gained a world- wide reputation as a brilliant pianist-and his alter ego as a fearless and skilled killer. Revenge plays its part in this book, after Mikali having taken his out on the whole world, and Morgan wanting to get his daughter back. Morgan, after tracking down Mikali through skillful deduction, (he examines all the murders and pieces together that Mikali was in the city giving some kind of musical performance) kills Mikali in the only place that can be deemed fit to kill Mikali in-A music hall. The book is very real in the aspect of serial killers. It portrays an excellent example of a person who kills in succession with an intricate plan. The killer, Mikali, kills all of his victims simply and with a plan. Also, Mikali kills many people. That's a common trait with serial killers. As with Charles Manson, Mikali killed his victims without remorse or pity. He wiped them clear off the face of the earth without a second thought because he thought it would have an affect on the earth. Mikali's plan was that if someone did something bad to him, then they should be dead. Mikali killed a man who had been leading the group who financed a political uprising in his native Greece. And he also

Free Essays on A Profile of WNEW-FM

WNEW-FM is one of New York City’s oldest and most storied FM radio stations. It began its broadcast history in October 1967 as a freeform station that let the DJ’s pick their own music. It quickly became one of the most influential radio stations in the country, inspiring copycat stations in markets all across the country. Many musicians who live in the New York metropolitan area, such as Billy Joel, Lou Reed, and Joey Ramone, have been quoted saying that the station was very influential in the development of their musical tastes. (WNEW R.I.P., Eric Boehlert, Rolling Stone 10/28/99, pp 33) The station also helped start the careers of many artists, including Elton John and Bruce Springsteen, by introducing them to a wide and varied audience. The station’s influence was so great that when declining ratings prompted a format change, Rolling Stone actually ran a story about the station, citing the station as â€Å"once rock radio's most influential station,† s tating that â€Å"WNEW also changed the way rock radio sounds.† (WNEW R.I.P., Eric Boehlert, Rolling Stone 10/28/99, pp 33) Today WNEW is an all-talk format station. The station is trying to build programming around their very successful afternoon drive team, Opie and Anthony. Greg â€Å"Opie† Hughes and Anthony Cumia were brought to WNEW in July of 1998 by then General Manager Scott Herman because â€Å"We noticed that classic rock in New York, as a pure format, isn't going to win in the long run.† (Local Media, Media Week, 07/27/98 pp14) They were well known for getting fired from Boston’s WAAF after an April Fools Day prank in which they falsely reported the death of Boston’s Mayor in a car accident. The show quickly became one of the top rated radio programs in its time slot. By the Spring of 1998, Opie and Anthony were number one with males 18-34. (Local Media, Media Week 7/30/2001 pp12) The Stations current weekday lineup is as follows: â€Å"The Sports Guys† from 5 to ... Free Essays on A Profile of WNEW-FM Free Essays on A Profile of WNEW-FM WNEW-FM is one of New York City’s oldest and most storied FM radio stations. It began its broadcast history in October 1967 as a freeform station that let the DJ’s pick their own music. It quickly became one of the most influential radio stations in the country, inspiring copycat stations in markets all across the country. Many musicians who live in the New York metropolitan area, such as Billy Joel, Lou Reed, and Joey Ramone, have been quoted saying that the station was very influential in the development of their musical tastes. (WNEW R.I.P., Eric Boehlert, Rolling Stone 10/28/99, pp 33) The station also helped start the careers of many artists, including Elton John and Bruce Springsteen, by introducing them to a wide and varied audience. The station’s influence was so great that when declining ratings prompted a format change, Rolling Stone actually ran a story about the station, citing the station as â€Å"once rock radio's most influential station,† s tating that â€Å"WNEW also changed the way rock radio sounds.† (WNEW R.I.P., Eric Boehlert, Rolling Stone 10/28/99, pp 33) Today WNEW is an all-talk format station. The station is trying to build programming around their very successful afternoon drive team, Opie and Anthony. Greg â€Å"Opie† Hughes and Anthony Cumia were brought to WNEW in July of 1998 by then General Manager Scott Herman because â€Å"We noticed that classic rock in New York, as a pure format, isn't going to win in the long run.† (Local Media, Media Week, 07/27/98 pp14) They were well known for getting fired from Boston’s WAAF after an April Fools Day prank in which they falsely reported the death of Boston’s Mayor in a car accident. The show quickly became one of the top rated radio programs in its time slot. By the Spring of 1998, Opie and Anthony were number one with males 18-34. (Local Media, Media Week 7/30/2001 pp12) The Stations current weekday lineup is as follows: â€Å"The Sports Guys† from 5 to ...

Paramedic science degree (Medical) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Paramedic science degree (Medical) - Essay Example We then supported her back while she slowly stood. With the help of a walker, she walked a few steps outside her room. When she expressed that she was getting tired, we assisted her to the wheelchair and wheeled her into the rehabilitation clinic. She was also a very anxious patient and feared that she might fall again and further injure herself. She was also feeling depressed and melancholy; she felt like there was no point in her trying to recover from her injuries. Feelings (What was I thinking and feeling?) I felt that the process of assisting the patient was a long and tedious process; but I knew that it was something we had to patiently undergo. This step by step process of transporting the patient from each point to the next helps prevent further injury and ensures that the patient would be able to safely regain her mobility and independence. Regaining mobility and independence after partial hip surgery is crucial to the patient’s recovery. In a study by Freburger (2000 , p. 448), the researcher was able to establish that physical therapy after hip arthroplasty helps to improve patient outcomes and to ensure home discharge. I felt that discharging the patient to home care would help calm and ease her anxieties; calming her anxieties about falling is essential towards achieving mobility and independence. Evaluation (What was good and bad about the experience?) What was good about the experience was that, I learned the importance applying safe methods of moving and transporting patients. Safely transferring and transporting the patient from one point to another requires technique and guidance from the physical therapist. I learned that all elements of the transfer and transport must be coordinated with all the members of the medical team in order to ensure the safe and stable transport of patients (Durch, p. 209). The physical therapist was able to teach us proper techniques of transferring the patient – techniques which were not too difficult for the patient to adopt while also being ergonomically safe for the transport team to apply. Ergonomically safe techniques in transporting patients help prevent injuries on the part of the transport team (Nelson and Baptiste, 2004). What I found bad about the experience was that I felt like the medical team was pushing the patient too hard. Granting that early mobility would help her regain her independence, I could see from the patient’s demeanour that she really was finding the process very exhausting. I felt that we needed to include counselling also to her treatment in order to help her deal with her anxiety and post-surgery depression. Depression after surgery, especially for the elderly is a common occurrence. Treating that depression helps ensure that she would do well during the rehabilitative process (McConnell, n.d., p. 3). Analysis (What sense can I make of the situation?) This situation emphasizes the importance of applying safe methods in the transfer and trans port of patients. Post-surgery patients, especially the elderly, already have compromised mobility, but it does not mean that they cannot move at all or that they will never regain their mobility. Learning the safe and appropriate ways to assist them in regaining mobility is an important function for the medical team. In the process however, the team must also learn how to

Frolicking animal scroll Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Frolicking animal scroll - Essay Example "Generally speaking, Japanese picture scrolls can be divided into two main categories: religious scrolls, usually made for some didactic purpose, and non-didactic scrolls, the aim of which is purely to entertain." (Okudaira, p. 164) As their historical significance is often put into question as to if they are actually being satirical of the priesthood, in this case Buddhism, would not give proper credence to what the scrolls are meant to depict. Perhaps the virtuosity of what the scrolls depict cannot be properly translated for modern theorists in their understanding of religious entities such as the Buddhist priests. During the 12th and 13th century, the Buddhist priest were looked upon by many as the epitome of the religious monarchism and that they should not be depicted as mere mortals. Buddhist priests, in the viewpoint of many western cultures of the time, were no doubt placed on the same level as mysterious practitioners of eastern religious figures as the Dali Lama and should be revered as such. As Buddhist clerics and priests were often celebrated, the depiction of the animal scrolls, four in total, shows the entertaining side of the Buddhist priests and thus might prove a contentious issue with respect the priests interacting with laypersons. "The first scroll, portrays monkeys, rabbits, frogs, etc. which seem to be playfully impersonating human beings. ... "The first scroll, portrays monkeys, rabbits, frogs, etc. which seem to be playfully impersonating human beings. The second scroll pictures horses, cows, hawks, eagles, lions, tigers, dragons, etc. in their natural forms; real and imaginary animals are intermingled. The third scroll is divided into two parts, with Buddhist priests and laymen enjoying games of chance in the first part, and with monkeys, rabbits, and frogs sporting in imitation of human beings in the second part. The fourth scroll, similar to the first half of the third scroll, shows Buddhist priests and laymen at play." (Okudaira, p. 173) This is perhaps where the conception of the scrolls being satirical in nature with respect to the priesthood as it is hard to understand how and why priests would be interacting in playful activities with laypersons. It may also be conceivable that through interpretation by western cultures from what the scrolls depicted may have in fact been misinterpreted with respect to how those two centuries viewed their religious figures. A Difference of Opinion As much of our translations and interpretations of historical artifacts are done by western cultures, there may in fact be a difference of opinion as to what is being interpreted. From the limited resources available about these historical artifacts, it is evident that the painters of those times may have shown us a different viewpoint of what occurred during this cultural period. It would seem that not only are the members of the priesthood, the Buddhists, revered and held to high standard, but they were in fact leaders of the community that would interact with the general public. As many believe that the painting of the scrolls came from China and entered into Japan during the Han dynasty, it

Heroin Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Heroin - Research Paper Example People are moving from the abuse of simple drugs to abuse of hard and more dangerous drugs (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2013). In the past alcohol and tobacco were the most abused drugs. However, recently more complex and hazardous drugs such as cocaine and heroin have gained dominance and are the most abused drugs in USA. This paper ill discuss abuse of heroin in the USA and will analyze the available statistics as well as the effects of the drug on the abuser. According to the NSDUH, the number of people using heroin in the year 2012 was about 669,000 (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). The number had increased by more than double as compared to the statistics done in 2007. Most of the drug abusers of heroin are of the ages between 18and 25. According to the research done in 2012, the number of new users was 156,000, and this indicated that the abuse of the drug was increasing at an alarming rate. The statistic done by NSBUH proved that there was a reduced abuse of the drug for people aged between eight years and twelve years (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). A report by the WHO showed that, the numbers of people who were admitted in USA hospitals due to heroin abuse was alarming. According to their research done in 2002, the found out that the number of admitted people due to heroin abuse was 214,000. A follow-up research done in 2012 proved that the number of hospitalized people had grown by 50%. This statistic was interpreted to mean that heroin use had doubled in a period of ten years. Previously, heroin abuse was only in urban areas but recently it has spread to rural areas. 11% of all the heroin abusers in 2012 were all from rural communities such as St Louis and Chicago (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). Frequent us of heroine leads to addiction which is a very challenging to stop the habit. Any attempts to quit abuse of heroin leads to the patient experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms. The extent to

The Likert Scale and Manipulation Checks in Research

The Likert Scale and Manipulation Checks in Research The independent variable is the status and the dependent variables are rule compliance and hierarchy-enhancing beliefs. The study collects the data through an online survey, uses a likert scale, and incorporated manipulation checks into its experimental design. It is a between subject design. Its weakness lies with its lowered external validity. Firstly, the survey was conducted online. Hence, the computerized system would be able to manage the order in which question were shown, controlling the questions in which it was being answered (Wan, 2014). This also eliminates the need for researchers to code their answer into a format that can be analysed by statistical program which could sometimes results in mistakes when transferring the data from paper to software. It is also impersonal and can help decrease the effect of social desirability as compared to a scenario in which the survey was administered by the experimenter (Wan, 2014). Secondly, the study uses a likert scale. Dependent variables are measured with the use of a likert scale instead of a simple dichotomous categorical answer. This allows the researcher to measure the degree in which a particular construct is felt rather than it just being felt or not. This is important as the hypothesis wants to measure not just the presence of rule compliance and hierarchy-enhancing beliefs, but the level (â€Å"lower† vs â€Å"stronger†) of it. Items on the measurement scale were being reverse coded and can help to counter acquiescent bias (Wan, 2014). The effect of acquiescent bias can be measure on a bipolar scale such as what was used for measuring the hierarchy-enhancing beliefs, from a â€Å"strongly disagree† to a â€Å"strongly agree† (Hinz, Michalski, Schwarz, Herzberg, 2007). However, the scale testing the rule compliance construct is unipolar. It also uses multiple item scale. This helps to average out participant random error within a scale, making it more reliable (Wan, 2014). The scale that was used to measure the hierarchy enhancing beliefs was used in past research to measure the same construct, increasing the confidence we have that they are more valid than other measurements of hierarchy enhancing beliefs (White McBurney, 2013). While the odd point likert scale has its advantages, it also has drawbacks. By doing using an odd-point scale, researchers did not force participants to take a side. Participants could clearly state that they feel neutral about an item rather than choosing one mild directional response over the other when they do not really feel that way. This will enable the scale to reflect what the participants really feel. However, the interpretation of mid-point is entirely up to the participants as there are only two anchors on the extreme end of the 5-point scale. One participant’s interpretation of the mid-point might not be the same as another participant. For example, one participant might choose the mid-point if they do not have an opinion about it, but another participant could also choose the mid-point if they do not want to think about it or just want to finish the survey faster. This could affect the reliability and validity of the instrument and result. The researchers could ha ve put an anchor for the mid-point as well so that all participants can see the mid-point in the same way. The participants could also use the mid-point as a way of avoiding decision. This is especially so since the scale measures hierarchy-enhancing beliefs and rule compliance, both of which could inflict a certain extent of social desirability on the participants. Furthermore, the scale was put on a survey which essentially is a self-reported measure and they can choose whichever choice they feel like (Wan, 2014). This will make the effect of social desirability even stronger. The scores measured might not be a representation of what they actually feel, but a reflection of what they feel is morally right. Thirdly, a manipulation check was done as they asked participants to â€Å"describe what happened and how they felt in the situation†. This can help provide evidence for construct validity of manipulation and help make sure that status have indeed been manipulated (White McBurney, 2013). This will help ensure that the status manipulation has been properly executed, and the results had been obtained in the presence of successful manipulation and not due to chance. This is especially important for participant manipulation as the manipulation might not have the intended effect on the participant as it is subjected to the participant’s interpretation (Gravetter Forzano, 2011). Fourthly, as participants are only being manipulated to experience one condition (either a high status or low status condition), the study uses a between subject design. Researchers can be sure that the scores will not be influenced by factors like sensitization of knowing what is being measured and as a result, the possibility of having a good-subject tendency (Wan, 2014). Participants will also not experience the effects of order effect such as carryover of perceived status as compared to a study that uses a within subject design. However, as the individuals cannot act as their own control as they can in a within subject design, the study is subjected to individual differences such as family upbringing, emotions and personality, all of which can influence the result (Wan, 2014). Individual differences can produce high variability in the scores (Gravetter Forzano, 2011). They can also become confounding variables (University of Arizona, 2006). The study limited the confounding thro ugh randomization (University of Arizona, 2006). The participants were randomly assigned to either of the two conditions. This helps to reduce or eliminate the systematic differences between the two groups, achieving group equivalence. Hence, the internal validity of the study, which is important for the study as it is trying to establish relationships between two variables, is increased (White McBurney, 2013). Furthermore, two dependent variables are being measured in one study. The effect of manipulation might have worn off or be diminished by the time participants answered the second survey on hierarchy enhancing beliefs. The order in which the surveys were given and filled up might have been important in the degree to which participants agree or disagree with the items in the survey. However, the external validity might have been lowered as the study might have a biased sampling frame and the method of selection of participants was not mentioned. Firstly, the study could have a biased sampling frame. Unless the market research firm has a wide reach of participants that spread across the country, they had only sampled from a small set of cities and towns in the whole of America. By systematically excluding all US working adults who lives in other parts of United States of America (USA), valid generalizations about the entire American population could not be drawn from this data and results (Wan, 2014). This is assuming that the population that the study is investigating is the whole of USA. The assumption was made as the hypothesis did not specify the population it will be investigating. By stating â€Å"people†, it could mean people around the world, people in America, or people in a specific state. Secondly, random selection of the sample was not mentioned. Hence, it might not be representative of the population, lowering the external validity of the study (Wan, 2014). However, this might not be that important as the goal of the study was to establish a relationship between the two variables and not to generate a result that could be generalized across the population. Since, there might be limited resources, it is wise to only choose one validity; internal validity was more important than external validity in this study that investigates the relationship of variables (Wan, 2014). This weakness will not affect the conclusion that much. In conclusion, the use of online survey, likert scale, and manipulation checks had made the study better. However, the reduced external validity might make it difficult for the results of this study to be generalized. Tan Jun Xuan References: Gravetter, F., Forzano, L.-A. (2011). Research Methods for the Behavioural Sciences. United States of America: Cengage Learning. Hinz, A., Michalski, D., Schwarz, R., Herzberg, P. Y. (2007). The acquiescence effect in responding to a questionnaire. Psychosocial Med. University of Arizona (2006). Ch8 Between-subjects design [Powerpoint slides]. Retrieved from: www.u.arizona.edu/~dusana/psych290Bpresession06/notes/Ch8%20Between-subjects%20desing.ppt Wan, C. (2014). HP1100 Sem1 1415 Week 2 Slides [Powerpoint slides]. Retrieved from: ntulearn.ntu.edu.sg Wan, C. (2014). HP1100 Sem1 1415 Week 3 Slides [Powerpoint slides]. Retrieved from: ntulearn.ntu.edu.sg Wan, C. (2014). HP1100 Sem1 1415 Week 4 Slides [Powerpoint slides]. Retrieved from: ntulearn.ntu.edu.sg White, T. L., McBurney, D. H. (2013). Research Methods. United States of America: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Dr Jekyl And Mr Hyde - Chapter Summary :: essays research papers

Chapter 1The story begins with a description of Mr. Utterson, a lawyer in London. Mr. Utterson is a reserved, conservative man who does not reveal his true, vibrant personality. He tolerates the strangeness and faults of other. Early in his life, he watched as his brother fell to ruin, and it is noted that he is often the last respectable person that men who are turning to evil or ruin have to talk to. This foreshadows Utterson's involvement with upcoming evil.Mr. Utterson is friends with Richard Enfield, although the two are totally different from one another. They always took walks with each other on Sundays no matter what else they might have to do. As they walk down a lane on Sunday that would usually be crowded with merchants and children during the week, Enfield points out an old building without many windows, and only a basement door.Enfield tells a story of how, one night at about 3:00 am, he saw a strange, deformed man round the corner and bump into a young girl. The strange man did not stop but simply walked right over the young girl, who cried out in terror. Enfield rushed over and attended the girl along with her family. Still, the strange man carried on, so Enfield chased him down and urged him back. A doctor was called and Enfield and the doctor felt an odd hatred of the man, warning the man that they would discredit him in every way possible unless he compensated the girl. The strange man agreed to offer 100 British pounds.Enfield notes that the man is like Satan in the way he seems emotionally cold to the situation. The strange man presented a cheque signed by an important person, which they together cashed the next morning. Enfield states that he refers to the building as Black Mail House. Utterson asks Enfield if he ever asked who lived in the building, but Enfield explains that he doesn't ask questions about strange things:"the more it looks like Queer Street, the less I ask."The building appears lived in, and the two men carry on their walk. Enfield continues that the strange man he saw that night looked deformed, though he could explain how. Utterson assures Enfield that his story has caught his interest. The two agree never to talk about the story again.Chapter 2The same evening, Utterson came home.

Disability Form

Good day! I am writing this letter to shed light on a recent incident that I have unfortunately been tied up in. as you may well know, I have been working for Borgota for five years. Over this time, I have been efficient and effective in the discharge of my functions and responsibilities. As fortune would have it, I have found myself in disability for the first time. As such, I was not fully aware nor was I apprised of the necessity of filing certain disability claims in order for me to receive my disability check.This led to the failure of the Department of Labor to process my disability checks for the past six weeks. I have never been one to shirk on my responsibilities and neither am I one to blame my misfortunes on other people. Yet, in this instance, I feel that my predicament warrants my action on this matter. Given my disabled status, I have had several difficulties adjusting to normal life and to normal routines.Understandably, it was difficult for me to adjust as I had to de al with this situation on my own. I am not asking for pity or sympathy but rather the understanding for somebody who is in my situation. Times are difficult and this disability of mine does not make things easier, as such, I am imploring your aid so that I can try to move on from this circumstance and soon pick myself up so that I can once again be a productive member of society.

Definition and Examples of the Series in Grammar

Definition and Examples of the Series in Grammar Definition In English grammar, a  series is a  list of three or more items (words,  phrases, or  clauses),  usually arranged in parallel form. Also known as a list or catalog. The items in a series are usually separated by commas (or semicolons if the items themselves contain commas). See Serial Commas. In rhetoric, a series of three parallel items is called a tricolon. A series of four parallel items is a tetracolon (climax). See Examples and Observations below. Also see: Writing With Descriptive ListsAsyndeton and PolysyndetonAuxesisBill Brysons ListsClimactic OrderCoordinate Adjectives  and  Cumulative AdjectivesDiazeugmaHypozeuxisEdward Abbeys List of ExamplesEnd-Focus and End-WeightEnumeratioListicleNikki Giovannis ListsParallelismSystrophe EtymologyFrom the Latin, to join   Examples and Observations With their repetitions, their strong rhythmic qualities- lists are often the most musical section of a piece of prose, as though the writer suddenly broke into song.(Susan Neville, Stuff: Some Random Thoughts on Lists. AWP Feb. 1998)Twitter has become a playground for imbeciles, skeevy marketers, D-list celebrity half-wits, and pathetic attention seekers: Shaquille ONeal, Kim Kardashian, Ryan Seacrest.(Daniel Lyons, Dont Tweet on Me. Newsweek, Sep. 28, 2009)Tea is the steady companion of the Scottish day, and each hotel, no matter how humble, stocks its rooms with supplies for brew-ups: electric pot for boiling water, ceramic pot for brewing, china cups and small tea creamers, a raft of teas, honey, fresh milk, and lemons.(Emily Hiestand, Afternoon Tea,  The Georgia Review, Summer 1992)Donkey: I dont get it, Shrek. Why didnt you just pull some of that ogre stuff on him? You know, throttle him, lay siege to his fortress, grind his bones to make your bread? You know, the whole ogre t rip.Shrek: Oh, I know. Maybe I could have decapitated an entire village, put their heads on a pike, gotten a knife, cut open their spleens and drunk their fluids. Does that sound good to you?Donkey: Uh, no, not really, no.(Shrek, 2001) Daisy said some cruel and heartless things about me, my personality, my looks, my clothes, my parents, my friends, the way I eat, sleep, drink, walk, laugh, snore, tap my teeth, crack my fingers, belch, fart, wipe my glasses, dance, wear my jeans up around my armpits, put HP sauce on my toast, refuse to watch The X Factor and Big Brother, drive . . . The litany went on and on and was interspersed with tears and sobs.(Sue Townsend,  Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years. Penguin, 2010)Go on vacation with your siblings; you will be back in the treehouse of code words and competitions and all the rough rivalries of those we love but do not choose as family. I am more likely to read trashy books, eat sloppy food, go barefoot, listen to the Allman Brothers, nap and generally act like Im 16 than Id ever be in the dark days of February. Return to a childhood haunt, the campground, the carnival, and let the season serve as a measuring stick, like notches on the kitchen doorway: the last time yo u walked this path, swam this lake, you were in love for the first time or picking a major or looking for work and wondering what comes next.(Nancy Gibbs, To the Time Machine! Time, July 11, 2011) The fictional model for the country gentry is the hard-riding, heavy-drinking, red-faced, Hanoverian-damning, Pox!-exclaiming, no-nonsense Squire Western in Fieldings Tom Jones.(Jeremy Paxman, The English: A Portrait of a People. Overlook, 2000)Throughout [the movie] Sinister, the rooms remain darker than crypts, whether at breakfast or dinnertime, and the sound design causes everything in the house to moan and groan in consort with the heros worrisome quest. I still cant decide what creaks the most: the floors, the doors, the walls, the dialogue, the acting, or the fatal boughs outside.(Anthony Lane, Film Within a Film. The New Yorker, October 15, 2012)Knowing already of the towns carefully nurtured reputation for gentility, I moved [to Bournemouth] in 1977 with the idea that this was going to be a kind of English answer to Bad Ems or Baden-Baden- manicured parks, palm courts with orchestras, swank hotels where men in white gloves kept the brass gleaming, bosomy elderly ladies in mi nk coats walking those little dogs you ache to kick (not out of cruelty, you understand, but from a simple, honest desire to see how far you can make them fly).(Bill Bryson, Notes From a Small Island. Doubleday, 1995) Most of the public lands in the West, and especially in the Southwest, are what you might call cowburnt. Almost anywhere and everywhere you go in the American West you find hordes of these ugly, clumsy, stupid, bawling, stinking, fly-covered, shit-smeared, disease-spreading brutes. They are a pest and a plague. They pollute our springs and streams and rivers. They infest our canyons, valleys, meadows, and forests. They graze off the native bluestem and grama and bunchgrasses, leaving behind jungles of prickly pear. They trample down the native forbs and shrubs and cacti. They spread the exotic cheatgrass, the Russian thistle, and the crested wheat grass.(Edward Abbey, Even the Bad Guys Wear White Hats. Harpers Magazine, January 1986)I am no more lonely than a single mullein or dandelion in a pasture, or a bean leaf, or a sorrel, or a horse-fly, or a humble-bee. I am no more lonely than the Mill Brook, or a weathercock, or the northstar, or the south wind, or an April shower, or a Jan uary thaw, or the first spider in a new house.(Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854) Oh, look, she said. She was a confirmed Oh-looker. I had noticed this at Cannes, where she had drawn my attention in this manner on various occasions to such diverse objects as a French actress, a Provenà §al filling station, the sunset over the Estorels, Michael Arlen, a man selling coloured spectacles, the deep velvet blue of the Mediterranean, and the late mayor of New York in a striped one-piece bathing suit.(P.G. Wodehouse, Right Ho, Jeeves, 1934)Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans- born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, mee t any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty.(President John Kennedy, Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961) The sandwiches were stuffed with alfalfa sprouts and grated cheese, impaled with toothpicks with red, blue, and green cellophane ribbons on them, and there were two large, perfect, crunchy garlic pickles on the side. And a couple of cartons of strawberry Yoplait, two tubs of fruit salad with fresh whipped cream and little wooden spoons, and two large cardboard cups of aromatic, steaming, fresh black coffee.(Thom Jones, Cold Snap, 1995)While politely discussing with him my fathers sudden journey to town, I registered simultaneously and with equal clarity not only his wilting flowers, his flowing tie and the blackheads on the fleshy volutes of his nostrils, but also the dull little voice of a cuckoo coming from afar, and the flash of a Queen of Spain settling on the road, and the remembered impression of the pictures (enlarged agricultural pests and bearded Russian writers) in the well-aerated classrooms of the village school which I had once or twice visited; andto continue a tabulati on that hardly does justice to the ethereal simplicity of the whole process- the throb of some utterly irrelevant recollection (a pedometer I had lost) was released from a neighboring brain cell, and the savor of the grass stalk I was chewing mingled with the cuckoos note and the fritillarys takeoff, and all the while I was richly, serenely aware of my own manifold awareness.(Vladimir Nabokov, Speak, Memory: An Autobiography Revisited. Random House, 1966) The one with the assortment of smiles, the oneJailed in himself like a forest, the one who comesBack at evening drunk with despair and turnsInto the wrong night as though he owned it- oh smallDeaf disappearance in the dusk, in which of their shoesWill I find myself tomorrow?(W.S. Merwin, Sire. The Second Four Books of Poems. Copper Canyon Press, 1993)The Length of a SeriesAlthough the four-part series is indicative of a human, emotional, subjective, involved attitude, each additional lengthening of the series increases and magnifies this attitude, and begins to add an element of humor, even absurdity. [William] Hazlitt, writing about human beings, the Public, his own kind, [above] uses the long series to indicate great involvement, great feeling, and a certain sense of humor about it all. The Public is mean, but so ornery that we almost have to laugh.(Winston Weathers and Otis Winchester, The New Strategy of Style. McGraw-Hill, 1978)Usage Tips: Arranging and Concluding a Series- In a n unenumerated series, place the longest element last.(James Kilpatrick)- Do not use etc. at the end of a list or series introduced by the phrase such as or for examplethose phrases already indicate items of the same category that are not named.(G. J. Alred et al., The Business Writers Handbook. Macmillan, 2003) Pronunciation: SEER-eez

Determination of the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of River Water Samples

Determination of the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of River Water Samples IntroductionThe chemical oxygen demand (COD) is a measure of the amount of oxygen consumed by the organic material within a water sample that is oxidized by a strong chemical oxidant, such as potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7). Its main use is as an indicator of the organic and inorganic matter within water and effluent discharge giving a quantitative value of water quality. There are other tests that are also used to measure the organic content of a water body, such as the biological oxygen demand test. The biological oxygen demand (BOD) and can be found by collecting a sample from the watercourse and incubating it at 200C for five days, and calculating the oxygen used over the incubation period (Harrison 1996). The COD is often used when other methods are not as effective to be used. One advantage of the COD test over other tests, such as the BOD test is that it is relatively fast to carry out, for example the BOD test takes place over a five-day incubation period whilst the COD tests can be carried out in 2 hours; hence provides a much quicker indication of water quality.Heathfield School, PinnerThis property of the test has resulted in a wide range of usage when monitoring and controlling the organic content of industrial waste from effluent systems and the receiving water bodies.Dichromate is often used as the oxidizing agent when determining the COD due to its ability to oxidise most materials and ease of manipulation (Chapman 1996). Test allows the organic matter within a sample to reduce the dichromate; any remaining dichromate is titrated with ferrous ammonium sulphate, FeSO4.(NH4)2SO4, where the Fe2+ ions are oxidised to Fe3+ by the remaining dichromate ions, Cr2O72-. The dichromate (Cr2O72-) is dissolved into a salt by the addition of sulphuric acid...

Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Nursing - Essay Example These changes coupled with the escalating complexities of the ever evolving healthcare delivery system and the changing socio-political market has further heightened the pressure on nurses to be more responsible and accountable for delivery of quality patient care (Lenburg, 1999; Savage & Lucy, 2004:9). As the healthcare environment becomes more demanding with the increasing complexity and changing patterns of healthcare delivery, and the development and evolution of the nursing practice in response to the increasing health needs of clients, nurses are faced with the increasing pressures of decision making (Accountability in Nursing and Midwifery, 1997). In all these changes, what stands the same is that the nurse must exercise discretion and judgment in the management and supervision of patient care, in accepting or rejecting responsibilities, seeking consultation and even in assigning responsibilities to others who may carry out nursing care. With this increasing level of responsibility in patient management and care, the demand for nurses to be accountable for their decisions, judgment of discretion becomes more crucial for evaluating and improving quality of care. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) A-Z Advise sheet on Accountability states that "registered nurses have a responsibility to deliver safe and effective care based on current evidence, best practice, and where applicable, validated research." (NMC, 2006:1). While the NMC code of ethics also states that as a registered nurse, "you are personally accountable for your practice. This means that you are answerable for your actions and omissions, regardless of advice or directions from another professional." (NMC 2002) These policies hold grave implication for the nursing management of patient care. This paper therefore aims to look at the subject of accountability, in the light of the related concepts such as responsibility, autonomy and authority and how it affects the nurse delivery, supervision and management of patient care in the adult branch of nursing. For a start, let us take a look at what the term 'accountability' entails. According to Savage & Lucy (2004), although accountability is not a recent concept, it has however evolved over the last couple of decades from "a matter of regular reporting to an explanation of actions and outcomes and, more recently, a justification of the values informing actions and outcomes"(pg13). They argue that despite the fact that the use of the term is increasing in frequency in management and policy making circles, the term is becoming more vague as it now appears to refer to an increasing number of phenomena. However, within the nursing context, accountability has been described in different lights, by different authors. For instance, while the American association of Nurses (ANA) described nurse accountability as being Answerable to someone for something one has done. It means providing an explanation or rationale to oneself, to clients, to peers, to the nursing profession, and to society. In order to be accountable, nurses act under a code of ethical conduct that is grounded in the moral principles of fidelity and respect for the dignity, worth and self-determination of clients (Accountability in Nursing and Midwifery, 1997). The NMC considers accountability as being "fundamentally concerned with weighing up the interests of patients and clients in complex

Ancient Chinese Contributions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ancient Chinese Contributions - Research Paper Example Modern day agricultural methods, astronomical observations, paper money, decimal mathematics, brandy and whisky, chess, umbrellas, wheelbarrows, multistage rockets, and so many other things came from China. Throughout 600 AD to 1500 AD, Chinese stood as worlds most technologically advanced society. Their frequent discoveries of scientific principles and new technologies influenced the development of societies throughout the world (Shaw, 2003, p.14). This paper briefly explores the most useful and ingenious innovations of Ancient Chinese. Chinese invented the art of paper making in 105 AD, Tsai Lun, a Chinese member of Imperial Court made it by grinding plant and then converting it into sheets of paper after drying. Writing system dates back to 3000 years in China, they used bamboos for writing before, paper was certainly more practical. Early Chinese paper was made by mulberry tree and other plant fibers. Early Chinese paper was also used for clothing and military body armor since it was very hard and strong. Paper use in writing was discovered after a century of its discovery. The earliest example of writing on paper was found in the form of an abandoned piece from military. That paper dated back to 110 AD and it has nearly two dozen readable characters (Shaw, 2003, p.16). Ancient civilizations may know the process of magnetizing iron by placing it near a loadstone, however, Chinese were the first who applied this rule to invent compass. The earliest picture of compass was from 200 BC made by placing spoon as needle on the table with compass points. Early compasses were not used for navigation but divination (Gies and Gies, 1994, p.94).Earliest Chinese compass used to point towards south and called south-pointer. In the Han dynasty (202 BC-AD 220), travelers used this compass. An American scholar, Derk Bodde (1909-2003) argues that we would have been

English class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

English class - Essay Example Thus, the article finds that a general apprehension exists that video games cause violent behavior in children. However, the article challenges this contention as it does not seem tenable, though it concedes to the notion that to a certain extent, video games may impact children’s behavior. The article focuses on the premise that video games contain a lot of violence, bloodshed, objectification of females and sexual content. However, it emphasizes a more significant concern that viewing experience in the media, in terms of audio visual components, are â€Å"extraordinarily life like, and these effects can be particularly striking in violent games† (1). It also concedes to the fact that despite the existence of rating systems by the ESRB, children disregard the classification and even those below 13 years watch the content that is permissible to those in the age group of 17. The article also refers to research studies that â€Å"lend credence to concerns about the impact of violent video games† (3). However, this does not prove that games such as GTA cause violent behavior in children. The article, further, challenges this concept by arguing that there is â€Å"little or no evidence to support any of these theories† which purport that violence in th e video games such as GTA can provoke violent behavior in children (2). I believe that exposure to violent media or video games alone cannot make children to indulge in violent behavior. My research premise is based on the concept that many factors such as genetic framework, social circumstances, psychological reasons etc cause violent behaviors in humans. Therefore, children who possess any such specific traits or who remain exposed to any of the causative elements, stand the chance of displaying violent behavior. I do not agree with the evidence based on a study among 1254 students, which indicates that violent games cause aggression in children. It claims that those who play games are â€Å"more likely than their

Human Knowledge Essay Example for Free

Human Knowledge Essay Anyone writes at one point or another in his lifetime to share his or her experiences, ideas, perceptions, situations, and points of view. Some write everyday in their private diaries to capture their memories. Others write to give way to the expression of their emotions, sometimes, pent up, a fond memory, thoughts, or aspirations, even frustrations. If knowledge is knowing and learning gained through experience then personal essays become one of the rich sources, if not the fountainhead, of knowledge which brings us to the stance of this discourse. The personal and highly subjective approach of the personal essay is not merely entertaining but definitely, it adds much to the stock of human knowledge. There are two bases for the present argument. Firstly, important terms, as they have bearing on the issue, are explained or defined where this discourse attempts to build this position and view on the subjective approach of personal essays as a big contributor to the stock of knowledge. Secondly, Hs’s discussion on the sources of knowledge (Hs n. d. ) not only supplements the understanding of the terms but builds a strong working framework for this argument. On the overall, an understanding of the working definitions of knowledge and personal essays serves as the springboard for the discussion at hand. Subordinated to knowledge and personal essays are the words subjective and entertaining. Knowledge may be understood as defined in several ways but not limited to the following: ‘the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association; acquaintance with or understanding of a science, art, or technique; the fact or condition of being aware of something; the range of ones information or understanding; the fact or condition of having information or of being learned; the sum of what is known; and the body of truth, information, and principles acquired by humankind’ and ‘applies to facts or ideas acquired by study, investigation, observation, or experience’ (Merriam Webster n. d. ). Moreover, knowledge refers to the ‘state or fact of knowing; familiarity, awareness, or understanding gained through experience or study; the sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned; learning; and specific information about something (Houghton Mifflin 2000). The accumulation of all possible information in every discipline altogether makes up the â€Å"stock of human knowledge. † On the other hand, the personal essay is one where the writer speaks from his or her own personal perspective about just any thinkable or unthinkable, imaginable or unimaginable (such as fictions) topic – emotions, experiences, places, events, things, animals, etc. A personal essay is very personal to the writer in that it relates to one’s private life rather than anyone else. In this sense, it is to a high extent particular, intimate and maybe found peculiar, but highly subjective. To be subjective is to be biased and one-sided. In the case of a personal essay, the writer has some biases with reference to any particular topic because he or she writes from how he or she views things in the environment. That is what makes personal essays highly subjective and all along carrying that personal touch. These writings become amusing or enjoyable, or contextually, entertaining to the readers on account of an experience where they become vicariously involved. Knowledge (and the accumulation of it) as understood from its given definitions are functions well fulfilled by personal essays. Hs listed and explained the five sources and the ways by which knowledge is gained (Hs n. d. ) – people, books, experience, experimentation and observation, and thinking and pondering. All of these sources heavily point to or at least allude to the voluminous personal essays. First, â€Å"people,† Hs declares â€Å"are the biggest source of knowledge for anybody† because for one reason, many people’s varied experiences can make enough experience in that area from which others may derive lessons from as a consequence of reading them. Since personal essays are highly subjective dwelling on personal anecdotes, it is not surprising that they are saturated with the first person pronoun â€Å"I† in the process of the narration (Cavallari n. d. ). These experiences as expressed through personal essays may affect the lives of others either â€Å"giving inspiration or altering some of your core values and outlook of life† (Oz Essays n. d. ). The things to learn from these numerous people experiences include also their achievements, frustrations, failures, miseries, mistakes, and skills. Furthermore, personal essays make their writer ask themselves â€Å"what experience has taught them about themselves† (Editors for Students n. d. ). And that from the personal stories grows out the points of the experience (Composition Patterns n. d. ). The lessons in life are paramount to the increase of one’s knowledge. Second, reading as much as many books about any topic is another source of knowledge. Take for instance a particular example cited by the author, Hs. The same problem that one may be confronted with must have similarly confronted others. By reading how others dealt with the same problem might just instantly give the solution as used by others. Though not so related but contextually relevant is the old saying that â€Å"there is no frigate like a book† where the reader is able to â€Å"travel† and see the wonders of the world through the eyes of those who undertook the travels and wrote about them. Third, it is true that â€Å"experience is a great teacher† according to Hs because mistakes are corrected and achievements are gained through lessons derived from past experiences not just your own but others’ as well. No matter how rhetoric but it is undeniably true that the best lessons in past experiences tells us that the present must learn from the past to make the present better and plan out for the best future. Fourth, experimentation and observation add to the stock of human knowledge by attempting at finding out, through one’s efforts and those of others through their writings, which attempts succeed that readers might carry on and which attempts fail that they might avoid in their own ventures. Watchfulness and keen observation of others’ approaches to particular situations is a sure way to gain knowledge that can be applied when the situation arises that calls for appropriate actions. What best observations can be had than reading from the personal essays of many people that one cannot possibly physically do all? Fifth, by thinking and pondering on what have been read such as personal essays can lead to a deep understanding of any topic. Take the case of personal essays of uncountable number on â€Å"How To†¦Ã¢â‚¬  like â€Å"How to Become a Millionaire,† How to Study Effectively,† â€Å"How to Win an Election,† How to Deal with Stress,† and many more. They are generally taken from individuals’ own experiences and insights that are shared to the readers. From these personal essays are skills or strategies learned that might as well work for the readers’ own successes. They are not necessarily products of empirical studies worked out from sample populations. Are they not significantly contributing to the stock of human knowledge? The process and later the formation of the habit of writing makes the individual primarily knowledgeable in many ways and secondarily acquiring the appropriate skills in communicative writing. Writing from personal experiences and incidents is actually mirroring one’s self as the lesson emerges from life experiences. Then, they develop the skill to reflect on the intrapersonal and develop the skill to write which is in itself a knowledge earned usable at any point in time especially in the academe. The readers, on the other hand, learn to write and improve, in some cases, hone their skills on the styles of writing based on the personal essays of others. The teaching experience of Andrea Sarvady is an interesting case in point. In an interview with an educator (Sarvady 2007) in a school in Atlanta, Georgia, Sarvady emphasized that requiring and training her 7th and 8th grade students in writing personal essays makes them ‘become better writers †¦ and become better people’. Writing just about anything from fiction to non-fiction, Andrea believes that the two-year personal essay writing program she does with her students is to a certain extent therapeutic but more importantly, she claims ‘it helps a lot of kids look at their own life a little more closely at an age where impulse controls issues are so huge. † The process and the progress to becoming â€Å"better people† is no doubt a consequence of knowledge earned. It is easy to contradict the opinion that personal essays are simply entertaining but does not do much to add to the stock of human knowledge. On the contrary, personal essays have much to offer to the formation of the stock of human knowledge while certainly entertaining at the same time. The argument with focus on science as a discipline, (Crichton n. d. ) carries some truth when he said that the â€Å"personal and subjective approach to essay writing entertains the reader, which adds little in comparison to the attainment of human knowledge. † However, at the same time he was quite negating his position when he said that people’s understanding of the world when â€Å"it grows, expands and then adds to the collective work†¦ once accredited and accepted as plausible, it advances the stockpile of human knowledge through the dispersal of academic essays. † In effect personal essays, although a subjective view of an objective knowledge, cannot be denied that however little, they throw in to the stock of human knowledge. Going further to the argument, human knowledge as based on the five sources of knowledge being the framework for this treatise are largely derived nowhere else but from ‘people’ where many of their ‘experiences’ are captured through their written texts as in ‘books’ narrating their own ‘experiences and observations’ of others that they ‘ponder’ on bringing about a deeper understanding of any subject matter. As a consequence, experiences of people first handedly accumulate to significantly contribute to the stock of human knowledge. Personal essays are written experiences of individuals to share their thoughts, insights, points of view, emotions, skills and abilities, ideas, usually bringing home to a point usually a lesson as a consequence of the experience (Editors for Students n. d. ). People trying out new ways of cooking, through experimentations and observations, are collected into cookery books. Similarly, innovative ways of doing interior home designs are collected into magazines and books on home designing shared by countless others. Landscaping and gardening are available in many books from the ideas of many creative individuals. Skills honing activities in any field of interest are available in books and magazines. Many researches utilize the interview instruments which are generally derived from interviews of real people eliciting from their own experiences. From this wide array of information, generalizations are made into principles, theories, and concepts. The amalgam of experiences and observations found and shared in personal essays accruing make up the colossal stock of human knowledge more than just entertain readers. List of References Cavallari, D. What is a Personal Essay [online] Available from http://www. wisegeek. com/what-is-a-personal-essay. htm [June 4, 2009] Crichton, A. A Subjective Look on Objective Knowledge[online] Available from http://philosopherzone. com/philosophy/a-subjective-look-on-objective-knowledge/ [June 2, 2009] Editors for Students â€Å"The Personal Essay – Essay Writing Tip #6† [online] available from http://www. editorsfor students. com/personalessay. html [June 3, 2009] Houghton Mifflin Company(2003). The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Languag, 4th ed [online] Available from http://www. thefreedictionary. com/knowledge [June 3, 2009] Hs, S. Sources Of Knowledge How To Gain Knowledge In Any Field [online] Available from http://ezinearticles. com/? Sources-Of-KnowledgeHow-To-Gain-Knowledge-In-Any-Fieldid=500120 [June 4 2009] Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary [online] Available from http://www. merriam-webster. com/dictionary/knowledge [June 3, 2009] Personal Essays in the Classroom (March 28, 2007) [online] Available from http://www. visualthesaurus. com/cm/teachersatwork/735/ [June 4, 2009] Interview Oz Essay Personal Experience Essay[online] Available from http://www. ozessay. com. au/personal_experience_essay. html [June 2, 2009] Composition Patterns The Personal Essay [online] Available from http://grammar. ccc. commnet. edu/GRAMMAR/composition/personal. htm [June 2, 2009]

Job Satisfaction And Its Importance In The Workplace Education Essay

Job Satisfaction And Its Importance In The Workplace Education Essay Job satisfaction is increasingly becoming important in the workplace. Employers now recognise that the happier their employees are, the better will be their attitudes towards the work, the higher their motivation and the better will be their performance. Job satisfaction in any field of work depends a lot on how conducive the work environment is. The work itself, the pay and the scope for promotion are only some of the factors which have an impact on job satisfaction. Educators job satisfaction is important as it has a direct impact on students achievement and their future career (Pitkoff, 1993). An educator who is unsatisfied with his/her job tends to be unmotivated and more likely to escape from his/her responsibilities. In these circumstances, we tend to see an increase in absenteeism among teachers. Such educators usually show little concern in school matters and this obviously has a negative impact on the performance of our children. Various studies have been carried out in the past to assess the impact of motivation and job satisfaction on employee productivity and performance (Vroom, 1964). Some of these studies have found a positive relationship between job satisfaction and job performance which leads to the conclusion that satisfied employees tend to perform much better than less satisfied ones. 2.1 Definition of job satisfaction Job satisfaction is one of the most investigated topics in the fields of organizational behaviour. The most-used research definition of job satisfaction is by Locke (1976), who defined it as . . . a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of ones job or job experiences (p. 1304). It is now recognized that job satisfaction is a global concept that also comprises various facets (Judge et al., 2001) including pay, promotions, co-workers, supervision, the work itself, recognition, working conditions, and company and management. Job satisfaction has also been defined as the extent to which a staff member has favourable or positive feelings about work or the work environment (De Nobile, 2003). It refers to the positive attitudes or emotional dispositions people may gain from work or through aspects of work (Furnham, 1997; Locke, 1976). Ivancevich et al. (1997) defined job satisfaction as the feeling and perception of a worker regarding his/her work and how he or she feels himself well in an organization. Davis and Newstrom (2003) and Dessler (2001) describe job satisfaction as a set of favorable or unfavorable feelings for the employees to perceive their work and that determine the possibility of a major disposition to achieve higher performance. Therefore, job satisfaction refers to an individuals general attitude toward his or her job (Robbins, 1998). Jensen (2000) defines job satisfaction as: a sense of personal growth most often measured by the extent of new challenges and learning situations experienced (p. 1). On the other hand, job dissatisfaction refers to unhappy or negative feelings about work or the work environment (Furnham, 1997). There exist many factors which may result in job dissatisfaction. Some of them are poor working conditions, overwork, low levels of pay, no scope of promotion or career advancement and lack of recognition. But what is worst are the consequences of job dissatisfaction which obviously affect both the employees and the organization. It may result in loss of motivation, lack of interest, frustration, poor productivity, absenteeism and even high turnover rates. To sum up, we can say that job satisfaction describes how content an individual with his or her job and also implies doing a job one enjoys, doing it well, and being suitably rewarded for ones efforts. Job satisfaction further implies enthusiasm and happiness with ones work. 2.2 Factors affecting job satisfaction Job satisfaction depends on several different factors such as satisfaction with pay, promotion opportunities, fringe benefits, job security, relationship with co-workers and supervisors and communication within the organisation. (Nguyen, Taylor, Bradley, 2003). Job satisfaction may lead to cost reduction by reducing absences, task errors, conflicts at work and turnover. As work is an important aspect of peoples lives and most people spend a large part of their working lives at work, understanding the factors involved in job satisfaction is crucial to improving employees performance and productivity. 2.2.1 Age Age is one of the factors affecting job satisfaction. Various studies carried out in this field have shown that job satisfaction tends to increase with age. That is older employees tend to report higher satisfaction and younger employees report the lowest job satisfaction rates (Warr, 1992). However, the study carried out by Oshagbemi (2003) in United Kingdom (UK), found that the relationship between job satisfaction and age was insignificant for employees of the UK universities. 2.2.2 Gender Several researchers have examined the relationship between job satisfaction and gender (Mason, 1995). However, most studies have shown contractions in the relationship between job satisfaction and gender of the employees. On one hand, some studies have found women to be more satisfied than men (Ward and Sloane, 1998), whereas other studies have found men to be more satisfied than women (Forgionne and Peters, 1982). 2.2.3 Working environment It is essential to provide employees with a work environment which is conducive to their overall development. They need an environment which is healthy and safe and which caters for both personal comfort and facilitates doing a good job. As mentioned earlier, people spend a high percentage of their lifetime at work. So we can say that employees expect more than money for the work they do. Hence, it can be said that having a friendly and supportive environment can lead to increased job satisfaction. Syptak, Marshland and Ulmer (1999) advise organisations to do everything they can to keep the companys equipment and facilities up to date. In their article, they also recommend organisations to avoid overcrowding and allow each employee his or her own personal space, whether it is a desk, a locker or even just a drawer (p. 1). 2.2.4 Fair policies and practices Individuals who perceive that promotion decisions are made in a fair and just manner are likely to experience satisfaction from their jobs (Witt and Nye, 1992). Very often employees are demotivated and dissatisfied with their jobs because unfair policies and practices prevail at their place of work. It is therefore of utmost importance for organization to have a fair and equal system in terms of practices and policies so that there is no discrimination and frustration. It is a fact that organization which follows the right procedures to promote employees creates a culture of trust, loyalty and beliefs in the whole organization. When an employee gets fair promotion, which is generally based on his true assessment, he gets a type of recognition, and hence, increases his job satisfaction. In other words, we can say that promotion provides opportunities for personal growth, more responsibilities, and increased social status. 2.2.5 Caring organization Taylor (2000) suggested that job satisfaction is directly related to a companys investment in its employees well- being. Arthur (2001) pointed out that employees want to believe their company really cares about them. Care can be shown in various ways, but generally it takes into consideration career development, adult treatment, being taken seriously and being appreciated for a job well done. (p. 221). When people feel that the organization for which they are working cares for them and takes actions in order to improve their work and lives, they are happy and this creates higher satisfaction. These employees furthermore become loyal and committed. Advantages of job satisfaction to the organisation The Frederick Herzbergs theory and job satisfaction To better understand what keeps job satisfaction high, it is important to recall Frederick Herzbergs theory. The latter put forward that satisfaction on the job depends on two elements: hygiene issues and motivators. Hygiene issues (dissatisfiers) Motivators (satisfiers) Organisational policies Work itself Kind of supervision Achievement Salary Recognition Interpersonal relations Responsibility Working conditions Growth opportunities Job security According to the Herzbergs theory, Hygiene issues cannot motivate employees but they can help to minimize dissatisfaction, if handled properly (p. 1). These issues are directly related to the employees working environment. On the other hand, motivators create satisfaction by fulfilling individuals needs for meaning and personal growth (Syptak, Marshland and Ulmer, 1999). The above theory can be very helpful in guiding organizations on how to maintain employee satisfaction. Job satisfaction and productivity Studies have shown that, only a few organizations believe that job satisfaction is a crucial element in their overall strategy and very little is being done to promote it. This can be due to the fact that many organisations fail to understand the link between job satisfaction and productivity. Should we not care about job satisfaction? Is it true to say that happy workers are productive ones? In fact, in the right conditions and settings, job satisfaction can to a great degree lead to higher productivity. If employees feel that their jobs are fun and interesting, they will be more willing to give extra effort at work for the benefit of the whole organization. Instead if employees have the feeling that their occupations are meaningless and boring, they will have a negative attitude which will definitely lead to a decline in productivity. Job satisfaction helps to create a better working environment When employees are enjoying a higher degree of job satisfaction they tend to be more helpful and friendly with their colleagues at work. This helps to promote teamwork where sharing of information and knowledge is enhanced. Moreover studies have shown that job satisfaction among employees may lead to a better and safer working environment with lesser negative conflicts which otherwise would impede the smooth running of the organization. Job satisfaction and absenteeism and turnover High rate of turnover has always been a great problem to many organizations. It obviously results in loss of potentials and talents and causes huge losses in terms of additional costs. According to Sattler and Mullen, generally, the more productive people are, the more satisfied they tend to be and when employees feel satisfied they are less likely to leave the organization. (2007). From this, we can say that in order to retain talented people in the organisations, managers need to devise strategies in order to bring about job satisfaction. Once employees are happy and satisfied at work, the rate of absenteeism and turnover will be lower. Achievement and responsibility According to Herzberg theory, achievement and responsibility are two important motivational factors which can be used to create job satisfaction at work. Noe (2005) suggests that learning can be facilitated by providing employees with specific challenging goals and objectives (p.111). In this context, managers need to set clear and achievable goals to their employees. This will help to provide employees with a sense of achievement on completion of tasks and may bring about more satisfaction. Furthermore organisations need to empower and encourage their employees to take more responsibility. Such strategies do help to bring more satisfaction in employees and make them more loyal, committed and will have ownership interests in their jobs. Employee satisfaction can lead to customer satisfaction Numerous studies have been carried out to look at the link between customer and employee satisfaction. Many of them have shown a relationship between employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction and profitability. For example, a study carried out at Sears Roebuck Co. showed that a five-point improvement in employee attitudes led to a 1.3 rise in customer satisfaction which, in turn, generated a 0.5 increase in revenues. Brooks (2000) reviewed the relationship between financial success and customer and employee variables (e.g., customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, etc.) and found that, depending on market segment and industry, between 40 and 80 percent of customer satisfaction and customer loyalty was accounted for by the relationship between employee attitudes and customer-related variables. Similarly, Vilares and Cohelo (2000) found that perceived employee satisfaction, perceived employee loyalty, and perceived employee commitment had a sizable impact on perceived product quality and on perceived service quality. In other words, when our staff is happy, our customers will be too. At the heart of these endeavors is a strong belief that todays employee satisfaction, loyalty and commitment influence tomorrows customer satisfaction, loyalty and commitment-and, ultimately, the organizations profit and growth. Job satisfaction is a matter of great significance for employers. As shown above, organizations benefit a lot from satisfied employees in the following ways: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lower staff turnover à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Higher productivity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Reduction in conflicts and complaints à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Punctuality (reduced lateness) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Better worked morale Therefore, we can say that job dissatisfaction affects both the organisation and the employees negatively. If job dissatisfaction prevails, the organisation is likely to be affected through poor customer service, quality production and profitability. It is a clear and obvious that employees lacking loyalty and commitment will show very little original thinking and will absent themselves very often from work. All these put together will clearly result in poor performance and low profitability for the organisation. Job satisfaction in the primary educational sector It is known to everyone that reward and recognition are very scarce when it comes to the primary educational sector. Numerous studies carried out by sociologists have confirmed this. Moreover, as most of the teachers work is being carried out within the walls of closed classrooms, teachers often find themselves isolated from others without any support from peers and superiors. Due to such organisational structure, teachers do not receive appropriate feedback from others and often find it hard to work together so as to improve their work. According to Frase, 1992, many teachers leave teaching within the first three years of employment as a result of these conditions. Decision makers therefore need to find ways to retain teachers in the profession and keep them motivated and at the same time promote satisfaction. Studies have shown fairly convincingly that teachers are motivated more by intrinsic than by extrinsic rewards. Pastor and Erlandson (1982) Carried out a survey which found that teachers identify their needs and measure their job satisfaction by factors such as participation in decision-making, use of valued skills, freedom and independence, challenge, expression of creativity, and opportunity for learning. In a survey conducted by Brodinsky and Neill (1983), a majority of school administrators (and teachers) cited three policies that effectively improved morale and motivated their staffs: shared governance, in-service education, and systematic and supportive evaluation. New Theories of Teacher Motivation Frase, 1992 identified two sets of factors that affect teachers ability to perform effectively and therefore derive job satisfaction. These two factors are 1. Work context factors 2. Work content factors. Work Context Factors Work context factors are those which meet the basic needs such as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the class size à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ discipline conditions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ availability of teaching materials à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the quality of the head masters supervision and his/her leadership style According to Frase, 1992, the above context factors do not bring job satisfaction as such. However, during their absences or if not well handled, problems which might affect the teaching and learning process might crop. They may thus lead to job dissatisfaction. Work Content Factors According to Frase, once again, work content factors are intrinsic aspects related to the work itself. They include opportunities for à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ professional development such as further on job training leading to personal growth à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Recognition of hard work à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ challenging and varied tasks à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ increased responsibility and empowerment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ achievement and authority. Studies carried out by the National Center for Education Statistics in the United States (1997) have clearly shown that teachers who do not feel supported in the above fields are less motivated to do their best work in the classroom. Their data confirm that staff recognition, parental support, teacher participation in school decision making and control in the classroom are the factors most strongly associated with teacher satisfaction. Difficulties educators face in the classroom As an educator, it can bring much satisfaction to see students develop new skills and competences and achieve success in terms of knowledge. However, it may be frustrating when one is dealing with unmotivated or disrespectful students. Very often, teachers must cope with unruly behaviour and violence in the schools. Teachers may experience stress in dealing with large classes, heavy workloads, or old schools that are run down and lack many modern facilities. Accountability standards also may increase stress levels, with teachers expected to produce students who are able to exhibit satisfactory performance on standardised tests in core subjects. Many teachers are also frustrated by the lack of control they have over what they are required to teach. Working Conditions It takes a decent work environment to teach well. Art 8 or the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation states that, we must improve the working conditions and school environment so as to best promote effective learning and teaching, and enable teachers to concentrate on their professional tasks. Workload has to be fair to be able to carry or tasks effectively and must not have a negative impact on the health and safety of teachers. Also, the authorities must devote equal teaching resources to all educational institutions. School climate The values, attitudes, expectations and behaviour more or less shared by the members of a school community are generally referred to as school climate. A positive school climate plays an important role in fostering teachers performance, academic achievement of students and school motivation. A positive school climate nurtures an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect between each and everyone in the school. Teachers would like to work in schools where they can feel comfortable with their colleagues and the school leadership. Therefore, creating a healthy school environment for everyone begins by supporting healthy relationships among the staff. Healthy relationships produce a climate conducive to honesty, open communication, and risk-taking (Ames Miller, 1994). In a true learning community, cooperative learning and mutual respect are expected of faculty as well as students. Establishing a supportive school environment increases self-esteem and achievement (Cantwell, 2003). Leadership Teachers are more satisfied when their head teachers are good and model leaders. This includes motivating employees to do a good job and striving for excellence. Effective head teachers create structures in which it is clear that teachers have a certain authority. In certain schools some head teachers empower their teachers to work on certain tasks like creating a media and audio visual room, or creating other structures for the benefit and welfare of students as well as for staff members. Such kind of empowerment and trust in employees yield commitment, loyalty and higher performance at the place of work. Such leaders motivate subordinates to do more than originally expected. They raise the consciousness of subordinates about the importance and value of designated outcomes and ways of reaching them and, in turn, get subordinates to transcend their own immediate self-interests for the sake of the mission and vision of the organization. (Yammarino, Spangler and Bass,1993). Teachers performance Educators job is one which does not produce tangible goods whose quality could be measured quantitatively. Their jobs consist of preparing pupils of 5-11 years old academically and help them in their overall development. As a matter of fact, it is difficult to measure their performance. A few years back, with ranking system at the CPE level, inspectors and school head teachers used to assess the performance of their staff by analyzing the performance of students in the final exam. However, this is not an ideal way of measuring performance as there are other factors apart from the CPE pass rate which are linked to the teachers performance. Training After completion of a two year diploma course at the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE), the educator is posted in a given school and is assigned the responsibility of a class. The MIE together with the Ministry of Education offer supplementary courses so as to upgrade the standards of educators and at the same time keep them abreast changes occurring in terms of methodology, contents and curriculum. Some of these courses are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Certificate in Educational Management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Diploma in Educational Management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Advanced Certificate in Educational Management After the completion of these courses, educators are eligible for a rise in their salary and furthermore are eligible to postulate for jobs like Deputy Head Teacher and Head Teacher. It is a fact that the more positive the perceptions employees have concerning the usefulness and scope of advancement the training sessions will provide to them, the higher will their job satisfaction. Promotional prospects Promotion in the primary sector is based on seniority. It is only after about twenty five years of service that a teacher will be automatically promoted to Deputy Head Teacher. From there, the latter will have to wait for some five more years to aspire to become the head of a school. As a matter of fact, the promotional scope is rather restricted and this is a real demotivating factor to many educators in the field.