Women in the Military Essay - 531 Words

I have chosen my persuasive essay to be focused on why women should be in the military. I chose this topic in order to get a full view on how women in the military are thought of. I have done some research and have learned a lot more then I originally expected. According to the U.S. Constitution, all men are created equal, this also includes women. I believe that a woman in the military is just as capable as any man. Some people will argue this because they feel as though it is not right to have women wounded or killed in war. I understand that it would be hard to see and hear about but remember that female police officers and firefighters are wounded or killed daily. How can one rationalize that a woman†¦show more content†¦They have been prisoners of war, led men into battle, operated our most sophisticated machinery, flown combat aircraft, and have fired lethal weapons. They have assisted the military as far back as the Revolutionary War but there are still some positions that women are restricted from. Although women comprise about 15 percent of the American armed forces, our military policy states that females are prohibited from serving in all combat zones. Some of these zones include infantry, armor, most artillery units, and women are not authorized to any units whose mission is to engage the enemy. I feel as though that this is unfair, it limits our women’s opportunities to help serve and protect our country. I can not understand why someone would want to deny a person the right to do so. Although there are some areas in which women are restricted from, there are some. Before World War 1, women mainly served as nurses or helpers, but, for World War 1, the very first enlisted women served as radio and telephone operators, translators, and clerks. It was not until World War 2 that women became a part of the regular military. The first of these units was the Women’s Army Corps (WAC’s), it enlisted 400,000 in the war to work in jobs that freed men so they could fight. In WWI more then 25,000 US women served in Europe. Although women still died in wars, the US women were never putShow MoreRelatedWomen and the Military1125 Words   |  5 PagesWomen and the Military Statistics show that the U.S. armed forces currently employ over 229,000 women in its various branches (Donnelly 8). This figure had been increasing exponentially for over 30 years. It s no surprise to men that women are becoming an important factor in the U.S. military and now occupy every position expect those on the front lines. With the infiltration of women in the services in 1972, great controversy has arisen and has become a highly argued issue (DonnellyRead MoreWomen in the Military1458 Words   |  6 PagesGender integration in the military has always faced the question of social acceptance, whether society can accept how women will be treated and respected in the military. Throughout the history of the military, our leadership has always sought ways in how to integrate without upsetting the general public if our females were captured as prisoners of war, raped, discriminated or even blown up in combat. My paper will discuss three situations pertaining to the fi rst female submariner, fighter pilotRead MoreWomen in the Military1453 Words   |  6 PagesWomen have done incredible things within the history of the world. They have proven time and time again that they are equal in just about every way with the opposite gender. However now the question of whether they can or even should fight beside men in combat has come up. Many people think that because almost the whole world has recognized that each individual has all the same basic rights, regardless of their gender or race, that everyone can do the same job equally. This is simply not true andRead MoreWomen in Military1248 Words   |  5 PagesWomen in the United States have long fought for the right to be included in many facets of society such as the right to vote to breaking into professions like the medical field and getting females elected to major government offices. But one of the most intriguing questions of integration has yet to be fully answered. Apart from all others is the b attle to allow women the right, the honor, and the privilege of serving and defending their country as part of the United States Armed Forces. Being inRead MoreThe Military : Protections For Women In The Military1715 Words   |  7 Pagesin 2016 compared to 6,082 last year, an annual military report showed. This was a sharp jump from 2012 when 3,604 cases were reported. Few bills have been presented in Congress against the institution for fear of disrespecting those who are fighting for our country. By attacking one section of the military for injustice and abuse, there is fear that this could possibly only be scratching the surface of the issue. Protections for women in the military seem to have a bleak outcome due to the fact thatRead MoreWomen in the Military Essay1469 Words   |  6 Pages Women have fought alongside men in the United States Military in every major battle since the American Revolution. The roles of women in the military have evolved over time to allow the incorporation of women in expanding military career fields. Women have proven themselves to be an asset to the military despite some of society believing women would weaken America’s military effectiveness. Today more than 200,000 women are active-duty military, this is about 14.5% of all military. Currently, womenRead More Women in the Military Essay637 Words   |  3 Pagesfollowed. In 1920, the 19th Amendment granted suffrage to women. Since then, women have been gradually stepping up on the ladder of success. Everyday more and more opportunities are opening themselves up for women. Because of these changes, we have had to add unheard of words such as congresswoman, policewoman, etc. to the dictionary to keep up with their advancement. The United States military is even inviting women into their ranks. Military Women rising up in status and prestige is a great thing, butRead More Women in the Military Essay1112 Words   |  5 PagesShould women be allowed in the military? My answer was at first a resounding â€Å"no.† However, once I started my research, my opinion changed. In 1948, Congress passed the combat exclusion law that prohibited women in the Air Force, Marines, and Navy to hold combat positions; however, the Army can assign these duties as they see fit (Schroeder). Some people assume that Americans are not ready to see a woman wounded or killed in war; however, there are female police officers that are wounded or killedRead More Women in the Military Essay667 Words   |  3 PagesI am in favor of equality for women, just not when it comes to women in combat. There have been women in society doing heroic things since the Revolutionary war. There have been brave women in war posing as men so they could fight. There are a select few women who could ha ndle war and combat. The negative aspects of women in combat outweigh the positive. Women should not participate in military combat. However they may join the military and served in traditional roles such as nurses and office staffRead MoreEvolution of Women in the Military3618 Words   |  15 PagesThe Evolution of Women in the Military Abstract Women are without doubt an integral part of the military services. It took the determination of women throughout history to pave the way for the 400,000, women that serve today. From the early years of the military to the present conflict in Afghanistan, women have made continuous progress towards equality. It is through their contributions that the military has evolved, consistently opening more jobs to women in combat. Time has proven that

The Process Of Stp Process - 2488 Words

The Process of STP. STP process is one of the important strategies in the market studies which divide the entire market into several portions. STP stands for Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning. Market segmentation may stands to identify different groups within the consumers and also provide useful data. Next process after the segmentation will be the targeting. Different consumer groups can be obtained in the market. Therefore only one marketing strategy will not be suitable. Product targeting can be done on the basis of the consumer requirements according to different consumer groups which have been identified. In the process of STP, the last step will be the positioning. This includes developing a brand name in the mind of the consumer. This also might include improving the customer’s perception and involving some experience if they purchase the particular product. The main goal of the STP is to guide the organization and for the development which in turn lead to a marketing mix. (Marketing 3E P by Paul Baines, Chris Fill. Page 202) Introduction. Aldi is a well-known supermarket discounter brand, a Choice supermarket survey in November 2009 found Aldi was 25 per cent cheaper than it is nearest priced competitor, http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/why-do-australians-love-aldi-the-secrets-to-the-supermarkets-phenomenal-success/story-fneuz8wn-1227131533124 This has been achieved by their simple business model, reducing company operational expenditure, this meansShow MoreRelatedPolitical Economy And Urban Development Essay1500 Words   |  6 Pagessuccesses have gained until now. But still Dhaka is one of the least livable cities in the world. Political economy and urban planning both are complex and people and state oriented. Before discussing about the political economy of urban development process it is necessary to clear the concept of political economy and the economic system of Bangladesh. Political Economy Political economy is the study of production and trade and their links with custom, government and law. It is the study and use ofRead MoreA Project At The 339 Mld1433 Words   |  6 PagesCAREER EPISODE- 2: Working closely on a project at the 339 MLD (Million Litres per Day) Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) has given me motivation to further pursue a research project at the same 339 MLD STP at Amberpet, Hyderabad. From the previous project in the STP, I identified future scope for research to improve the efficient disposal of sludge from the water treatment plant. Up on approval from HMWSSB and permission from The University of Manipal, I proceeded with the research project of sludgeRead MoreWhy The Cleveland Indians Could Benefit From Using The Stp Model1634 Words   |  7 Pagesvalue for its customers, there are three essential steps that must be followed. This process includes segmenting, targeting, and positioning (STP). The basis of this process is to divide the population into segments with a distinct commonality, identify the segment(s) to target in efforts of reaching marketing goals, and then position the product or service to appeal to the targeted market. In order to make the ST P model as effective as possible for the organization, it is crucial to fully developRead MoreMarketing Analysis : Marketing And Marketing Mix Four Ps Theory Systems1470 Words   |  6 Pagesdefinition of marketing has changed marketing to an educational process. This means that the mainly role for marketing is going to take on the needs of the customers and stir the launch for new products to deliver the values to make the final customer happy. In this article, centering on the customer needs in the marketing, it will analyze and evaluate the role played by marketing during the process of developing a new product, using the STP and Marketing Mix Four Ps theory systems. As noted by JobberRead MoreUsing Quality Binding Materials And Beautiful Design And Typography946 Words   |  4 PagesInprint, and so this entrepreneurial venture understands that an effective segmentation, targeting, and positioning (STP) strategy as discussed by Tanner and Raymond (2014) be in place for the reintroduction of books to be a profitable undertaking. In the following paragraphs, we will study both the importance of an STP strategy and its implications in Inprint’s marketing. The STP process allows organizations to analyze the marketplace and determine which segments of the population should be selectedRead MoreHow Tesco Can Reposition Themselves For The Discount Chains1729 Words   |  7 Pagesstakeholders. Sometimes, it may due to the changing of buyer preferences, which may be manifested in declining sales and even market share. In addition, in order to make the correct decisions of the repositioning of an organization, the STP process should be adopted. STP process, which includes segmentation, targeting and positioning, has been set as the foundation of marketing strategy (DeSarbo et al, 2008). As a result, when Tesco wants to make the decision of the repositioning of themselves, the consumerRead MoreThe Model Of The Company Smith s 1703 Words   |  7 PagesExecutive Summary: This report focuses on the STP model of the Company â€Å"Smith’s†, which produces potato chips in Australia. This report will focus on how the segmentation, targeting and positioning concepts has been used by the company to obtain such a market mix that Smith’s chips are the most preferred and favorite among the Australian customers. Basically , when we are applying STP process in the marketing our product in market, our ultimate goal is to position our product in consumer’sRead MoreThe Role Of Rti Special Education For Children s At Risk With Learning Difficulties921 Words   |  4 Pages The role of RTI in special education is the early identification of student’s at-risk with learning difficulties. RTI data can be essential for prevention and interventions with the SLD identification process. The Data gathered through RTI can be used in SLD intervention determinations. When the model is properly used, all students identified for SLD needs more services than the interventions provided in Tier 1 and 2. RTI should be used in conjunction with other measures (e.g. CHC theory, multi-dataRead MoreThe Human Brain Is A Very Powerful Computational Device Essay937 Words   |  4 Pagesetc. Synaptic plasticity can be divided into  Short term plasticity (STP) — synaptic changes last for a few time steps.  Long term plasticity (LTP) — synaptic changes last for hours and even days. Synaptic plasticity was envisioned by neuro-psychologist D.O.Hebb. In 1949 he postulated the following—â€Å"When an axon of cell A is near enough to excite a cell B and repeatedly or persistently takes part in ring it, some growth process or metabolic change takes place in one or both cells such that A’s efficiencyRead MoreEssay on Cmit 350 Final Project1188 Words   |  5 PagesSpringfield Site Device and STP Configurations II. Worchester Site Subnetting Configurations III. Boston Site Routing Protocol, Route Summarization and Topology Improvements IV. Sacramento Site VLAN, Routing on a Stick (ROS) and DHCP Implementation V. Los Angeles Site Management Technologies VI. xACME WAN - WAN Implementation and Secure Communications VII. Bibliography WAN Implementation with SOHO Skills Configuration I. Springfield Site Device and STP Configurations Problem

A Study on How Contents can be distributed through Free Essays

With these technologies, there is a greater opportunity for students to participate and collaborate with each other. Aside from its portability mobile devices such as smartness and tablets are more reasonably priced than desktops and laptops. Mobile devices are different from laptop or desktop computers. We will write a custom essay sample on A Study on How Contents can be distributed through or any similar topic only for you Order Now Mobile devices are small, portable and compact. They can often fit In a pocket or purse. Unlike laptop computers, which are expensive and heavy, mobile devices are relatively low cost, lightweight, and some work a very long mime on a charge or a couple of standard disposable or rechargeable batteries. Mobile devices are also the easiest method of accessing the internet. Most mobile devices are wife ready and can easily connect to any wife routers available in the area. Many mobile devices can, in effect, be â€Å"filled up† with hours upon hours of training and require no connection to a network, wireless or otherwise, until the time comes to replace old training content with fresh content, or to upload the results of assessments to a learning management system capable of tracking mobile learners. In many training situations, the learning experience for the student is largely unaffected by the way the mobile device accesses Information, wireless or otherwise. Rather, what differentiates m-learning from learning Is the nature of the mobile device Itself (Hanukkah Prelacy 2003). In communication theory, the researcher wants to focus on the elements that can Influence the quality of the message through different kind of media. There are two major aspects that can affect the message; the physical delivery of the content such as network or phone lines and the impression of the message (Miracle, 2005) Architectural Design Extensible Markup Language (XML) coded-data can be converted into other structured formats in a common architecture for multi-channel delivery systems for m-learning such as Extensible HyperText Markup Language (XHTML), Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMILE), Portable Document Format (PDF), etc. XML coded-data Is adapted to the capabilities of the requesting device via appropriate transformation processes. Thus such a model of multi channel delivery systems enables the adaptation of learning content to device, desired level of details of intent and semantic aspects. The model proves some remarkable advantages. Definition (DAD). The XML approach allows the definition of transformation processes (e. G. Using the XML transformation language XSLT, SOLO, or the XML query language Query). Such transformations enable easy adaptation of learning content to given requirements. Transformation processes enable real-time delivery as well as delivery of online content. Real-time delivery is used for online access to the content, where a quick adaptation to learners’ requirements is requested. Most experts still prefer eating on a printed material because researches show that learning online significantly reduces learning efficiency and speeds up fatigues of the learners. That is, when the online content are the traditional printed scripts. Nowadays, there are already available educational APS and widgets that can be utilize by the students. These APS and widgets are interactive in nature with potential animations, video and audio. Display Lectures in the Mobile The researcher’s approach in transforming the existing workstation-based display lectures to mobile devices is based on using an open generic specification language. Given the multimedia content of online lectures, SMILE 2. 0 was used. It is an XML based language for describing rich time-based multimedia content (WAC 2001). By building a converter from the current online lectures to SMILE the researcher was able to: (1) make use of the current set of software tools for generating online lecture scripts and related medias; (2) produce output that can be delivered to any device that supports a SMILE 2. Player; (3) potentially integrate materials from other sources, such as Microsoft Powering, Macromedia Flash, etc In contrast to the display structures in the mobile that require a workstation or laptop, an m-learning lecture is executed as a SMILE script via a SMILE. O player running on a smartened device. The script â€Å"choreographs† the p resentation of full screen slides and their animated overlays (stored in GIF, JEEP or BUMP formats) with music and viceroy (stored in either MPH or WAVE formats). Control of the lecture presentation is handled via a set of small iconic buttons in a narrow â€Å"bar† at the top of the display. The navigation buttons currently available are: â€Å"move forward a slide†, â€Å"move back a slide†, â€Å"play the rent slide†, and â€Å"go to the slide index†. Additionally, a search system runs in parallel with the Pocket SMILE player and enables a user to search for text occurrences in the viceroy. The search system returns references to the slides, and animation sequences within the slides, where the queried text occurs (Smitten Crimson, 2007). Figure 1: The lectures display in mobile system architecture Figure 1 shows that lectures are converted taking as input the original script files with the different medial elements such as images, audio, video, and texts The converter automatically detects and extracts slide titles and includes them in a slide index file; this is used to provide a â€Å"table of contents† for that lecture. The transcript of the viceroy text is scanned to create an index of terms for the search system; in building the index the converter removes punctuation marks, removes some stop words, and then applies stemming. The original script file is then converted to a Compatibles script file suitable for display on a handheld computer. During this process, the slide and images are rotated and the audio files converted to MPH from the original uncompressed BIFF format. The MPH files require about one eighth of the storage is about half the time it takes to present in the lecture theatre (with no audience participation). A live lecture that fills a one (1) hour lecture slot, occupies about 12 megabytes of handheld storage (Shares, 2007). Multiplicand service: the proposed system The proposed system illustrates how content can be distributed through a multi channel service. A channel is defined as an architecture that can carry content to a device through specific interaction software. Following channels have been investigated in this discussion [8, 9, 10]: Mobile phones using the WOMB markup engage ; Laptops using the HTML markup language ; tablets using the SMILE markup language the application description for system illustrates in figure (2), the access to the application is made by two stages, client and proxy, each one with different functionalities. The researcher made assumptions and limitations. The research does not focus on the XML vocabulary used to store the content and the storage architecture. It does not focus on design and layout of the web page, but the underlying technology. Also, the multiplicand service has support for browsers that handle the following markup engages such as HTML, SMILE and WOMB. The researcher assumes that the Quality of Service (So) is ideal, in order to reach device adaptation, it is needed to build interface related ontology, and the ontology based automatic adaptation is discussed. The client can be PDA or PC, and the server can distinguish the different kinds of access devices. With the content control technology such as C/UP protocol, the server gets the device and browser features and returns back the proper interface presentation. Experimental Test for Multiplicand System On the client side, three types of wireless devices were used. First is the Samsung galaxy ace smart phone. It uses smart telecoms service that provides a maximum 13 Kbps transfer rate. The second one is Macomb pro laptop core 17 with 2. 2 GHz processor, 8 KGB RAM a 802. Leg compatible wireless card to connect to the access point in the lab. The connection rate was at 11 Mbps. This is considered to be a high end device. The third one is the Samsung galaxy tab and uses the same network adaptor and network connection as the laptop but with less computation power and memory. The proxy server is programmed and runs as a workstation. The proxy code includes several modules as a normal proxy ser ver does. They are a server side module, responsible for setting up a connection with the web server; a client side module, in charge of the connection with clients; a cache management module; and a BPML parser. The web server used is Google. Com . The HTML page of Google. Com is less than k and rarely change, as in figure (2) above, three cases are designed to download a portion of the web page to the client, which is about kick size. In the remote case the page is downloaded from the origin site. The client sends out a quest, then the proxy relays the request to the origin site, having received the client, the pages of the web sites were transferred on to the proxy server’s local disk, and inserted some pairs of tags into the origin pages. Upon the user’s request, the parts marked with Priority value="l "are extracted and sent back to the client, and the cached case, an extracted copy of the web site, is transferred on to the proxy. When the user’s request arrived, the copy was sent out immediately. Figure (3) shows the total time measured between the user’s sending out the request and receiving the desired page. The performances of cached and extracted cases are very similar, whereas the remote case has two or three orders of magnitude of larger retrieving time. Each node represents the average time collected from 7 runs in the day of the test. According to the experimental results, the average time to process a cache hit is about ms, to fragment a k Google. Com home page is about ms, and to download it from the web is approximately mass. The mass is due its relatively long expiration time, which results from pages downloaded from nearby proxy servers. The first observation is that to fragment a page on the local cache server is such faster than retrieving it. Conclusion The primary focus of this research is to find out the threshold of network speed that can significantly offset the benefits of our approaches on a wireless network based on our experiments. The successful implementation of programs in this research is to build learning content and distribute it through multinational to different users, those programs were tested successfully in transmission and reception of educational contents, the use of handheld devices can provide new opportunities for learning and communicating in local environment. In comparison with local developing steps towards m learning using local applications may consider as a step forward. Live video is one of the most challenging media type, today, wired devices can provide a reasonable quality but with the presence of video converters, mobile devices can also provide quality video lectures already. The different combinations of media types require more of the underlying networks; such combinations will probably have diverse requirements to delay, bandwidth, and Jitter for maximum performance. Because of different device capabilities, an adaptation of the content ND the presentation is needed before it can be presented to the user. How to cite A Study on How Contents can be distributed through, Papers

Qualitative Research Critique Essay Example

Qualitative Research Critique Essay Introduction Nurses are responsible in providing holistic, quality care to their clients. In order to effectively provide such care Boswell and Cannon (2009, p. 2 7) states that nurses must base their provision of care on the most current, up-to-date health information available and sound nursing knowledge. This is where evidence-based practice (EBP) comes in. Polit and Beck (2010, p. 4) defined EBP as the use of the best clinical evidence in making patient care desicions. This usually comes from research conducted by nurses and other healthcare professionals. Thus it is pertinent that research reports are critically analyzed. A research critique aims to measure the value and significance of a study. These are determined by analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the report (Brockopp Tolsma, 2003, p. 400). Recommendations for areas of improvements are also included in a research critique. This paper critically appraises a qualitative research article titled Womens perception of being pregnant and having pregestational diabetes (Lavender, T. , Platt, M. J. , Tsekiri, E. , Casson, I. , Byrom, S. , Baker, L. , et al. , 2010, p. 589-595). Title and Abstract The title of a research report is the first thing that readers look at to have a gross idea about what the study is about (Brockopp Tolsma, 2003, p. 446). It should contain 15 words or less and in qualitative studies, the title would typically include the central phenomenon and group under investigation (Polit Beck, 2010, p. 89). In their research report, the researchers used 9 words for the title to accurately describe their study. From the title, we can tell that the central phenomenon is ‘pregestational diabetes and the population being studied is women. We will write a custom essay sample on Qualitative Research Critique specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Qualitative Research Critique specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Qualitative Research Critique specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This is consistent throughout the study as the participants include women who have either type 1 or type 2 diabetes, although the title did not specify the pregnancy status of the participants. This may mislead readers into thinking that the study was being done only on pregnant women. The title also did not specify where the study was being conducted. It would be good if it did so that readers can gauge the context of the study. We can also tell from the title that this is a qualitative study using phenomenological approach since the study is exploring women’s perceptions. According to Polit and Beck (2010, p. 9), the abstract is a concise summary of the study written in 100-150 words. This should include the problem, how the study was done, the number of participants and the major findings (Brockopp Tolsma, 2003, p. 67). The researchers used specific headings to organize their summary for the study. It is systematic and enabled readers to find information with ease. Althoug h the abstract is slightly longer than recommended, the researchers addressed the essential components such as problem (pregnancy with pregestational diabetes), methods (focus groups and individual interviews), results and conclusion (Polit Beck, 2010, p. 9). The purpose and context of the study were clearly stated and the information provided was consistent with the contents of the research report. The abstract built on the title by elaborating on the issue of interest thus enticing readers to read further. Literature Review Information from literature provides a foundation and framework for research (Brockopp Tolsma, 2003, p. 139) and in qualitative studies, a conceptual framework is essential as the study have to be linked to other research ideas about the topic (Holloway Wheeler, 2002, p. 31). As stated by Polit and Beck (2010, p. 85), a literature review should supply readers with an impartial, systematic summary and analysis of the current state of evidence on the chosen to pic. The researchers provided a comprehensive and well-organized review of literature in a logical manner. They started by listing the complications of pregnancy in women with pregestational diabetes and how risk of complications can be reduced with preconception care. They then pointed out that less than half of the women actually received such care. This prompted them find out why many did not receive the care that they should. The researchers identified gaps in knowledge from the various reviews (Polit Beck, 2010, p. 185). They acknowledge that although there is an abundance of literature documenting outcome data related to management of diabetes in pregnant woman, there are few qualitative studies that explore issues of reproductive health and diabetes from the viewpoint of the woman. They highlighted a Swedish study of womens perspective and pointed out its limitations. These gaps supported the need for further study. There are 33 sources, of which 26 were cited in the review. The researchers used 18 primary sources from reputable medical and nursing journals. This strengthened the quality of the review as primary sources are the most reliable and are expansive and impartial (Polit Beck, 2010, p. 171). The article was accepted in 2009 and out of the 18 primary sources, 15 were over the recommended period of 3 to 5 years (Houser, 2008, p. 139). This was justified when the researchers pointed out the limited studies done on womens experiences and perceptions. There is also 1 source from 1962 but this is exceptional as it as a seminal work (Houser, 2008, p. 39). Study Design This is without a doubt, a qualitative study. It is appropriate because qualitative research is a systematic approach into understanding the experiences of others (Houser, 2008, p. 480) which is in tune with the objectives of this study. The researchers chose to use a Hermenuetic Phenomenological approach to explore the perceptions of women with diabetes and its impact on their reproduct ive health. This is because they want to put emphasis on the centrality of the participants in exploring the meanings of the phenomena (Lavender et al, 2010). Like Phenomenology, Hermeneutic Phenomenology is concerned with lived experiences but is focused in highlighting details within experiences with a goal of creating meaning and achieving a sense of understanding (Laverty, 2003). Methods Sampling The population was adequately described. The researchers informed readers that the population being studied was pregnant and non-pregnant women who attended specialist diabetes clinics in 2 areas in the North West of England. Since the central phenomenon is pregestational diabetes, it is an appropriate setting. The participants were identified from clinic lists. For the pregnant women, information sheets were given during clinic visits and they were given the opportunity to discuss the study. For the non-pregnant women, information sheets were posted and they were given time to consider their participation after which they were contacted to make arrangements for interviews. This informs the readers that the participation in the study was not forced onto the women. They were offered a choice of individual or focus group interviews. A written consent was obtained prior to the interviews. It was also mentioned that the study gained approval from the local research ethics committee. In keeping with the tradition of qualitative research, the researchers used purposive sampling and this was mentioned in the report. This is because they need participants who fulfill a certain criteria. This criterion involves a shared experience and provides the most information about the topic of interest (Houser, 2008, p. 481). In this case, the participants have to be White British and South East Asian women who have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The researchers also mentioned that a Black African woman was included in the study by accident. A total of 22 women were recruited. It is not known if saturation was achieved. To explore the diversity of individual experiences, the researchers recruited women from 2 study areas and the women were of different parity, ethnicity and diabetes type (Polit Beck, 2010, p. 323). Data Collection To collect data, semi-structured interviews in the form of individual interviews and focus group interviews were used as it allows the researchers to â€Å"explore the broad areas of interest and encourage respondent-led nquiry† (Lavender et al, 2010). This is a congruous and primarily used form of data collection in qualitative studies (Holloway Wheeler, 2002, p. 80). The individual interviews took place in either the hospital or participants homes. It was not mentioned how many were done in the hospital and how many were done at home. Interviews done at participants’ homes would yi eld better information as they are in a comfortable environment and privacy is ensured. It is also not known how long the interviews lasted. The readers have no way of knowing if the participants had time to put thought into their answers and if the information was useful. There are also 2 focus group sessions which was conducted in the hospital. This is appropriate to the study as it produces thoughts and opinions about a topic relevant to the participants experiences and this is what the researchers are looking for (Holloway Wheeler, 2002, p. 111). All interviews were audio recorded. This reduces the potential of losing any data. There was no mention of who conducted the interviews for the White British women and if the interviewers were trained. It was not said if the researchers conducted the interviews themselves and how many interviewers were there in total. The researchers only mentioned that the South East Asian lay researchers were trained. Readers would assume that only the South East Asian women were interviewed by trained lay researchers and the White British women to be interviewed by the main researchers. This may cause inconsistencies in how the interviews were being approached. However, the South East Asian women probably could identify with the lay researcher and thus are more comfortable in providing information. Data Analysis The data was then transcribed verbatim. This ensures richness of data (Holloway Wheeler, 2010, p. 282). Interviews conducted in Punjabi and Urdu were translated and transcribed by a trained lay researcher and validated by an independent translator who translated the data back to the original language. This ensures that the transcriptions are accurate and validly reflect the totality of the interview experience (Polit Beck, 2010, p. 465). However, the independent translator must be advised on confidentiality relating to the data but this was not mentioned y the researchers (Holloway Wheeler, 2010, p. 282). The data was managed manually and no software was used to aid in organizing the data. The researchers used an interpretive approach guided by the principles of Heidegger and Gadamer. This is compatible with the research tradition being Hermenuetic Phenomenology. There was immersion in data but the readers were not informed how the data was coded and categorized. How ever the researchers came out with 3 main themes so the readers can conclude that the researchers used thematic analysis, which is befitting of a qualitative study. Trustworthiness Trustworthiness was demonstrated through peer debriefings, data triangulation and researcher credibility. Triangulation in data collection was achieved through space triangulation and person triangulation (Polit Beck, 2010, p. 497). Space triangulation was achieved by collecting data from multiple sites, which gives the researchers an opportunity to check for consistency of information. Person triangulation was achieved by collecting data from women of different parity, ethnicity and diabetes type, giving the researchers data from different perspectives. The researchers are professionals in the field of Midwifery and Maternal Health with 2 of them having published papers which were used in the literature review. This shows researcher credibility. Because they are all from the same field of study, they had five diabetes specialists participate in the study to reduce potential bias. Findings Findings such as â€Å"other significant health problems† and â€Å"use of insulin† were presented but the researchers did not demonstrate if these findings are related to the purpose of the study. Table 1 provides the reader with a breakdown of the participants demographic characteristics to give a better picture of the population under study and allow them to determine if the findings can apply to another context. Three major themes emerged from the data. Of the three themes, only the first theme had sub-themes which progressed logically. The themes connected with each other to form an integrated whole and were effectively summarized with excerpts from the interviews included in the report. This gives readers a chance to see the raw data and how it links to the themes. Pseudonyms were used to ensure confidentiality. The findings illustrate the obvious variations of perceptions between the White British and South East Asian women. The researchers recognized that the sample size was limited as the study aimed to explore perceptions related to a number of variables. They also pointed out that although overall themes were consistent between different ethnic groups, some differences were seen due to cultural beliefs and this would require further research. However, they acknowledge that the study has given a useful insight into issues related to pregestational diabetes. Discussion, Application, Implication and Recommendations Majority of the findings were related to women’s experiences of healthcare services in diabetes and maternal health clinics and their perception of the care provided. This was discussed within the context of previous studies in this area. Five references were used in the discussion and two were primary sources. Similarities in findings were highlighted between this study and Berg and Hoklanso’s (2000) study. The researchers also used Verheijen’s et al (2005) study to explain the significance of ethnicity in the outcome of pregnancies in women with pregestational diabetes. As pointed out by the researchers, although this study produced an abundance of useful data on women’s experiences, there were some limitations as this is the first study to explore diabetes and pregnancy within various populations. Issues of transferability was addressed (ethnicity and cultural beliefs) and they suggested further study in those areas. Implications for clinical practice were discussed. Information from the findings is useful to healthcare providers who work in the affected areas. Healthcare providers are made to question their approaches (routine and medicalised) in supporting the needs of diabetic women with regards to their reproductive health through the women’s perspectives. Healthcare providers are encouraged to be more sensitive to these women’s needs so that they can enjoy their pregnancy and not be too focused on diabetes management. The researchers propose for strategies to ensure focus of pregnancy and to incorporate social model of care alongside medical model. They encouraged healthcare providers to re-evaluate their roles. They also propose preconception care to be made accessible and for health providers to recognize socio-cultural differences and engage with significant family members. Conclusion Overall, the paper was well presented and flowed logically. It lacked details such as data saturation. The findings were well described. It has provided great insight into the experiences of women with diabetes and their views on pregnancy. This paper could provide a good foundation for others who want to study the same field. References Brockopp, D. Y. Tolsma, M. T. (2003). Fundamentals of nursing research (3rd ed. ). New York: Jones Bartlett. Boswell, C. , Cannon, S. (2009). Introduction to nursing research; incorporating evidence- based practice (2nd. ed. ). Sudbary, Massachusetts: Jones And Bartlett. Holloway, I. , Wheeler, S. (2002). Qualitative research in nursing (2nd ed. ). Malden, MA : Blackwell Science. Holloway, I. , Wheeler, S. (2010). Qualitative research in nursing and healthcare (3rd ed. ). Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. Houser, J. (2008). Nursing research: reading, using, and creating evidence. Sudbury, Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Lavender, T. , Platt, M. J. , Tsekiri, E. , Casson, I. , Byrom, S. , Baker, L. , et al. (2010). Womens perception of being pregnant and having pregestational diabetes. Midwifery, 26, 589-595. Laverty, S. M. (2003). Hermeneutic Phenomenology and Phenomenology: A comparison of historical and methodological considerations. International Journal of Qualitative Methods , 2(3), 21-35. Polit, D. F. , Beck, C. T. (2010). Essentials of nursing research: appraising evidence for nursing practice (7th ed. ). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams Wilkins.

Free Essays on The Achievements of Public Education

The Achievements of Public Education Since the early 1980’s, the issue of America’s flattering public school system has become a serious concern. The crisis in K-12 education is one of the biggest challenges facing the nation. If America’s Public Schools are to meet the needs of the twenty first century, they must be reinvented. It is not enough to try to fix the schools; they must be reconstructed in both fundamental and radical ways. The school system must be reconstructed. The future of the American public school system is significant because the maintenance of an informed and productive community is vital to the future of this country. The pitifully low results of American students through international test scores are one obvious fault. Another is the failure of many students to demonstrate their knowledge of basic skills and literacy. It is surprising that such a long time has passed without any sufficient effort put forth to correct the problem. Even more surprising, is the fact t hat some deny that such a problem exists. There is a great deal of evidence to show this problem. For more than a century, America’s public schools have been an essential source of the country’s strength. Public education has allowed citizens to become productive members of society by providing them with skills and knowledge necessary for the labor force. Schools prepare students to be literate, informed and reasoning citizens. According to Philip Schlechty, author of Schools for the twenty-first century, â€Å"Public schools are the ties that bind this pluralistic society into a nation. Our Nation’s thirty-sixth president, Lyndon B. Johnson, also believed that there is no institution more fundamental to American society and democracy than its public schools (Schlechty).† In the competitive knowledge based world of the twenty-first century, the education of America’s youth will be more important than ever. More... Free Essays on The Achievements of Public Education Free Essays on The Achievements of Public Education The Achievements of Public Education Since the early 1980’s, the issue of America’s flattering public school system has become a serious concern. The crisis in K-12 education is one of the biggest challenges facing the nation. If America’s Public Schools are to meet the needs of the twenty first century, they must be reinvented. It is not enough to try to fix the schools; they must be reconstructed in both fundamental and radical ways. The school system must be reconstructed. The future of the American public school system is significant because the maintenance of an informed and productive community is vital to the future of this country. The pitifully low results of American students through international test scores are one obvious fault. Another is the failure of many students to demonstrate their knowledge of basic skills and literacy. It is surprising that such a long time has passed without any sufficient effort put forth to correct the problem. Even more surprising, is the fact that some deny that such a problem exists. There is a great deal of evidence to show this problem. For more than a century, America’s public schools have been an essential source of the country’s strength. Public education has allowed citizens to become productive members of society by providing them with skills and knowledge necessary for the labor force. Schools prepare students to be literate, informed and reasoning citizens. According to Philip Schlechty, author of Schools for the twenty-first century, â€Å"Public schools are the ties that bind this pluralistic society into a nation. Our Nation’s thirty-sixth president, Lyndon B. Johnson, also believed that there is no institution more fundamental to American society and democracy than its public schools (Schlechty).† In the competitive knowledge based world of the twenty-first century, the education of America’s youth will be more important than ever. More...

Joan Didion, Essayist and Author Defined New Journalism

Joan Didion, Essayist and Author Defined New Journalism Joan Didion is a noted American writer whose essays helped define the New Journalism movement in the 1960s. Her sharply etched observations of American life in times of crisis and dislocation also played a role in her novels. When President Barack Obama presented Didion with the National Humanities Medal in 2012, the White House announcement cited her works of startling honesty and fierce intellect and noted she had illuminated the seemingly peripheral details that are central to our lives. Fast Facts: Joan Didion Born: December 5, 1934, Sacramento, California.Known For: Helped transform journalism in the 1960s with her sharply crafted essays that evoked America in crisis.Recommended Reading: Essay collections Slouching Toward Bethlehem and The White Album.Honors: Multiple honorary degrees and writing awards, including the National Humanities Medal awarded by President Barack Obama in 2012. In addition to her novels and literary journalism, she wrote a number of screenplays in collaboration with her husband, the journalist John Gregory Dunne. A documentary on her life by her nephew, actor Griffin Dunne, introduced her lifes work and its influence to the Netflix viewing audience in 2017. A critic interviewed in the documentary, Hilton Als of The New Yorker, said, â€Å"The weirdness of America somehow got into this person’s bones and came out on the other side of a typewriter.† Early Life Joan Didion was born December 5, 1934, in Sacramento, California. World War II broke out days after Didions seventh birthday, and when her father joined the military the family began moving about the country. Life on various military bases as a child first gave her the sense of being an outsider. After the war the family settled back in Sacramento, where Didion finished high school. She hoped to attend Stanford University but was rejected. After a period of disappointment and depression, she attended the University of California at Berkeley. During her college years she exhibited a strong interest in writing and entered a contest for student journalists sponsored by Vogue magazine. Didion won the contest, which secured her a temporary position at Vogue. She traveled to New York City to work at the magazine. Magazine Career Didions position at Vogue turned into a full-time job which lasted for eight years. She became an editor and a highly professional writer in the world of glossy magazines. She edited copy, wrote articles and movie reviews, and developed a set of skills which would serve her for the rest of her career. In the late 1950s she met John Gregory Dunne, a young journalist who had grown up in Hartford, Connecticut. The two became friends and eventually romantic as well as editorial partners. When Didion was writing her first novel, River Run, in the early 1960s, Dunne helped her edit it. The two married in 1964. The couple adopted a daughter, Quintana Roo Dunne, in 1966. Didion and Dunne moved from New York to Los Angeles in 1965, intent on making major career changes. According to some accounts, they intended to write for television, but at first they continued writing for magazines. Slouching Towards Bethlehem The Saturday Evening Post, a mainstream magazine remembered for its frequent cover paintings by Norman Rockwell, assigned Didion to report and write on cultural and social topics. She wrote a profile of John Wayne (whom she admired) and other pieces of fairly conventional journalism. As society seemed to change in startling ways, Didion, the daughter of conservative Republicans and herself a Goldwater voter in 1964, found herself observing the influx of hippies, Black Panthers, and the rise of the counterculture. By early 1967, she later recalled, she was finding it difficult to work. It felt to her like America was somehow coming apart and, as she put it, writing had become an irrelevant act. The solution, it seemed, was to go to San Francisco and spend time with the young people who were flooding into the city just before what would become legendary as The Summer of Love. The result of weeks of hanging about in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood was perhaps her most famous magazine essay, Slouching Towards Bethlehem. The title was borrowed from The Second Coming, an ominous poem by the Irish poet William Butler Yeats. The article appears, on the surface, to have little or no structure. It opens with passages in which Didion evokes, with carefully chosen details, how in the cold late spring of 1967 America was in a time of bleak despair and adolescents drifted from city to torn city. Didion then described, with novelistic detail, the characters she spent time with, many of whom were taking drugs or seeking to acquire drugs or talking about their recent drug trips. The article departed from standard journalistic practice. At one point she did attempt to interview a policeman who had patrolled the neighborhood of the hippies, but he seemed to panic and stopped talking to her. She was accused of being a media poisoner by members of The Diggers, an anarchic group of hippies. So she hung out and listened, not interviewing anyone so much as just observing in the moment. Her observations were presented starkly as what was said and seen in her presence. It was up to the reader to draw deeper meaning. After the article was published in the Saturday Evening Post, Didion said many readers didnt grasp that she was writing about something more general than a handful of children wearing mandalas on their forehead. In the preface to a 1968 collection of her articles, itself titled Slouching Towards Bethlehem, she said she had never gotten feedback so universally beside the point. Didions technique, coupled with her distinct personality and mentions of her own anxiety, had created something of a template for later work. She continued writing journalistic essays for magazines. Over time she would become known for her observations of distinctly American events, ranging from the Manson murders to the increasingly bitter national politics of the late 1980s to the scandals of Bill Clinton. Joan Didion and husband John Gregory Dunne. Getty Images Novelist and Screenwiter In 1970 Didion published her second novel, Play It As It Lays, which was set in the world of Hollywood in which Didion and her husband had settled. (They collaborated on a screenplay for a 1972 film adaptation of the novel.) Didion continued to alternate writing fiction with her journalism, publishing three other novels: A Book of Common Prayer, Democracy, and The Last Thing He Wanted. Didion and Dunne collaborated on screenplays, including The Panic In Needle Park (produced in 1971) and the 1976 production of A Star Is Born, which starred Barbra Streisand. The work adapting a book about ill-fated anchorwoman Jessica Savitch turned into a Hollywood saga in which they wrote (and got paid for) numerous drafts before the film finally emerged as Up Close and Personal. John Gregorys Dunnes 1997 book Monster: Living Off the Big Screen detailed the peculiar story of endlessly rewriting the screenplay and dealing with Hollywood producers. Tragedies Didion and Dunne moved back to New York City in the 1990s. Their daughter Quintana became seriously ill in 2003, and after visiting her at the hospital, the couple returned to their apartment where Dunne suffered a fatal heart attack. Didion wrote a book about dealing with her grief, The Year of Magical Thinking, published in 2005. Tragedy struck again when Quintana, having recovered from a serious illness, fell at Los Angeles airport and suffered a serious brain injury. She seemed to be recovering her health but again became very ill and died in August 2005. Though her daughter died before the publication of The Year of Magical Thinking, she told The New York Times she hadnt considered changing the manuscript. She later wrote a second book about dealing with grief, Blue Nights, published in 2011. In 2017, Didion published a book of nonfiction, South and West: From a Notebook, an account of travels in the American South constructed from notes she had written decades earlier. Writing in The New York Times, critic Michiko Kakutani said what Didion wrote about travels in Alabama and Mississippi in 1970 was prescient, and seemed to point to much more modern divisions in American society. Sources: Joan Didion. Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed., vol. 20, Gale, 2004, pp. 113-116. Gale Virtual Reference Library.Doreski, C. K. Didion, Joan 1934- . American Writers, Supplement 4, edited by A Walton Litz and Molly Weigel, vol. 1, Charles Scribners Sons, 1996, pp. 195-216. Gale Virtual Reference Library.McKinley, Jesse. Joan Didions New Book Faces Tragedy. New York Times, 29 August 2005.

Similarity and Categorizing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Similarity and Categorizing - Essay Example Similarity and Categorizing are not dependent on each other but they complement each other. How people categorize(Oakes, L, 2003) events & things depends on theories that they have learned. A fully clothed man jumping into a pool will be categorized as "drunk" because a normal diver will take off his suit in tie. Some researchers say that there is no relation between theory derived categorization and similarity. In fact, conclusions say that children will closely categorize a man to a monkey than a worm due the closer physical features of the monkey and man. Children, even 3 yrs old, will make inferences(Keohane & King,1994) of animal properties using category labels such as dogs eat and move around and man eats and move around , therefore they are alive. Children described and categorized a set of drawings based on their environmental background. The conclusions from experiments show that categorizations are highly biased by their environmental and educational backgrounds. Cognition can not be complete without applying similarity rules and categorizing philosophies in the observation of things. Evidences show that categorization and similarity are not based on the exact similar data. Categorization relies heavily on previous theories and they are more goal driven. Decisions based on similarity is generally not related to choices made under categorization. It seems one is not dependent on the other. Similarity is too flexible to ground categorization (flexible similarity) and categorization is too flexible to be grounded by mere similarity (flexible categorization).Evidences show that support flexible categorization is refuted by evidences supporting flexible similarity. While categorization is based on theories, goals and knowledge, similarity is also dependent on theories, goals and knowledge. Goodman claims that similarity needs categorization to be understood. Categorization decisions also is depended on the same knowledge and theories that Similarity uses. Therefore, when flexible similarity debates for fancy (sophisticated notion of similarity), flexible categorization debates for a more sensory based similarity. Raccoon and snake, based on similarity, can be grouped under the subject PETS. In fact, Barsalou (1983) stated that objects that are similar in some respects are also not similar in other respects. Some similarity comparison criteria are age, expertise, gender, environment, method of presentation and others.Similarity decreases between objects when they are mixed with other neighbors. An example is when a chicken and falcon ( clearly different from each other) is mixed with a cow and a horse. This new additions will increase the similarity between the chicken and the falcon. A feature affects similarity based on the category used. When asked which country is most similar to Austria, the choice is Sweden when the category is form of government. In the same situation, if the category used this time is Scandinavian, then Sweden is the most similar.Similarity can be assessed using identification tasks. It is then true that the more similar the two objects are, the longer it will take to say that they are different. Another similarity situation is when an upright T is commented as more similar to a tilted T than a capitalized L. Similarity then is flexible because