Gender and Educational Achievement

Gender and Educational Achievement a) Explain what is meant by â€Å"peer-group status†. (2 Marks) Peer-group status is being seen as â€Å"big† or important in the eyes of friends and other people around you. b) Suggest three ways in which teaching might be altered to favour boys. (6 Marks) Three ways in which teaching can be altered to favour boys are:- * Include practical work to make sure they understand the work. offering extra credit or chances unequally between males and females, favouring the males * School Topics that the school teaches such as Maths, Design Technology, Physical Education and many more are more male based subjects. c) Outline some of the factors outside the education system that have affected gender differences in school. (12 Marks) There are many factors outside the school education system that have affected gender differences in school.Firstly it can be said that parents expect more from their children to be hardworking, have responsible over their actions and behaviour towards others, to be tidy and neat. This is known as Parental Aspiration. Compared to girls, boys are more Laddish behaved which leads them to disrespect teachers in schools. Furthermore peer pressure can also affect gender difference in school; this is suggested in some case where boys impress their friends by acting like a â€Å"Cool† person, in the end not paying attention in class or to their studies.Whereas most girls are more likely to achieve better in their studies, this is more likely they stay away bad influenced people. According to Francis (2000) â€Å"boys no longer likely to consider themselves more able than girls†, this is considered to the subject choices that boys undertake, which do not require academic success, however girls think more realistic which do require academic success such as becoming an Engineer or a teacher, this makes them seem to work harder in school’s to go to University and to pursue the profess ion job.Additionally other external factors that may affect gender difference in school are crises in masculinity where women and males have equal rights to work and more women get into the well-paid jobs. d) Using information from Items A and B and elsewhere, assess sociological explanations of why girls achieve better results than boys. (20 Marks) Throughout the past years girls are improving and getting better results than boys. Reasons behind these achievements that explain are â€Å"Soft and hard subjects†, parental aspiration, girls aim higher and many more reason.These examples give some idea of why the girls perform better than boys. In this essay I am going to compare on why girls achieve better results than boys. For the past many years studies have been conducted to find out the girls achievements are better than boys, also in the recent studies have been concluded as girls and young women’s attitudes towards education, marriage and work have been changed ov er the years. Sue Sharpe who is a sociologist conducted a study on working-class girls in London and their attitudes towards education.Sue Sharpe compared the attitudes of working-class girls in London schools in the early 1970’s and 1990’s. She found that the 1990’s girls were more confident, more assertive, more ambitious and more committed to gender equality. Sharpe found that the main priorities of the 1970’s girls were ‘love, marriage, husbands and children’. By 1990’s this had changed to ‘job, career and being able to support them with education being the main route to a good job. In 1994, Sue Sharpe found that girls were increasingly wary of marriage.They had seen adult relationships break up around them, and had seen women coping alone, in a ‘man’s world’. Girls were more concerned with standing on their own two feet and were more likely to see education as a means to financial independence. Furthermor e both male and female parents expect more from them in their studies; however boys now tend drift more into large peer groups and involve into gang violence, this makes the boys seem as poorly behaved in school and underachieve in their studies. On the other hand girls are more organised and meet their deadline for their given coursework.Additionally a recognition that girls were put off by what were traditionally seen as â€Å"boys subjects† or also known as hard subject such as maths, technology, physics and chemistry. This led to the introduction of equal opportunity initiatives such as Girls into Science and Technology. But Girls tend to take soft subject for A- level such as Biology, Sociology, textiles and many more, this is because they more easy subject to do. A recent report was on the new which was regarding less than 50% girls are undertaking the subject physics, which is known as a â€Å"manly subject† for A-level.In addition early research on peer-group s tatus states that the development of antischool subculture that tended to be developed by some working-class boys, particularly those placed in lower streams, bands and sets. Studies by Hargreaves (1967) and Willis (1977), for example, showed how such boys were either fatalistic in accepting school failure as inevitable and so developed anti-educational coping strategies, or sought to compensate for status frustration by gaining credibility in the eyes of their peers.To conclude girls in school achieve higher than boys in school, this is because to some of the factors in school and out of school which may affect many boys with their studies and their behaviour. Overall girls seem to be more able to concentrate in class whereas boys are more practical type and choose hard subjects such as physics, maths, Physical Education and many more.

North American Media Influence on Physical Condition Essay

An Analysis of North American Media Influence on Physical Condition North Americans are subject to numerous amount of media exploiting their beliefs for profit. Media extends to the source of how one may perceive ones beauty and quality of ones physical condition. By continually bombarding the public eye with advertisements aggressively enforcing a thin body image and muscular definition, media causes viewers to desire these body images and discover methods to reach this image. Inevitably leading to viewers abusing their bodies with poor methods of dieting, and creating unhealthy bodies. Contemporary North American media is characterized by its emphasis on body image, which distorts our perception and expectation of our physical bodies. Analysis of men’s, women’s and adolescents’ thoughts and actions reveals the negative consequences of these media influences. North American media distorts the self-perspective men have on their physical image, causing them to do extreme activities to achieve these false expectations. Males are targeted by many advertisements, encouraging a tone and muscular body image. For several years, these messages have been increasing within media. Sam Ferniano & Mark Nickerson from the Center for Media Literacy say â€Å"Men’s magazines published significantly more advertisements and articles about changing body shapes†. These constant messages to achieve a remarkably tone body forces men to re-evaluate their physical condition. Nevertheless, low self-esteem would be found for men who do not have this type of body strongly enforced by media. Furthermore, while examining any form of media, it can be noticed that most men are given to certain kind of stereotype and portrays men as less realistic, more perfect and more predictable (Farniano & Nickerson). There for, each male character obtains similar characteristics that the public has labelled as manly traits. Moreover, by defining the ideal man, media creates â€Å"Narrowed notions to what men can do† (Farniano & Nickerson), causing males to believe that other characteristics such as being emotional and caring, are not part of the ideal man. By altering the expectations men have for their physical condition, media causes low self-esteem in men. Additionally, media imposes ideal activities men should participate in. By enforcing the idea to have large amount of muscle for men, media encourages importance for the use of a gym. Alternatively, we notice media influencing certain groups of men, such as stereotyping black males as athletes and entertainers. These roles â€Å"Mislead young black male viewers in thinking success is only a dribble or dance step away† (Wood). Under those circumstances, men of all races are subject to believe these stereotypes, subsequently caus ing men to change their personal perception of themselves to match the stereotype. With false expectations North American media creates for men, there are negatives consequences that follow. As a result of the influence media has on men, they believe some of their present traits are unwanted because it does not follow the message given by media. Therefore, men are more apt to withdraw from specific behaviour unsupported by media. Moreover, negative consequences follow such as being â€Å"Discouraged from pursuing many positive traits that are perceived as unmanly†¦including the ability to feel a range of emotions, including fear, hurt, confusion or despair† (Furniano & Nickerson). However, the traits stated above are indeed qualities women look for in a mate (Gaudio & Taplin). Meanwhile, stereotypes built by media removes the idea that men would be caring beings. â€Å"When someone is shown taking care of a child, it’s usually the mother, not the father† (Ferniano & Nickerson). Therefore, men do not wish to obtain these qualities because media enforces the idea that they are not qualities fit for an ideal man. By avoiding these characteristics, males are subject to appear as uncaring and uninvolved in family life, qualities important for women who are looking for a well-established relationship. Furthermore, by attempting to pursue these expectations of the ideal physical condition, men would be prepared to rely on substance for aid to quickly obtain the condition media compels (Gaudio & Taplin). By drastically increasing the amount of workouts in ones daily routine, removing this would cause In addition, men would likely rely to â€Å"Continuous intense workouts that can lead to issues such as addiction† (Gaudio & Taplin). Over exercise may lead to possible overstretching or tearing of ligaments, pulling muscles or tendons, and increased resting heart rate. (Diranian) Several negative consequences for those who wish to listen to media and their influence may occur, a risk that easily leads to poor physical condition. Incidentally, one may examine that pursuing these expectations set my media may lead to the opposite of the idea created. Women are highly affected by the expectation North American culture creates of the female body, altering their self-esteem and behavior. Similar to the influence utilized on men, women are subject to several messages by the media primarily centered on physical condition. These result in â€Å"Young women urged to pursue beauty and sex appeal† (Ferniano & Nickerson). This influence has causes women to re-evaluate their personal priorities and making physical conditioning the primary priority. However positive health is favorable, women are concentrating to match the media’s interpretation of beauty, which has drastically changed. â€Å"The ideal female body became progressively thinner over the last 20 years† (Leit, Pope & Gary). This is hazardous for the female populace since it will lower their self-esteem, resulting in the lack of confidence one would hold for ones image. Likewise, throughout several decades, media has increased the amount of influence it has o n body image. â€Å"The 2000s shows a larger influence of the media on women’s body image than do those from the 1990s† (Medical News Today). Evidently, women who notice the slimness of females portrayed in the media judge their own bodies strictly. A Glamour magazine survey showed that â€Å"61% of respondents felt ashamed of their hips, 64% felt embarrassed by their stomachs, while 72% were ashamed of their thighs† (Rader Programs). Once information as such is examined, we may notice that media exposes the public to a negative influence that destroys ones self-esteem. In addition, media distorts the expectation of its female viewers by exposing them to unhealthy models. â€Å"The majority of runway models meet the Body Mass Index criteria to be considered anorexic† (Rader Programs). By displaying anorexic models, media is distorting women’s expectation on what is beauty, resulting to females believing that anorexia is beauty. Therefore, women who attempt to mimic these models and their physical appearance risk anorexia and several other health issues themselves. Negative consequences such as eating disorders accompany women who attempt to reach the false expectation North American media has developed on physical condition. Several health risks are possible for women who chose to absorb the messages media delivers that thinness is something positive. â€Å"Among women, it has been hypothesized that cultural ideals of thinness may contribute to the rising prevalence of eating disorders† (Leit, Pope & Gary). Several other health issues are my follow those who listen to this influence such as low-self-esteem, depression, obesity and bulimia. These risks all originate to how thin media personalities have become. â€Å"Media depicting ultra-thin actresses and models significantly increased women’s concerns about their bodies, including how dissatisfied they felt and their likelihood of engaging in unhealthy eating behaviors such as excessive dieting â€Å"(Media News Today). Additionally, this statement affects more and more women, causing women to believe that their bodies are not beautiful like those shown within the media. Furthermore, displeasure with the female body has become so common that it’s considered a norm among women (Medial News Today). Subsequently, the discomfort women have with their bodies is a result of the media altering the definition of beauty: unnatural and unhealthily thin bodies (Medial News Today). Nevertheless, with the constants reminders women receive from the media that they are not beautiful unless being as ultra-thin as the models depicted, women will attempt to mimic the poor physical condition of these models, leading to similar consequences the media personalities suffer from: anorexia, bulimia & excessive dieting. The behavior of adolescents is also manipulated by North American media, resulting in a decrease of self-confidence about their body image. During adolescence, teens are influenced by their surrounding peers and environment. Noticeably, adolescents are more affected by media than ever before. Young boys are constantly reminded of how they must act as they mature. â€Å"Boys learn what it means to be a man from family and peers† (Ferniano & Nickerson). Above all, media is putting great emphasis on the physical condition young boys must meet in the future. Furthermore, media appears to be influencing adolescent boys with several different methods. More and more toys introduced to children support the expectation media has created of the human body. â€Å"GI Joe have become increasingly muscular over time† (Leit, Pope & Gary). This influencing on toys introduces the distorted image of physical condition to boys at a young age. Body image for males have focused on increasing weight and shoulder/muscular shape (Achtenberg), resulting in adolescents to concentrate on this altered expectation of the physical condition set by media. Additionally, the size of their bodies is a rising concern for adolescent girls. We notice that they often feel flawed if their weight, hips and breast don’t match those of models and actresses (Rader Programs). Likewise, young children are even criticizing their weight at increasingly young ages. According to a study from the University of Central Florida â€Å"Nearly 50% of girls aged three to six were already concerned about their weight† (Rader Programs). By influencing the expectation for these children, they will grow up with the mindset that media has put upon them. With so much influence, girls are blinding themselves concerning world issues and concentrating on their weight. â€Å"Adolescent girls are more afraid of gaining weight that getting cancer, losing their parents or nuclear war† (Rader Programs). Considering these distorted priorities, young girls may be led to mature into women oblivious to more important issues in their environment. Equally, media influence on these young girls are causing them to re-evaluate what gives them happiness. With the impact media has for girls, the content within their messages support the idea that â€Å"Female happiness and success are tied to physical appearance† (Achtenberg), resulting in young girls to think that without the perfect body, they cannot be happy. Subsequently, many forms of media are influencing adolescents about their physical appearance. This may lead to several health issues for this group of people so easily influenced by their surroundings. Adolescents who chose to follow these expectations created by North American media risk the possibility of serious consequences, such as substance abuse. Influence from media is very strong for adolescents. During their time of transition from child to adult, several teens will listen to advise given by anyone that may aid them be successful in their future. However media inputs several life goals for teens, their influence and messages about physical condition is threatening for these young people in development. By instructing young girls that they must be thin to be liked in the future, â€Å"81% of ten-year-old girls experience a fear of being fat† (Achtennberg). This is quite hazardous for these young girls, because they may do extreme actions to avoid this fear, such as excessive dieting, bulimia, and completely avoiding eating food entirely. By doing so, the bodies of these young girls are at risk at disturbing the proper process of growth, leading to unhealthy grown bodies in their adulthood. Nevertheless, boys are also at risk to dangerous consequences. Young adolescent boys that are influenced by the media and its expectations set concerning physical condition may also partake in dangerous behavior such as the discovery and dissemination of anabolic steroids (Leit, Pope & Gary). Use of steroids in the bodies of growing teenage boys could lead to health issues such as heart problems, high blood pressure and permanent damage to the liver in the future (Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Use). Alternatively, athletic males would aim to improve their physical performance to make the goals that the media puts upon their bodies quickly attainable. However we notice that â€Å"Athletic males may have an increased risk of drinking, violence and abusing drugs† (Diranian) Therefore, with the increased influence media has over the ideal physical condition for both young males and females the risk of several health consequences may affect them in the future. North American media has established the ideal body image for men and women by enforcing the idea of muscularity and thinness. The exposition of tone men and ultra-thin models within the media supports the thought that this is perfection. These impositions of what is beauty is being put in the minds of adolescents and young children with the use of magazines and toys. By creating expectations that they presume are ideal for a successful adult, younger children are subject to distorted priorities for their future. Men, women, and adolescents alike are subject to believing that they must reach the expectations set by media. However, several health issues such as addiction, substance abuse, and anorexia are possible for one who attempt these physical conditions for one’s body. Finally, the power North American media possesses over our idea of the perfect body leads the discussion of their concern about the public’s health and wellbeing. Work Cited Achtenberg, Benjie. â€Å"Mass Media and Its Influence on the Adolescent Mind.†Macalester.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. â€Å"Concern Over Strong Media Influence On Women’s Body Image.† Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, 13 May 2008. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. Crockett, Richard J., Thomas Pruzinsky, and John A. Persing. â€Å"The Influence of Plastic Surgery â€Å"Reality TV† on Cosmetic Surgery Patient Expectations and Decision Making.† Journals.lww.com. American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 2007. Web. 23 Nov. 2012. Diranian, Susan. â€Å"Negative Effects of Exercise.† LIVESTRONG.COM. , 9 June 2011. Web. 13 Dec. 2012. Diranian, Susan. â€Å"The Effect of Sports on Teenagers.† LIVESTRONG.COM. , 25 July 2011. Web. 14 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Eating Disorders and Media Influence.† RaderPrograms.com. N.p., 2012. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. Fermiano, Sam, and Mark Nickerson. â€Å"How Do Media Images of Men Affect Our Lives?† Center for Media Literacy. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. Landau, Emily. â€Å"Teenage Dreams.† TheWalrus.ca. The Walrus, Sept. 2012. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. Leit, Richard A., Harrison G. Pope, and James J. Gary. â€Å"Cultural Expectations of Mascularity in Men: The Evolution of Playgirl Centerfolds.† AF Board. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. Shredded. Dir. Richard Gaudio and Douglas C. Taplin. NFB.ca. NFB.ca, 2005. Web. 5 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Steroids: Just the Facts.† Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Use, 10 Oct. 1997. Web. 14 Dec. 2012. Wood, Julia T. â€Å"Gender Media: The Influence of Media on Views of Gender.† Udel.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Nov. 2012.

Reflection 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Reflection 3 - Essay Example There should be that feeling of respect for the old. Most of the older people in the community do not have specific needs which can be outlined but it appears that they are less likely to receive such care because of their age in the society. Many people including practicing nurses tend to ignore them when offering health and social care in the society just because of their inherent age. Nonetheless, my intention as a practicing nurse in this aspect of health and social care is to take care for the old people in the community who need a lot of care at their ages. They need to be encouraged, given mental counseling, advising them on how to undergo treatments, administering to them medicines among other ways ((Bayer, Tadd, & Krajcik 2005, p. 22) The advances to help the old people in the community have been made initially by other people, but as far as this model is concerned, a lot of reflection, further action and improvement is required. This work will help encourage nurses to develop and grow a positive attitude towards the old people in the society as well as help them embrace positive aspects of respect and help them to understand that old people are very important members of the society who can control their own lives. This will encourage nurses to value the old people, and to take care of them as well as promoting opportunities for well-being and psychological developments rather than promoting helplessness and deterioration (Williams & Irurita 2005. p 501). This idea of health and social care for the old people presents a challenge for us as nurses to change from a medical perspective and to focus more on health promotions as well as preventing ill health among the old people. This ensures that majority of these older people enjoy healthy and fulfilling lives just like the other members of the community and that they can make a positive contribution to the community (Bayer, Tadd, & Krajcik

Astronomy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Astronomy - Research Paper Example The moon allows and sustains life on Earth, affects its tides daily and though not a mystery to the same degree as it had been throughout all of history, it continues to inspire the imagination and much remains to be learned of Earth’s closest celestial neighbor. Today, people more or less look upon the moon as ‘eye candy’ and pay little attention to its cycles. This was not the case for our ancestors who carefully monitored its movements. Several calendars of ancient civilizations were based on the cycles of the moon and some are currently such as the Islamic calendar. The date of the Chinese New Year is set by the cycle of the moon. The Sun was used by man until relatively recently to measure short intervals of time but the moon was judged more reliable for longer time measurements. What is commonly known as a month is based on the 29-day cycle of the moon. The term ‘month’ is derived from the term ‘moonth.’ â€Å"Without the moon†™s cycle we might have ended up with a very different way of keeping track of time, and we most probably would have called it something other than a month† (Miles & Peters, 2001). The Christian celebration of Easter is calculated by determining the first Sunday following the first occurrence of a ‘full’ moon subsequent to the beginning of the Spring Equinox. The reason for this is that Christians had traditionally used the light of the ‘full’ moon to aid in their pilgrimage to their holy lands for Easter. Though the moon is the closest object to Earth and has been explored by man, questions remain regarding its exact origins and whether or not life ever existed on or within it or if it could sustain life. It was discovered more than a century ago that the moon’s density is less then Earth’s. Galileo noticed craters on the moon’s surface through the use of the telescope in the 1600’s. Currently, more is known about the moo n than any other celestial body, knowledge that was inconceivable until recent times (Hamilton, 2005). Prior to the common use of telescopes, when the moon was viewed unaided, all that could be discerned were two distinct kinds of topography, dark and bright areas configured in a way that produced the illusion of the ‘Man in the Moon.’ This myth was likely known as just that to most persons of the world but before recent times it was not known that the dark areas were produced by the violent impacts of asteroids hitting the moon many hundreds of million years ago. These primordial impacts on the lunar surface played a large part in reshaping the moon’s appearance and could explain why there are two large protrusions on the surface of the moon. â€Å"New analysis reveals that shock waves from some of the moon’s early asteroid impacts traveled through the lunar interior, triggering volcanic eruptions on the moon’s opposite side. Molten magma spewed o ut from the deep interior and flooded the lunar landscape† (Than, 2006). The cooled magma created the familiar dark areas which are termed ‘lunar seas.’ These dark areas unite to form the ‘face’ of the moon. The Man in the Moon’s eyes have been labeled â€Å"’Mare Imbrium’ and ‘Mare Serenitatis’. The nose, ‘Sinus Aestuum’ and the mouth, which appears to be smiling, is a combination of the ‘Mare Cognitum’ and ‘Mare Nubium’† (Heiken et al, 1991). The Earth’s sky appears to be blue because its atmosphere diffracts light in such a way that produces this

How did the French colonialism affect the class structure of Vietnam Essay

How did the French colonialism affect the class structure of Vietnam - Essay Example    The French colonization displaced much of the culture of Vietnam. While the Vietnamese adhered to the system of group ownership of land and resources that revolved around the village structure, the French were advocates of the capitalist school of single ownership in land or resources. As the French extended their political power over Vietnam, they also drastically implemented economic ideas that were detrimental to the existing village system. For some Vietnamese, those who served the French colonial government, life was good for they enjoyed certain privileges such as good education for their children at private schools and to some extent university studies in Paris, France. But majority of the Vietnamese suffered hardship. Many peasants were stripped off their lands and were forced to work in mines and in large farms owned by the colonizers (Levy 9). The poor farmers worked under miserable conditions with little pay. This system of forced labor established by the French was k nown as corvee (Seah & Nair 22). Audrey Seah and Charissa Nair in their book Culture of the World: Vietnam noted three kinds of Vietnamese during the French period from the point of a Vietnamese journalist in 1937 – â€Å"the Vietnamese were so poverty-stricken that they can be categorized by their diet: those who lived on bran and vegetables, like pigs of rich property owners; those who lived on bran and water, like pigs of poorer property owners; and those who survived by tasting samples while pretending to bargain with bran sellers.† The lowly life of the Vietnamese villagers in the hands of the French is captured vividly in the 1914 account of Nguyen Thuon Hien, a Vietnamese poet, on the fate of the villagers who were killed by the French colonial authorities when they pleaded for lower taxes. These are but the a few instances of the indignities and mistreatments endured by the Vietnamese during the colonial rule of France (Long 71). The French colonized Vietnam to get advantage of the many natural resources of the country and to bring prosperity to France. The exploitation went on for many years and by 1945, during World War II, â€Å"France was earning a great deal of money from the sale of goods produced in Vietnam† (Levy 9). The oppression did not go unnoticed by Vietnamese who organized to resist the French ruling. These groups called themselves nationalists who were fighting for self-governance. The nationalists produced their most influential leader in the person of Ho Chi Minh (9). Ho Chi Minh joined the Communist Party in France which was advocating the Soviet Communism where the economy of the state was controlled by the central Communist Party, the government, and the military – private ownership of land and resources was not allowed (10). Ho Chi Minh together with other Vietnamese revolutionaries, like Pham Van Dong and Vo Nguyen Giap formed the Vietnam Independence League, more known as the Viet Minh. The membership to the league was open to Communists and non-Communists who are aiming for the abolition of foreign rule in Vietnam (11). The Vietnamese responded to Ho Chi Minh’s call of â€Å"Let him who has rifle use his rifle, let him who has sword use his sword. And let those who have no sword take pickaxes and sticks.† (Seah & Nair 24) to lead the mass action against their French oppressors. Land issues led to the Vietnam War. Many Vietnamese who were peasants or poor

The Middle Ages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Middle Ages - Essay Example According to (Bates,2009) â€Å"In thinking about the characteristics of a good society different people tend to emphasize different things that they consider to be important e.g. egalitarianism, personal freedom, moral values and spirituality†. Different political philosophers have different opinion about a good society. Political philosophers gives their idea based on their judgment and thinking and hence their ideas and concepts varies. However all political philosophers advocate an ideal society as one which is peaceful, prosperous and moral .Freedom of the people is also of great concern when it comes to an ideal society .The two political philosophers to be considered here are Martin Luther and Niccolo Machiavelli and their ideas and perception on a good society. Martin Luther is a professor, theologian and church reformer who believed ardently in God’s judgment and Human righteousness. Niccolo Machiavelli is a historian and diplomat from Italy and had a positive view on politics and human welfare. Martin Luther on Good Society Martin Luther was a person who had strong faith in God and was a monk whose teaching had profound impact on the society of his times. He was an advocate of love, peace, truth and Christian doctrines. He emphasized on virtue and suggested that good work must follow faith. He believed that a person should be good before he does any good act and a good person can only form a good society. His moral perception was that classical ethics of Christianity should be the basic fundamentals for an ideal society. Luther is of opinion that truth must be the foundation of a good society and not religion. As per (Voude, 2010pg.27)â€Å"Luther suggests that without truth, society founds no basis for government , no purpose in education and no standard for the passing along of the information†. Luther believed that Godlessness can lead to the destruction of a society. He demanded that faith and reason is essential element for t he well being of a person and a society. Luther explained that every member of a society should educate themselves through reading and writing to promote a society. Ignorance should not be an excuse or an option for anyone. He advocated that religion has a prominent role in the betterment of a society. Martin Luther believed in giving power to the people and allowing mass education for the upliftment of the society. He wanted the members of a society to be critical thinkers and active participants. According to him an ideal society should not be slave to the oppression by the wealthy and rich class. Niccolo Machiavelli on a Good Society Niccolo Machiavelli is a great philosopher and a political thinker Italy has ever seen. Machiavelli had a positive outlook on humanity but had a bad reputation as leader as Hitler and Mussolini followed him to acquire and power and position in the society. Machiavelli highly regarded for position and power in a society and believed not much on moral and ethics. He is supportive of war and explained many strategies to win a war. This shows that he is not a person who idealizes peace and harmony .He is a person who gives importance to passions and dominative power. Machiavelli was more concentrated on gaining power and authority by the means of war. He believed that evil actions can bring good results. He believed that the common men are of weak nature and require a strong ruler in order to remain in

Strategy and Organizational Performance Research Paper

Strategy and Organizational Performance - Research Paper Example However, during the execution of the strategic planning process, it is necessary for the businesses to consider the weaknesses and limitations of the strategic management and planning concept in order to apply it to bring a positive outcome. The businesses in the present days are moving towards an extensive application of the strategic planning to improve and assess the organizational performance. They have adopted the concept of strategic management to cope up with the upcoming challenges in the corporate world and be successful in the business arena. All the organizations work with strategies and objectives to sustain themselves in the cutting edge competition from their cut-throat rivals. The term ‘Strategy’ refers to the plan of action which may be adopted by any business or service organizations in order to accomplish a particular goal or set of objectives. Most of the organizations, at present, utilize the idea of Grand Strategy, which is referred to as a complete and broad ranging plan for the prominent activities of an organization with the help of which it achieves its long-standing objectives within a vibrant business environment (Rogers, Miller & Judge, 1999). The basic purpose of strategy is to provide significant support to the strategic business plan, individual career plans, work unit plans and effective job performance. Besides this, an organizational strategy also prioritizes the activities and useful initiatives that have to be taken in the department. The concept of strategic management is widely applied to the organizations. It refers to a filed which deals with the specifications of the development of missions, visions, and plans and policies of the organization with respect to its programs and plans. These elements help the organization achieve its goals through a proper allocation of plans, polices, programs and projects (Hart, 1992). The field of strategic

Latin America And The World Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Latin America And The World - Term Paper Example Brazil Latin Americans give a lot of importance to their families and relationships. Traditionally the families use to have male head and astringent patriarchal structure where men use to have all the â€Å"say† and last word in the decisions. However, after the independence when many male family heads were either killed or imprisoned, females took the charge of the families. Montilla, a Brazilian author said that: "The traditional idea where the wife stays home and the husband works are not common anymore, the two of them are working. It's not negative in most cases. Many enjoy the space. When they come together they reconnect in a powerful way.† Mexico In the movie; Camila, directed by Maria Luisa Bemberg, the character of Camila narrated the situation of 1984 in Latin America. It was the time when Catholic beliefs in the hands of male authorities were suppressing the existence of females. It was a step taken to break the concrete ceilings that use to exist in the minds of Latin Americans. Camila became the voice of women of that time to rescue their rights and privileges. It was a bold question posted on priests and fathers of the churches that whether Christianity is against women? Is it against female freedom? Does it not allow a female to take her own decisions and most importantly what if males take wrong decisions, are they bound to be obeyed and can a woman raise no voice against it? The magnificent piece of magical realism where supernatural is so carefully blended with ordinary, Like Water for Chocolate, is written by Laura Esquivel.

University of California Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

University of California - Personal Statement Example niversity’s mission of building both the characters and careers of the students through focusing on academic achievement, excellence of the institution and service for the community encourage me to join and obtain my studies from the University of California. I am applying for a transfer to the program of Global Studies major with particular interests in Public relations and international relations. I have developed interest in the program because of my experience of different countries through travel and study during my early studies. In the year 2007 for instance, I travelled to Australia on an academic trip which took a full month and I had firsthand experience with cultural diversity. The experience was so strong and exciting that it in part encouraged my desire to travel and study in the United States. In the year 2010 I came to America as an international exchange student from China. I had to overcome the challenges of language barrier and cultural shock, an experience that very enlighten to me as a student & person. Previously I have studied at the Suzhou foreign language school, Nathan Hale-Ray High School in Connecticut and the Justin Siena Catholic High school in Napa Valley Elac. My experience in America as an international student has tremendously influenced my person and future career choices especially due to the cultural exchanges. I had the unique opportunity of studying with other students from different parts of the world such as German, Poland Hong Kong and others which allowed a lot of meaningful exchanged and propelled my desire to further my studies in Global Studies. I applied and was accepted by a number of universities but chose to pursue my studies at ELAC College with the sole intention of transferring to the UC whose system I believe is the best. Having such a diverse background in terms of academics I have come to learn that people’s orientation and background play a significant role in influencing their communication and

English as a national language of America Essay

English as a national language of America - Essay Example Noah Webster is regarded as the founding father of the American English who realized the need for standardization of the language and worth of linguistic identity (Language Translation Inc., 2006). According to surveys, English is considered as the official language in fifty-one countries and in twenty-seven states of America. Statistics show that it is the mother language of 82% of the population and almost 96% can actually speak it fluently, therefore we can conclude that English is in effect the national language of the American people. In spite of this, it is not recognized as the official language at the federal level and the states have adopted miscellaneous policies with some embracing English as the official language, others implementing no official language and still others mirroring the culture of bilingualism. Even 71% of the Hispanics voted in favor of English as the national language since this will escalate their chances of a achieving a first-class education, enhancing their earning capability, ensuing in better career prospects as well as empowerment. Although, there is plenty of desire and determination for migrants to learn English yet 5% of the population still fails to comprehend it so implementing it officially will give a boost to this particular segment of population. A report published in the Monthly Labor Review America affirms that migrants don’t learn English quickly when excessive linguistic welfare is made available to them. As a consequence, immigrants are demoted to lesser rewarding jobs and are hindered in achieving the American dream. United States is composed of people from diverse cultural backgrounds but the federal laws provide no right to non-native speaker to receive foreign-language services or information (King, 1997). Thereby, it can be deduced that knowing English is a prerequisite to become a citizen since it is the de facto national language that binds all American citizens into a nation. It is worth noting th at states which implemented English as the official language have not proscribed the use of a foreign language in case of any public interest issue, for instance: tourism, medical, public safety, imparting foreign languages and other genuine needs. The government can afford to provide such services in the face of a compelling public interest but not as right for every citizen. Presently, more than three hundred languages are spoken in America and non-native speakers constitute around 5% of the total population (Maschi, 2012). Consequently, a redundant stratum of bureaucracy and costs will be inevitable if the right to receive services in various foreign languages is granted. Ultimately this burden would have to be borne by taxpayers. Although, many perceive learning English as racism but the argument does not hold weight since discrimination is based upon inherent characteristics like religion, color, race which are unalterable. On the other hand, every individual has the choice of learning English to communicate and blend in the American culture. But, advocating that learning English is extremely difficult for a specific race is biased. An official language does not inhibit free speech but only serves as a pre-condition of intellectual capacity for civic involvement. Similarly, educational system would profit from statutory encouragement to promote competency in English and discouraging linguistic preferences which would enable the students to make a successful ingress into the social and political system (Pullum, 1987). None of the

Discuss Some of the Challenges Facing International Students in Higher Education Essay Example for Free

Discuss Some of the Challenges Facing International Students in Higher Education Essay As a growing number of international students who attempt to obtain a further education diploma or expand their horizons, has been increasing, it is often the case that they would face various challenges while studying abroad. The main barrier that they have to overcome is â€Å"academic learning that consists of strangeness, difference and integration (Teekens, 2006:17, cited in Hyland, 2008). According to Hyland et al (2008:29), to improve the quality of higher education not only the individual needs to endeavor, but also the departmental and institutional effort would be indispensable. This essay will illustrate that the main factors of overseas students who study for least one year result in academic learning challenges, are adapting to a new educational system’s assessments and English speaking only environments, then will provide possible solutions, for example, giving sufficient guidance from enrolled universities, revolutionising language certified test in reducing these difficulties. The first main factor that directly causes learning challenges is that overseas students would probably face different methods of assessment. Most postgraduate students wish their overseas journeys were the same as ‘back home’ (Pointon, 2009, cited in The Higher Education Academy, 2012). However,for those students who graduated in other educational systems, team projects, presentations would become the barriers they have to confront. Firstly team-based learning appears to be more strange and complicated to these students because it not only depends upon academic competence,but also has to be relevant to their abilities of communication and coordination. Group work can be even more stressful because a silent student is effectively excluded, whether voluntarily or not. It is also something that many international students have not really encountered before (Sovic,2008). Subsequently, quite a number of overseas students seem to be unfamiliar with presentations as well. According to (Sovic,2008:153), except for necessity of group work sometimes, to express their opinions via presentations international students who may be new have to be confidently confronted with classmates who would hold other cultural perspectives. These unacquainted assessment criterions would widely and considerably affect international students, especially at the beginning of their academic journey. For example, presentations would be often assigned in the first term, if the results seem to be quite low, they not only directly impact those students’ overall score, but also affect their emotions to some degree even might reduce their confidence and motivation with regards to continuing their studies abroad. The second major factor which would be around all overseas students,is the atmosphere of foreign language only. Sovic(2008:150)has demonstrated that for those students who are non-native speakers, even if they have obtained fairly high IELTS(The International English Language Test System)test grades, language is still singled out as the biggest obstacle for them to study abroad. The main reason, which causes that they passed the tests but could not adapt to the new language environment quickly, is that IELTS seems to be irrelevant to the demands within the universities. To begin with, when overseas students arriving the destinations, the first difficulty they have to face is local accent. Research (Sovic, 2008:151) reported that international students who are even native-speakers can still have significant problems with fast and heavy accents in lectures and tutorials. Another point which bothers almost overseas students especially at the beginning of study abroad is acquiring academic language, including discipline-specific vocabulary and academic expression. It is often overlooked, since students who obtained the required language scores always mistakenly believe that it is sufficient to complete their studies (Arkoudis, 2008). These unexpected barriers would be troubled for all overseas students to varying degree. It is notable that international students must spend quite a large amount of time and energy on solving language issues. In other word, they have to cut down the time from learning main curriculums, which would considerably affect them to absorb curriculum knowledge and make them feeling more stress. One feasible solution to help overseas students to face academic challenges is that enrolled universities need to make more efforts before international students’ academic journeys. Despite universities always remind students who have been confirmed acceptance to prepare relevant knowledge about their courses, there are few students who could prepare adequately. Zhai(2004:101)discovered that academic issue tend to be the most difficulty for international students, and there are around 60% students whom recommended that their college should provide more academic guidance. It is suggested that academic support should be provided to international students as soon as possible, since Pedersen (1991) had demonstrated that sufficient guidance should be initiated before they arrive. According to the factors mentioned above, enrolled universities may send an amount of materials to international students via email or even material object, including introduction of new educational system, samples of presentation and team project, videos of lecture and tutorial. Moreover, for students of different disciplines, universities may provide more specific background knowledge or required reading list. Although these will increase universities’ operating costs, it would be effective to help international students overcome academic challenges. Another solution which seems to be quite challenging is revolutionising language certification test. Lee (2009:23) claims that compared to other language certified tests, IELTS is most effective and reliable examination to assess students’ not only language skill but also academic ability. However, although international students obtain the qualified language scores, it does not mean that they can successfully finish academic learning (Schmitt, 2005; Murray and O’Loughlin, 2007; Arkoudis, 2008; Sovie, 2008), even the type of writing in IELTS seems to be â€Å"public non-academic genres† (Moore and Morton, 2005, cited in Hyland et al, 2008). Feast (2002:83) reported that between language proficiency and academic performance at university there is a positive and significant, but weak relationship. Thus, in order to better serve high education, IELTS may be adjusted. Firstly, academic IELTS test could be divided into three categories that consist of Arts aspect, Science and Engineering, Social Science. Secondly, increasing more academic topics in section1 and section2 of listening test could replace a considerable number of life topics. Thirdly, the type of task2 in writing could change to mini-academic essay. These adjustments could not only make the scores more valuable to be referred by universities, but also help and guide international students to accumulate more discipline-specific and academic knowledge which lead to reduce those academic difficulties after they arrive. In conclusion, as this essay has demonstrated, the main factors which lead to academic learning challenges are atmosphere of English speaking only and different educational assessment system. Feasible solution to these challenges including revolutionising language certified test and providing adequate support from enrolled universities. It seems that revolutionizing language certified test is most significant solution to help and guide students at the source. In the future, increased awareness of academic challenges via researching and reporting as a whole could arouse relevant departments’ attention to take action on resolving these problems.

Overview Of Chicago Blues Music Essay

Overview Of Chicago Blues Music Essay Chicago blues is a form of blues music that developed in Chicago, Illinois. It is also referred to as urban blues or electric blues What Is the Blues, n.d.. Chicago blues replaced acoustic instruments with amplified versions and the basic guitar/harmonica duo of Delta blues turned into a full band with amplified guitar, amplified bass guitar, drums, piano, and sometimes saxophone and trumpet (Gordon, n.d.). What we consider to be the classic Chicago blues sound today developed during the 1940s and 50s (Gordon, n.d.). The twelve-bar form, variations on the blues chord progression, and emotive lyrical content remain relatively unchanged today (What Is the Blues, n.d.). Chicago blues was strongly influenced by soul, rhythm and blues, and rock music (Gordon, n.d.). A lot influenced Chicago blues. The earliest geographic origins of the blues are uncertain, given the multiple versions appearing across the African American South near the turn of the century. In Chicago, the emergence of blues culture in the 1920s coincided with increased musical performance and recording nationwide and paralleled the dramatic growth of black urban enclaves during the Great Migration (Green, Keil, and Palmer, n.d.). The Great Migration that lasted from 1910 to 1970, where African-American workers moved from the South to the industrial cities of the North (Hahn et. al., 2009). During World War II, more and more African-Americans migrated to northern states like St. Louis, Detroit, and Chicago to find jobs and better opportunities for their families (Gordon, n.d.). After World War II, musicians starting using electrified instruments, Chicago was the first to use these (What Is the Blues, n.d.). In the 1940s, some blues musicians started using the saxophone, but the p reference was for amplified harmonicas, especially in Chicago (What Is the Blues, Blues 3 n.d.). The Chicago blues sounded more full-bodied than its country cousin, the music pulling from broader musical possibilities, reaching beyond the standard six-note blues scale to incorporate major scale notes (Gordon, n.d.). The west side Chicago blues sound was characterized by a more fluid, jazz-influenced style of guitar playing and a full-blown horn section, while the south side blues sound was often more raw and raucous (Gordon, n.d.). In the 1950s Chicago was a prime center of blues recording (What Is the Blues, n.d.). There were a certain number of record labels that specialized in Chicago blues. The most famous being Chess Records, which produced Checker Records, a subsidiary (Gordon, n.d.). Chess Records was founded in 1950 by the brothers Phil and Leonard Chess (Gordon, n.d.). The oldest independent record label in the United States is Delmark Records, which was formed by Bob Koester in 1953 as Delmar and specializes in jazz and blues music (Gordon, n.d.). The top blues music label today is considered Alligator Records, launched by Bruce Iglauer in 1971, and still discovers and supports new talent in the blues and blues-rock genres (Gordon, n.d.). After the war, a big part of blues popularization were black-appeal disc jockeys, such as Al Benson and Big Bill Hill, who made sure that records released by Chess and other labels received public exposure (Green, n.d.). A number of blues musicians were among the people who migrated to Chicago. The most famous, and the first virtuoso, of the bottleneck/slide guitarists was Houston Tampa Red Woodbridge, who arrived in Chicago, from Florida, in 1925 and was one of the first black instrumentalists to make a recording. Unlike other southern bluesmen, whose playing was modal and in minor keys, Tampa Reds shimmering, clean style was influenced by ragtime and jug bands (Scaruffi, 2007). Big Bill Broonzy, also known as the star of Blues 4 Chicago, arrived in 1928, was known also among white audiences as far as New York (Scaruffi, 2007). Lizzie Memphis Minnie Douglas, a female guitarist, arrived in Chicago in 1933 (Scaruffi, 2007). Tampa Red, Big Bill Broonzy, and Memphis Minnie were among the first generation of Chicago blues artists, and they paved the way for newcomers like Muddy Waters, Little Walter, and B.B. King (Gordon, n.d.). The distinctive sound of these artists restructured popular music, providing fundamental elements for subsequent genres like soul and rock and roll (Green, n.d.). During the 1970s, new blues musicians were coming out and there were many styles of Chicago Urban Blues (Chicago Blues Foundation, 1996). During the 1940s, famous clubs such as Silvios, Gatewoods Tavern, the Flame Club, and the 708 opened up on the South Side and the West Side, serving as community centers for arriving migrants (Green, n.d.). In the late 1970s and early 1980s, control of the clubs began to pass from the original neighborhood owners or management to other interests and some of the Chicago Urban Blues legends began to pass away, and a rich part of blues history passed too (Chicago Blues Foundation, 1996). Old clubs have been joined by new businesses serving the tourist industry and predominantly white fans of blues (Green, n.d.). In 1975, Chess went out of business, by which time most older clubs were closing down (Green, n.d.). In 1984 Chicago inaugurated an annual blues festival (Green, n.d.). Blues is an African-American music that transverses a wide range of emotions and musical styles. Feeling blue is expressed in songs whose verses lament injustice or express longing for a better life, and lost loves, jobs, and money. But blues is also a raucous dance Blues 5 music that celebrates pleasure and success. Central to the idea of blues performance is the concept that, by performing or listening to the blues, one is able to overcome sadness and lose the blues (What Is the Blues, n.d.). For the performance part of my project, I went to Warmdaddys in Philadelphia on April 8th, 2011 to see Brass Heaven featuring Jeff Bradshaw. They definitely were not playing dinner time music. The instruments they used included an amplified bass, an electric guitar, trombones, the flugelhorn, a trumpet, a saxophone, drums, bongos, a cow bell, and chimes. They used all the instruments used in Chicago blues, except for the piano and they had a few extra instruments. I felt like it had a little Afro-Cuban mixed in with the congos, cow bell, and chimes. Parts had a little bit of a Latin feel. They had a marching band feel to them and even came off stage and went marching around all the tables. The loud trombone made it sound like a high school marching band. The white guy playing the saxophone was really good. I had never heard anyone play the trombone like that. They did a lot of solos. They had fast tempos that made you want to get up and dance. The atmosphere was a very welcoming and relaxed. The food was amazing. They had real southern cuisine. It was a new experience for me. It truly was a real southern rhythm and blues experience. I had a lot of fun and would definitely go back.

Concept of Organisational Misbehaviour: Analysis

Concept of Organisational Misbehaviour: Analysis Organisational Misbehavior Critically evaluate the argument that organisational misbehavior is a ‘normal’ feature of organisational life Introduction The notion of organisational misbehavior can be interpreted in a lot of ways based on different perspectives, different people, shifting situations, and by the changing level of awareness and understanding on the life of an organisation. There is a primary purpose of organisations in the context of fulfilling certain individual goals. Northcraft and Neale (1990, p.5) say that people come together and form organisations because organisations can accomplish things that are beyond the reach of individuals. They come together to accomplish what each individual cannot accomplish alone. The meaning of behavior in organisations according to Northcraft and Neale revolve around managing behavior to take advantage of the performance benefits of groups over individuals. This is where the concept of a good behavior and misbehavior takes shape. Organisational Behavior Organisational behavior is a multidisciplinary definition that illustrates a number of points (Gibson et al, 2000). Some of these points relate directly to the conduct of the organisation in society. First, it indicates that the behavior of people operate at individual, group, or organisational level. This suggests that when trying to study the organisational misbehavior in the perspective of being a normal part of organisational life, it must identify clearly the levels of analysis – individual, group, and the organisation being used. Second, there’s a distinctively humanistic orientation within the organisation behavior. People’s attitudes, perceptions, learning capabilities, and objectives are important to the organisation. They provide the rich mixture for their organisation’s culture and strategies to evolve and prosper. Thirdly, the external environment is seen as having significant impact on the organisational behavior. Finally, there’s also the application orientation which concerns providing useful answers to questions that arise in the context of managing the organisation. Misbehavior is often interpreted to mean ‘bad behavior’ or a deviation from the normal norms and ethics expected of individuals and organisations. To say that organisational behavior also involves other certain kinds of misbehavior still descends to the fact that any type of behavior can be either good or bad depending on the context that it is applied to in real life situations. When this type of behavior exists and eventually prevails in any organisational setup, it would likely grow into a certain stature of normalcy and seep into conventional wisdom. In order to understand why this argument seems to make sense in the framework of an organisation’s life, it is important to first identify the different compositions of an organisation, its objectives, culture, structure, and strategies. The complexities associated with these compositions have made it virtually impossible to model and envision a ‘perfect’ organisation. Organisations have had some bouts with internal and external conflicts in one way or another. Some have mastered the arts of deception and impropriety. It is unrealistic to say that organisational misbehavior is not part of organisational life either. People in the organisation may misbehave and some people may blame the entire organisation. Others may blame specific people (especially managers) when the real shortcoming came from the organisation’s policies. Other groups within the organisation or network may deviate from agreements and norms. The organisational culture may not also be up to the times and the current business strategies may not sit well with government regulation policies and industry norms. If these things do happen (and they happen a lot), it is not viable and healthy to draw the line between laying out unspoken rules in classifying organisational behavior to be good and a bad. People and Human Behavior People make up the internal social system of the organisation (Newstrom and Davis, 1997). This system consists of individuals and groups, and large groups as well as small ones. People are the living, thinking, and feeling beings who work in the organisation to achieve their objectives. An organisational structure is filled up with people who decide and deliver the goods for the organisation. Diversity presents a lot of challenges for management to handle. When people become members of an organisation whether in official, unofficial or informal capacity, they bring with them different educational background, talents, interests, and behavior that they eventually contribute for the success or failure of the organisation. The relationship among individuals and groups in an organisation create expectations for an individual’s behavior (Gibson et al, 2000, p. 7). An individual can be presented here as the organisation itself. These expectations result in certain leadership and foll ower roles that must be performed so that there will be some kind of order and system. Collective expectations can either conform or not to standard behavior. Collective misuse of resources interests, talents, expertise, and management strategies can constitute organisation misbehavior. Punch (1996, p.1) views these misconduct as harmful to the viability of the organisation and constitutes deviance by the organisation. To put it more bluntly, organisational misbehavior eventually boils down to the issue of profits and how it should be maximized. Money has always been a central issue in any organisation and it has often been used to measure the survivability of a business. Organisational goals always take into their mainstream policy the issue of financial and economic stability and prosperity. Punch (1996, p.214) strongly suggested that formal goals of the organisation thus constitute a ‘front’ for the real goals of management which is to provide a money machine for its owners and other insiders. If it is already common and normal for criminals to use any tool or weapon to perpetuate a crime, it would also seem normal for organisations to use the organisation itself to obtain money from ‘victims’ of its misbehavior. The ‘victims’ may actually be the customers or the members themselves. It is a prime example of what is called the â€Å"organisational weapon† – the organisation is for white-collar criminals as the gun or knife is for the common criminals (Wheeler and Rothman, 1982, cited in Punch, 1996). In short, an organisation is set up for the primary purpose of making a substantial amount of money in the form of a profit and improving the quality of life for the individual members of the organisation. Organisations have systems of authority, status, and power, and people in organisations have varying needs for each system. People need money and a sense of fulfillment. People also need power to impose their will to others. People want to attain a certain level of success as measured by their status and standing in the organisation. Taken as a whole, organisations follow certain types of ethical behavior and standards defined along its objectives and future goals. It is also believed that adherence to moral standards on the job can have positive outcomes on the organisation and society by promoting strong ethical behavior in any aspects of life (Mares, 2005). This strong behavior of one organisation can be used as a strong issue against another organisation which is considered to be ‘misbehaving’ just because it was not able to adhere to certain moral standards previously attained. Organisational Structure An organisational structure defines the formal relationship and use of people in organisations. According to Newstrom and Devis (1997), different jobs are required to accomplish all of an organisation’s activities. There are managers, employees, accountants, assemblers, and others who have to be related in some structural way so that their work can be effectively coordinated. How is the structure of the organisation related to the conduct of an organisation? According to Thompson (1997, p.588), structure is the means by which the organisation seeks to achieve its strategic objectives and implement strategies and strategic changes. Assuming that these strategies and changes are concerned with relating the organisation’s resources to its goals, will these resources be used in the proper way acceptable to all in the society? If change is necessary, it is correct to point out that resistance to change can constitute another concept of misbehavior. People confronting changes in their working environments often exhibit dysfunctional behaviors like aggression, projection, and avoidance (Hirschheim, 1995 p. 160). These types of behavioral patterns affect the overall behavior of the organisation. Another thing to consider in the organisational structure is the way decision making is delegated and observed. Thompson described the extent by which a decentralized and centralized setup of management decision making is vital in adapting to strategic change. In a centralized setup, organisational misbehavior is usually highlighted at the top management level because only a handful of people are empowered to do the decision making. A decentralized setup allows decisions to be made by most people who must implement change and usually allows the organisation a more collective approach to making decisions based on what is morally and ethically correct. This statement however, does not imply that a decentralized structure eliminates instances of misbehavior. It only lessens the probability. On the other hand, a decentralized setup could empower smaller groups within the organisation to abuse their power and open the possibility of misbehavior on a smaller scale. According to Tsahuridu, specialization and division of work that occurs in organizations may make people in organizations unable to see the illegality and immorality of certain actions. Each action is a part of a chain of actions, and even though each individual act may be legitimate and moral, all the actions linked together may constitute an illegal or immoral activity, which each individual participant may be ignorant of. Organisational Objectives and Culture Organisations must have objectives in order to exist. Objectives are always centered on what is basically ‘good’ for the organisation, whether the resulting action or consequences is ‘bad’. How is organisational objectives tied to organisational behavior? Profit and growth are means to other ends rather than objectives in themselves (Acoff, 1986, cited in Thompson, 1997). There is then a question of whether profit is the ultimate objective of profit seeking business organisations or whether it is merely a means to other ends, which themselves constitute the real objectives (Thompson, 1997, p.153). Organisational behavior can be better understood by assuming whether the real goal of the organisation is to maximize profit or to provide them with a good quality of life and better standard of living. Harris and Hartman (2002, p. 75) said that an organisation’s culture consists of the values, norms, and attitudes of the people who make up the organisation. Values show what is important; norms reveal expected behavior; attitudes show the mind-set of individuals. Organisational culture therefore tells people what is important in the organisation, how to behave, and how to see things. Culture is a part of organisational life that influences the behavior, attitudes, and overall effectiveness of members (Gibson et al, 2000). Managers are usually in the forefront of formulating organisational strategies and policies. Johnson and Scholes (1997, p.79-80) argued that in formulating policies, managers should regard experience (good or bad) as constraints on developments. They say that in order to develop the organisation to cope with today’s changing environments, they need to challenge the people around them and experiment with their different ideas and conflicting views in a pluralistic approach. The job of top management therefore is to create this sort of organisation by building teams that can work in such ways through the development of the everyday behavior and culture of the organisation. All of the issues related to the organisation in general have a tendency to influence and affect the behavior of the organisation. While it is safe to assume that the notion of misbehavior in the organisation tends to focus on the ‘wrong’ or ‘negative’ side of the organisation, it is preferred that misbehavior should be ‘corrected’ and dealt with by focusing on how to manage and institute reforms in the different aspects of the organisation. This is a tall and complex order. Organisational behavior is not only influenced by the different factors previously mentioned. Management policies have a tendency to adapt to changing situations in their environments. Some organisations’ strategies may take advantage of ‘weak’ government policies and regulations and find loopholes with which they can misbehave without being noticed. Other organisations’ strategies tend to focus on covering up unethical practices with good and conv incing arguments that their actions go against standard practices but at the same time, benefit a large segment of society. Punch (1996, p.1) described the behavior of today’s organisations as problematic and worrying. He reasons out that different kinds of organisational misbehavior are often caused by managers ‘lending’ themselves to deviant activities and the inability of government, business, and regulatory agencies to control effectively such misbehavior. He explains that this was largely because the subjects of business crime and corporate deviance have been sadly neglected by criminologists and crime-fighting bodies in favor of other areas such as street crimes, low-level law enforcement, and the prison system. Almost everyday, new types of organisation misbehavior are being uncovered and brought out into the open. As these corporate scandals and other forms of financial misconduct often perpetuated by top level management are exposed, more and more sophisticated strategies and techniques are slowly being uncovered. It is quite interesting to know that one kind of misbehavior can be linked to another form of misbehavior in another corporate partner within the network of organisations. Other sets of misbehavior can involve almost all levels of the organisational hierarchy. The realities faced by an organisation are different from others. Each organisation has an identity, an objective, a strategic plan, and differing sets of policies and regulations. Harris and Hartman (2002, p. 97) said this is because the underlying premise in the ideal culture is that the formal organisation’s norms and values are to be consistent with those of the various individuals and groups within the organisation. They say that the norms and values of individuals and groups of the organisation are hostile to formal organisational goals. This is especially true to members of top-level management and the rank and file members. Their hidden values may contradict the official policies of the organisation. Sometimes, the organisation may not value the potential contribution of its members. The need to create competitive advantage for profit and growth without the proper ethical system in place can lead to drastic steps and ethically questionable decisions and actions. Some m embers of the organisation may feel the need to make reforms while others may think taking radical steps will eventually spell success. Discontentment and trouble may brew over different ‘signals’ and messages that the inner structure of the organisation send out to the outside world. It is therefore evident that culture can become very counterproductive and the basis of confidence, cooperation, and adherence to standard norms and behavior can be damaging to the overall behavior of the organisation. This is the start of the decay of organisational values and norms and provides a fertile ground for breeding misconduct and misbehavior in any front of the organisation. Conclusions Misbehavior is a normal part of an organisation’s life. It is not a question of whether it exists or not. It tends to become an issue when organisations tolerate and do nothing to correct these deviances from normal behavior and when organisations formulate policies that sheer away from ethical standards that govern them. Why is it that organisational misbehaviors tend to exist even in model companies and organisations recognized for their professional excellence? There are different ways of understanding organisational misbehavior in the context of whether it is normal or not in an organisational life. If we try to look closely at the term ‘normal’ and ‘misbehavior,’ there are two things which would come into mind. First, nothing is perfect and it is perfectly normal for people to commit mistakes, either willingly or unwillingly. People can always create rules and policies to counter certain misconduct. Organisations can always innovate and deviate from these rules in order to attain their goals. In these instances, there is no such thing as a perfect law governing businesses and there is also no such thing as a perfect business strategy. In normal instances, mistakes are part of the learning process. As this cycle continues today, organisational misbehavior has already come to the point where people have already considered it part and parcel of their everyday life. It is part of the reality of life that has something to do with existence and how mankind adapts to ongoing changes. The only thing that people consider to be an issue in organisation misbehavior is the level or degree of how it affects society. Second, in order to survive, some organisations have to take the risk, whether this will put them in the burner for good or elevate their status in the business community. These risks are normally present in their business strategies, structure, objectives, and culture. They can follow the business rules by the book and end up earning nothing or they may deviate from certain rules and norms and reap profits. Again, it is normal for organisations to take risks and reap the benefits. All of the characteristics of an organisation are linked to one another to form their own identity and behavior. People are in a social structure within the organisation and are empowered to make good or bad decisions. The structure of the organisation limits or expands the power to make decisions. Bibliography Books Gibson, James et al. (2000).Organizations: Behavior, Structure, Processes. 3rd edition. McGraw-Hill, Manila. Harris, J and Hartman, S. (2002). Organizational Behavior. Haworth Press. New York. Hirschheim, R.A. (1995). Office Automation: A Social and Organizational Perspective. John Wiley. Oxford Johnson, Gerry and Scholes, Kevan. (1997). Exploring Corporate Strategy.Prentice Hall. UK Newstrom, John and Davis, Keith. (1997) Organizational Behavior: Human Behavior at Work. McGraw-Hill. Northcraft, Gregory and Neale, Margaret.(1990).Organizational Behavior:A Management Challenge. Dryden Press, Florida. Punch, Maurice. (1996). Dirty Business: Exploring Corporate Misconduct. SAGE Publications, London. Thompson, John (1997).Strategic Management: Awareness and Change. 3rd Edition.International Thompson Business Press.Boston Journal Article Mares, Micheal (2005), â€Å"The Importance of Business Ethics†,Retrieved last February 26, 2005 from http://www.webcpa.com Tsuahurido, Eva, â€Å"Ethics and Integrity: What Australian Organizations Seek and Offer in Recruitment Advertisements†,Retrieved: March 3, 2005 from http://www.pamij.com/7_4/v7n4_tsahuridu.html

Essay --

You see the images that the public is demanding. Why more reality-based TV? You'd think that after the first Survivor it would have gone away, but it hasn't. The public demands it because they get all caught up in the personal stories, and want to see more and more.† Montel Williams tells his guest audience about how the press is always wanting to get up close and personal in people's business. As a star and MS patient, Williams knows exactly what he is talking about. Born Montel Brian Anthony Williams on July 3, 1959 in Baltimore, Maryland, Williams was bound for greatness. Growing up, Williams was already a star to everyone. In high school he was the class president his junior and senior year. He was an athlete, musician, and all around a great student. He was well known throughout his community, he was always active in county-wide government issues that was for all the students. As he got older, people still knew his name and his stardom was still advancing. After graduating in 1974 from high school, Williams enlisted into the U.S. Marine Corps. Being very impressed with Montel's strength and leadership, his superiors requested him to be placed in the Naval Academy Preparatory School at Newport, Rhode Island. Later he was accepted to the U.S. Academy at Annapolis and that is where this stars real battle begins. The well-known Montel Williams was hit with some devastating news that would later change his life drastically and forever. Although the now famous talk show host from The Montel Williams Show, the movie star, and the award winner has had to live and deal with multiple sclerosis for a good portion of his life, he has overcome many adversities such as Hollywood shame, pain, and the fear of giving up. Before graduating in ... ...has done. Every goal that was set was accomplished and every thought of defeat was pushed aside. Montel Williams is a true fighter and refused to let any of his adversities hold him back. He has never given up and still today informs his audience and the people about this disease and makes them aware that they are not invincible from it. Williams has made it through the recognition, the pain, the press, and the suffering. He has become one of the worlds most well-known and accomplished star and philanthropists. He has dedicated his life to helping others and informing others about multiple sclerosis. He knows the heartaches and the pain these people have been through, go through, and will go through. He knows what these patients need to fight back and win. He knows because he is a fighter himself and he defeats his illness everyday and in his eyes reigns victorious.

Machinery Hall, Centennial Exposition 1876, Philadelphia Essays

Machinery Hall, Centennial Exposition 1876, Philadelphia The "International Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures, and Products of the Soil and Mine, in the city of Philadelphia" was opened on the 10th day of May in the year 1876. As it was more commonly known, the "Centennial Exposition" was America's first successful World's Fair. The fair celebrated the one hundred year anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and America's start as a sovereign nation. It was at the Centennial Fair that Americans were given a chance to display their knowledge and power in the growing industrialized world. Long gone were the days of single-structure exhibitions. The Philadelphia organizers peppered Fairmont Park with exhibition buildings and attractions, giving visitors much to look at. At the fair the United States sought to establish itself among the major countries of the world. The major buildings of the fair: Memorial Hall, the Main Building, Machinery Hall, Horticultural Hall, the Women's Pavilion and several national and state pavilions provided a suitable architectural framework for the exhibited materials. The most popular of these buildings was Machinery Hall, built to house the country's technological wonders of the past century (Snyder). Machinery Hall, "four times the space of St. Peter's" in Rome (Bruce, 150) covered an area of 558,440 square feet (including its annex). Fairmont Park was at the time the "largest and finest urban park in America" (Mass, 16). After selecting the site for the fair, the Centennial Commission held a competition for the design of the exhibition buildings offering awards to the top ten entries. The first prize was given to Collins & Autenrieth of Philadelphia whose design estimated construction ... ...usiasts to see what it was like to visit the fair first hand. Though these images are not always completely historically correct, they serve as an excellent tool for learning about the fairs. Bibliography Bruce, Edward C. The Century: Its Fruits and its Festival. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1877. Maass, John. The glorious enterprise: the Centennial Exhibition of 1876 and H. J. Schwarzmann, architect-in-chief / John Maass. New York. American Life Foundation. 1973. Snyder, Iris. (February 2000) "The Centennial Exposition, Philadelphia, 1876" University of Delaware, Special Collections Department http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/spec/exhibits/fairs/cent.htm(25 February, 2001). Trout, Silas E. The Story of the Centennial of 1876. Lancaster, 1929. ARCH SPCEXP T825.B1T7 Westcott, Thompson. A Centennial Portfolio. Philadelphia, T. Hunter, 1876.

The false accusation (story) :: essays research papers

The False accusation Jimmy was a short and a big headed kid. He was very smart and had brown hair. One day, he was walking in the long and narrow hallway between his classes with, his autographed football and work books in his hand, when his friend Sheen approached him. Sheen was Jimmy’s best friend. He was tall and had black hair. Sheen was considered by Jimmy, to be slow in the head. â€Å"Where’s our next class?† Jimmy asked. â€Å"What?† asked sheen. â€Å"Where’s our next class?† Jimmy repeated. â€Å"Oh, why didn’t you say that? It’s over there,† said sheen, pointing down to the class at the end of the hallway. Sheen led them to their class and sat a seat behind from Jimmy. Jimmy sat down and put his ball under his chair. The class was very spacious with 4 rows of 4 individual desks. The desks were all facing a chalkboard that was located in the front of the class. In the back of the class were four computers on individual tables. The chairs near those desks were very low. There was a little space that was dark between the tables. Jimmy looked around. The rest of the class was already seated and ready. Sitting on the right of Jimmy was a fat brown haired kid named Karl. Karl snorted when he laughed and Jimmy thought that to be funny. Karl was Jimmy’s other friend. On the other side of Jimmy, was an enormous and tall kid that always used to pick on Jimmy. He was called Max the bully by the rest of the class. The bell rang, which meant that class was starting. A second after the ringing, walked in the teacher. Her name was Mrs. Polzin. She was short and chubby, and had a low voice. She had short dark brown hair and blue eyes. Jimmy disliked her and believed she was from a different planet. Jimmy had her as a teacher for 3 years; since 3rd grade and had never liked her. Class started by the Mrs. Polzin greeting the students with, what Jimmy thought to be, a fake smile and good morning. She sat down at her desk and asked the pupils to take out their show and tell items. Other students had brought their pictures; others had brought caps and sweatshirts from different countries. Jimmy thought, like the others, his show and tell item was the best.

Literature Review Format Essay

Literature Review This packet details the steps necessary to produce a literature review that may be required for work in various disciplines, including English, history and psychology. This packet is not intended to replace instructor guidelines and should not be used in that manner. The packet’s intended use is as a supplement to classroom instruction on assembling a literature review. Therefore, it contains only general information that must be tailored to fit specific guidelines as required by your discipline and by your instructor. This packet is subdivided into six sections: I. General Information States what a literature review is and what purpose it serves. II. Process Gives step-by-step instructions on how to get started on your literature review. III. Organization Explains the two most common ways of arranging information in a literature review. IV. Format Provides descriptions for two of the most common formats used in a literature review, the item to item comparison and contrast (Format A) and the criteria to criteria comparison and contrast (Format B). V. Checklist Allows appraisal of your completed literature review to assure that it follows all necessary guidelines. VI. Resources Lists helpful resources used to compile this packet so that you may obtain further information. General Information Definition Literature reviews can have two roles: In their first role, they function as a stand-alone paper. At other times they will actually be part of a larger research thesis. In this handout, literature reviews will be referred to in the stand-alone sense. As a stand-alone paper, literature reviews are multi-layered and are more formal and detailed than book reviews. As the author of a literature review, you must become familiar with a large amount of research on a specific topic. You will then develop your own thesis about the topic related to this research. After this, you will classify and critically analyze research on the topic by making a comparison between several different studies and by emphasizing how these studies and their comparison relate to your own thesis. In effect, a literature review is a paper that compiles, outlines and evaluates previously established research and relates it to your own thesis. It provides a context for readers as if they  Email at tutor@uhv. edu University West, room 129 (361) 570-4288 were researching the topic on their own. Just from reading your paper, readers should be able to gain insight into the amount and quality of research on the topic. Your thesis and the literature reviewed serve several important functions within the paper: †¢ Your thesis creates a foundation for the literature review because it helps narrow the topic by providing a sense of direction; however, you will have to conduct some initial research and reading before deciding on an appropriate thesis. Your personal thesis may be a statement addressing some of the following situations: â€Å"why your research needs to be carried out, how you came to choose certain methodologies or theories to work with, how your work adds to the research already carried out† (Brightwell, G. and Shaw, J. , 1997-98), or it may present some other logical perspective. †¢ Reviewed literature is organized in a logical manner that best suits the topic of the review and the hypothesis of the literature (see Organization and Format). The selected method of organization and style of format should draw attention to similarities and differences among the reviewed literature; these similarities and differences are based on specific criteria you revealed in the literature review’s introduction. According to Brightwell and Shaw (1997-98), your goal in the body of the review â€Å". . . should be to evaluate and show relationships between the work already done (Is Researcher Y’s theory more convincing than Researcher X’s? Did Researcher X build on the work of Researcher Y?) and between this work and your own [thesis]. † Additional information on these topics can be found in the Organization and Format sections of this packet. Therefore, carefully planned organization is an essential part of any literature review. Purpose Although literature reviews may vary according to discipline, their overall goal is similar. A literature review serves as a compilation of the most significant sources on a subject and relates the findings of each of these sources in a rational manner while supporting the literature review author’s own thesis. A literature review establishes which sources are most relevant to its author’s point and which sources are most credible to the discipline at hand. In a literature review, the results of previous research are summarized, organized and evaluated. Discipline-Specificity A literature review’s organization, format, level of detail and citation style may vary according to discipline because different disciplines have different audiences. Examples here pertain to the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities. †¢ Natural and social sciences The author of a literature review in the natural or social sciences must pay close attention to measurements, study populations and technical aspects of experimental findings. Typically, a portion of the natural or social sciences literature review is set aside for reviewing sources on the primary topic. Then, a comparative analysis or discussion section is used to analyze the similarities and differences among the sources, tying them in with the literature review author’s original thesis. †¢ Humanities The author of a literature review in the humanities usually does not set aside a special section for reviewing the sources; instead, citations may be found randomly throughout the paper. The literature being reviewed is arranged according to paragraphs based on the author’s points, which in turn, support the author’s thesis. The paper itself may not be called a literature review at all. It is more likely to be called a critical analysis. Remember that the best bet for determining what type of literature review is appropriate for your course is checking with the instructor prior to beginning research. Email at tutor@uhv. edu University West, room 129 (361) 570-4288 REVIEW 1. What is the purpose of a literature review? What is the connection between the author’s thesis and the literature being reviewed? 2. What discipline will your literature review be classified in? Process 1. Find several articles that deal with your research topic. Sometimes it is helpful to review the bibliography of one of the first scholarly sources that you encounter and compare it to the bibliographies of other sources on the topic. If the same source is listed within several of these bibliographies, it is probably a fundamental, credible source that will aid you in your review. 2. Before you begin reviewing literature, realize that you are looking to accomplish two things: A. Defining your research problem/thesis (examples: finding a flaw in research, continuing previous research, etc . . . B. Reading and evaluating significant works that are relevant to your research problem. You will be conducting Steps A and B simultaneously because the two form a circular pattern. As you read related sources (Step B), you define your problem, and as you define your problem (Step A) you will more easily be able to decide what material is relevant enough to be worthy of reading (Step B). 3. Once you begin reviewing, make an entry with complete bibliographical information and comments for each work that you are going to include in the review. 4. Compare the articles by evaluating the similarities and differences among them. This will be the initial stage in the formulation of your thesis. 5. Form a thesis that is clearly written and can be logically supported by the literature you will include in your review. 6. View the articles briefly again and jot down any notes that seem to relate to your thesis. 7. Decide which organizational pattern and format are best for the topic of your review. 8. Construct an appropriate outline for the literature review. 9. Write an introduction that introduces the topic, reveals your thesis statement, and arranges key issues. 10. Organize and write the body of your paper according to the appropriate format: topical or chronological. 11. Write a conclusion that reconciles similarities and differences on the topic and reemphasizes the criteria used to arrive at this conclusion. 12. Complete the final draft of the literature review. Email at tutor@uhv. edu University West, room 129 (361) 570-4288 13. Check over the final draft for grammar and punctuation errors. 14. Use the checklist provided here to make sure that all parts of the literature review are addressed and focused. Establishing a Critical Response for a Literature Review You may find this section helpful at Steps 3, 4 and 5 of the process. When reviewing your sources, explore the following areas to help develop your critical response: What is the purpose of the research or work? What research or literary methods are used? How do the major concepts operate? In a research study, how accurate are the measurements? In a literary work, is the author’s position objective or biased? What are the different interpretations of the results of the study or of the literary work itself? REVIEW 1. What do you consider to be the most crucial step(s) in the process of your literature review? Why? Justify your response(s). Organization A literature review can be arranged either topically or chronologically. Topical organization occurs in reviews where previous research being evaluated is divided into segments with each one representing a part of some larger issue. In a topical review, the author begins by describing the characteristics of research shared by several studies and then moves on to analyze their similarities and differences. For more information, see the example below. Example The organization of a literature review begins in the introduction. For example, in the introduction of a literature review about the effect of seating arrangements on peer tutoring communication, you would first introduce the topic and what your literature review will attempt to assess: †¦Writing centers can set the table for collaborative tutoring sessions through a careful consideration of spatial arrangement . . . Then state what angle is going to be explored: †¦These studies will be used to support the author’s claims that spatial arrangement is instrumental in encouraging collaborative environments in the writing center†¦ Then, arrange key issues that will be addressed in this review by answering questions that you have personally developed and are tailored to fit your topic. In the introduction, give the audience a clear picture of how you will organize your paper: Email at tutor@uhv. edu University West, room 129 (361) 570-4288 In the following, I1 first review some relevant research concerning spatial arrangement and then discuss some recommended and alternate seating arrangements to encourage a collaborative environment in the writing center. Finally, I include some other considerations. In the body of this literature review, you would organize the information topically around each point (or question) that you asked yourself: -Research Review -Recommended Spatial Arrangement -Alternative Spatial Arrangement -Other Considerations. Then, write a conclusion that explains the significance of your findings: †¦While the seating arrangements outlined above are generally a good ‘setting’ for peer tutoring sessions, we should remember that each tutoring session is unique. Not all students will be comfortable with a side-by-side spatial arrangement at a round table. Tutors should be perceptive of and receptive to students who may have other spatial needs†¦ Chronological organization occurs when a review is organized in time order and is most often used when a historical context is needed for discussing a topic from its beginning to its current state; chronological organization is  especially helpful when discussing inactive periods and shifts in perspective on a given topic. Example The organization of a literature review begins in the introduction. For example, in the introduction of a literature review entitled Development of Social Science Research on Attitudes Towards Gender in America, you would first introduce the topic and what your review hopes to assess: †¦This literature review will assess the development of research designed to uncover gender attitudes in America during the latter part of the 20th Century†¦ Then state what angle is going to be explored: .. As research progressed throughout the 20th century, the methods that social scientists use for measuring these attitudes developed and changed as well†¦ Then, chronologically arrange issues that will be addressed in this review: Gender stereotypes still exist today, and varying attitudes can be traced over the past fifty years. Survey instruments used to gather data on these varying attitudes have also changed drastically over the course of time. In the body of this literature review, you would organize the information chronologically, adressing each point (or question) that is being asked for a particular time period: -Stereotypes and Survey Instruments of the 1950’s -Stereotypes and Survey Instruments of the 1960’s -Stereotypes and Survey Instruments of the 1970’s -Stereotypes and Survey Instruments of the 1980’s -Stereotypes and Survey Instruments of the 1990’s -Current Advancements Always clear the use of I with your instructor. An alternative to this would be the use of third person wording, such as â€Å"This paper reviews some relevant research concerning spatial arrangement and then discusses some recommended and alternate seating arrangements to encourage a collaborative environment in the writing center. † 1 Email at tutor@uhv. edu University West, room 129 (361) 570-4288 Then, write a conclusion that explains the significance of your findings: Although the survey instruments used in the 1950’s and 1960’s developed an obvious bias when surveying Americans regarding gender attitudes, the 1970’s brought about great change. Today social scientists are more careful than ever about testing the quality of a survey instrument before using it on the general public. Format There are also two suggested formats for composing your literature review. Format A is used when comparing several studies that have similar hypothesis but different findings. Each piece of research is summarized individually. Format A is good for reviews with a small number of entries; however, this format may confuse the audience when used with a large number of reviews because descriptions of so many studies may get in the way of the analysis. Keep in mind that each piece of research usually will not receive equal attention in the review. Format A Outline I. Introduction consists of four parts that are usually discussed in one paragraph. a. Identify the general topic being discussed. b. Mention trends published about the topic. c. State thesis establishing the reason for writing the literature review. d. Explain criteria by giving a description of each of the criteria used in evaluating the literature review and rationalizing its organization II. Literature reviewed section is divided up according to study. a. First study is summarized and discussed. b. Second study is summarized and discussed. c. Third study is summarized and discussed. III. Comparative analysis acknowledges the similarities and differences between studies. a. Similarities (if any) among the studies are evaluated and discussed. b. Differences (if any) among the studies are evaluated and discussed. IV. Conclusion/Summary effectively wraps up the review. a. Summarize points of comparison or contrast among the works based on Section III of your review. b. Provide insight of relationship between the topic of the review and a larger area of study such as a specific discipline or profession Format B  organizes the literature review according to similarities and differences among research rather than by literature studied. In a review organized according to Format B, little background information on the literature being reviewed is given outright. Instead, it is worked into the body paragraphs of the sections on similarities and differences. The conclusion then uses these two sections (similarities and differences) to tie in points of comparison and contrast between the works. Format B better suits papers that are topically organized. Format B is outlined below. Email at tutor@uhv. edu University West, room 129 (361) 570-4288 Format B Outline I. Introduction consists of four parts usually discussed in one paragraph. a. Identify the general topic being discussed. b. Mention trends published about the topic. c. State thesis establishing the reason for writing the literature review. d. Explain criteria by giving a description of each of the criteria used in evaluating the literature review and rationalizing its organization II. Similiarities within the research are discussed. a.  First similarity among research is discussed. b. Second similarity among research is discussed. c. Third similiarity among research is discussed. III. Differences in the research are discussed. a. First difference between research is discussed b. Second difference between research is discussed c. Third difference between research is discussed IV. Conclusion/Summary a. Summarize points of comparison or contrast between the works. b. Provide insight into relationship between the topic of the literature and a larger area of study such as a specific discipline or profession. The most important thing to remember when organizing a literature review is that it is not a list summarizing one work after another. The review should be organized into sections according to theme that are set apart by subject-related headings. REVIEW 1. Which format have you chosen for your literature review? Why? A Literature Review Checklist: Did I . . . . . . ? ? Establish a valid thesis based on the examined research ? State this thesis clearly in my introduction ? Define unfamiliar terms ? Incorporate background information to define the problem ? Begin each entry in the review with a complete bibliographical reference ? List and describe the hypothesis/thesis in each work reviewed Email at tutor@uhv. edu University West, room 129 (361) 570-4288 ? Describe the outcome of the work or the research ? Develop and incorporate my own comments, including response to the research, similarities and differences among literature reviewed, and reservations regarding author’s methods or conclusions ? Avoid overquoting ? Check for grammar and punctuation errors ? Correctly cite all references in uniform documentation style Resources Brightwell, G.  and Shaw, J. (1997-98). Writing up research. Retrieved August 20, 2002 from Languages and Educational Development at the Asian Institute of Technology’s Web page at http://www. languages. ait. ac. th/EL21OPEN. HTM Central Queensland University Library. (2000). The literature review. Retrieved July 22, 2003 from http://www. library. cqu. edu. au/litreviewpages/ Cuba, L. (2002). A short guide to writing about social science. New York: Addison-Wesley Publishers. Leibensperger, S. (2003). Setting the table: Encouraging collaborative environments with spatial arrangement in the writing center. Unpublished literature review. Northern Arizona University. (1999). Electronic textbook – A blast from the past: Your literature review. Retrieved May 30, 2002 from http://jan. ucc. nau. edu/~mid/edr720/class/literature/blast/reading21-1. html Taylor, D. , & Procter, M. (2001). The literature review: A few tips on conducting it. Retrieved June 17, 2002 from http://www. utoronto. ca/writing/litrev. html Trinder, L. (2002). Appendix. The literature review. Retrieved August 27, 2003 http://www. uea. ac. uk/~w071/teaching/ppf/Appendix%20Lit%20Review. pdf The University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center. (2001). Academic writing: Reviews of literature. Retrieved May 30, 2002 from http://www. wisc. edu/writing/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature. html *In traditional APA style, this section would be entitled â€Å"References† and would be listed on a separate page double-spaced. Due to space constraints in this packet, it has been formatted differently. Copyright 2003 by the Academic Center and the University of Houston-Victoria. Created 2003 by Candice Chovanec-Melzow. Email at tutor@uhv. edu University West, room 129 (361) 570-4288.