Two choose one. will upload later Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Two choose one. will upload later - Essay Example say will establish businesses internationalisation and focus on the economic, environmental, political, and social impacts of business internationalisation. The content in the essay borrows from Economics, International Business, and Critical Political Economy. The main aim of internationalisation is to maximise profits and formation of capital. Businesses set out to international platforms to harness the innovation and influence the price and quality of assets in other regions. Firms may also internationalise in order to present a strategic marketing alliance or technological front as compared to their competitors. Similarly, an enterprise may in its choice of location, be keen to find resources that reduce its direct costs and increase its assets base (Dunning, 2001, p.184). In the search for reduced costs of production, firms try to harness cheaper alternatives in order to maximise profit margins in a competitive market. Most times, the local market offers a high price for factors of production. With internalisation, prospects of cheaper factors of production set. At times, firms go global in order to meet their international demand. Export to foreign markets may affect their product demand due to increased shipping cost. Production at a subsidiary plant may increase returns for the parent company. The reason of internationalisation compares the advantages of the process to the business to the benefits and costs of accessing cross-border transactions (Dunning, 2001, p.187). In Economics, demand adjusts supply and consumption influences production. Thus, Economics is a system that is responsive, elastic, and automatic (Coase, 1937, p.387). Economics tries to achieve this balance by focusing on the production process and its impact on the price. Firms are characterised by the price mechanism. In internationalisation, firms optimise production by sourcing cheap sources of factors of production such as labour. With the establishment of a foreign firm, it is

The Effectiveness Of Heterogeneous Grouping

The Effectiveness Of Heterogeneous Grouping As EFL teachers we are concerned with two main issues in language learning. The first issue addresses the skills students should acquire in EFL classes as a result of teaching-learning experiences. Such skills are often measured by students achievement. The second issue takes account of the strategies EFL teachers use to help students acquire such skills and in turn increase their achievement. Writing is a skill which requires efforts from both the student and the teacher. It is one of the four language skills which are given emphasis in second language learning. Writing is one of the skills which need to be mastered by the learners to meet the secondary school graduation requirements (Panofsky et al 2005). They learn different genres of writing like descriptive, expository, recount and narrative based on the prescribed syllabus of their providers. Language learning involves learning the language code as well as the culture associated with the language (Becket Gonzales 2004). Students writing abilities are affected by the type of instructions teachers use within their classroom practices. It is one of the productive skills that learners are expected to achieve in order to ensure their communicative competence. While learning writing, students are supposed to get involved in many activities that enable them to produce a piece of writing at the end. They can be engaged for example in class discussions, act in role playing or get involved in peer editing (Hensen, 2002). While engaged in classroom activities students build up experience and have more practice that may finally give the chance to reach a proper product of writing. In teaching writing, teachers strive hard to find strategies to facilitate increasing students achievement. There are many methods adopted by the teachers in teaching EFL writing in the classrooms. One of the methods recommended in teaching writing is the incorporation of cooperative learning (Kagan 2002). Students can be grouped in a variety of more flexible ways so that they spend some portion of a school day in heterogeneous groups and some portion in homogeneous groups. (Grady et al 2007). Supporting students writing involves providing some form of assistance that helps them carry out one or more processes involved in writing. These procedures include structuring how students carry out a particular writing process, having peers to help one another as they compose a piece of writing , providing students with feedback on their performance, focusing students attention on specific aspects of tasks, and providing a model of what the end product should look like (Graham Perin 2007). In most EFL classes, some learners perform better beyond grade-level, others struggle with target language, while another great part of the class falls somewhere in between. In their effort to meet the needs of such a diverse students, educators tend to assign pair and group work with students of different ability levels finding ways to involve all students in the activities. These ways could include communicative and cooperative tasks to allow scaffolding of less advanced students. In such a classroom environment, advanced level learners perform as a bridge to assist the learning process and lower level classmates show a readiness to cross that bridge (Sean, 2002).   As a general rule, it seems reasonable to propose that classroom harmony might better be achieved in a group of motivated students who are allowed to take part and cooperate. Statement of the problem Teachers as well as educators seem to have struggled to find answers to questions about heterogeneous and homogeneous grouping: Are they of certain benefits for learners? Do they harm anyone? Who gets the benefit or the harm the most? And why? (Kulik 1992). The answers to such questions are not always clear-cut and often depend on whom you ask and what learning outcomes are considered important. To many educators, grouping is considered as an proper response to academic diversity. To others, the practice has harmful unintended consequences and should be abandoned (Ansalone, 2001). Statement of the purpose Consequently, this study aims to investigate the effect of homogeneous grouping versus heterogeneous grouping on EFL students achievement in writing in the hope that it may settle the argument on which is better for both high and low achievers. Homogeneous grouping can be defined as dividing students into small groups which include students of the same ability or level for example high achievers together and low achievers together. While heterogeneous grouping can be defined as dividing students into groups that include mixed or different levels, high and low achievers together. Theoretical Framework When tackling the issue of cooperative learning or grouping it is useful to draw upon the theories of social constructivism and multiple intelligences so as to view intelligence from a multi-dimensional perspective. Social constructivism emphasizes the significance of the social environment in cognitive development. Vygotsky, as reported by Seng et al. (2003), wrote: Every function in the childs cultural development environment appears twice: first, on the social level, and later on the individual level, first between people (interpsychological), and then inside the child (intrapsychological). Vygotsky (1978) supposed that intelligence starts in the social environment and directs itself inward. Other writers on constructivism elaborated on this theme. Students must interact with other students as well as materials in order to learn. The conventional ways of teaching through lecturing and recitation do not work effectively (Hillocks, 2002). Teachers must allow a learning environment i n which students search for meaning, appreciate uncertainty, and inquire responsibly (Brooks, 1993). Gardner (1993), in his work on multiple intelligences (MI), highlighted the importance of precisely understanding the profile of intelligences of the individual learner to provide a more enlightened search for remedies for difficulties. Edward (2004) stated that the problems students encounter at school are because of the fact that they have different kinds of minds and therefore remember, understand, perform, and learn in differently. Gardner identified 8 separate intelligences; two of them are linguistics and interpersonal intelligences. Armstrong (199) stressed the need to provide learning experiences which may accommodate those 8 intelligences through a variety of multi-spectrum experiences. Moreover, there are two cognitive theories that are directly applied to cooperative learning, the developmental and the elaboration theories (Slavin, 1987). The developmental theories presume that interaction among students around appropriate tasks raises their mastery of critical conceptions (Damon, 1984). When students interact with other students, they will need to explain and discuss each others perspectives, which lead to greater understanding of learning targets. Also the effort to resolve potential conflicts within collaborative activities develops higher levels of understanding (Slavin, 1990). The elaboration theory proposes that one of the most effective means of learning is to explain the material to someone else. Cooperative learning activities improve elaborative thinking and frequent giving and receiving explanations, which increases the depth of understanding, the quality of reasoning, and the accuracy of long term retention (Johnson, Johnson, Holubec, 1986). Thus, the use of cooperative learning methods should lead to the improvement of students learning and retention from both the developmental and cognitive theoretical perspectives. Cooperative learning has its roots in the theories of social interdependence, cognitive development, and behavioral learning. Some research provides remarkably strong evidence that cooperative learning results in greater effort to achieve, more positive relationships, and greater psychological health than competitive or individualistic learning efforts (Johnson, Johnson, Holubec, 1994( Cognitive growth springs from the arrangement of a variety of perspectives at the time individuals work to reach common goals. Both Piaget and Vygotsky saw cooperative learning with more able peers and instructors as resulting in cognitive development and intellectual growth (Johnson, et al., 1998). The assumption of behavioral learning theory is that students will work hard on tasks that provide a reward and that students will fail to work on tasks that provide no reward or punishment. Cooperative learning is one strategy that rewards individuals for participation in the groups effort. Slavin (1987), highlighted two main theoretical perspectives related to cooperative learning, motivational and cognitive. The motivational theories of cooperative learning stress the students motivation to accomplish academic work, whereas the cognitive theories emphasize the effects of working with others. A major element of cooperative learning is positive interdependence, as students perceive that their success or failure depends on working together as a team (Johnson, Johnson, Holubec, 1986). From the motivational theories perspective, cooperative goal structure creates such a situation in which the only way group members can achieve their goals is when the group is successful (Slavin, 1990,). As a result, for the reason of attaining certain goals, students are likely to encourage their group members to do whatever helps the group to succeed and to help one another with a group task. Review of Literature A number of studies examined the effects of cooperative learning techniques on student learning. Humphreys, Johnson, and Johnson (1982) compared cooperative, competitive, and individualistic strategies and concluded that students who were taught by cooperative methods learned and retained significantly more information than students taught by the other two methods. Sherman and Thomas (1986) reached similar findings in a study which involved high school students taught by cooperative and individualistic methods. Slavin(1983) based on a review of 46 studies related to cooperative learning found that cooperative learning resulted in significant positive effects in 63% of the studies, and only two studies reported higher achievement for the comparison group. Johnson, Maruyama, Johnson, Nelson, and Skon (1981) conducted a meta-analysis of 122 studies related to cooperative learning and concluded that there was strong evidence for the advantage of cooperative learning in promoting achievement over competitive and individualistic strategies. Johnson and Ahlgren (1976) investigated the relationships between students attitudes toward cooperation, competition, and attitudes toward education. The results of the study pointed out that student cooperativeness, rather than competitiveness, was positively related to being motivated to learn. Humphreys, Johnson, and Johnson (1982) also found that students studying in a cooperative learning treatment group rated more positively in their learning experience than did students in competitive and individualistic treatment groups. In a study involving elementary and secondary students Wodarski, et al., (1980) concluded that 95% of the elementary students enjoyed the cooperative learning activities and that they had learned a lot about the subject. Cooperative learning can result in positive effects on student achievement (Devries Slavin, 1978; Cohen, 1986; Davidson, 1989; Johnson Johnson, 1989; Okebukola, 1985; Reid, 1992; Slavin, 1990). Academic benefits include higher achievement in reading comprehension, writing (Mathes, Fuchs, Fuchs, 1997) and mathematics (Ross, 1995; Whicker, Nunnery, Bol, 1997) and improved conceptual understanding and achievement in science (Lonning, 1993; Watson, 1991). Social benefits include more on-task behaviors and helping interactions with group members (Burron, James, Ambrosio, 1993; Gillies Ashman, 1998; McManus Gettinger, 1996), higher self-esteem, more friends, more involvement in classroom activities, and improved attitudes toward learning (Lazarowitz, Baird, Bolden, 1996; Lazarowitz, Hertz-Lazarowitz, Baird, 1994). Emmer and Gerwels (2002) stated that some research on cooperative learning addressed instructional components. In a number of studies students were taught interaction skills, such as how to question or to help each other so that they did not give answers but facilitated each others thinking (Fuchs, Fuchs, Kazdan, Allen, 1999; Gillies Ashman, 1996, 1998; Nattiv, 1994; Webb, Troper, Fall, 1995). When students are taught these skills, positive outcomes like increased intrinsic motivation, self-esteem, and liking for school can result (Battistich, Solomon, Delucchi, 1993). Ability grouping can be carried out between-class or within-class (Dukmak 2009). Between-class ability grouping refers to a schools practice of forming classrooms that contains students of similar ability. Within-class grouping refers to a teachers practice of forming groups of students of similar ability within an individual class (Gamoran, 1992; Hollified, 1987). A review of the literature on cooperative learning shows that students benefit academically and socially from cooperative, small-group learning (Gillies, 2002). Mixed-ability grouping is based on cooperative learning which demonstrates positive success related to students achievement. In this type of grouping, students work collaboratively to successfully achieve a desired educational outcome and develop a greater understanding and respect for individual differences. All forms of diversity within the learning environment are embraced (Felder Brent, 2001; Freeman, 1993; Saleh, Lazonder, DeJong, 2005). Moreover, in a mixed-ability, teachers respond to the individualized needs of all learners (Kulik Kulik, 1992). The most compelling argument against ability grouping is the creation of academic elites a practice which goes against democratic ideals (Slavin, 1987). Johnson and Johnson (1999) and Johnson, Johnson and Smith (1998) say that cooperative learning has five basic elements positive interdependence, individual accountability, promotive interaction, appropriate use of social skills, and periodic processing of how to improve the effectiveness of the group (Johnson Johnson1999 ). When these elements are properly implemented, the research has shown that group collaboration in the classroom can increase learning and achievement, social skills, self-esteem, and attitudes toward classmates and school (Slavin, 1990 as cited in Webb, Nemer Zuniga 2002). Placing students in teams or cooperative learning groups has many advantages. It helps to build a students communication skills, can help increase tolerance and the acceptance of diversity, promotes higher level reasoning, promotes increased generation of new ideas, promotes greater transfer of information from one situation to another, increases retention, builds teamwork skills, reduces stress , and increased willingness to attempt challenging tasks (Baker Campbell, 2005; Huss, 2006; Lin, 2006; Payne Monk-Turner, 2006; Patrick, Bangel, Jeon 2005; Kim 2004; Vaughn, 2002; Johnson Johnson, 1999; Johnson, Johnson Smith, 1998; Slavin, 1996). The cooperative learning experience also [gives] students the opportunity to review and learn information that they did not understand before the cooperative learning activity (Webb, 2002). According to Lin (2006 ), research has concluded that cooperative learning is the top ranked teaching model that promotes greater higher-order thinking, problem solving, and achievement. Students can remember 75-90% of materials when they learn it in cooperative learning situations (Lin, 2006). In a survey of college students after an experiment involving group work, Payne and Monk-Turner (2006) found that 90% of students favored group work and that 90% learned from their group members. Since 1924, 168 studies have been conducted that compare cooperative learning to competitive and individual learning. These studies have shown that cooperative learning yields higher academic achievement than individual and competitive learning (Johnson, Johnson Smith, 1998). Cooperative learning groups are also said to be particularly beneficial to low academic achieving students and students of color (Huss, 2006; Vaughn, 2002). Cooperative learning groups appear to be effective in many ways. Students work as an influential part of the group when they believe their efforts will add to the success of the group (Baker Campbell, 2005). Students are successful and learn in cooperative learning groups because they learn by doing rather than listening (Payne, Monk-Turner, Smith 2006 ) They are also actively using the material and information (Zimbardo, Butler, Wolfe, 2003). Cooperative learning also strengthens students social interactions, it gives them the desire to achieve, to develop more positive interpersonal relationships, and have greater psychological health than competitive or individualistic learning efforts (Johnson, Johnson, Holubec, 1994 as cited in Morgan, 2003,). Cooperative learning can teach students that knowledge can be, or should be, shared with fellow students; that differences in opinion can be rationally negotiated even under conditions of test pressures; and that cooperative learning pr ocedures can be enjoyable and productive (Zimbardo et al., 2003, ). These types of lessons enable students to learn how to work well with others. The interdependent relationships that develop within a group help to facilitate the groups success. Everyone feels the goal of the group will be met if everyone achieves their individual goals (Vaughn, 2002; Morgan, 2004). According to Morgan (2004), group members should also be aware of the fact that a single group member can affect how and/or if the goal is achieved. The cooperative learning experience is most effective when the participants work well together and they successfully achieve their goal. There are many characteristics to successful teams. Some of these characteristics include open communication, effectively listening, open-mindedness, clear roles, an established leader, clearly defined tasks, teamwork where everyone works together and contributes, there are well developed attainable goals (Payne, Monk-Turner, 2006; Baker Campbell, 2005), and a timeline (Payne Monk-Turner, 2006). In a classroom, there are also many things a teacher can do to help insure the success of a group activity. The teacher should provide strong guidance (Payne Monk-Turner, 2006; Baker Campbell, 2005), model the desired behavior, provide immediate feedback, and reward desired behavior (Lin, 2006; Baker Campbell, 2005). The teacher can also use checks and balances to monitor productivity, employ various problem solving strategies (Friend Cook, 2007), leng then the amount of time the group spends together, provide proper group behavior training, establish ground rules (Mitchell, Reilly, Bramwell, 2004) and allow group members rate each other (Lin, 2006). If the teacher monitors, provides rewards and allows the students to rate each other, it may reduce the effects of a slacker and keep students from getting a grade they do not deserve (Payne Monk-Turner, 2006). Students that slack off can demotivate hard working students and give them a negative feeling about group work (Ashraf, 2004). Many studies have been conducted that demonstrate the success of teaming. Robert Slavin has conducted extensive research on the implementation of cooperative learning models in schools. He has examined the effects schools becoming complete cooperative learning centers on their academic achievement. He has found many successful situations where lower performing schools were transformed because they converted to a cooperative learning format (Slavin, 1999 22-23). Payne and Monk Turner (2006) conducted a study that examined how students felt about teams. In this study, they assigned students to groups, gave them an assignment, and then asked them how they felt about the assignment after the group project was completed. They found that 90% of the students had a favorable experience, 90% of the students learned from their group members, and 85% of the students felt they learned teaming skills that could be transcended into business. Baker and Campbell (2005) conducted a study in which stu dents were placed in groups and observed that the students who worked in groups, as opposed to working individually, were more successful because they had more access to knowledge, they felt pressured to succeed to keep the group from failing, and the various personalities helped alleviate the stress of the problems. For example a member often told jokes to help lesson the tension. Additionally, members often provided positive reinforcement and motivation. Placing students in groups to take tests is another way to use cooperative learning and group work. Morgan examined the benefits and non benefits of college students completing exams using cooperative learning groups. She concluded that The increased depth of understanding, the feelings of support, respect for others contributions, and the clarification of information produced more students with a greater awareness of the material and more developed social skills to be contributing members of teams (Morgan, 2004 ). The understanding of successful cooperative learning group models not only affects groups in grade school; it also affects groups in jobs and college. According to Payne, Monk-Turner, and Smith (2006) employers want college graduates that have developed teamwork skills. Miglietti (2002) says that group work is commonly used in the workplace and employers want to hire people with these skills. Furthermore, these skills can be learned when students are placed in successful t eams where the goals have been reached. Socialization and communication are examples of skills that students learn in groups that can help their transition into the business world (Payne et al., 2006). In a survey of college students, after a study involving group work, Payne and Monk-Turner (2006) found that 85% of college students admitted that doing group work would probably work on teams in future jobs. Homogeneous grouping Homogeneous grouping has been proposed and implemented as a potential solution for meeting the needs of the mixed ability classes, suggesting that students of different abilities can be gathered in groups of same ability for the purpose of facilitating teaching (Slavin, 1987). This type of grouping is based on the pedagogical belief that the teacher has the advantage of focusing instruction at the level of all students in particular groups (Ansalone, 2000). An extensive research has been conducted on ability grouping suggesting that academically, high-achieving students achieve and learn more when they are grouped with other high-achieving students (Gentry Owens, 2002; Grossen, 1996; Hollified, 1987; Page Keith, 1996). In mixed-ability grouping it is difficult to provide an adequate environment for teaching to everyone. Since students differ in knowledge, skills, developmental stage, and learning rate, one lesson might be easier for some students and more difficult for the others (Slavin, 1987). In ability grouping, high-achieving students view their own abilities more realistically and feel that they are appropriately challenged with their peers (Fiedler, Lange, and Wine-Brenner, 2002). It is suggested that teachers of mixed ability classes can raise instruction level for high achievers and increase the pace of teaching whereas low level students can have individual attention. As a result advanced pupils can be taught more difficult concepts while low achievers can deal with simple and fewer things. Advocates of homogeneous grouping opine that it is an outstanding means of individualizing instruction. Achievement is thought to increase as teachers would adjust the pace of instruction to students needs. Kulik and Kulik (1982) and Slavin (1987) carried out meta-analyses of studies at the elementary school level, finding benefits of within-class ability grouping. Both low ability students and more advanced ones placed in separate groups, benefited from instruction addressed to their level. More recently, Mulkey et al (2005) found that same ability grouping has constant instructional benefits for both high and low level students. Marsh (1987) supports homogeneous grouping as a technique to cope with mixed ability classes assuming that grouping children homogeneously enables those in lower ability groups to profit with respect to self-evaluation by being isolated from advanced peers. Furthermore, Allan (1991) supports that pupils model their behaviour after the behaviour of similar ability children who are coping well with their school work. The proponents of homogeneous grouping conclude that research fails to support that homogeneous grouping doesnt accomplish anything (Loveless, 1998 ). Although teachers of mixed ability classes seem to have positive attitudes towards homogeneous grouping (Scherer, 1993, Mulkey et al, 2005), a severe criticism of ability grouping has been raised in the last quarter of the 20th century. It has been stated that this type of grouping stigmatizes lower ability students, providing them with inferior instruction. A number of researchers attack homogeneous grouping for not guaranteeing that all advanced or all weak students are alike. Matthews (1997) conducted a relevant research with students in grades 6 through 8 and concluded that gifted students are noticeably more diverse than they are homogeneous. They are of different degrees in their abilities, their learning styles and interests, their advancement, their social/emotional development and their test-taking skills. Ability grouping may reduce the self-esteem and aspirations of low ability children and therefore slow down their academic progress. Welner and Mickelson (2000) carried out an extensive research review and found that low ability children are exposed to lowered expectations, reduced resources and rote learning. Childrens self-concept is affected and expectations are internalized (Ireson and Hallam, 1999, Gamoran, 1987). This implies that students of low ability in mixed ability classes are provided with low expectations if placed in same ability groups causing them feelings of inferiority. This is confirmed by Ansalone (2001) and Hallinan (1994) who demonstrated that children assigned to lower ability groups, are exposed to less and more simplified versions of the curriculum whereas high ability groups have broader and more challenging material covered. In this sense, Oakes (1992) and Wheelock (2005) support that educational benefits in mixed ability settings are not provided by homog eneous grouping but rather by a challenging curriculum and high expectations. Heterogeneous grouping Heterogeneous grouping, that is gathering children of varying abilities in same groups has been proposed by many researchers as an effective strategy to promote academic development of students having diverse background knowledge and abilities. Brimfield, Masci and Defiore (2002) believe that all students deserve an academically challenging curriculum (p.15). So, our goal is to find a way to engage all pupils of the mixed ability classroom in the lesson irrespective of their abilities. The authors point out that by creating mixed-ability groups, we send the compelling message that everybody is expected to work at the highest possible level as high and low ability students deal with the same challenges. Disadvantaged pupils are at reduced risk of being stigmatized and exposed to a dumped-down curriculum in a mixed-ability setting. Teachers expectations for all pupils are maintained at higher levels and less able students have opportunities to be assisted by more able peers. It is assumed that heterogeneous grouping provides pupils access to more learning opportunities. Johnson and Johnson (1987) recommend assigning children of high, medium, and low abilities in the same group maximizing the heterogeneous make up of each group. Such ability diversity within the same group creates an effective learning environment (Manlove and Baker, 1995) providing learning opportunities for low-level students as well as opportunities to more advanced children to provide explanations to others revising, consolidating and using some things they have encountered before. The teachers can use cooperative tasks among high and low achievers of mixed ability groups or pairs in order to promote task engagement of all students in the mixed ability class as advanced children can provide explanations and guidance in carrying out a task. Cooperative tasks among high and low achievers are valued by the sociocultural theory of Vygotsky (1978). Pupils of mixed ability classes differ at their competence level and prior linguistic experiences. Vygotsky supports that children who are exposed to books and other out-of-school factors which contribute to linguistic development i.e .prior knowledge of English from private institutional instruction, are expected to have already run through a large part of their ZPD. On the other hand, pupils with poor literacy opportunities i.e. without prior knowledge of English may possess a larger Zone of Proximal Development (Van der Veer and Valsiner, 1991). So, they may benefit greatly from peer interactions which are likely to help low level students reach higher levels of performance. In this framework, Lyle (1999) showed that both low and high achieving students value the opportunity to work together as all pupils believed that they benefited. It was concluded that peer interactions can facilitate literacy development especially of low ability students. In this vein, Guralnick (1992) points out that social competence acquired in group work affects the elaboration of all students cognitive competencies, implying that both low and advanced learners of mixed ability classes may gain from such settings. The role of peer learning as contributing to language development has also been emphasized by Mize, Ladd and Price (1985) Webb (1989), Jacob et al (1996) and Slavin (1996). Rogoff (1993) refers to childrens social sharing of their cognition through interaction. When pupils participate in collective activities, they guide each others efforts. According to Tudge and Winterhoff (1993) advanced children give constant feedback through conversation forcing peers to strive for reaching higher levels of performance. Various studies have indicated a positive correlation between cooperative learning and achievement in mixed ability classes. For example, Walters (2000) asserts that cooperative learning is suitable for teachers dealing with increasingly diverse classrooms as it easily accommodates individual differences in achievement. Accordingly, Fulk and King (2001) support that class-wide peer tutoring improves all students learning. They add that serving in the role of tutor seems to be particularly beneficial for improving the self-esteem of students with low achievement while they may, for example, grade their partners reading. Therefore, it appears that CL may satisfy the needs of a mixed ability class. Studies conducted by Pica and Doughty (1985), Porter (1986), and Cotterall (1990) indicate that learners of different abilities produce more in mixed ability pair and group work by helping one another to overcome cognitive obstacles. This conclusion is consistent with Urzuas (1987) finding that the mixed ability children in the observational study conducted, appeared to have developed a sense of power in language through the process of working with trusted peers i.e. writing and revising. The benefits of cooperative learning are more touchable

In Style :: Dialogue Essays

The following is an excerpt of a conversation that occurred between our staff writer and Senior English Education major, one day prior to the due date of the final paper for EN 220 - Expository Writing. I: Here it is, one day before the final paper is due for Expository Writing, have you given any thought to what you would like to address? T: The final paper (said with a chuckle). Somehow it always seems to feel like this is the one that should say it all. Even after four plus years of college, I haven't the foggiest as to how such expectations arise. It always amazes me how expect all of the thoughts I have wrestled with for an entire quarter to suddenly appear in one beautiful paper full of flowing ideas and logical thought. And all this with little or no effort on my behalf, of course. But, realistically, I guess its time I get down to business. I: So, what exactly is it that you would like to say? T: I know I want to focus on the change that I've seen within my own style throughout this quarter, because it has definitely undergone some changes and mostly for the better, I might add. Our assignment is to uncover our identity as it appears within our writing and the relationship that exists between our writing and ourselves. This feels like a loaded topic, and I've struggled to determine just how I plan to tackle it. I: Have you discovered that plan yet? T: Not really (and another chuckle). No, just kidding. I think I have an approach. I guess I figure there's no better place to start than at the beginning. I: So where is the beginning? T: To truly start at the beginning, I'd have to go all the way back to the minute I was born, 'cause I really feel that everyone I've met and everything I've done have contributed to my style in some way or another. But, I'll spare you that story, and cut to the abridged version. I: The abridged version? T: Yeah, instead of giving you the whole detailed story, I'll try to pick out the most important parts. Actually, maybe I'll just focus on this quarter in particular. It will narrow it down a bit more. We're supposed to take a good look at our first paper for Expository and determine how our views have changed seen since then.

An Essay on “The Micromanager”

The case study entitled â€Å"The Micromanager† was written by Bronwyn Fryer, Jim Goodnight, Mark Goulston, Craig Chappelow and Michael Lawrie for the Harvard Business Review journal last September 2004.The fictional story was about a CEO of Retronics Corporation, George Latour. George believes that he is an exceptional leader and has a command to increase the company’s profits with a goal of excellence towards the software-engineering firm. Instructed by the board chairman, George hired a new marketing director, Shelley Stern, who, according to the chairman, only needs a bit of training in the software-engineering business. He does his best to bring Shelly up to date.George has her sit in on developer meetings, forced her to do client calls, and even has the finance office explain the company's financial affairs on her. George has tendencies to be meticulous, interfering with Shelly’s work, suppressing her creativity and suggesting his own â€Å"better† i deas. George also gives blind comments like when he said â€Å"Thanks, Shel. You're the best† although Shelly felt down that time when George repelled her creativity. Doing all this made Shelley unhappy and never seems to show interest. In truth, she sees George's management style as oppressive, making her awfully depressed. In the end, Shelly rebelled and accused George as a â€Å"micromanager†, while leaving George taken aback and could never believe what he heard.Both parties, George and Shelly, have some problems in terms of belief and character. As CEO of the company, George carries a lot of pressure on his shoulders that is why he tries his best to excel the demands of the firm since the company is not in a good shape. He overexerts himself by interfering with the work of his subordinates. Clearly, he lacks some sensitivity and trust to his underlings and makes the work done by doing it himself. George is uncomfortable with his job and thinks that the blame could only point at him that’s why he is afraid to accept radical ideas from his underlings.Shelly, on the other hand, is quite new to the business. Although she has the qualifications for the job, she still needs a lot to learn and needs to adjust spontaneously according to the demands of the firm and her boss. Shelly believes that she has good qualities and gives overconfidence on her work. She also thinks that her ideas are excellent and needs to be praised not criticized, as done casually by George. As a newly hired employee, she is pressured to show her good qualities to her co-workers and leave a good impression as a marketing director. Shelly trusts herself and believes that she can stand on her own without the help or intervention of her superiors.According to the U.S. Army Handbook of 1973, there are three general types of leadership. They are: (1) Authoritarian or autocratic style; (2) Participative or democratic style, and; (3) Delegative or free reign style. Authoritar ian or autocratic style is basically used when the boss tells his subordinates what he wants done and how he wants the job done without getting the advice or opinion of his subordinates. An appropriate condition to use this style is when all the information to solve the problem is provided, there is time pressure, and the subordinates are well motivated to accept hasty commands.Some narrow minded people think of this style as an excuse for yelling, using humiliating language, leading to threats and abuse of power. This is not the authoritarian style but rather an abusive, unethical style called â€Å"bossing people around†. Authoritarian style is normally used on rare situations when necessary. Participative or democratic style of leadership is preferred if time is more available and the leader wants to gain more commitment and motivation from the subordinates. This style includes the employees in on the decision making processes. However, knowledgeable and skillful employees should take part in the process and the leader affirms the final decision as a sign of authority.Using this style does not show weakness of the leader but rather a sign of strength and trust that the employees will respect. In delegative or free reign style, the boss allows the employees to make their own decision. This style is used when employees are able fully capable of analyzing the situation and can determine what needs to be done to solve a certain problem. Although the employees had the power to make decisions, the responsibility and final decision always lie on the leader himself.For a good leader to become more effective he should be able to use all three styles depending on the situation and the forces involved between him and his subordinates. The leader should know when and how to adjust to meet the demands of the firm as well as to maintain a good image to his employees. As for George Latour, he should improve on becoming a leader by listening more to develop more pro ductive ideas and to have a mutual relationship to his followers. He should not concentrate himself on how his employee sees him but focus on maximizing the available resources to have better and productive planning.The biggest problem for Shelly and George would be the lack of efficient communication. Most of the problems and conflicts that occur in a firm or organization are the direct result failure to communicate and misunderstanding. Faulty communication leads to confusion and can cause good plans to be unsuccessful. Communication is said to be the exchange of information or ideas from a sender to a receiver. (Communication and Leadership) Efficient communication happens if the receiver comprehends the information that the sender wanted to address. Open mindedness also plays a big part in communication. It sharpens the ability of the receiver to understand what the sender is saying thus making the communication process more efficient.Good communication is also hard to attain es pecially when there are some barriers that prevent the sender and receiver to understand each other. Some of these said barriers of communication are: culture, beliefs, noise, physical and mental stresses, past experiences, and environmental factors such as bright lights, unnatural sights, unattractive person or any stimuli that can cause distraction. (Communication and Leadership)For a good communication process to happen, both parties should overcome these barriers to have a more productive relationship with each other. In the case of George and Shelly, they must relieve themselves of the stresses that they carry so that they can communicate effectively. Shelly should exert herself on listening to suggestions and combining it with her creative ideas while George must also try to become more sensitive and to give more trust to his employees.References:Bronwyn Fryer, J. G. (Sep 2004). The Micromanager. Harvard Business Review 8p, 2c, 4bw , p31-40, 8p, 2c, 4bw.Communication and Leade rship. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2007, from The Skagit Watershed Council Website: http://www.skagitwatershed.org/~donclark/leader/leadcom.htmlLeadership Styles. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2007, from The Skagit Watershed Council Website : http://www.skagitwatershed.org/~donclark/leader/leadstl.htmlUnited States Army Handbook. (1973).

Marvel Holdings

To determine Whether or not it will be difficult for Marvel or other companies in the MacAndrews and Forbes holding company to issued debt in the future, we should analyze two perspectives, one is historical and the other one is the future perspective. Historically, Marvel Holdings issued zero-coupon senior secured notes which were all secured by Marvel’s equity rather than its assets or operating cash flows. However, this was a very attractive offer since the stock price was trading above $25 per share which had a value of $1.9 billion, well above the face value of the bonds issued. The interest payments on these bonds would be made from revenues received through tax sharing agreements between Marvel and Marcel III Holdings; moreover, all issues were scheduled to mature in April 1998, which in other words, the company would have a huge cash outflow when the bonds came to maturity. After the issurance of debt, company’s revenue decrease due to the comic book and trading card business failure, which caused share price to fall significantly. Despite the problems of revenue fallen, Marvel acquired SkyBx and financed the acquisition with $190 million of additional debt in early 1995. S&P then downgraded the holding companies debts from B to B-. The fianancing structure and the revenue fallen problems lead to Marvel announced that it would violate specific bank loan covenants due to decreasing revenue and profits. Moody downgraded Marvel’s public debt after the announcement and caused the price of the zero-coupon bonds to fall drastically by more than 41%. Moreover, their two largest institutional holders desided to sell the bonds even at a price of $0.37 per dollar of face value. When the resturcture plan was announced, the stock price fell by more than 41% and the zero-coupon bonds fell by addition 50%, to $0.18. As shown on the Balance Sheet, there was a $625.8 millions of current portion of long-term debt in 1996 which was increased significantly compare to previous years. Moreover, the short-term borrowing has also appeared on liability in the year of 1996. Total long-term debt and total liabilities also increased drastically in 1995 and more significantly in 1996. From the Consolidated statement of operations, the cost of sales increased since 1995. Moreover, the amortization of goodwill increased which is due to the decrease in revenue of trading cards and comic books. Interest expense also increased due to significant increase in debt. All these caused a loss in income and earning per share becomes negative at the end of 1995. Based on all the above historical evidences, it will be really difficult due to the fact that the company has a debt-to-total capital ratio of 88% which is $805.4 million in total debt and $107.4 million in equity. With the downgrade of the public debts, it will make the financing situation even worse since the issueing notes or bonds will not raise as much financing as when the rating is good and will be more costly since the interest rate has to increase due to the increase in risk. In the future perspective, a restructure plan was mentioned by Perelman. However, Marvel was facing three options: 1. if marvel was going under chapter 7 liquidation, the debtholders would get around 70% of the original value and the holding company debtholders and equityholders would get nothing. 2. If Marvel did not aquire Toy Biz, the total enterprise value would between be no more than $660 which was not enough to settle the debt, and the equity would again be worthless. 3. If Marvel acquired Toy Biz, the company could transform into an integrated entertainment company which would operate theme restaurants, movie studio, entertainment software, and etc. Marvel believed with the growth of new media exposure, they would be able to have modest growth and pay secured and unsecured creditors in full. This plan had passed the feasibility test, which in other words, the company was not likely to be liquidized or reorganized. let’s assume Marvel implement the restrurture plan and make modest growth of profit. As they slowly payoff the debts, start earning profit and rebuild their reputation, It will become easier to raise debt. Moreover, if their performance is good, it might be even possible to increase their rating which will lower the cost due to the decrease in default risk.

Poly

Poly Abstract It is projected that poly-substance abuse is the major cause of depression because there are high chances that a depressed individual is a frequent user of poly-substances. Poly-substance abuse forces people to abandon their social roles, which lead to depression. This paper looks at the ways in which poly-substance abuse is related to depression.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Poly-Substance Abuse in Adolescent Males with Depression specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The paper looks at the way in which poly-substance abuse brings about depression in adolescent males. The essay suggests a quantitative study that would be critical in gathering relevant data related to the relationship between depression and drug abuse. In the subsequent section, the proposal suggests a data analysis method that uses statistics Introduction Poly-substance abuse in adolescent males with depression is common in many soci eties. Winters and Latimer (2004) conducted a study, which established that poly-substance abuse affects all ethnic groups meaning that it does not affect only certain cultural groupings. This quantitative study focuses on the relationship between poly-substance abuse in adolescent males and depression. By definition, poly-substance abuse refers to the patterned intake of a substance (drug) that is usually taken either in large or small quantities. The substance has the ability to affect the behavior and actions of individuals. The substance is usually used illegally using unapproved methods meaning that it would definitely change the attitude of the individual. It should be noted that poly-substance abuse is not restricted to those that change the mood of the individual or those that activate the psychological processes. Athletes are usually reported to using drugs that stimulate their muscles and give them additional energy. This is also considered drug abuse because it changes th e functioning of the body and the brain, which affects the psychological processes. Ksir (2002) observed that the use of illicit drugs such as narcotics, stimulants, and depressants are some of the examples of poly-substance abuse. Poly-substance abuse is directly related to depression because those who use drugs are always miserable as compared to non-users of drugs. People suffer emotionally due to the intake of illicit drugs. For instance, athletes are usually snatched their medals due to suspicion of poly-substance abuse. Research gaps in literature, which is related to the relationship between substance abuse and depression, exist. Problem Statement In human life, there are moments that an individual feels confused and sad. This is a normal feeling, but its persistence is considered a sign of depression. Depression occurs when a male adolescent loses something that he values so much in his life. Sometimes, an adolescent could be depressed after going through a stressful event o r event.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More At times, depression affects the normal life of the adolescent male because he cannot execute his duties in a way that befits him. This may lead to a psychological disorder referred to as the major depressive disorder (MDD), also referred to as clinical depression. Therefore, there is need of establishing the extent at which poly-substance abuse is related to depression. It is clear that adolescent males engage in poly-substance abuse because of a number of reasons. Depression is the major cause because many feel frustrated to an extent of engaging in poly-substance abuse as a way of reducing stress. Statement of Purpose A number of studies have been conducted to ascertain the relationship between poly-substance abuse and depression. Each study has been focusing on particular groups, depending on the choice of the researcher . In this proposal, the effects of poly-substance abuse in adolescent males would be evaluated. The main purpose of the proposal is to suggest a relevant method that would achieve desired results. The proposal gives some of the articles that would be critical in understanding the relationship between poly-substance abuse and depression in adolescent males. Apart from suggesting some of the articles in the literature review section, the proposal suggests a quantitative method that will utilize the questionnaires in gathering relevant data. The use of questionnaire enables the researcher to collect adequate information that is relevant to the study. In doing this, the proposal seeks to answer a number of questions, including the following: Is poly-substance abuse the only cause of depression among male adolescents? To what extent does substance abuse influence the behavior of an individual What are some of the substances that the adolescent males frequently abuse Hypothesis Male ado lescents go through various challenges, one of them being poly-substance abuse, which affects their behavior and mood. Poly-substance abuse is a major cause of depression in adolescent males because it affects their psychological and social processes. This causes depression because the adolescent might not be able to achieve the expected results owing to poly-substance abuse. Literature review Depression is the most crucial aspect that makes young males to indulge in poly-substance abuse. Male adolescents express their depression in various ways. Poly- substance abuse lowers an individual’s level of judgment making him or her to indulge in risky behaviors such as premarital sex or even becoming homosexual an aspect that increases their risk to diseases such as HIV/AIDS among others.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Poly-Substance Abuse in Adolescent Males with Depression specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the studies that Boys, Marsden, and Strang conducted in 2000 concluded that poly-substance abuse has a tremendous effect on the life of young males. The study utilized a snowball sampling technique to reach at the conclusion. The respondents noted that some of the commonly abused substances include alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine. The majority of the participants confirmed that they had actually utilized the above substances to fulfill their measured substance use functions. In another study conducted by Huba and Lisa (2000), it was established that poly-substance abuse increases the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. In their study, young Hispanic males were more likely to abuse poly-substances while the Native American females were prone to poly-substance abuse. Moreover, the study established that those who abuse drugs are likely to engage in unprotected sex, which predisposes them to the risks of contracting HIV. It is noteworthy that their research results are representativ e of findings in clinical gay-bisexual male adolescents and may not hold for the same group of male adolescents in the general societal setting. Additionally, different ethnic groups exhibit varying frequencies of the involvement of depressed adolescent boys in poly-substance abuse. This was established through a study carried out by Winters and Latimer (2004) in their attempt to find the relationship between Alcohol and other drugs abused in adolescent boys from different ethnic groups in the U.S. Poulin (2004) and other scholars investigated the relationship between depression and poly-substance abuse in male adolescents in the four Atlantic provinces of Canada as far as gender is concerned. Poulin’s sample consisted of 12,771 students in both junior and high schools of the public schools in the four provinces. They found out that adolescent males were consistently at a higher risk of depressive symptoms, depressive disorders since they tend to internalize their problems mo re than others do. According to their study, the prevalence of very elevated symptoms among male adolescents was 8.6% while that of the males was 2.6%. However, male adolescents are at a greater risk of substance use disorders than the adolescent females. Poulin (2004) found out that different substances are used at different rates among male adolescents with depression. The findings were similar to those of Nolen-Hoeksema’s (2001) who carried out a study to describe how the different genders have different experiences as far as stress in male adolescents is concerned. They identified most of the abused substances among male adolescents. They include alcohol, cigarettes, and cannabis.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More They associated the increased use of these substances with an increasing probability of depressive disorder. They also noted that smoking was the least controllable substance among the males. They established that depressive symptoms and disorder are the major predictors of smoking uptake not only in adolescence but also in adulthood. Early onset smoking poses a greater risk for severe depression symptoms than later onset smoking. On the other hand, cannabis abuse was associated with males with had a history of depression disorder. An approximated 16% of those who had used cannabis at least once in their life were diagnosed with depression compared to 6% of the male adolescents who had never used cannabis. They also found out that most of the students had depression symptoms while others already had depression disorder but they had not received much help form the society. Only 10.3% reported that they had received help for depression. Their findings show that for the different level s of depression only 12% of the students with somewhat elevated depressive symptoms had received help so was 22% of the students who had very elevated depressive symptoms. Major depression is one of the most common and serious disorders among male adolescents. The estimated prevalence of the disorder is between 2.8% and 8.2%. Depressed adolescents are highly vulnerable to poly substance abuse such as engagement in multiple illegal activities (Poulin 2004). No study proves that defective genes cause major depressive disorder. However, a relationship between genetic makeup and susceptibility to major depression disorder exits. This is based on the idea that some families are known to commit suicide while others have the ability of handling stress very well. In one of the studies performed on twins, a relationship between genetics and major depression disorder was eminent (Smoller, Sheidley, Tsuang, 2008). It is anticipated that the genetic code will soon link substitutions of persona l bases to an individual’s DNA. So far, at least five studies have proved that the etiology of major depressive disorder is genetic. The studies show that heritability is prevalent in women as compared to men. Moreover, heritability level is high for individuals who are exposed to similar conditions as their parents. Individuals who are exposed to diverse experiences have high chances of suffering from depression as compared to those who live under stable conditions. In the family system, the behavior of parents affect heritability of depression since one of the studies established that an approximated 38% of individuals suffered from depression inherited from their parents (Zeanah, 2009). The study further found out that the behavior of parents, as well as their genes could influence the rate at which an individual suffers from depression. Methodology Sampling This study will obtain its sample from three schools in the United States. Those sampled would be 102 male adolescen ts aged between 14 and 19. A sample of approximately 102 adult males will be recruited for this study. To recruit young adolescents with different levels of depression, the researcher would obtain membership information from community based organizations and the school administration located in the three schools selected for this study. The eligibility criteria would include individuals who are over the age fourteen, but below 19 years, English speakers, adolescent males, and not currently engaging in effective stress management programs. The participants would be recruited through a process of practical mail (Hughes, 1997). Therefore, a convenience sampling technique would be the most applicable sampling method since the participation in the study will be voluntarily. After completion of the baseline assessment, participants will be assigned to a group that demonstrates very frequent poly-substance abuse, frequent depression, and frequent underperformance, indicated by the school a uthorities (Krathwohl, 2004). Assessment/Survey PCL-M will be used in this study. It is a self-report measure, which is easy to use given the fact that it can be completed within a short time. The assessment instrument is so effective when it comes to establishing the emotional states of individuals. The reactions of the respondents would be measured on a Linkert scale whereby scores would be compared with those in the scale (Hunter, Leahey, 2008). The survey instrument will have a number of questions that would be aiming at collecting critical information regarding the emotional states of male poly-substance users. The Linkert scale will run from 0-20, with scores of 10-20 indicting high rate of depression while scores of 0-10 will indicate low depression rates among respondents (Diriwchter, Valsiner, 2006). Respondents with high depression rates according to the Linkert scale will be cross-examined to establish the factors with relevant correlation to poly-substance abuse. Measu res Independent Varibale In this study, young male adolecent’s demographic characteristics such as age and education were identified as the major control varibales. Age is a very important control variable because it helps in explaining the rationality of the response. The level of education plays a critical role in determining the skills and specialization of an individual, which encourages him to engage in poly-substance abuse (Andrzej, Buchaman, 2007). Physical health will be one of other independent variable to be measured in this study, which will be measured using the self-rated health meaning that respondents would be requested to rate their health. Some of the options will include excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor. A model variable will be formed to stand for fair/poor self rated physical health. This model variable will also be included in data analysis. Mental health will be captured using the yes/no question. Dependent Variables Poly-substance use will be one of the dependent varibales that the study will be seeking to measure. It is a contnuous varibale consiting of various substabces such as alcohol and other illicit drugs. However, it does not include tobbaco. The variable will be constructed by first dichotomizing substances through reviewing the regularity of use in the last thirty days. These dichotomous measures would then be summed to generate a count of the number of substances abused by the male adolescents over thirty days. The response series for this variable will be from 0-7. Data Analysis Data analysis refers to the process of transforming raw data into refined useful information that can be of use to people. Before settling on a method of data analysis, it is important that a clear data analysis approach be developed. The research can take quantitative, qualitative, or categorical approach. This research took a quantitative approach. Depending on the type and accuracy needed, data analysis can take a simple descripti ve form or a more complex statistical inference. The technique used in the analysis can be univariate analysis, bivariate analysis or multivariate analysis. In selecting the appropriate method, a researcher should ensure that assumptions relating to the method are satisfied. In analyzing the collected data, the researcher will use appropriate statistical data analysis tools such as descriptive and inferential statistics in analyzing quantitative data. In relation to the quantitative analysis, the most commonly used sets of statistics include mean, frequencies, standard deviation, median, and percentages. The researcher will code and enter the quantitative data into Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20). Using SPSS, the researcher will use cross tabulation to present the information. The tabulation would help give a clear picture of the impact of drug abuse on the psychological health of an individual. The researcher will also use descriptive statistics such as me an, standard deviation, percentage, and frequencies to describe the properties of the target population. Further, the researcher will use tables, figures, and charts to present the findings of the study. Because the research entails determination of the impact of drug abuse on the emotional wellbeing, there will be some form of comparison. The comparison will be done on how depression changes the attitudes of individuals. Correlation analysis would be important to make this a success. Consequently, chi-square tests would be utilized to evaluate the hypotheses. Inferential statistics like chi-square tests help to test whether the observed relationships between the variables are genuine. The statistical significance level used in the research is 0.05 indicating whether the observed association occurred by chance in 5 out of 100 results. Chi-square is the mainly utilized measure of association in social science investigation, being appropriate for utilization on ostensible, ordinal, hi atus, and relational data. In this study, the hypothesis would be proved through data analysis. It would be prudent to show that a group with very high level of poly-substance abuse has higher level of depression while the group with low level of poly-substance abuse has low level of depression. Data analysis process would follow data assessment and organization of scores. An average score of perceived depression for each group would be provided by calculating the central tendency. In this regard, the mean would be calculated. Moreover, the median would also be calculated just in case there would be outliers in the data collected. Once the results of the central tendency are obtained for each group, the correlations between the frequency of poly-substance abuse and perceived depression level would be obtained. The most common graph used to show the relationship between pairs of data is a scatter plot (Warren, Denley, Atchley, 2008). There would be need to identify the variables in order to create the scatter plot. Therefore, the independent variable in the case of this study would be frequency of poly-substance abuse. The dependent variable is the perceived level of depression. After creating a scatter plot for each group, the researcher would be able to determine whether he follows the positive slope pattern, negative slope pattern, or a straight line. Furthermore, the researcher would measure the strength of a linear relationship by calculating the correlation coefficient (r). In order to compute r, the researcher will utilize the formula NÃŽ £XY (ÃŽ £X) (ÃŽ £Y) √ ([NÃŽ £X2 (ÃŽ £X) 2] [NÃŽ £Y2 (ÃŽ £Y) 2]) or TI -84 Finally, the researcher would determine the statistical significance for the two variables for each group. The level of significance of 5% (0.05) would be used since it is normally utilized in psychology (Warren, Denley, Atchley, 2008). Expected Analysis This study will utilize the questionnaire in collecting information from respondents regarding poly-substance in adolescent males with depression. Analysis is expected to confirm the alternative hypothesis that a positive relationship between poly-substance abuse and depression exist. References Andrzej, A. Buchaman, A. (2007). Organizational Behavior. London: Prentice Hall. Boys, A., Marsden, J., Strang, J. (2000). Understanding reasons for drug use amongst young people: a functional perspective. Health Education Research Journal, 16(4), 457-469. Diriwchter, R. Valsiner, J. (2006). Quantitative Developmental Research Methods in Their Historical and Epistemological Contexts. FQS, 17(1), 8–26. Huba, G., Lisa, A. (2000). Predicting Substance Abuse among Youth With, or at High Risk for HIV. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 14(2), 197-205. Hughes, J. (1997). The philosophy of social research (3rded.). London: Longman. Hunter, L. Leahey, E (2008). Collaborative Research in Sociology: Trends and Contributing Factors. American Sociologist, 39(1), 290– 306. Krathwohl, D. (2004). Methods of educational and social science research: an integrated approach (2nd ed.). Long Grove, Waveland Press. Ksir, O. (2002). Drugs, society, and human behavior (9th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2001). Gender Differences in Depression. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 10(5), 173-176 Poulin, C. (2004). Gender Differences in the Association between Substance Use and Elevated Depressive Symptoms in General Adolescent Population. Addiction, 100(1), 525-535. Smoller, J. W., Sheidley, B. R., Tsuang, M. T. (2008). Psychiatric genetics: Applications in clinical practice. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publication. Warren, C., Denley, K. Atchley, E. (2008). Beginning statistics. Charleston, SC: Hawkes Learning Systems. Winters, K.C., Latimer, W.W. (2004). Measuring Adolescent Drug Abuse and Psychosocial Factors in Four Ethnic Groups of Drug-Abusing Boys. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 12(4), 227-236. Zeanah, C. H. (2009). Handbook of infant mental health. New York: Guilford Press.

Valerie Plame Essay Essays

Valerie Plame Essay Essays Valerie Plame Essay Essay Valerie Plame Essay Essay Valerie Plame Causal Essay Ever since Benjamin Franklins older brother, James Franklin, invented the newspaper, the American public has come to rely on this form of media to gather and gain information about the world around them. The Valerie Plame affair became a huge controversy in which the newspaper played a vital role in its unfolding. July 14, 2003, The Washington Post releases the identity of a covert CIA operative, Valerie Plame Wilson. The reporting of her secret identity causes an investigation of the White House. Speculation surfaces that the Bush administration leaked her identity n retribution of her husband publicly criticizing the validity of the United States invading Iraq (Ballard and Dumouchelle 1). The major events leading to the Valerie Plame affair include President Bushs State of the Union address, and Joe Wilsons article What I didnt find in Africa, and Robert D. Novaks column in The Washington Post. The most influential piece of evidence leading up to the Plame affair included President Bushs State of the Union address. On January 28, 2003 in his State of the Union address, President George W. Bush uttered the now historical 16 words laiming Justification for the invasion of Iraq. Those powerful words were, The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa. (Memorable State of the Union Moments 1). In less than two months following the presidents address, the United States invades Iraq based on the belief that Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi dictator, was a danger to the United States (Memorable State of the Union Moments 1). While President Bush indicates Britain found evidence of Iraq purchasing uranium in Niger, he does not ention several U. S. agencies question the accuracy of the report by Britain (S. , Brian 1). Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director George Tenet raises concerns against the findings of British intelligence suggesting their claim should never have been included in the State of the Union address (S. , Brian 1). In a memo to the CIA, the State Departments Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) also expresses alarm of the legitimacy of the British findings concerning Iraq buying uranium from Niger (Leopold 1). These doubts causes former Secretary of State Colin Powell to not ention the British findings when he goes in front of the United Nations (UN) to gain support to invade Iraq (Leopold 1). While doubt surfaces about the validity of Britains claims, after the Presidents speech, Valerie Plames husband Joseph Wilson releases his findings in the The New York Times article What I Didnt Find in Africa. In response to Britains findings of Iraq purchasing uranium from Niger, the CIA sends Joseph Wilson to Africa in 2002 to investigate possible Iraqi purchases of uranium . In his report to the CIA, Wilson reports the purchased of uranium by Iraq nlikely. However, the president still calls for action against Iraq, and the US invades. After the invasion of Iraq, Valerie Plames husband, Joseph Wilson, reports Iraq obtaining uranium from Niger is false in his article What I Didnt Find in Africa (1). He publicly criticizes President Bushs decision to invade Iraq. Wilson further states information was intentionally twisted by the Bush administration in order to gain support needed to invade Iraq (1). Eight days after Wilsons article is published, covert CIA operative. Valerie Plame is revealed as a covert CIA operative according o The Washington Post. In this article, Novak reports Plames identity was revealed to him by two top White House officials. In addition to Novak, it is discovered six other Journalists know of Plames identity including New York Times reporter Judith Miller. A two year investigation is launched in accordance to section 421 of the 1982 Intelligence Identities Protection Act, stating that it is illegal to intentionally disclose any information identifying a covert officer to any individual not authorized to receive classified information (Ballard and Dumouchelle 1). After eighty-five days in jail for refusing to reveal her sources, Judith Miller testifies before a grand Jury that l. Lewis Scooter Libby, Chief of Staff, Office of the Vice President and Karl Rove, Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the President, were the two white officials that leaked Valerie Plames name to Post reporter, Novak (Ballard and Dumouchelle 3). In conclusion, because of the 16 words in former President Bushs State of the Union address, Joseph Wilsons article in The New York Times, and Robert Novaks article in The Washington Post, pushed the government to take drastic measures and reveal a covert operatives name in order to keep and gain additional support for the United States entering a war with Iraq. White house officials did leak CIA operative, Valerie Plame-Wilsons real identity into the media, in 2003 in order to discredit her husbands findings of Iraq buying uranium from Niger as false. While newspapers help inform the public about events and present information, they also serve as a medium of vital importance in obtaining the truth about events in our country and world around us.

Far from Empire - German Colonial History and its Memorials

Far from Empire - German Colonial History and its Memorials Europe’s long and sinister colonial history can still be experienced in many places. Forced-upon European heritage, such as languages or the ominous right to militarily intervene, are found all over the globe. The different colonial narratives of the British Empire, the Spanish Navy or Portuguese traders are well known and often still glorified as a grand national past. Outside of Germany, the country’s colonial history is not referred to often within Germany it is a rather sore topic. Being overshadowed by the two World Wars, it is up to recent historical studies to fully bring it into the light. Even if – in terms of gaining territory, compared to its rivals - Germany’s colonial endeavors weren’t exactly successful, German colonial forces are guilty of terrible crimes against peoples indigenous to their colonies. As are so many European histories of the 17th,18th, 19th and 20th century, the German one is not short of gruesome acts committed in the name of forging a global empire. German East Africa and German-Samoa Even though Germans were part of the European Colonial Expansion right from the beginning, the engagement of Germany as a formal colonial power started its endeavors rather late. One reason was that the foundation of the German Empire in 1871, before that there was no â€Å"Germany† that could, as a nation, colonize anyone. Maybe that is another reason for the pressing necessity to acquire colonies, which seems to have been felt by German officials. From 1884 on, Germany quickly incorporated African colonies such as Togo, Cameroon, Namibia and Tanzania (some under different names) into the Empire. A few Pacific Islands and a Chinese colony followed. The German colonial officers aimed at being very efficient colonizers, which resulted in very ruthless and brutal behavior towards the natives. This, of course, sparked rebellions and uprisings, which the oppressors, in turn, brutally put down. In German South-West Africa (Namibia), the German leaders attempted to segregate all inhabitants by a German upper class and an African working class – following an ideology of deep biologist racism. This kind of segregation was not limited to German colonies. All of European colonialism shows this attribute. But, one can say that German forces were the most efficient as the examples of Namibia and, a Generation later, the occupation of Eastern Europe show. German colonialism was driven by heavy armed conflicts, some of which are rightfully called genocide (e.g. the so-called Herero Wars, which lasted from ca. 1904 until 1907), as German attacks and the following famines were responsible for the death of an estimated 80% of all Herero. The German colonies in the â€Å"South Sea† also fell victim to colonial violence. German battalions were even part of ending the Boxer Rebellion in China. The first period of German colonialism ended after World War I when its protectorates were taken from the Reich, as it was unfit to be a colonial power. But the Third Reich brought a second period of course. A surge of colonial memorials throughout the 1920s, ’30s, and 40s prepared the public for a dawning new colonial age. One, that quickly ended with the victory of the Allied Forces in 1945. Memories and Memorials - Germany’s Colonial Past is Surfacing The last few years of public debate and discourse have made it clear: Germany’s colonial past can no longer be ignored and has to be duly addressed. Local initiatives successfully fought for the recognition of colonial crimes (e.g. through having the designations of streets changed, that bore the name of colonial leaders) and historians emphasized how history and collective memory itself is often a construct rather than an organically grown development. The self-definition of a society or community is created through delimitation on the one hand and the construction of a common past through notions of unifying grandeur, such as military victories, on the other. The composition of the latter is supported by memorials, memorabilia, as well as historic artifacts. In the case of German colonial history, these items are vastly overshadowed the Third Reich and are often only viewed in its context. Recent history and the present show that there is still a long way to go when it comes to processing Germany’s colonial history. Many streets still carry the names of colonial commanders guilty of war crimes, and many memorials still show German colonialism in an exotic, rather romantic light.

Leadership and change management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Leadership and change management - Essay Example (Cao et al, 2000, p187). Changes viewed also by management may also not be looked upon as change by outsiders like competitors or suppliers. This has led to the categorizing of change in various ways, some of which include strategic and non-strategic change, incremental and radical change, changes of identity, co-ordination and control, planned and emergent change, change in terms of scale, human-centered change in terms of individual, group and inter-group or organizational level, quantum change and so on. (Cao et al, 2000, p187; Todnem, 2005, p372). Changes can also be structural, that is dealing with the physical alteration of an organization like its buildings and equipment or even employees. (Bennett & Durkin, 2000). On the other hand, it may be a change in process, that is, the way the related group of tasks are combined to create value for a target customer. (Cao et al, 2000, p188). A change can as well be in functions, that is, the decision system or policy and resource alloc ation duties of a particular element of an organization. There can also be changes in values, beliefs and human behavior in terms of social rules and relationships and so on. (Cao et al, 2000, p187). ... There can also be changes in values, beliefs and human behavior in terms of social rules and relationships and so on. (Cao et al, 2000, p187). Lastly, there can be changes in the distribution of power and level of influence with an organization. These four types of change have different implications on the their total quality management as can be seen in the table below. Table 1. Change Management Classification. Change management classifications Total Quality Management Process change Focuses on process ahead of the other three types of organizational change. Function (structural) change Says little about organizational structure Values (cultural) change Relies on but cannot influence culture Changes in power Is distorted by power in the organization With all the above determinants and types of change outlined, we can then define change management as 'the process of updating on a continuous basis and organization's direction, structure and capabilities to serve the ever evolving needs of the indigenous and exogenous clients'. (Todnem, 2005, p369). It involves identifying the future organizational needs and managing the changes required within the present system to be able to meet these future needs. It is therefore, much linked to organizational strategy. (Todnem, 2005, p369). For the purpose of simplicity, we The first part of the paper looked at the need for change in an organisation. The second part of the paper looks at two different change models. Part three focuses on the implications of change particularly on human behavior. It also develops a plan that addresses the human variables and potential resistance to this change. It will also look at the respective reasons why people are

Case perspectives in the juvenile justice system Essay

Case perspectives in the juvenile justice system - Essay Example prit, and deciding severity of the crime, as well as recommending suitable correctional methods in order to transform the delinquent and prevent recurrence. Comprehensive intervention programs, with the help of affordable, accessible, and appropriate to all concerned, should be used to fostering cooperation among families, schools, and communities to interact with child offenders who are prone to commit serious and violent crimes. After schools programs under the supervision of caring adults will inculcate resilience in children and transform them into successful adolescents. Children in the USA are arrested, under the provisions of â€Å"Juvenile Justice System,† on suspicion of violating criminal laws for frequent truancy, running away from home, violating curfew, possession of alcohol, possession of marijuana, and shoplifting. â€Å"Compared with juveniles who start offending in adolescence, child delinquents (age 12 and younger) are two to three times more likely to become tomorrow’s serious and violent offenders.† (US Department of Justice, 2003). It is observed that school-age children and teens that are unsupervised during the hours after school are far more likely to use drugs, engage in criminal and other high risk behavior, receive poor grades, and drop out of school than those children who have the opportunity to benefit from constructive activities supervised by responsible adults. The absence of father or a peer or equivalent in the home magnifies the negative impact of mother-child relationship upon adolescent problem b ehavior. Data compiled by the National Centre for Juvenile Justice and Office for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention shows that â€Å"the peak hours for violent juvenile crime are between 3.00 PM to 8.00PM because millions of young children after school are left without responsible adult supervision or constructive activities.† At this juncture we should not forget the words of President Clinton that â€Å"we must make sure that

BHP Billitons Vacation Program Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

BHP Billitons Vacation Program - Case Study Example Being a chemical engineer, it has always been my dream desire to associate myself with a company, which adopts highest standards of professionalism and values better performances. BHP Billiton believes in equality in all it does. The Company expresses its dedication towards growing a rich culture, diverse workforce and providing a work environment in which every employee is treated fairly, respected and has the opportunity to contribute to business success - while always being given the opportunities to realize their full potential as individuals. I am sure everybody would love to perform still better if provided such a working environment. I am no exception to this temptation and feel quite excited about the vacation program to secure a head start for my career. The resources sector is a highly growth potential sectors today as the world's demand for resources continues to increase. Therefore if provided an opportunity, I'll try my best to make optimum use of the opportunity by learning the professionalism and skills required to excel in life.

Assigment 7 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assigment 7 - Assignment Example aware and hiding it for the sake of company profits, I would approach the boss and failure of co-operation from him would lead to approaching the press. This is because there are already measures in place to deal with global warming, which makes it irrational to risk killing 200,000 annually in Hover-Vehicle accidents even though they will eliminate global warming. My personal ethical philosophy stems from the concept of doing unto others as you would they to you, guided by the biblical teaching of loving one’s neighbor as you love yourself. Therefore, if I had the second ring, the first thing I would think about is what another person would do to me if they had it. Not wishing harm upon myself, I would, therefore, not harm anyone with the ring. The concept of ethics informs on the defense and recommendation of right conduct as opposed to wrong (Vendemiati, 2004). This helps to explain this fictitious

All About My Mother (Pedro Almodovar, 1999) and The Idiots (Lars Von Essay

All About My Mother (Pedro Almodovar, 1999) and The Idiots (Lars Von Trier, 1998). Compare and contrast how these two movies rep - Essay Example A film can depict what are the morals of the country and what is going on at the moment, and what cultural issues are being addressed by the common public of that nation. As Mohandas Gandhi has said â€Å"A nation's culture resides in the hearts and the soul of its people† (Wederspahn 32). Film is an appropriate medium to portray culture of a nation. Two movies from the European region have been chosen to be compared about how art can depict a nation’s culture, identity and past. First movie All About My Mother (1999) revolves around the norms of Spain where as the second one The Idiots (1998) revolves around the regions of Denmark and Scandinavia. As it is very important to first summarize the whole plot on which the two movies are based upon, a brief summary together with points that have been highlighted in these movies. All About My Mother (Pedro Almodovar, 1999) Summary The main actors in this film are Cecelia Roth and Penelope Cruz. The story starts with a woman n amed Manuela i.e. Cecelia Roth, who is a single parent and a â€Å"medical transplant coordinator†, taking care of his son who is 17 years old named Esteban. She takes him to attend a stage performance on "A Streetcar Named Desire." When the show ended Esbteban expressed the desire to meet his favorite actress, â€Å"Huma Rojo†`, so that he could get her autograph, but as he was going towards his favorite actress a terrible accident happens, Esteban gets hit by a car and is killed, this was the most devastating point of Manuela’s life. In bereavement, for placing her life back in order, Manuela wanted to do certain things which she should have done a long time ago, in which the first thing that she includes is a journey to Barcelona to enlighten the boy's unknowing father about the loss. Later the father, named Lola, was found to be an â€Å"HIV-positive transvestite†. As the story unfolds it is also shown that Manuela runs into an old acquaintance called Agrado, a transsexual who was unexpectedly appointed as Huma Rojo’s personal assistant; the star Esteban had always admired and helps administer her co-actor and lover Nina. Manuela also happened to meet Sister Maria, a young nun role performed by Penelope Cruz in the movie, who works in a nonprofit organization, that helps battered prostitutes, and intends to visit El Salvador, but soon discovers that she is pregnant. Sister Maria came to know that she has also been contaminated with AIDS; Cecilia makes a decision to help the nun by letting her stay in her home. Points About national identity and national past The points which have been highlighted in this movie, that depict the nature of the past and identity of Spain, are as follows (smith 28-30): anti-government strikes the celebration of democracy the spread of AIDS Manuela’s journey in search of herself identifies a great number of things which can be also identified as the national marks of Spain and at the det erritorialized frontier of national identity and sexuality. Manuela finds that a transvestite can bring a lot of things together because he is neither from here nor from anywhere else, he is somebody in between and could help things to reconnect, especially the masculine and feminine sense together. Here, the best

Information interview for a job Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Information interview for a job - Assignment Example Sukirti: MKSK features a humble beginning in planning and urban design as a product of a merger in 2011. The company has worked for private and public clients under the parent companies namely KKG and MSI Design (Mkskstudios.com). The company prides itself in exceptional planning and design, and that is where I derived my inspiration as an urban designer and planner. Sukirti: Currently the company has an open position for outstanding six principals and associates following promotion in the recent past. The positions will be advertised soon through local dailies and company website. Sukirti: It took me several weeks to figure out the perfect plan for getting a subordinate role at MKSK. You must have excellent skills in designing, passion and talent in urban planning to become a part of the MKSK team. The current leaders in our team consist of exceptional figures from different countries who have experience in accounting, grant writing and geography among others. Therefore, you must have a unique quality and extra skills besides urban design and planning to become a part of MKSK. Sukirti: The Company does not look into unique skills in a prospective employee but the requisite knowledge on urban design and planning. However, your individual abilities and contribution to the team will propel your career further. Sukirti: Personally, I invested in teamwork and an inquisitive nature because I did not have deep knowledge in the work. The company expects you to take up challenges from private and public entities and look for a mentor from the executive level. Interacting with Sukirti at a personal level opened a new chapter in urban planning career. Gaining a foothold in a profession demands passion, talent and an experience other career fields besides urban planning. Mentorship is an inevitable need when you join an international team that serves communities and private entities. The company awards its principals and associates who offer a valuable

All About My Mother (Pedro Almodovar, 1999) and The Idiots (Lars Von Essay

All About My Mother (Pedro Almodovar, 1999) and The Idiots (Lars Von Trier, 1998). Compare and contrast how these two movies rep - Essay Example A film can depict what are the morals of the country and what is going on at the moment, and what cultural issues are being addressed by the common public of that nation. As Mohandas Gandhi has said â€Å"A nation's culture resides in the hearts and the soul of its people† (Wederspahn 32). Film is an appropriate medium to portray culture of a nation. Two movies from the European region have been chosen to be compared about how art can depict a nation’s culture, identity and past. First movie All About My Mother (1999) revolves around the norms of Spain where as the second one The Idiots (1998) revolves around the regions of Denmark and Scandinavia. As it is very important to first summarize the whole plot on which the two movies are based upon, a brief summary together with points that have been highlighted in these movies. All About My Mother (Pedro Almodovar, 1999) Summary The main actors in this film are Cecelia Roth and Penelope Cruz. The story starts with a woman n amed Manuela i.e. Cecelia Roth, who is a single parent and a â€Å"medical transplant coordinator†, taking care of his son who is 17 years old named Esteban. She takes him to attend a stage performance on "A Streetcar Named Desire." When the show ended Esbteban expressed the desire to meet his favorite actress, â€Å"Huma Rojo†`, so that he could get her autograph, but as he was going towards his favorite actress a terrible accident happens, Esteban gets hit by a car and is killed, this was the most devastating point of Manuela’s life. In bereavement, for placing her life back in order, Manuela wanted to do certain things which she should have done a long time ago, in which the first thing that she includes is a journey to Barcelona to enlighten the boy's unknowing father about the loss. Later the father, named Lola, was found to be an â€Å"HIV-positive transvestite†. As the story unfolds it is also shown that Manuela runs into an old acquaintance called Agrado, a transsexual who was unexpectedly appointed as Huma Rojo’s personal assistant; the star Esteban had always admired and helps administer her co-actor and lover Nina. Manuela also happened to meet Sister Maria, a young nun role performed by Penelope Cruz in the movie, who works in a nonprofit organization, that helps battered prostitutes, and intends to visit El Salvador, but soon discovers that she is pregnant. Sister Maria came to know that she has also been contaminated with AIDS; Cecilia makes a decision to help the nun by letting her stay in her home. Points About national identity and national past The points which have been highlighted in this movie, that depict the nature of the past and identity of Spain, are as follows (smith 28-30): anti-government strikes the celebration of democracy the spread of AIDS Manuela’s journey in search of herself identifies a great number of things which can be also identified as the national marks of Spain and at the det erritorialized frontier of national identity and sexuality. Manuela finds that a transvestite can bring a lot of things together because he is neither from here nor from anywhere else, he is somebody in between and could help things to reconnect, especially the masculine and feminine sense together. Here, the best

Philosophy - epistemology Essay Example for Free

Philosophy epistemology Essay Descartes is very successful philosophers in 17th century. Rene Descartes is widely accepted as the father of modern philosophy. He tried to create fundamental philosophy for natural sciences. Descartes mainly focus on his philosophical contributions in the theory of knowledge and his famous work focus on the epistemological project, Meditations on First Philosophy. He wants to explain his thought in Meditations on First Philosophy which is as original in philosophical modus as in content. Meditations on First Philosophy examine Descartes’ arguments and opinion. Although there are 6 meditations in this book, this paper points out the search for a foundation of knowledge (the question of truth) and doubt the â€Å"Cogito† (I think; therefore I am). First of all, in the First Meditation, Descartes demonstrates that several arguments for doubting all of his previously basic beliefs. Everything that he thought is the doubt. He has started to doubt from everything and he wanted to find the question of truth with own ideas. Descartes defines knowledge in terms of doubt and he aims ‘to reach certain’. At the same time, we have to use five senses but Descartes believes the senses sometimes deceive us concerning things. Also Descartes is often convinced when he is dreaming that he is sensing real objects. For instance, he said that â€Å"There is the fact that I am here, seated by the fire, and attired in a dressing gown, having this paper in my hands and other similar matters. And how could I deny that these hands and this body are mine (†¦)† (146). Descartes believes that we can achieve certain truth when we will doubt everything. Descartes uses some question to help prove one of his main arguments and ideas to find truth. For example, how we know certain, what is true, what we see, what we hear? As we can see, according to Descartes, the senses are not enough to decide what is real. He believes the truth is in his mind and he must use his mind. Descartes’ Second Meditation discusses some parts. First part explain that how a body can understand things, such as objects. Descartes examined how the mind should know better that human body. Although we need senses for everything, the mind is more important because all knowledge accumulate in our mind. Second part includes Descartes opinion about thinking. According to Descartes, thinking is very significant point because thinking is the ability to doubt, use imagination and reach certain truth. His famous theory is â€Å"Cogito Ergo Sum† which called ‘I think, therefore I am’. Descartes said that, â€Å"I don’t yet know clearly enough what I am. † (151) It means that, sometimes he has convinced himself that there is absolutely nothing in the world such as no sky, no earth also no mind no body. Descartes believes that if people convinced themselves of something then they existed. To conclude, we can infer that Descartes defend the certain truth is our knowledge and thought. These meditations are considered about modern philosophy. At the same time, Descartes wants to create gripping subject to study science.

The Importance Of Memory Continuity Philosophy Essay

The Importance Of Memory Continuity Philosophy Essay In this chapter I will demonstrate that memories are very important to our conception of ourselves and the identities of others, but are unreliable and not alone sufficient for ensuring the continuity of ones identity. I believe that more psychological elements are required in instances where memories are erroneous or have been forgotten. Consciousness is a difficult term to define though. Thomas Reid points out that we cannot be conscious of the past, as you can only ever be conscious of the present (Reid, p. 222). So perhaps Locke means it is our memories which make us the same person as we were yesterday. The problem with this is that I can remember what my flatmates were doing yesterday, but this does not make me identical with my flatmates. So it must only be first-person memory, from my own perspective, which demonstrates that I am identical with myself from yesterday. Joseph Butler objects that this results in a circular position, as having first-person memories implies my remembering that I performed those actions (Butler, p. 324). However, we can see that it would be possible for someone to wake up with amnesia, knowing what actions they had performed recently but with no idea who they are. Therefore, it is possible to separate first-person memory from identity. This is the position popularly attributed to Lo cke. But does this mean that I cease to be myself when I sleep, or that when I temporarily forget that I went cycling yesterday I am no longer the person who went cycling yesterday? Locke would not believe this to be the case. As long as I remembered when I was prompted or woken up then I would still be the same person. But what if I could not remember, even with prompting? For example, someone with Alzheimers disease may suffer loss of memory of recent events. There was also the case of David Fitzpatrick, who suffered a dissociative fugue at age 25, causing him to forget everything about his life before the fugue (Channel Fives The Man With No Past). As Lockes theory of identity related to the responsibility of the agent, Locke would have to say that David Fitzpatrick could not be held responsible for any of the actions, good or bad, he had carried out prior to his fugue. We are reluctant to accept that people are not responsible for actions they cannot recall committing. A distinction which needs to be drawn in Lockes position on accountability is the difference between being conscious of an action now and being conscious of it when it was being committed. For example, (sleepwalker?) was not convicted of the murder of his father because he committed the crime while asleep. Since he was clearly not conscious of the actions he was performing, he was not held responsible for them. However, someone who intentionally hurts many people and later forgets what he has done should not be deemed innocent. As this pertains to identity, we can see that there may be parts of our lives we can no longer recall. For example, most of us recall very little of our early childhood. Thomas Reid objects to this element of Lockes theory of identity with a famous example. A young boy is flogged for stealing apples, grows up to become an officer and later becomes a general. The officer remembered being flogged, and the general remembers being an officer, but the general does not remember being flogged. According to Locke this means the general is not the same person as he was as a child. Reid argues, however, that identity is transitive (Reid, p.249). This means that since the general remembers being an officer, and the officer remembers being flogged, the general is identical with the boy who was flogged, which means Lockes response is nonsensical. But identity is not necessarily transitive. For example, the cup by my bed was full last night but this morning it is empty. This does not mean that the cup I see this morning is different to the one that was there last night. Not all qualities must remain the same in order for people and objects to be the same over time. The only aspect which Locke says must be consistent is our consciousness. ( A huge problem with Lockes theory is the possibility that one may have memories which have become distorted over time, or altogether false. Memories are extremely fragile, and easily led by suggestions from others. For example, Locke explains that, in the case of one who falsely suffers guilt for someone elses crime, when we get to Heaven, God will ensure that the only memories we have and can be held responsible for are our own (Locke, p. 473). But in order for God to determine which memories are ours, he must be able to determine who we are. Locke is unable to explain how God determines this, and why we cannot use Gods criteria instead of Lockes flawed system. A similar problem for Locke is cases of amnesia, whereby a person forgets everything of their past. A new person may seem to emerge after the episode. But what if they later recovered their memory? Similarly, what happens to their old self during times of identity loss. Should we consider the old person to have died? But then when they return we could only consider them to have come back to life. So body needed to act as a kind of enclosure for the memories, allowing for some kind of continuity during times of memory or psychological loss. Tan Tai Wei states that the unreliability of memories means that we need more in order to assure ones identity. He claims that our bodies are necessary for the authentication of our memories. [http://www.springerlink.com/content/jm4072410n14l705/]. As demonstrated in previous chapters, the only important aspects of our body are the brain and our genetic make-up. Yet these do not seem to offer any reliable authentication of our memories. Instead, I believe that what we ourselves would deem important for the continuation of our identity is our psychology: our beliefs, opinions, attitudes and passions. J. Butler, Analogy of Religion, Harper and Brothers, New York, 1860. J. Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, (ed.) T. J. Cobden-Sanderson and J. F. Dove, Oxford University, Oxford, 1828. T. Reid, Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man, in: The Works of Thomas Reid, Vol. 1, (ed.) MacLaughlan and Stewart, Edinburgh, 1872. The Man With No Past 2006, television programme, Extraordinary People, Channel Five, UK, 15th November.