Bite Me: A Love Story Chapter 17

17. Wide Awake in Sucker-Free Okata scraped the last few drops of blood from the container into the burned-up white girl's mouth. He'd managed to save two of the eight quart containers, but it wasn't going to be enough, he could tell, and after the fight at the butcher shop and his escape, he knew he wasn't strong enough to give her any more of his own blood. She'd need more, and he was going to have to start thinking of her as something besides the â€Å"burned-up white girl.† She was starting to resemble a real person now, more than a person-shaped cinder. A very old, very scary dead person, to be sure, but a person nonetheless. Her red hair nearly covered the pillow now, and she'd moved, if only a little, closing her mouth after the last drops of blood went in. No ash had flaked away with the movement. Okata was glad. Her exposed fangs made him a little uneasy, but now she had lips, sort of. He picked up his sketch pad from the floor, moved to the end of the futon to get a different angle, and began drawing her, as he'd been doing every hour or so since he'd returned from the butcher. He was still covered with the blood that had splashed on him during the fight, but it had long since dried and except for washing his hands so he could work, he'd forgotten it. He finished the sketch, then moved to his workbench, where he transferred a refined version of the drawing to a piece of rice paper so thin it was nearly transparent. He would replicate this drawing four more times, then each would be glued to a woodblock and carved away to make the plate for a different line or color. He looked over his shoulder at her, and felt a tremor of shame. Yes, she looked like a person now, an old, desiccated grandmother, but he shouldn't leave her like that. He took a bowl from the shelf above his little kitchen sink, filled it with warm water, and then knelt by the side of the futon and gently sponged the last patina of ash from her body, revealing the blue-white skin underneath. The skin was smooth, like polished rice paper, but pores and hair follicles were forming as he wiped the ash away. â€Å"Sorry,† he said in English. Then in Japanese he said, â€Å"I have not been mindful, my burned-up gaijin girl. I will do better.† He went to the cabinet under his workbench and removed a cedar box that looked like it might have been fashioned to hold a set of silverware. He opened the lid and removed the square of white silk, then stood and let the garment fall open to its full length. Yuriko's wedding kimono. It smelled of cedar, and perhaps of a bit of incense, but mercifully, it didn't smell of her. He laid the kimono out next to the burned-up girl, and ever so slowly, he moved it under her, gently worked her skeletal arms into the sleeves, then closed the robe and tied it loosely with the white obi. He arranged her arms at her sides so they looked comfortable, then picked up a small flake of dried blood that had fallen from his face onto her breast. She looked better now. Still wraithlike and monstrous, but better. â€Å"There you go. Yuriko would be pleased that her kimono helped cover one who had nothing.† He returned to his workbench and began the drawing for the block that would carry the yellow ink for the futon, when he heard movement behind him and wheeled around. â€Å"Well, don't you look yummy,† Jody said. TOMMY Tommy spent the early evening in the library, reading The Economist and Scientific American. He felt as if all the words were bringing him back from the animal realm to being a human being, and there were plenty of words in those magazines. He wanted his full powers of speech and human thought before he confronted Jody. He also hoped that his memory of what had happened would come back with his words, but that didn't seem to be working. He remembered a red blur of hunger in his head, being thrown through a window and landing on the street, but between that and the time when his words returned in the basement, with the Emperor, he could remember very little. It was as if those experiences-hunting, finding shelter of darkness, snaking his way through the City in a cloud of predators gone to mist-were filed in a part of his mind that locked as soon as the ability to put words to senses returned. He suspected that he may have helped Chet kill people, but if that was the case, why h ad he saved the Emperor? Fortunately, he hadn't lost the ability to turn to mist, which was how he'd obtained the outfit he was wearing now. The whole ensemble-khaki slacks, blue Oxford-cloth shirt, leather jacket, and leather boating moccasins-had been on display in a window at a men's store on Union Square, suspended by monofilament fishing line into the shape of a casual cotton ghost that was haunting other, equally stylish but substanceless marionettes around some deck chairs and artificial sand. Just after the dinner hour, when the store was at its busiest, Tommy streamed in under the door, into the outfit and became solid. With a quick crouch, he snapped all the monofilament line and walked out of the store fully dressed, bits of fishing line curling in his wake. It would, he thought, have been the smoothest, most audaciously cool thing he had ever done, if it hadn't been for the straight pins that had fastened the shirt to the slacks. But after a minor fit on the sidewalk as he yanked the pins out of his back, hips, and abdomen, while rhythmically chanting, â€Å"Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch,† he returned to the calm and casual cotton-clad vampire aspect he'd been going for. He waited until he was at the library, in the stacks, before he pulled the piece of cardboard out of his collar and yanked off various tags and threads. Fortunately, there had been no anti-theft tags on the display outfit. Now he was ready, or as ready as he was going to get. He had to go to Jody now, hold her, tell her he loved her, kiss her, shag her until all the furniture was broken and the neighbors complained (undead predator or not, he was still nineteen and horny), then figure out what they were going to do about their future. As he walked back through the Tenderloin, dressed in his â€Å"please rob me† white boy outfit, a jittery crackhead in a hoody that had once been green, but now was so dirty it was shiny, tried to rob him with a screwdriver. â€Å"Give me your money, bitch.† â€Å"That's a screwdriver,† Tommy said. â€Å"Yeah. Give me your money or I'll stab you with it.† Tommy could hear the tweaker's heart fluttering, smell the acrid stench of rotting teeth, body odor, and urine on him, and could see an unhealthy, dark gray aura around him. His predator mind flashed the word â€Å"prey.† Tommy shrugged. â€Å"I'm wearing a leather jacket. You'll never get a screwdriver through it.† â€Å"You don't know that. I'll get a running start. Give me your money.† â€Å"I don't have any money. You're sick. You should go to the hospital.† â€Å"That's it, bitch!† The crackhead thrust the screwdriver at Tommy's stomach. Tommy stepped aside. The tweaker's movements seemed almost comically slow. As the screwdriver went by, Tommy decided it might be best if he took it, and he snatched it away. The robber lost his balance and tumbled forward into the street and lay there. With the flick of his wrist, Tommy threw the screwdriver onto the roof of a four-story building across the street. Two guys who had been standing in an alley a few feet away, thinking about taking the robbery over from the crackhead, or at least robbing him if he was successful, decided they would rather go see what was happening on the next block. Tommy was a half a block away when he heard the uneven, limping footsteps of the crackhead coming up behind him. He turned and the crackhead stopped. â€Å"Give me your money,† said the tweaker. â€Å"Stop robbing me,† said Tommy. â€Å"You don't have a weapon and I don't have any money. It's totally not working for you.† â€Å"Okay, give me a dollar,† said the crackhead. â€Å"Still don't have any money,† Tommy said, turning his pants pockets inside out. A note from inspector 18 fluttered to the sidewalk. He heard movement above-claws on stone-and cringed. â€Å"Uh-oh.† â€Å"Fifty cents,† said the crackhead. He put his hand in the pouch pocket of his hoody and pointed his finger like it was a gun. â€Å"I'll shoot.† â€Å"You have got to be the worst armed robber ever.† The crackhead paused for a second and pulled his gun-posed hand out of his pocket. â€Å"I have my G.E.D.† Tommy shook his head. He thought he'd left the cats behind, but the felines either still had some connection to him, or there were so many of them now that there was nowhere in the City you could go where they wouldn't be hunting. He didn't relish trying to explain the whole phenomenon to Jody. â€Å"What's your name?† he said to the crackhead. â€Å"I'm not telling you. You could turn me in.† â€Å"Okay,† Tommy said. â€Å"I'll call you Bob. Bob, have you ever seen a cat do that?† Tommy pointed up. The crackhead looked up the side of the building to see a dozen cats coming down the bricks, face-down, toward him. â€Å"No. Okay, I'm not robbing you anymore,† said the tweaker, his attention taken by the clutter of vampire cats descending on him. â€Å"Have a nice evening.† â€Å"Sorry,† said Tommy, meaning it. He turned and jogged up the street to put some distance between himself and the screaming, which only lasted a few seconds. He looked back to see the crackhead gone. Well, not really gone, but reduced to a pile of gray powder amidst his empty clothing. â€Å"It's how he would have wanted to go,† Tommy said to himself. He would have thought the cats would go for the two in the alley, but now they were taking the people right out on the open street. He was going to have to get Jody and talk her into leaving the City, like they should have in the first place. He jogged the twelve blocks to the loft, careful not to run so fast that he might be noticed. He tried to look like a guy who was just late getting home to his girlfriend, which, in a way, he was. He waited outside the door for a moment before pushing the buzzer. What was he going to say? What if she didn't want to see him? He didn't have any experience to draw on. She'd been the first girl he'd had sex with while sober. She was the first girl he'd ever lived with. She was the first to take a shower with him, to drink his blood, to turn him into a vampire, and to throw him broken and naked through a second-story window. She was his first love, really. What if she sent him away? He listened, looked at the plywood still over the windows, sniffed the air. He could hear people inside, at least two, but they weren't talking. There were machines running, lights buzzing, the smell of blood and rat whiz wafting under the door. It really would have felt better if there were romance in the air, but, well, okay. He ran his fingers through his hair, snatched away the last strands of fishing line trailing from his clothes like errant crystal pubes, and pushed the button. FOO Foo had just placed the vials of Abby's blood in the centrifuge when the buzzer on the intercom went off. He flipped the switch, then looked over at Abby, lying on the bed. She looked so peaceful, undead and drugged and not talking. Almost happy, despite having a tail. But the police wouldn't understand. He ran into the living room and shook Jared out of the game-induced trance he had entered on his game console. Foo could hear the death-metal sound track coming from Jared's headphones, tinny screeching and tiny chainsaw rhythms, like angry chipmunks humping a kazoo inside a sealed mayonnaise jar. â€Å"Whaaa?† said Jared, yanking out his earbuds. â€Å"Someone's at the door,† whispered Foo. â€Å"Hide Abby.† â€Å"Hide her? Where? The closet is full of medical crap.† â€Å"Between the mattress and the box springs. She's skinny. You can mash her in there.† â€Å"How will she breathe?† â€Å"She doesn't need to breathe.† â€Å"Sweet.† Jared went for the bedroom, Foo for the intercom. â€Å"Who is it?† he said, keying the button. He really should have installed a camera. They were easy to wire and he got a discount at Stereo World. Stupid. â€Å"Let me in, Steve. It's Tommy.† Foo thought for a second he might pee a little. He hadn't finished building the high-intensity UV laser, and Abby hadn't worn her sun jacket. He was defenseless. â€Å"I can see why you might be mad,† said Foo, â€Å"but it was Abby's idea. I wanted to turn you back to human, like you wanted.† Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck. Tommy was going to kill him. It would be humiliating. The guy didn't even have an undergrad degree. He was going to be murdered by an undead Anglo liberal-arts tard who quoted poetry. The buzzer went off again. Foo jumped and keyed the intercom. â€Å"I didn't want to do it. I told her it was cruel to put you guys in there.† â€Å"I'm not mad, Steve. I need to see Jody.† â€Å"She's not here.† â€Å"I don't believe you. Let me in.† â€Å"I can't, I have things to do. Scientific things that you wouldn't understand. You have to go away.† Okay, now he was a tard. â€Å"I can come in, Steve, under the door or through the cracks around the windows, but when I go back to solid, I'll be naked. Nobody wants that.† â€Å"You don't know how to do that.† â€Å"I learned.† â€Å"Oh, that's cool,† said Foo. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. Could he get the door shut and duct taped before Tommy could ooze in. The great room was already taped up to contain the rat fog. â€Å"Buzz me in, Foo. I have to see Jody and I have to feed. You still have some of those blood pouches, right?† â€Å"Nope. Sorry, we're all out. And Jody's not here. And we've installed sunlamps all over the loft, Tommy. You'd be toast.† He did have some blood bags. In fact, he still had some of the ones with the sedative in it that he'd used to knock Abby out. â€Å"Steve, please, I'm hungry and hurt and I've been living in a basement with a bunch of vampire cats and if I turn to mist my new outfit is going to get stolen while I'm up there snapping your neck with my junk hanging out.† Foo was trying to think of a better bluff when a dark sleeve shot by him and he heard the door lock buzz downstairs. He looked up at Jared. â€Å"What the fuck have you done?† â€Å"Hi,† Tommy said in Foo's ear. â€Å"He sounded so sad,† Jared said. THE OLD ONES At sundown the three awoke inside a titanium vault under the main cabin and checked the monitors that were wired like a nervous system to every extremity of the black ship. â€Å"Clear,† said the male. He was tall and blond and he'd been lean in life, so he remained so, would remain so, forever. He wore a black silk kimono. The two females cranked open the hatch and climbed out into what appeared to be a walk-in refrigerator. The male closed the hatch, pushed a button concealed behind a shelf, and a stainless-steel panel slid across the hatch. They walked out of the fridge, into the empty galley. â€Å"I hate this,† said the African female. She had been Ethiopian in life, descended from royalty, with a high forehead and wide eyes that slanted like a cat's. â€Å"It was to this face that Solomon lost his heart,† Elijah had told her, holding her face in his hands as she died. And so he called her Makeda, after the legendary Queen of Sheba. She didn't remember her real name, for she had worn it for only eighteen years, and she had been Makeda for seven centuries. â€Å"It's different,† said the other female, a dark-haired beauty who had been born on the island of Corsica a hundred years before Napoleon. Her name had been Isabella. Elijah had always called her Belladonna. She answered to Bella. â€Å"It's not that different,† said Makeda, leading the way up a flight of steps to the cockpit. â€Å"It seems like we just did this. We just did this-when?† â€Å"A hundred and fifty years ago. Macao,† said the male. His name was Rolf, and he was the middle child, the peace-maker, turned by Elijah in the time of Martin Luther. â€Å"See what I mean,† said Makeda. â€Å"All we do is sail around cleaning up his messes. If he does this again I'm going to have the boy drag him out onto the deck during the day and video it while he burns. I'll watch it every night on the big screen in the dining room and laugh. Ha!† Although the oldest, Makeda was the brat. â€Å"And what if we die with the sire?† asked Rolf. â€Å"What if you wake up in the vault on fire?† He palmed a black glass console and a panel whooshed open in the bulkhead. The cockpit, big enough to host a party for thirty, was lined in curving mahogany, stainless steel, and black glass. The stern half was open to the night sky. But for the ship's wheel, it looked like an enormous Art Deco casket designed for space travel. â€Å"I've died before,† said Makeda. â€Å"It's not that bad.† â€Å"You don't remember,† said Bella. â€Å"Maybe not. But I don't like this. I hate cats. Shouldn't we have people for this?† â€Å"We had people,† said Rolf. â€Å"You ate them.† â€Å"Fine,† said Makeda. â€Å"Give me my suit.† Rolf touched the glass console again and a bulkhead opened to reveal a cabinet filled with tactical gear. Makeda pulled three black bodysuits from the cabinet and handed one each to Rolf and Bella. Then she slid out of her red silk gown and stretched, naked, her arms wide like Winged Victory, her head back, fangs pointed at the skylight. â€Å"Speaking of people,† said Bella. â€Å"Where's the boy? I'm hungry.† â€Å"He was feeding Elijah when we awoke,† said Rolf. â€Å"He'll be along.† Elijah was kept below in a vault similar to their own, except the prime vampire's vault was airtight, locked from the outside, and was fitted with an airlock system so the boy could feed him. â€Å"Irie, me undead dreadies,† said the pseudo-Hawaiian as he came up the steps, barefoot and shirtless, carrying a tray of crystal balloon goblets. â€Å"Cap'n Kona bringin' ya the jammin' grinds, yeah?† The vampires each spoke a dozen languages but none of them had the slightest idea what the fuck Kona was talking about. When he saw Makeda stretching, the blond Rastafarian stopped and nearly dumped the goblets off the tray. â€Å"Oh, Jah's sweet love sistah, dat smoky biscuit givin' me da rippin' stiffy like dis fellah need to poke squid with that silver sistah on de Rolls-Royce, don't you know?† Makeda fell out of her â€Å"Nike† posture and looked at Rolf. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"I think he said he would enjoy violating you like a hood ornament,† said Rolf, taking a snifter from the tray and swirling dark liquid under his nose. â€Å"Tuna?† â€Å"Just caught, bruddah,† said Kona, having trouble now balancing the tray while trying to hunch to conceal the erection tenting his baggies. Bella took her snifter from the tray and grinned as she turned to look out the windscreen at the City. The Transamerica Pyramid was lit up in front of them, Coit Tower just to the right, jutting from Telegraph Hill like a great concrete phallus. Makeda took a slinky step toward Kona, â€Å"Should I let him rub oil on me, Rolf? Do I look ashy?† â€Å"Just don't eat him,† Rolf said. He sat in one of the captain's chairs, loosened the belt of his black kimono, and began working the Kevlar bodysuit over his feet. â€Å"Quaint,† said Makeda. She took another step toward Kona, held her bodysuit before her, then dropped it. In an instant she had gone to mist and streamed into the suit, which filled as if a girl-shaped emergency raft had been deployed inside. She snatched the last goblet out of the air as Kona flinched and dumped the tray. â€Å"Will you oil me up later, Kona?† Makeda said, standing over the surfer now as he cowered. â€Å"Nah need, matey, you shinin' plenny fine. But dat other ting bein' a rascal fo' sure.† He held his hand to his chest and ventured a glance up at her. â€Å"Please.† â€Å"It's your turn,† said Bella with a smile, her lips rouged with tuna blood. â€Å"Oh, all right,† said Makeda. â€Å"But use a glass.† Kona reached into the pocket of his baggies and came out with a shot glass, which he held with both hands before his head like a Buddhist monk receiving alms. She pushed her thumb against one of her fangs, then let the blood drip into Kona's shot glass. Ten drops in, she pulled her thumb away and licked it. â€Å"That's all you get.† â€Å"Oh, mahalo, sistah. Jah's love on ya.† He drained the blood then licked the shot glass clean, as Makeda watched and sipped her tuna blood. After a full minute, with the ersatz Hawaiian still lapping away at the glass, his breath heaving like he was hoisting the anchor by hand, she took the shot glass and held it away from him. â€Å"You're done.† â€Å"Bug eater,† Bella said, disgusted. Now she was in her own bodysuit and had drained her goblet of blood. â€Å"Oh, I think he's cute,† said Makeda. â€Å"I may let him oil me up yet.† She ruffled Kona's dreadlocks. He was staring blankly into space, his mouth open, drooling. â€Å"Just don't eat him,† Rolf said. â€Å"Stop saying that. I won't eat him,† said Makeda. â€Å"He's a licensed captain. We need him.† â€Å"All right. I'm not going to eat him.† Bella walked over, yanked a dreadlock from Kona's head, and used it to tie back her own, waist-length black hair. The surfer didn't flinch. â€Å"Bug eater,† she repeated. Rolf was back at the cabinet, snapping together various bits of weaponry. â€Å"We should go. Grab a hood, gloves to go with the sunglasses. Elijah said they had some sort of sunlight weapons.† â€Å"This is different,† said Bella, gathering all the high-tech kit from the weapons cabinet, as well as a long overcoat to cover it all. â€Å"We didn't have all this in Macao.† â€Å"As long as you're not bored, darling,† said Rolf. â€Å"I hate cats,† said Makeda as she pulled on her gloves.

Prejudice in Mr Sumarsono Written by Roxana Robinson Essay

Stereotype is a largely false belief, or set of belief, concerning the characteristics of the members of a racial or ethnic group (McLemore, 1983). Stereotype may be positive or negative in mind which is based on limited and minimal knowledge about a group of people. Incomplete information, mistaken perceptions, isolation and segregation have resulted many stereotypes. Viewing of a person with oddity based on the stereotype will limit what we expected and how we respond to them. Prejudice is an unfavorable attitude towards people because they are members of a particular racial or ethnic group. Discrimination is unfavorable action towards people because they are members of a particular racial or ethnic group. (McLemore, 1983). These both are negative manifestations of integrative power. A prejudiced person may not act on their attitude. Therefore, someone can be prejudice towards a certain group but not discriminate against them. Also, prejudice includes all three components of an attitude (affective, behavioral and affective), whereas discrimination just involves behavior and involves some actions. Prejudice and stereotyping parallels attitudes and opinions or beliefs (Stroebe & Insko, 1989) Prejudice also sustains stereotype, while stereotype is a generalization or interpretation toward a person or group of some physical, behavior, belief or other factors. For a 10-year-old girl, she must have got a first bad impression to a stranger, especially a foreigner. She spontaneously thought that someone newbie in another country is a kind of alien with different skin, face structure or another physical body. In that point, this attitude includes a racial stereotype which provokes a prejudice side. Roxana Robinson is a biographer and scholar of nineteenth and early twentieth century American art. She graduated from Buckingham Friends School, in Lahaska, and from The Shipley School, in Bryn Mawr. She attended Bennington College and studied with Bernard Malamud and Howard Nemerov. She received a B.A. degree in English Literature from the University of Michigan. Roxana Robinson is the author of the four novels Cost, (2008) Sweetwater, (2003) This Is My Daughter, (1998) and Summer Light (1988); the three short story collections A Perfect Stranger, (2005) Asking for Love, (1996) A Glimpse of Scarlet, (1991) and the biography Georgia O’Keeffe: A Life, (1989). Mr. Sumarsono is listed as one of the best American Short Stories at 1994. Statement of Problems: 1. Why do Susan and her sister give bad impression toward Mr. Sumarsono? 2. Why did Mrs. Riordan welcome Mr. Sumarsono warmly? 3. What is the cultural aspect of this short story? What is the connection with it? Discussion Mr. Sumarsono is a worker in UN which involved many Western people in it for a long time. Because of the environment, he tried to adapt the style like an American. According to the story, both daughters of Mrs. Riordan, Susan and Kate, with Mrs. Riordan herself fetched Mr. Sumarsono in a Trenton Station in New Jersey and they saw him for the first time with bad impression and underestimate toward Mr. Sumarsono. However, at that time, he was clothed as an American businessman. â€Å"Mr. Sumarsono was wearing an neat suit and leather shoes, like an American businessman, but he didn’t look like an American. The suit was brown, not gray, and it had a slight sheen. And Mr. Sumarsono was built in a different way from Americans: he was slight and graceful, with narrow shoulders and an absence of strut.† (Page 265 line 1) â€Å"Kate and I stood next to my mother as she waved and smiled. Kate and I did not wave and smile†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Page 265 line 11) In this case, it proved that both sisters didn’t like and give bad thought for Mr. Sumarsono because they didn’t know who actually Mr. Sumarsono was, since Mr. Sumarsono had an Asian figure with pale brown skin. Besides, there were few Indonesian that came to America, or else almost never. Mr. Sumarsono was the only Indonesian who arrived in New Jersey. â€Å"It was 1959, and Mr. Sumarsono was the only Indonesian who got off the train in Trenton, New Jersey.† (Page 264 line 25) Next on, the displeasure of the sisters continued until they were in way home. They were acting like they didn’t need a middle-aged Indonesian in where were they belong to. Moreover, they avoided the lunch time which their mother prepared for them and Mr. Sumarsono. And also, they showed an impolite attitude toward Mr. Sumarsono in the table. â€Å"We were going to watch the mallard nesting, and I hope we didn’t have to include a middle-aged Indonesian in leather shoes†(Page 267 line 1) â€Å"Dev-il,† Kate said, Speaking very loudly and slowly. She pointed at the eggs and then put two forked finger behind her head like horns, Mr. Sumarsono looked at her horns. (Page 269 lines 25) Another evidence occurred at the dinner time when Susan saw her mother wearing a pink dress. She thought her mother’s dress was overlooked just for dinner with a stranger who can not understand their language. â€Å"I was irritated to see that she had put it on as thought she were at a party. This was not a party: she had merely gotten hold of a captive guest, a complete stranger who understood nothing she said.† (Page 270, line 12) Although they kept underestimate him, they were quite surprised that Mr. Sumarsono wasn’t someone like usual Asian guy they were thinking about. He was different in presence. Not only the appearance of him but also his gesture was shown when they were already at home. Somehow, The stop! gesture was making the sisters wondering what makes that Indonesian was different. This gesture is shown by Mr. Sumarsono when he tried to prevent his suitcase as Susan offered to pick up upstairs. â€Å"What struck me was the grace of his gesture. His hand extended easily out cuff and expose a narrow brown wrist, as narrow as my own. When he put his hand up in the Stop! gesture, his hand curved backward from the wrist, and his fingers bent backward from the palm. Instead of the stern and flat-handed Stop! that an American hand would make, this was a polite, subtie, and yielding signal, quite beautiful and infinitely sophisticated, a gesture that suggested a thousand reasons for doing something, a thousand ways to go about it.†(Page 267 line 13) On the other hand, Mrs. Riordan was greeting him cheerfully. She showed an excessive behavior since Mr. Sumarsono decided to spend his weekend in New Jersey. Furthermore, he stayed in Riodan’s as well. Mrs. Riordan tried to catch attention from Mr. Sumarsono. Apart from being dressed in pink, she treated him as best as she can. â€Å"Oh, I’m glad we’re having rice!† she said suddenly, pleased. â€Å"That must make Mr. Sumarsono feel at home.† She looked at me. (Page 273 line 7) She also thought that Mr. Sumarsono was far from his family and being lonely, Mrs. Riordan conclude that he was missing them and she tried to give something that Mr. Sumarsono would feel like he came back to the warm atmosphere when a family was gathered supposed to be. It is shown when Mrs. Riordan asked Mr. Sumarsono to show his wife and children photograph. She saw a strange condition on Mr. Sumarsono with complicated and unfinished look when she asked and he even wanted to take a picture with them. â€Å"The poor man, he must miss his wife and children. Don’t u feel sorry for him, thousands of miles away from his family? Oh, thousands. He’s here for six months, all alone. They told me that at the UN. It’s all very uncertain. He doesn’t know when he gets leaves, how long after that he’ll be here. Think of how his poor wife feels.† (Page 272 line 24) As from the both sisters misjudged all about Mr. Sumarsono and what they have done, they thought that they would feel ashamed, instead of underestimating him. Their prejudice has made them blind to not know who actually Mr. Sumarsono was. Beside it was from their mother, they also felt embarrassed him because they can not be an appropriate hostess to him while Mr. Sumarsono showed his unruffled courtesy. Although Mr. Sumarsono couldn’t speak English well and only responded all Mrs. Riordan and her daughters with simple nodded and smile, at least he knew what attitude he supposed to do when he was visiting people’s house in other country. â€Å"I was embarrassed not only for my mother but also for poor Mr. Sumarsono. Whatever he had expected from a country weekend in America, It could not have been a cramped attic room, two sullen girls, voluble and incomprehensible hostess. I felt we had failed him, we had betrayed his unruffled courtesy, with our bewildering commands, our waving forks, our irresponsible talk about lizard. I wanted to save him. I wanted to liberate poor Mr. Sumarsono from this aerial grid of misunderstandings.† (Page 274 line 24) This story is pertaining aspect of prejudice side. Therefore, prejudice has both cognitive and affective components. Affective component is the positive or negative attitude or feeling while cognitive component contains stereotypes. Stereotypes are beliefs about people based on their membership in a particular group. Stereotypes can be positive, negative, or neutral. Stereotypes based on gender, ethnicity, or occupation are common in many societies. Stereotypes often results from, and leads to, prejudice and bigotry. The reasons appearing of stereotype is variable, It occurs When people encounter instances that disconfirm their stereotypes of a particular group, they tend to assume that those instances are atypical subtypes of the group. Second, People’s perceptions are influenced by their expectations. And last, People selectively recall instances that confirm their stereotypes and forget about disconfirming instances. As a branch from stereotype, prejudice is a destructive p henomenon, and it is pervasive because it serves many psychological, social, and economic functions. It allows people to bond with their own group by contrasting their own groups to outsider groups. Conclusion This short story which Roxana wrote showed about an experience of Indonesian immigrant who visited and spent the weekend at one of New Jersey’s families, Riordan’s house. Based on discussion above, it is described that the two daughters, Susan and Kate had first bad impression toward Mr. Sumarsono as a strange foreigner. This signs that their attitude showed the prejudice aspect of the racial differences.

Teaching, Reading and Writing for Students Who are Deaf and Hard of Case Study

Teaching, Reading and Writing for Students Who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) - Case Study Example According to Cornish (2011, p.20), high numbers of children in remote areas develop hearing loss, with some having no eardrums. It is however certain that children with hearing loss perform poorly academically. The basics of learning in kindergarten involve repeating what the teacher has said, however, for DHH students, this mission is close to impossible. The author adds that these children have a high chance of dropping out in school as they feel stupid, therefore developing behavioral problems, and hence at risk of being arrested or imprisoned. Nevertheless, there exist several forms of languages and communication used by deaf or hard hearing students. Forms of Communication Used by Instructors and DHH Students Teaching, Reading and Writing fluency American Sign Language (ASL) is a widely used language among the deaf in United States of America and in Canada; this sign language relies mostly on English. ASL is regarded as the first language for the deaf or hard of hearing students ; whereby, these students are expected to acquire this sign language first. It is a visual English language that has no written components, and involves symbolic terms; therefore, students must be capable of translating texts into an understandable format (White, 2011, p.21). It is considered an easier first language since it is mostly used at an early age for those born with DHH. Manually Encoded English is another communication system used by those with DHH; this system represents words in English sentences by signs from the American Sign Language. Cued speech use mouth movement to differentiate the sounds of the spoken language from one another, with an aim... This paper stresses that DHH students experience social difficulties especially around their hearing peers, however, when these two groups of students participated in similar activities, the level of interaction increased. Family involvement in DHH student’s social lives can influence the social outcomes, since parents act like coaches for their children. Therefore, they are able to discuss challenging issues that are facing their children, thus encouraging them to developing social interactions with their peers. This report makes a conclusion that there is limited research on oral reading fluency of DHH students; nevertheless, measures to improve reading skills for these particular students should be implemented. This research proves that DHH students continue to drag behind compared to their hearing peers academically. However, with the involvement of parents, DHH students are able to achieve confidence. Therefore, parents of such students should take the first step towards learning sign language in order to be effective in communication, hence capable of motivating their children. DHH students are affected by the challenge of achievements academically; however, graphic novels among other learning approaches have proved to be efficient in communicating to DHH students. Students who are deaf or hard of hearing may encounter challenging issues that they cannot address because of the nature of their disability.

Ethical issues surrounding children advertising Essay

Ethical issues surrounding children advertising - Essay Example The organization tends to do those activities that could earn them maximum returns but doing marketing ethics would earn them a competitive advantage for a longer period of time (Kotler and Armstrong 1999). A business does well when they are focused in satisfying the needs of the customers then their competitors as per the requirement of their target market. As the world are getting more savvy about their rights in getting a desired product, the company has to adhere ethical values rather than just providing the products. Customers develop a positive attitude towards the organization when it behaves ethically. A company that tends to follow otherwise leads to the negative behavior from the customers and results in dissatisfied customers and a negative publicity and eventually losing a customer. So, forming an ethical advertisement that would target the children in a sociably ethical manner would earn the company’s revenues (Hebert 1998). In this paper, the effects of advertise ment on children’ attitude and behavior and social upbringing is discussed by addressing different issues and literature that currently exists on this subject. Children have a mentality of learning things very quickly and they have a nag of remembering those things that they often see in their childhood. Everything that they pick up these days has an essence of advertising in it. Cartoons are no longer fun and excitement nowadays, but the commercials for a certain toys are more attraction to them. But the most significant thing that we want to ask ourselves is what it has done to our children and what effect it may cause in the future. The advertisements that were made previously were subtler and every child that was asked about the future aim they would prefer being a doctor, or an engineer or a pilot. But due to the effects of these commercials on children they prefer to make money. They have been converted into a materialistic non-thinker (Paula 1998). Advertising agencies have pretty much made these children to force their parents to buy them the latest stuff that has been in the advertisements and magazines. The kids are literally begg ing parents for the newest toys and children are the first in line to get them. Many of them have the feeling that if they would not get these toys then their friends would not like them. Now advertising agencies have help from the psychologists that tells them how to target these children and are barraging the kids will all sorts of commercial which would attract them. These advertisements have become so severe that these psychologists have taken this matter to the government to put an end to this situation. The task force has studied the situation and the effects that it has on the children. But some psychologists would start protesting about it because they think they are not doing anything wrong. They have a viewpoint that they are making these children better consumers so it would be helping them to make good decisions (Clay 2000). The children are being exposed to the product that is offered in the market but there are no studies that have justified the effect of advertisement s on these kids and their behaviors to force their parents in making the purchase decision. This has caused a depression for certain parents and children and has caused low self-esteem of not buying the product that

Why did the united states adopt a policy of neutrality from 1914 to Essay

Why did the united states adopt a policy of neutrality from 1914 to 1917 - Essay Example US President Wilson publicly declared this neutrality policy, and most Americans welcomed it. In this essay, the main reasons behind America’s adoption of neutrality policy will be established. In addition, the effectiveness of this policy will be determined, basing on different events that occurred during the period 1914-1917. Since the late 19th Century, different countries in Europe had been forming unions and alliances, to enhance their preparedness for war. This saw the Independent German Kingdoms come together in the late 1870’s, and this became the most powerful in the continent. During that time, France highly invested in weapons, in anticipation of an attack from Germany, its long time enemy. The power status of German was a threat to most counties, including Russia, which had to take sides with France, Great Britain, and even German itself, to ensure its safety. The British effort to remain uninvolved in conflict was impossible, owing to its ownership of the most powerful navy in the world. Unrest in Europe was hastened by rebellious provinces of Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Ottoman leaders who aimed at expansion of their empire. However, Europe was resistant to war and tried to withhold this for a long time. During this period, the Central powers included Ottoman Turks, Germans, and A ustro-Hungarians, while their rivals, the entente powers included France, Great Britain, and Russia (U.S Department of State Web). The United States of America dissociated itself from these events, even though most of its citizens were generally inclined to England and the Entente powers. Most Americans did not want their county to participate in the war. America therefore distanced itself from these events, and hoped not to get involved in them. Most Americans, as well as their leaders, including the president and the congress then, adopted this perspective. The then president Woodrow Wilson introduced the â€Å"neutrality policy,† publicly citing that the USA

Columbia HCA Fraud Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Columbia HCA Fraud Case - Essay Example My goal is to relate the case to the subject of Business Ethics and derive important lessons on how business should be conducted. Reading thru the case study, we can discern the numerous causal factors of the federal investigation of Columbia/ HCA. From what I can understand, the investigation was brought about by a combination of internal and external factors which is presented below: It was started in June 1996 by Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin that the Medicare program will go broke by 2001 with the way funds are being spent. Expenditures were increasing exponentially with $160 billion for the 1994 fiscal year. That's about $440 million per day. By the year 2003, it is projected that it will mushroom to $380 billion or $1 billion per day according to the Congressional Budget Office. As a general observation, any activity that increases or decreases suddenly is subject to the curiosity of other people especially when it involves large amounts of money. This being the case, it only took a matter of time before it caught the attention of government authorities who have become very keen in finding ways to eliminate unnecessary expenditures and catching fraudulent transactions. The arguments used by the managers to justify the large increase in Medicare costs was the increase in efficiency, more expensive equipment and better accounting practices. These arguments alone are enough to stir speculations because Medicare expenditures should rise due to the rise in harder-to-treat diseases requiring more expensive medication. Does it make sense then that there was an increase in acute and chronic disease when the health care service became more efficient Does it mean those doctors in the past misdiagnosed patients and when Columbia/HCA came into the picture, they suddenly became experts in diagnosis (Remember that most of the doctors were still those under the past management) New Legislation Protecting Whistleblowers Whistleblowers are those that expose the anomalies of their employees, partners, and co-employees. Anomalous activities, in this case, refers to fraudulent acts that cheat the government (and consequently the taxpayers) of their money. It may include tax evasion and false claims. In the past, whistleblowers were exposed to retribution by the entities who they claim is engaged in anomalous activities. They could only expect minimal attention from the authorities and if ever they were given such attention, they could only expect minimal legal assistance so why bother being one Unless you have very deep grievances against the person, being a whistleblower was a risky venture. With the new legislation, more legal protection for the whistleblower was provided. Incentives were also offered such as the 30% of the recovered money going to the whistleblower which was mentioned in the reading. With the combination of these two important measures, whistle-blowing became a less risky venture. The focus of Government Authorities in Stemming Corruption.

What similarities and differences are there between historical and Essay

What similarities and differences are there between historical and scientific explanations - Essay Example Hence, scientists usually refuse to work in collaboration with historians and philosophers (Keller 2615). However, scientists should understand that the even though way they work and the way people from philosophy and historical field work are different, it does not mean that historians are wrong. Historians and philosophers use their creativity to reach conclusions. However, their creativity is based on the facts they have studied from the fragments available from the past and not based on the imagination. Even though their methods are different, their intention is one and that is to bring the truth in front of the world and let them know how things work. Hence, even though there are some similarities in the way the scientists and the historians work, there also are some differences and these differences make life a beautiful place to live. The theories developed by scientists have an intention of predicting a particular phenomenon (Peters 147). Their theories are developed to describe the functioning of a chosen subject in a scientific way. Scientists insist that the theories they develop are based on minute observation of the way the subject functions and hence, are able to predict the behavior of the subject in the future. According to Popper, a theory which tried to explain a phenomenon should also be able to tell how the phenomenon will function in the future (Peters 147). On the other hand, the theories developed by historians are not aimed at predating anything (Peters 147). The theories developed by historians aim at understanding the developmental stages of the event or an entity from the past (Peters 147). For example, their theories try to explain how people in ancient ages used to collect food, how they used to make clothes without machineries, what tools they used to fight animals etc. They are interested in understanding how the inhabitants lived their life in the past. Hence,

Pope Gregory VII Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Pope Gregory VII - Research Paper Example From such evidence we come to understand that there are no biases as such and hence the source seems to be quite reliable for study. Contemporary reformers condemned the moral abuses that took place during that time. Two such abuses that were of primary concern were – 1) The heresy of Simony (the buying and selling of orders and offices in the church and 2) Nicolaitism (clerical marriage and unchasity) In 1059, after the Election Decree, the power of the emperor was reduced considerably while the Roman cardinals were given more power. This insightful book details the events of Pope Gregory’s rule, as he stood at the center of these affairs as the arch deacon of the Roman Church. The book describes Gregory’s religious motives of freeing the church from these heresies and gaining liberty for its people. The source being reliable would be very useful for the study. The author Rev. John Cowdrey was a medieval historian and a leading authority on the ecclesiastical reform movement led by Pope Gregory VII. In my opinion, the text served to kindle my interest further on the subject. Ephraim Emerton’s book titled ‘The Correspondence of Pope Gregory VII’ is a selection of Gregory VII letters from the Registrum that was translated by him. These letters served to highlight the zeal, hard work and vigor with which Pope Gregory pursued to bring about a revolutionary change in the conduct of the church. Professor Ephraim Emerton had authored many books but for this book of letters, he had only translated them. He was a graduate from Harvard College and was also one of the founders of the American Historical Association. In 1882 he was elected as the Winn Professor of Ecclesiastical History. These papal documents translated by Ephraim provides the reader with great insight through the evidence describing the religious policies of reform that Pope Gregory brought about during his period as Pope of the Christian Church. The book also serves to shed

Review Chapters V7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Review Chapters V7 - Essay Example The geographical region in focus is the country of Thailand in South East Asia. A range of different types of SMEs will be included from various sectors so that the findings are representative of Thai SMEs in general. Thus, it includes the production, wholesale and retail sectors. We shall adopt the classification of SMEs as defined by the Thai Institute for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (ISMED, 2010) as follows: Similarly, the study will not be confined to SMEs in a particular area of Thailand because that would not necessarily be representative of Thai SMEs. It will be concerned with SMEs that are typically of Thai origin whether from the capital, other cities or the rural areas of Thailand. The problem to be studied is how Thai SMEs can overcome the myriad of problems they face in being successful. Despite the large number, significance and potential of SMEs, they are more likely than LEs to be faced with a number of problems and limitations. These are primarily related to the areas of administration, management, finance, technology, human resources, and marketing (Garengo, and Bernardi, 2007). For example, the problem of gaining access to sources of funding is very common. Often, SMEs are unaware of potential sources of finance, lack the management skills to satisfy lenders, and are unable to meet lenders’ rigorous assessment criteria and screening process (Atrill, 2006). Even then, SMEs are often not able to receive sufficient access to credit, as do LEs. The nature of this particular problem however is not unique to Thai SMEs as it is a similar situation with SMEs elsewhere, even in developed countries such as Europe (European Commission, 2006). Other problems include lack of employee-training (Thassanabanjong et al., 2009), especially in family-owned SMEs (De Lema and Durendez, 2007) an informal approach if not negligible regard to human resource management (HRM), and consequently

Research on China's real estate housing price Paper

On China's real estate housing price - Research Paper Example Marketing research statistics that were taken in the past five years indicate that in the property market, role of pricing mechanism is to balance purchase and the rates of selling. In this study, we are attempting to examine the determinants of the housing prices in China, with a particular focus on the monetary variables. There are three main concerns, which motivate this study. These are the exploration of the general relationship that exists between the pricing of houses and the monetary policy, even though the Chinese experience might not be ideal. We also feel that it is important to use the non-linear modeling concept known as NARMAX that selects forms and lags structures in an automatic manner for the individual explanatory variables. Lastly, the study hopes to draw some essential policy implications for the housing prices management in China. BACKGROUND/HYPOTHESIS A fall in the housing prices that started in the year 2007 ultimately resulted to the worst economic recession a nd financial crisis in the world in nearly eight decades, or eighty years. However, underscoring this important debate is the more complex academic question regarding the relationship between asset price and monetary policy. The maintenance of price stability is largely considered to be the most fundamental monetary policy’s goal. In this framework, the price stability is usually defined as the consumer price index’s stability. In the years ensuing to the world financial crisis, the China experienced a period of fast growth in her Gross Domestic Product with modest consumer price index inflation. Thus, there was no need for the government to increase the rates of interest or even tightening the liquidity conditions. Since the global crisis, we find that there has been rising recognition among policymakers and economists that it is important that the central banks monitor asset prices together with the prices of goods. However, it is still not clear whether it is feasib le for the formal incorporation of asset prices into the objective function of monetary policy. Nevertheless, even if this is possible, it is quite difficult to control the asset prices as compared to the regulation of the prices of goods. In trying to establish real estate pricing in China, it is therefore important to consider answering the following question: What is the effect of monetary policy on asset prices? What are the determinants of real estate pricing in China? What are the trends in the house pricing in China? ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY/ LITERATURE REVIEW Hongli Z. 2011. The Relationship of House Price Rising Rate and GDP Growth Rate. Mason, OH, Cengage Learning. In this context it is well illustrated that the development of the real estate industry is very important to the people`s livelihood and the national economy. The real estate regulation is very significant content of the microeconomic regulation and it is also invariably controversial. The regulation of house pric e such as controlling the house price`s rising extent within the normal range is a Key to real estate regulation1. According to the calculations of the target range in house price regulation, the house price growth rate/GDP should be controlled within {- 0.31, 0.86} among the first-tier cities and [-0.42, 1.17] among the second inter-cities. China has made real estate regu

Closing the Gap Between Science and Ethics Essay Example for Free

Closing the Gap Between Science and Ethics Essay The rapid development of nanotechnologies has already become the distinctive feature of the postmodern technological reality. Societies live in the atmosphere of the rapid technological advancement, and new technological achievements and small revolutions are no longer a surprise. Nanotechnologies have a potential to become the source of revolutionary waves in contemporary society. The effects of such revolutions, however, will depend on how well the existing scientific, political, economic, and social institutions can mediate the society-nanotechnology relationships and whether they can promote public acceptability and positive expectations regarding nanotechnology. The current state of science is characterised by the growing gap between nanotechnologies and ethics. Equity, privacy, security, and environmental aspects remain the issues of the major scientific concern. Today, professionals in nanotechnology need to reconsider the basic standards of their scientific performance and develop effective cooperation frameworks, which will help societies meet their ethical needs and will speed up the integration of nanomaterials with all spheres of human development and growth. In his article, Douglas Parr asserts that nanotechnologies are likely to produce a revolutionary wave of innovations in society. That nanotechnologies are breaking the ice of scientific illiteracy in the postmodern society cannot be denied. To a large extent, nanotechnologies mark the beginning of a new stage in the society’s movement toward scientific and human perfection. Recent advancements in nanotechnology confirm the need for the scientific community to develop effective cooperation ties with the rest of non-scientific population, and there are several reasons for that. First and foremost, research and advancement in nanotechnologies have resulted in the major advances in material science, microscopy, and better understanding of the borderline between quantum and classical physics, which produce significant effects on society. Second, nanotechnologies will lead to a major revolution and produce serious scientific and social shifts in society. Third, the most developed countries readily integrate nanotechnologies with their innovation systems and consider nanotechnologies as the basic driver of wealth creation. Fourth, numerous nanotechnology applications will be introduced into the market. In this atmosphere, society must familiarise itself with the recent advances in nanotechnology. Moreover, society must realise that nanotechnologies can be equally good and bad. As a result, the question is in how to obtain the good of nanotechnologies without the bad and whether it is possible at all. Unfortunately, the current state of nanotechnologies makes it difficult for scientists and society to distinguish the good effects of the nanotechnological revolution from its negative implications. The problem is not only in that â€Å"debates about nanotechnology from governments have been dominated by the simple metric of the amount of money being put into nanotechnology for international competitiveness reasons. † The problem is in that a large gap between ethics and nanotechnologies exists and influences negatively the development of the postmodern science. The number of scientific publications on nanotechnologies rapidly increases, but the number of publications that discuss ethical and social implications of nanotechnologies is at least scarce. The funds available for ethical research in nanotechnology are not being used. The lack of effective dialogue between granting bodies, research institutes and the public may turn nanotechnologies into the source of devastating effects on society. More often than not, research institutes and public bodies do not realise that nanotechnology is associated with a whole range of ethical issues. These issues cover equity, security and privacy, ethical implications, and even metaphysical questions. One of the first questions is who will benefit from nanotechnologies and how these benefits are to be distributed among society members. Nanotechnologies have a potential to reduce and resolve the most difficult social controversies, including poverty and animal species extinction; however, this is possible only in case the products of scientific evolution are managed properly. Security and privacy are also among the issues of serious scientific concern. Nanotechnologies will contribute to the development of radically new weapons and surveillance systems; and people must decide how it will protect individual privacy against the presence of near invisible surveillance mechanisms. The effects of nanotechnologies on the environment are yet to be discovered. The incorporation of artificial materials into human systems requires profound ethical and social analysis. To ensure that nanotechnologies work for the benefit of the whole society, a close dialogue must exist between research institutions and the public. Such dialogue will allow prioritising the most important areas of technological research. Such dialogue will also let scientists justify the choice of the most important research areas against direct determinations of societal and public aspirations in these areas. Social and ethical implications of NT research are easy to address through appropriate funding, the development of large-scale interdisciplinary research platforms, intersectional approach, the involvement of developing countries in NT research, as well as the continuous engagement of the public in all major aspects of NT evolution. These changes will reduce the negative potential of nanotechnologies and will turn them into a successful instrument of meeting the most sophisticated society needs. Conclusion The rapid development of nanotechnologies has already become the distinctive feature of the postmodern reality. Unfortunately, the current state of nanotechnological research is characterised by the growing gap between science and ethics. Society lacks resources needed to familiarise itself with the bad and good sides of nanotechnologies and to reduce their negative potential. Today, scientists must engage in a close dialogue with the public and actively engage the public into NT evolution and research. Appropriate funding, interdisciplinary research platforms and intersectional analysis will help to reduce the existing gap between nanotechnologies and their ethical implications. BIBLIOGRAPHY MNYUSIWALLA, A. , DAAR, A. S. SINGER, P. ‘Mind the gap’: Science and ethics in nanotechnology. Nanotechnology, 14: 2003: R9-R13. PARR, D. Will nanotechnology make the world a better place? Trends in Biotechnology, 23(8): Aug. 2008: 395-398.

Modern Architecture Essay Example for Free

Modern Architecture Essay It is undeniable that Gothic Architecture has a great influence on modern Architecture. One has only to look at Antoni Gaudi’s design of La Sagrada Familia in Spain or the intricate tracery of Culvert Bridge in Central Park by Calvert Vaux to appreciate the modern interpretation of Gothic Architecture. When on hears of Gothic one immediately conjures images of intricate dark designs, tall lean spires, vaulted ceilings, flamboyant arches and iconic ornamentations. Usually Gothic is attributed to somber, grave and shadowy lighting. Thus it is a bit surprising that it was Gothic architecture that gave birth to the undeniably the most colorful element of dark cathedrals, the rose window – a circular window separated into stone segments and intricate tracery. This is a trademark of all Gothic cathedrals. Traditional Gothic Rose Windows are either intricate traceried circular windows with spokes radiating from a central rondel more colorful stained glass with elaborate pictures with holy depictions. The medium of the windows has changed in the modern adaptations. Some modern rose windows are now are now made of plexiglass or other aggregate instead of pure glass to lessen the cost of production and also to strengthen the material. Painted canvasses are also used to recreate rose windows. In the olden times the beautiful glass colors are achieved by integrating the colors while the glass is being blown. In the modern version, translucent acrylics or other artificial methods are used to accomplish an effect similar to real rose window. However, the rose window has evolved beyond windows itself. Different colored tiles and marbles are now used to imitate rose windows. And these are not used for windows primarily, but for decorating wall paneling and flooring. Not only did the medium change but the subject also changed. Originally, rose windows are used in cathedrals and depict scenes from the Bible. Nowadays, the subjects lean more on abstraction and eclectic symbolism. Whatever changes in the interpretation might have been, it is indisputable that the windows have thoroughly made their mark in Architecture. Reference Frankl, Paul. (1962). Gothic Architecture. US: Yale University Press.

Group work in Primary Schools

Group work in Primary Schools Group work, known to others as collaborative or cooperative learning, is defined as a situation in which, two or more people learn or attempt to learn something together [Wikipedia Contributors, 2010]. This paper focuses on how working collaboratively impacts both teaching and learning in primary schools. It describes the background to the development of collaborative learning and highlights the techniques often employed. The principles to effective group work are explained, with both advantages and disadvantages noted. Collaborative learning is a pedagogical strategy which utilizes a variety of learning activities to enhance a students understanding of a particular topic. This is an improvement to traditional learning models also defined as non-interactive lectures, where knowledge is gained from direct lectures or the reading of books and articles. Traditional learning commands very little interaction or participation from the students, therefore a lot or very little may be learnt depending on the individual. Collaborative learning consequently stands as a constructivist approach to learning, and is identified as originating from a constructivist epistemology, as students are asked to participate and contribute to their own learning and development. The ideas of scholars such as Burner, Kohlberg, Piaget and Vygotsky are used in the development of collaborative learning, which essentially implies that both the student and the environment are actively dynamic entities in the learning process as the student tries to impersonate the lessons. This process requires that knowledge be discovered and translated using language and other learning aides to which the students can actively relate. Lawrence Kohlberg researched the moral decisions made by children. His investigation is such that he developed an interview process offering a number of scenarios, each with a moral dilemma for which he had pre-determined answers. He realized that six stages of moral development existed and that some people are unable to reach most advanced levels of ethical interpretation. He thereby concluded that; the development of moral reasoning happens in a particular sequence, and that each step of the way is a precursor to the next [KidsDevelopment.co.uk, 2010]. Jean Piagets theory of Cognitive Development suggests that individuals go through a series of stages on their way to independent thinking. Piaget states that all knowledge concerning reality results from actions or operations upon it, which makes it change, revealing its stable and variational properties (Piaget, 1980 p222). Lev Vygotsky believed that socialization increases knowledge and often time changes a childs thoughts and behaviours. Vygotsky suggests that learning is achieved in three ways; imitative, instructed and collaborative. Imitative learning involves the student simply copying what was taught and instructed learning involves the student following directions previously given. Vygotskys work was focussed on two important ideas. First being the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD); this describes the level of differentiation between a problem that a student can solve independently and a problem in which a student will require the assistance of others. ZPD is often identified as an individuals level of actual competency relative to their level for potential development. The second idea is known as scaffolding and describes the aspect of support given to students when it is desired. Group work allows students to work together in small teams, combining people with varying backgrounds, experiences, technical and intellectual competencies, towards the attainment of a specific objective. Each member of the team has the responsibility of learning the material for himself, while also helping other members to clearly understand the lesson thus creating an atmosphere of achievement (Palmer, Peters and Streetman. 2008). Students thereby gain both knowledge and social skills. The use of group discussions helps students to explain concepts and ideas by providing immediate feedbacks. Students learn how to troubleshoot cooperatively in order to find the best solution to a problem. When students formulate their own solutions in this manner, they are truly thinking critically (Davis, Mahler Noddings, 1990). Swortzel expresses that there are two major theoretical approaches to group work Motivational and Cognitive (Swortzel, 1997). Group work is seen as motivational because students recognize that their success or failure in the attainment of the specified goal is dependent on them being able to work together as a team. They thereby encourage each other to get the assigned tasks done properly and on time, in so doing cooperative learning increases students motivation to do academic work (Johnson, Johnson Holubec, 1986). The cognitive approach suggests that through group work students become more critical with their thinking. Students are stimulated to think outside the box, thus acquiring increased levels of perception, awareness, and reasoning and judgment abilities. Group discussions are very interactive with each individual expressing their viewpoint. Within a diverse group, there will be undoubtedly varying opinions consequently highlighting approaches to the same topic. A collaborative framework must first be established before the implementation of collaborative learning techniques. The teacher should research collaborative learning and observer other teachers who have already implement the use of group work. The teacher should grasp a good understanding of the advantages and disadvantages to group work and must develop a keen appreciation for the technique of scaffolding. The teacher then needs to decide if collaborative learning is ideal for the subject being taught, the type of students and take into account classroom restrictions, if any. Teachers implementing collaborative learning are expected to be competent in the following areas: Specifying instructional objectives Determining group size and assign students to groups Determining Group Size and Assign Students to Groups Classroom arrangement Planning instructional materials to promote Interdependence Assigning group roles Assigning tasks Structuring positive interdependence and accountability Explaining the criteria for success Specifying desired behaviours Before implementing collaborative learning the teacher should explain to the students their decision for the use of group work and explain the advantages and disadvantages. The determination of group sizes may vary depending on the nature of the task and the workload. Groups can be homogeneous or heterogeneous, grouping students with similar interests and strengths or they may be totally randomly selected. Once groups are established they usually do not change very often, so as to allow students to develop a constructive working relationship with each other. It is important that the furniture in the classroom be organized in a way which allows the students to work as a unit, preferably facing each other, whilst allowing for their flexible movements. Teachers should take into account the existing resources needed for successful task completion and ensure that they are readily accessible by the groups. The instructions and materials a teacher chooses for a group should ensure that each member of the group makes a meaningful contribution and that individual assignments within the group will be evenly distributed. Teachers should structure positive interdependence and accountability by regularly testing both the groups and the members of the group for understanding of the subject matter. Members should be encouraged to be able to actively defend the stance of the group and their own. The criteria for success of the group should be clearly communicated and measures put into place to evaluate the groups performance as a unit as well as the individual performances of the members. Once the groups have been established, teachers need to monitor the behaviour of the students and assist with needs while monitoring. In so doing, teachers may assist with the answering of questions and provide and alternate point of view or opinion. Teachers may also provide feedback on the work completed or the progress made. Should conflicts arise within the groups, teachers should intervene to ensure that such conflicts are quickly resolved and explain the implications of undesirable behaviours. It is also very important that teachers provide approbation and, or motivation where it is deserved. Students play the most important role in the art of collaborative learning. Their roles include and are not limited to, working together, actively listening to each other, keeping records of work and progress, questioning each other, assuming personal responsibility and completing the assigned task. An article written by Dillenbourg and Schneider states that there are a few mechanisms to collaborative learning: Conflict or Disagreement, suggesting that when peer to peer conflicts arise, social factors cause learners to ignore the disagreement and to some extent forces them to find a feasible solution to the problem. One aspect of this theory states that diverging viewpoints usually lead to academic gains, while the other states that when conflicts are not verbalized they do not predict positive outcomes (Dillenbourg and Schneider, 1995). This article draws two conclusions relative to this mechanism one being that slight misunderstandings can be as efficient as a clear conflict between two agents who respectively believe P and not P and the second being that verbal interactions generated to solve conflict are related to learning outcomes (Dillenbourg and Schneider, 1995). Alternative Proposal also referred to as the confirmation biases by Dillenbourg and Schneider (1995). In so doing students actively develop ideas that support their suggestions and completely disregard ideas that do not. They often times cannot abandon their idea or suggestion because another suggestion may not be forthcoming; however other group members make alternate suggestions. (Self-) explanation; the Self-Explanation effect, as it is in known in many cognitive science literature, describes that in a situation where one student is more knowledge that the other, the latter will automatically learn from the form, and also that the former will grasp a better understanding of the topic being explained as he endeavours to translate into to terms to with the latter student can actively relate. Having successfully explained the more knowledgeable student would have improved upon his skills to interrelate and gained improved confidence. Had there been any uncertainties in the explanation, someone even more knowledgeable might be able to clarify. Internalization; the article explains this mechanism as one in which students explain or justify their suggestions to each other, the verbalization of such impacts all involved and that the concepts communicated are integrated into the listeners reasoning. Thinking is viewed a discussion that one has with oneself and which develops on the basis of discussions we had with others (Dillenbourg and Schneider, 1995). The article also states that for this mechanism to be effective a few conditions must be met, One condition is that subjects can only assimilate concepts which are within their zone of proximal development, i.e. within the neighbourhood of the current cognitive level. Another condition is that the less able peer is not left as a passive listener, but participates into the joint problem solving strategy (Dillenbourg and Schneider, 1995) Appropriation, this is explained as one student observing the ideas or explanations of another and taking those ideas or explanations and building on it to make their own. Learning is two-fold as the first student reinterprets his actions relative to that of the second, and the second student got a sound foundation on which to build. Shared Cognitive Load, this involves the distribution of tasks which will come together to achieve the overall objective of the group. When the workload is even shared between students, each student can work meticulously on the assigned task, thereby eliminating redundancies and improving the efficiency of the group. Mutual Regulation, by employing any of or a combination of the mechanisms previously described, students often have to regulate the actions of each other to ensure that the stipulated guidelines are adhered to for the attainment of their goals. Social Grounding, described lucidly by Dillenbourg and Schneider as the mechanism by which an individual attempts to maintain the belief that his partner has understood what he meant, at least to an extent which is sufficient to carry out the task at hand (Dillenbourg and Schneider, 1995). This mechanism requires the speaker to check for understanding, and where misunderstand is visible to clarify, thereby building a share understanding of the problem. George W. Gagnon. Jr., and Michelle Collay developed another design for collaborative learning and in this model teachers develop a series of steps that their teaching structure follows as listed below: They develop a situation for the students to explain (Gagnon and Collay, 2004) They select a process for groupings of materials and students (Gagnon and Collay, 2004) They build a bridge between what students already know and what the teachers want them to learn (Gagnon and Collay,2004) They anticipate questions to ask and answer without giving away an explanation (Gagnon and Collay, 2004) They encourage students to exhibit a record of their thinking by sharing it with others (Gagnon and Collay, 2004), and They solicit students reflections about their learning (Gagnon and Collay, 2004). A comparison of there collaborative techniques, is illustrated in Appendix 1. Johnson, Johnson, and Smith (1991) highlights three key tasks teachers should follow for the evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness after there group work is completed. Firstly, teachers should provide a closure through summarization. That is, to summarize the lessons important points or to have each group explain their work and the points they found of most significance. Secondly is to evaluate the students learning, by assessing how they have attained or failed to attain the desired outcome and providing the feedback required, allowing students to improve on their ability to work as a group and hence personal development. Thirdly, teachers should make note of the techniques that worked and why they worked and if necessary adjust their lessons. A popular definition of constructivism is that Constructivism is a theory of knowledge which claims that knowledge is not passively received but actively constructed by the learner, and that the function of cognition is adaptive, serving to organise experience, rather than discover reality(online, 2010) Group work has academic, social and physiological benefits to both students and teachers. Academic benefits include: the development of critical thinking and the active involvement of students in the learning process. The social benefits include: the development of social learning systems for students and builds diversity understanding among students and teachers. The physiological benefits include: increased self-esteem through peer-to-peer instructions and it reduces the anxiety of students. Although collaborative learning seems to be dependent on the actions and willingness to learn, which should for many be a natural process, there are many disadvantages as there are advantages to is implementation. A few of the obstacles faced are; some students prefer to work competitively rather that collaboratively, teachers lack the ability to readily assess the work produced, teachers sometimes do not know how to measure the effectiveness of their teachings in a collaborative setting, sometimes the assigned tasks are not applicable to a students goals or abilities, and sometimes the tasks are not difficult enough to challenge but not so difficult as to stonewall a conversation. Some groups may be comprised of slow learners who may be viewed as others as invaluable, thereby promoting superior behaviour by the fast learners. Table 1, Appendix 2, illustrated various group structures and the advantages and disadvantages to these groups. Nigel Hastings and Karen Chantrey-Wood from Nottingham Trent University explores the many strategies teachers utilize in group work activities, many of which are strongly endorsed by a committee known as the Plowden Committee. By spending time with groups of children, teachers could adjust their teaching to the needs of the individuals of that group to a greater extent than when working with an entire class of students as a whole. This also ensures that all children have a reasonable amount of direct contact with their teacher regardless of the fact that they are working in groups [Hastings Wood, 2002]. This suggests that collaborative learning enhances the occurrence of individualized attention given to students, by introducing one-on-one interactions between students and peers and students and teachers. The article also illustrates that classroom arrangement is very important in ensuring that collaborative learning is efficient and effective. It shows that collaborative learning in widely accepted and very commonly practiced across the globe; In primary classrooms throughout the UK, it is standard practice for children to sit around grouped tables usually with four to six children in each group. Such arrangements are also common in primary schools in other English-speaking countries, Australia and USA for example. Precisely because this configuration is so normal and so well established in our schools, it is unusual to ask about its rationale or to question its appropriateness [Hastings Wood, 2002]. An abstract written from an experiment conducted by Gillies and Ashman, One hundred and ninety-two Grade 6 children participated in a study which compared the effects on behavioural interactions and achievement of (a) cooperative learning in which group members were trained to collaborate to facilitate each others learning, and (b) cooperative learning in which members were not trained but were merely told to help each other. Stratified random assignment of participants occurred so that each gender-balanced group consisted of one high-, two medium-, and one low-ability studentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(Gillies Ashman, 1999). The observations showed that the students who worked in the Trained groups where more responsive and helpful to each other, giving explanations where necessary to assist as they worked together. It showed that students in the untrained groups were a lot less helpful towards or cooperative with each other. From the results it was also concluded that the children in the trai ned groups exercised more autonomy with their learning and obtained higher learning outcomes than untrained peers (Gillies Ashman, 1999). This study is one of the many to attest to the success of group work. Despite some drawbacks Collaborative learning has numerous benefits, as is explained, ranging from academic to physiological and it implementation in primary schools is quite a positive move. Students at the primary school level are quite impressionable and there is no better time for them to develop the very valuable competences that working in a group has to offer. At the primary school level they are mature enough to have an understanding of what group work requires. Many of the studies conducted were centralized around childhood developments. Students who can successfully work in groups from the primary school level are usually better equipped for when entering higher level learning institutions. They would have learnt to comfortably relate with peers and adults, such as teachers or other authority figures, they would have learnt the value of self-expression and self-explanation, actively listen and respect the views of others. These students realize that as individuals we have d ifferent backgrounds, experiences and traditions and as such may have diverging approaches to the same problem. These students will also be better able to differentiate between the need to work collaborative and the need to work competitively and in so doing will know when best to apply the respective approaches. This research has revealed that both the teachers and the students play a pivotal role in the success of collaborative learning. Teachers are not expected to only assign tasks and sit back while the students work on their own. Teachers must play an active role throughout the process. They must plan for the assignment with clearly structured tasks that will promote collaborative interactions, promote interdependency and stimulate cognitive thinking among students. Teacher must monitor the process providing ongoing feedback and be readily able to resolve conflicts should they arise. Teachers should be able to actively scaffold their students, knowing when their support is needed and that it should gradually be withdraw. Students in order to successfully achieve their objectives in groups must appreciate the benefits of group work. They must have a clear understanding of the desired objective and the sub-task requirement to successfully achieve the objective. They must be able to actively and reflectively listen to each other and utilize creativity and objectivity to work positively together. In so doing they will learn to foster positive work attitudes with others, thereby improving on their interpersonal skills as they prepare for the work world. Appendix 1 Three Constructivist Design Models [1] 1. The Learning Cycle 2. The Learning Step developed by George W. Gagnon. Jr. and Michelle Collay 3. The Information Construction (ICON) model created by Robert O. McClintock and John B. Black, and is very similar to Dillenbourg and Schneider. Appendix 2 Table 1: Forms of Cooperative Groups[2] NAME OF GROUP WHAT IS THIS? WORKS BEST FOR BENEFITS DRAWBACKS Pair-share 2 students with one problem share their ideas or questions. Each person speaks, listens, gives feedback. Content that requires discussion, reflection, or explanation. Increased engagement time, Helps those who are shy Fewer perspectives and solutions Jigsaw Each member of the small group researches one part of the question /content for a certain amount of time. The members of the group come back together. Each member teaches his/her part to the rest of the group. Content with four or five parts to research. Students gain teaching and research skills Some students feel pressured by a time limit Split-class discussion The class is split into half. Each side discusses /debates their knowledge /beliefs, etc. Debates or discussions Students may change their opinion or develop a different perspective Some students may speak less with such a large group. Random groups of 3 Class is split into groups of 3. The groups discuss the topic. Predicting what will happen, responding to a situation. Receive a variety of feedback, group members are accountable Easy to leave out or team up against a shy student or one who has a different opinion Ability/Interest/Friendship Group Students are divided into groups based on some quality that they all have in common. Creating plays/skits or an activity in which students must work together outside of class. Students can work at a pace that best suits them, students are rarely bored and often motivated It is unrealistic to find a completely homogeneous group, weaker or unpopular students may be excluded. Diversity Groups Students are formed into groups where they come from a wide variety of backgrounds, interests, etc. Exploring geography, history, and diverse lifestyles. There are many opportunities to gain different perspectives Minorities may become alienated Multi-aged groups Students are divided into groups in which there are a mixture of ages Older students teaching younger students (i.e. science experiments). Older students- there is less pressure to compete with peers, Younger students fell important that an older person is spending time with them Older students may be a bad influence; Older students may not know how to work with a younger child or an at risk student Peer-led Conferences Students prepare and lead a discussion of material with parents, instructors, students, etc. A major project in which students set up stations for several intelligences. Students get the opportunity to authentically teach, students learn self confidence. Students whose parents are inactive in the school may be alienated from those whose parents participate; some students may not be involved in interactions. Notes: These diagrams were obtained from: http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/implementation_sub1.html This table was obtained from: http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Cooperative_Learning#Frequently_Asked_Questions_about_Cooperative_Learning

F. Scott Fitzgerald: Living the American Dream Essay -- American Dream

F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of America’s most famous authors whose works were greatly influenced by his life and his economic crises. Fitzgerald was born on September 24, 1896, in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was named after his second cousin three times removed on his fathers side: Francis Scott Key, the man who wrote the â€Å"Star- Spangled Banner†. (Bio.com) Mary â€Å"Mollie† McQuillan, Fitzgerald’s mother, was an Irish immigrant with a large inheritance. Then, his father was Edward Fitzgerald, who was a failed wicker, but later was a salesman for Procter and Gamble. (Shmoop Editorial Team) Due to his father’s failure they moved back and forth, for the first decade of his life, between Buffalo and Syracuse in upstate N.Y. His dad lost his job as a salesman when F. Scott Fitzgerald was 12 and they moved back to St. Paul living on the mothers inheritance. When F. Scott Fitzgerald was 13 when he published his first piece of writing for his school’s newspaper in 1909.(Bio.com) After Fitzgerald’s formal education he went on to Princeton University, where he wrote for Princeton Tiger and the Triangle Club.(Shmoop Editorial Team) But, he was put on academic probation for his bad grades, so he dropped out and joined the army.(Bio.com) And even in the army Fitzgerald wrote, he began a novel titled The Romantic Egoist in 1917. Unfortunately, when he sent it to his editor/publisher, Scribners, it was rejected, but Scribners encouraged him to revise it. Then, in 1918 he meets his future wife, Zelda Sayre, in Alabama while he was commissioned there.(Shmoop Editorial Team) This new beauty Fitzgerald found in Alabama is an artist, dancer, and also a writer. Although Zelda liked Fitzgerald she broke off their engagement, a year after they me... ...24 Feb. 2014. . "F. Scott Fitzgerald Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2014. . "F. Scott Fitzgerald." PBS. PBS, Mar. 2007. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. "F. Scott Fitzgerald Quotes." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. . "The Great Gatsby: Reviews and Ratings." IMDb. IMDb.com, 10 May 2013. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. . Shmoop Editorial Team. "F. Scott Fitzgerald Timeline of Important Dates." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. .

Just Like in the Movies Essay -- Creative Writing Short Story Essays

Just Like in the Movies As the credits began to appear and the typical end-of-movie music started to play Anne sat quietly in her chair while the tears streamed down her face. This was not a new moment for her; in fact this is how every weekend night since high school had been spent. Most people would find something wrong or sad with this, but the truth was there was no other place she’d rather be. There was comfort she found sitting bundled up with a box of tissues and popcorn in front of whatever her movie choice of the night may be. Anne rose from the faded green chair and switched off the TV, sending the room into immediate darkness, until she flicked on the overhead light. â€Å"If that was only me,† she wondered aloud, as it was a common, almost routine question after every film for anyone who was willing to answer. The single meow of spunky, her feline companion was the only response she ever received, and tonight was no different. She shuffled her way to the kitchen to wash out the plastic popcorn bowl and glanced at the clock on the wall, 2:06 am, not a surprise. She switched off the light and headed for the bedroom with spunky close behind. Anne crawled into bed and stared at the ceiling waiting for her dreams to come carry her away. Anne Hathaway was pretty average to anyone who never took the time to get to know her, which was just about everyone. She was one of those girls that was ugly in middle school, but became beautiful in adolescence. The only problem was she didn’t know it, as far as she was concerned she remained the ugly duckling. Which was far from reality. Anne was about two weeks shy of her twenty-third birthday and could pass for eighteen. She had soft copper hair that reste... ...er reactions more than she was watching the movie. When it finally came to and end, Anne found herself smiling â€Å"well that was different.† Then she turned to Eve, who was almost on the point of laughter. â€Å"I’m sorry, I just had to show you this movie† â€Å"Why are you sorry? I liked it, I’ll admit it was ‘different’, but it was still good† Anne said, â€Å"is this what you meant when you said you wanted to see a love story that wasn’t like all the other ones?† The look on Eve’s face began to change to that of a scared little puppy. Anne looked at Eve and everything seemed to fall into place, she let go of all her hurt and leaned forward slightly to meet Eve’s lips with a kiss. There was no need for either of them to say anything, Eve had seen something in Anne, and fallen in love, and Anne had never let herself until now fall in love again.

Abigail Adams and How She Shaped the Role of Women in American History

Almost everyone’s heard of her, there have been numerous books written about her, several thousand letters accounted for that she wrote. She was also the wife of the second president and the mother to the sixth American president, who was this woman? She was Abigail Adams. Abigail Adams life didn’t acquire meaning solely from knowing and being around these two great men however, Adams was eminently worth knowing as an individual herself. Throughout the ages, women have always been involved in war but Abigail Adams brought a new concept to women and war with her involvement in the early colonial years and the American Revolution. Abigail Adams did many things in her lifetime but the questions I will be attempting to answer is how exactly did she impact the Revolutionary War and change the social roles of women in such a male dominated society. First and foremost, some basic knowledge on the early years and the foundation of Adam’s life are imperative to the understanding of Abigail Adams and how she grew into becoming the women she did. Abigail Adams was born Abigail Smith in a church in Weymouth, Massachusetts on November 11, 1744. Adams’s parents were William Smith, a liberal Congregational minister and her mother Elizabeth Quincy was of a prominent political family at the time. Abigail was the second born of four siblings, one brother and three sisters, their family faith was Congregational. The Adams’s were an active family in throughout the community and involved in the politics of the time. A majority of Adams’s younger days consisted of corresponding with family and friends and reading. Her childhood and young adult life didn’t involve much singing, dancing or card playing as young women typically participated in... ... Thoughts Life and Letters of Abigail Adams Gelles, Edith B. First Thoughts: Life and Letters of Abigail Adams . New York, New York: Twayne Publishers, 1998. Dearest Friend: A life of Abigail Adams Withey, Lynne. Dearest Friend: A Life of Abigail Adams. New York, New York: Free Press Division of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1981. Abigail Adams - A Life Holton, Woody. Abigail Adams - A Life. New York, New York: Free Press A Division of Simon & Schuster Inc., 2009. Patriotism and the Female Sex, Abigail Adams and the American Revolution Skinner Keller, Rosemary. Patriotism and the Female Sex: Abigail Adams and the American Revolution. Brooklyn, New York: Carlson Publishing Inc., 1994. Abigail Adams, An American Women Akers, Charles. Abigail Adams, An American Women. Toronto, Canada and Boston, Massachusetts: Little Brown and Company, 1980.

Briefly comment on the communication research report Essay

With rapid advancement of new communication technologies, people currently can freely and actively express their own opinions in the new media. For example, the Internet has dramatically changed the ways in which some individuals receive news and information, this is very big different from the traditional forms of communication. However, there are some correlation links between traditional mass communication ways and modern new technology ways(Kotcher,1992;Rubin, 1994). Roberts M, Wanta, W and Dzwo, T (2002) examined one aspect of the Internet: electronic bulletin boards (EBBs). The objective of this study is to investigate if traditional news media sources have an agenda-setting impact on the discussions taking place on the EBBs. In other words, the purpose of the study is to examine the agenda-setting process and the role it may play on the Internet. The report’s dominant methodology is quantitative. As we know, it is a critical issue that appropriate methodology should be taken depending on different research topic. Quantitative approach and qualitative approach have their respective advantages and disadvantages (Fowler, 1993). Quantitative research, through surveys, gathers data about people’s knowledge, opinions, attitudes and behavior. Quantitative research approach is used to generate new knowledge for evidence-based practice. Attention will be given to the advantages and disadvantages of Quantitative research designs for large group research, the principles of reliability and validity, the value of descriptive and inferential statistics and the importance of ethical research conduct. For the topic, it belongs to sociology category, so I think the researchers have used appropriate research approach (quantitative research approach) even though the approach has some disadvantages. This is because quantitative research approach for this topic has the following advantages: Large members of people can be studies; the method is relatively quick and relatively cheap; the results are reliable, and representative of a much wider population than that directly investigated, the personal influence of the research on the results is slight and the data can easily be expressed in statistical form. This enables comparisons to be made between different groups and populations. For this study, the researchers use Internet, its main advantages are low/moderate cost to design; low cost to send; quick to analyse data; easy for respondent to complete and can attach brochures, images, etc. However, Every survey methodology has its weaknesses, and online surveys are no exception. – Not sure who is answering the survey. Like mail studies, it is difficult to insure the desired person actually answers the survey. – Not representative of the population. The Internet population has a slight bias towards younger, more computer literate users, though this is changing all the time and becoming more representative of the population. – Long surveys are more difficult. The personalities of today’s online users makes it difficult to coerce respondents into completing long surveys. – Not a â€Å"mainstream† research methodology, yet. With more experience and comparative analyses of online surveys versus mail and telephone results, online surveys should reach the same level of acceptance as other methodologies. For this research, the researchers use EBBs which has the above weaknesses too. For the research’s method, the researchers use five steps (Roberts, 2002, P456-458): The first step imperative examines whether traditional news media sources have an agenda-setting impact on the discussions taking place on the EBBs. They ask † Do individuals take issue information gained from news media and pass information about this issue online to other electronic bulletin board users? † The second step is selecting the sample. The third step deals with defining categories, time frames, coding units, and context units. The fourth step is content analysis and the final and fifth step of content analysis process is to analyze and interpret the data. The five steps are typical research method that is used by many researchers (McMillan, 2000) and they are very similar with the quantities analysis approach (the Scientific Method) which includes seven steps: Defining the problem; Developing a Model; Acquiring Input Data; Developing a Solution; Testing the Solution; Analyzing the Results and Implementing the Results (Render, 1982). The researchers use an ARIMA model cross-correlational test showed EBB discussions of three issues—immigration, health care, and taxes-correlated with news media coverage, with time lags varying from 1 day to 7 days. In my opinion, the method is appropriate method for the topic. This investigation looks for a more powerful effect than previous agenda-setting researchers. Because of the Internet’s dynamic characteristic of transmitting information from senders to receivers, researchers currently assume that our traditional theories of mass communication can directly apply to online communication (Wimmer, 1994). The researches have an accurate research questions or hypothesis that are: how will the new online communication forms affect the agenda-setting process? Can we assume that the transfer of salience still follows the original hypothesis? How does the condensed and compressed environment of online communication affect what we know about time frame effects? All these questions are explored in their study. By quantitative research, the researchers concluded: † The results demonstrate the usefulness of examining the rule the Internet plays in the agenda-setting process. Media coverage apparently can provide individuals with information to use in their Internet discussions. As the Internet continues to become an important source of information, it also will become an important area for mass communication researchers. † (Roberts, 2002, P464). The report also recommended† future research should link other mass communication theoretical approaches with Internet usage†. Despite the research has some definite problems; online research has many more advantages than disadvantages. When surveying populations, which mimic the demographics of online users, online research can be a primary means of information collection. With other populations, online research can be effective as a supplement to more traditional survey approaches or as a quick impression of your customers (much like qualitative approaches are used). For outlook, as the Internet continues to grow in popularity, investigations of the content of information being sent online similarly will increase in importance. The study takes an important step in linking the Internet to a mainstream mass communication theory. References Kotcher, R. L. (1992). The technological revolution has transformed crisis communication. Public Relations Quarterly, 37(3), 19-21. Rubin, R. , P. Palmgreen, and H. Sypher (1994 eds. ), Communication Research Measures: A Sourcebook, New York: Guilford. Roberts, et al (2002), Agenda setting and issue salience online. Communication Research, Vol. 29 No. 4, August 452-465. Fowler, Floyd J. , Jr (1993). Survey Research Methods, 2nd ed. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. McMillan, S. J. (2000). The microscope and the moving target: The challenge of applying content analysis to the World Wide Web. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, 77, 80-98. Render, B and Stair, R. M (1982). Quantitative Analysis for Management ( The Second Edition). New York: Library of congress Cataloging in Publication Data. Wimmer, R. D. and J. R. Dominick (1994), Mass Media Research: An Introduction, 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.