Policy Action Memorandum Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Policy Action Memorandum - Term Paper Example On the positive side could be considered a certain impact on the geopolitics of the region, namely the possibility of curbing or at least weakening Iran, insofar as the regime of the incumbent Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, is a key Tehran’s ally4. There are several options available for dealing with the issue, as follows: arming the opposition forces with more sophisticated weapon systems, which might alter the balance on the ground; either surgical air strikes or a wider air campaign that would hamper the regime forces’ ground operations and weaken their capabilities, including aerial superiority over the rebels; the establishment of air exclusion zone; and a direct, full-scale ground involvement. Although the latter option is considered the most costly one, it is the only way the US could guarantee – to a certain degree however – its long-term interests in the region, including such related to the national security. Executive Summary The ongoing con flict between Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the opposition forces in Syria poses serious threats to both the US national security and long-term interests in the Middle East. The civil war is steadily destabilizing the region as whole and Syria’s neighbors in particular, most notably Lebanon and Israel. Apart from the humanitarian crisis, with over one million Syrian citizens having fled to Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey and over two other million people internally displaced because of the fighting5, the conflict could easily get internationalized mainly due to the various outside actors involved6. Syria’s vast chemical weapons arsenal is among the biggest threats to US national security mainly due to the real probability of being taken by Islamic extremist organizations after the fall of the regime. On the other hand, the likely use of chemical weapons – especially against alleged â€Å"external aggression†7 – might cause the things to get completely out of hand, including retaliation strikes from the parties concerned, further escalation of the conflict, etc.; hence a rapid and grave deterioration of the already volatile situation in the region of the Middle East. This PAM recommends a US-led full-scale intervention in the Syrian conflict, including ground, naval and aerial forces, preferably in a wide coalition with key Western allies and various partners from the Arab world, such as the coalition that fought against Saddam Hussein during the First Gulf War. The direct ground involvement is the only option that would guarantee that the Syrian chemical arsenal will not be seized by terrorist organizations and/or irresponsible governments, or rogue states, which would later use it for their own purposes, most likely against key American allies or the United States themselves. The Policy Issue and it’s Relation to US National Security The ongoing Syrian civil war represents a significant issue in regard to the U S national security and long-term interests in the region of the Middle East. First of all, the conflict is a major destabilizing factor in a volatile region that is by definition prone to unrest and violence. Apart from Iran’s geopolitical ambitions, this particularly rings true as far as Lebanon and Israel are concerned. Hezbollah has already got involved in the conflict, whether indirectly – via funding, arming and training the local Popular Committee militias,

Theme Parks Essay Example for Free

Theme Parks Essay Domestic an International Tourism Economy, 303 Mihai Bravu Street, bl 18 A, sc B, ap 54, sector3, Bucharest, Email: [emailprotected] com, Phone 0744. 671. 291 Strutzen Gina 14 Alexandru Ioan Cuza Street, Voluntari, Ilfov, Email: [emailprotected] com, Phone: 0723. 212. 300, Romanian American Univerity, Faculty of Domestic an International Tourism Economy Theme parks are star players in the tourism industry, and play a special and important role in generating tourism demand. Theme parks are the main motivators for tourism trips to many destinations and core elements of the tourism product. Domestic an International Tourism Economy, 303 Mihai Bravu Street, bl 18 A, sc B, ap 54, sector3, Bucharest, Email: [emailprotected] com, Phone 0744. 671. 291 Strutzen Gina 14 Alexandru Ioan Cuza Street, Voluntari, Ilfov, Email: [emailprotected] com, Phone: 0723. 212. 300, Romanian American Univerity, Faculty of Domestic an International Tourism Economy Theme parks are star players in the tourism industry, and play a special and important role in generating tourism demand. Theme parks are the main motivators for tourism trips to many destinations and core elements of the tourism product. Competition in the theme park market is growing also in terms of an increasing number of parks, but also relative to other uses of leisure. But in different areas, the theme park market in seems to be reaching its saturation point and the parks have to cater for visitors who are getting more and more experienced and demanding. Given these trends of growing theme park supply, environmental constraints and increasingly discriminating consumer demand, it can be concluded that theme parks, to survive in this competitive market, must optimize is, given an ever increasing number of parks and future trend of consumer behavior. Keywords: tourism, theme parks, development The theme park concept In general, theme parks can be defined as a subset of visitor attractions. Visitor attractions are described as permanent resources which are designed, controlled and managed for the enjoyment, amusement, entertainment, and education of the visiting public There are the main types of managed attractions for visitors: ancient monuments; historic buildings; parks and gardens; theme parks; wildlife attractions; museums; art galleries; industrial archeology sites; themed retail sites; amusement and leisure parks. Another definition of visitor attractions is regarded by specialists as â€Å"single units, individual sites or clearly defined small-scale geographical areas that are accessible and motivate large numbers of people to travel some distance from their home, usually in their leisure time, to visit them for a short, limited period of time†. Although this definition excludes uncontrollable and unmanageable phenomena the definition does imply that attractions are entities that are capable of being delimited and managed. The adepts of this definition consider four main types of attractions: features within the natural environment (beaches, caves, forests); man-made buildings, structures and sites that were designed for a purpose; other than attracting visitors (churches, archeological sites); man-made buildings, structures and sites that were designed to attract visitors and were purposely built to accommodate their needs, such as theme parks (theme parks, museums, waterfront developments); special events (sporting events, markets). These four types are distinguished by two aspects. Firstly, the first three types are generally permanent attractions, while the last category covers attractions that are temporary. Second, tourism is often seen as a threat to the first two types, and is generally perceived to be beneficial and an opportunity for the last two types. Managers of the first two types of attractions in general deal with problems caused by visitors, such as environmental damages and pollution, while managers of the other two types tend to aim to attract tourists, increase visitor numbers, and maximize economic input. The main features that distinguish theme parks from other kinds of visitor attractions are: †¢ a single pay-one-price admission; †¢ charge; †¢ the fact that they are mostly artificially created; †¢ the requirement of high capital investments. Theme parks attempt to create an atmosphere of another place and time, and usually emphasize one dominant theme around which architecture, landscape, rides, shows, food services, costumed personnel, retailing are 635 orchestrated. In this definition, the concept of themes is crucial to the operation of the parks, with rides, entertainment, and food all used to create several different environments. Examples of types of themes used in contemporary theme parks include history-periods, fairy tails, animals, water, marine and futurism. These themes are used to create and sustain a feeling of life involvement in a setting completely removed from daily experience. Most theme parks are isolated, self contained units. Furthermore, it needs to be noted that most theme parks are developed, targeted and managed as private sector companies, and are commercial enterprises. The world’s best known theme parks arguably are the Disney parks, such as Disneyland, Disneyworld and Euro Disney. The amusement parks, appeared previous the theme park concept, which were developed at the turn of this century and consisted of a mixture of entertainment, rides, games, and tests of skill provided at fairs, carnivals, circuses, and frequently they had an outdoor garden for drinking. Amusement parks were an important element of mass tourism in the pre-depression period. However, the World War II has strongly influenced the decline of the traditional amusement park. Many parks were forced to close down permanently, while others survived, on a reduced scale, into the 1950s or even beyond. Since the end of World War II the number and range of theme parks available to consumers has multiplied dramatically. The rise of car-ownership has increased mobility and allowed people to visit more isolated parks in their own countries that were previously inaccessible. Rising affluence has increased the amount of free time. Also, longer weekends and increased paid holidays have helped to stimulate the expansion in theme park visits. Furthermore, the growth of tourism in the past fifty years and the recognition of the economic benefits of tourism have led to the growth of purpose-built attractions, such as theme parks, specifically designed to attract tourists, and to encourage them to spend their money. Disney was the first to introduce a special and new style of parks around a number of themes or unifying ideas to sanitize the amusement park for the middle classes. The modern day techniques for reproducing landscape, buildings, and arte facts can create a reality in theme parks that has been previously the preserve of film and theatre. Through changes in transportation technology and social attitudes, downtown industrial and residential land has become redundant. For example, historic buildings are often inaccessible to the new scale of road, and historic buildings worthy of conservation are not always adaptable to new business practice. The current interest in urban space for leisure and the use of leisure as a generator for adaptation and renewal is significant. In marketing urban locations for new investment the quality of life is becoming identified with the quality of the leisure environment. During the 80’s and 90’s, theme parks began spreading around the world. While many developing nations are experiencing the entertainment of theme parks for the first time, the theme park growth slowed in the USA due to escalating costs and a lack of markets large enough to support a theme park. The development of theme parks over time has been different in every country, reflecting differences in a number of factors including: the level of economic development and the distribution of wealth; the transport system; the natural environment and built heritage; the national culture; the degree to which tourism is a matter of incoming foreign visitors rather than domestic demand. The tourism general environment of the theme parks The theme park and its total tourism environment need to be a place in which the entire array of physical features and services are provided for an assumed capacity of visitors. The tourism supply and demand market is the two sides that require close examination for theme park planning. Insight in market developments is necessary for taking a longer term perspective in theme park planning. The economic environment of theme parks The planning efforts of theme park are mostly directed towards improving the economy, because the economic impact of theme parks is generally positive including: increased direct and indirect employment, income and foreign exchange; improved transportation facilities and other infrastructure for tourism that residents also can 636 utilize; generation of government revenues for improvement of community facilities and services; the multiplier effect within the local and regional economy. Although improving the economy is an important goal, it will not be achieved unless planning for the economy is accompanied by three other goals, enhanced visitor satisfaction, protected resource assets, and integration with community social and economic life. For example, some theme parks use imported goods and services instead of taking advantage of locally available resources. Also, tourism can cause inflation of local prices of land, goods and services. The socio-cultural environment of theme parks The impact of theme park operations can bring both benefits and problems to the local society and its cultural patterns. A theme park in an area generates contact between residents and visitors. This can be problematic in areas where the traditional cultural pattern of the residents differs extremely from that of the visitors of a park. Also, when there is a substantial socioeconomic difference between the visitors and the residents this may cause a problem. For example, problems may include over crowding of facilities and transportation, over commercialization, misunderstandings and conflicts between residents and visitors because of differences in languages, customs, and value systems, and violation of local dress and behavior codes. Theme parks especially have peak attendance figures, and therefore the concentration of visitors in space and time is a major problem. On the other hand, tourism in an area may improve the living standards of people and help pay for improvements to community facilities and services if the economic benefits of tourism are well distributed. The psychically environment of theme parks Theme parks’ environmental impact is mostly negative and a cause for concern. As theme parks have been designed specifically to accommodate the modern visitor, the environmental impact of theme parks can include visual pollution like unattractive buildings and structures, and large unattractive car parks. The space occupation of parks is enormous and mostly involves destruction of parts of the natural environment. Other environmental problems are air and water pollution, noise, vehicular and pedestrian congestion, and land use incompatibility. Therefore, an essential element of theme park planning is determining the carrying capacities or use saturation levels of the area. The transportation of the theme parks Passenger transportation is a vital component of the theme park system. Theme parks have a relationship with transport systems in a number of ways: The transport networks make theme parks physically accessible to potential visitors and therefore are an important factor in determining the number of visitors a theme park is likely to attract. The e existence of major theme parks and attractions leads to the development of new public transport services to meet the demand of visitors. The transport is also important within destinations to make travel between theme parks and attractions and between attractions and services as easy as possible. The modes of transport can often be an attraction in themselves with passengers being encouraged to see using them as a type of special event. The novel methods of on-site transport are used to move visitors around the theme park in ways that will add to the enjoyment of their visit. The planning of inter modal transportation centers is needed for domestic local, as well as outside, visitor markets. The infrastructure of theme parks In addition to transportation facilities, other infrastructure elements include water supply, electric power, waste disposal, and telecommunications. These components are usually planned by the public sector. Even though private and independent decision making are valued highly by most enterprises in all tourism sectors, each will gain by better understanding the trends and plans by others. The public sector can plan for better highways, water supply, waste disposal, when private sector plans for attractions and services are known. Conversely, the private sector can plan and develop more effectively when public sector plans are known. Facilities offered by the theme parks Accommodation, hotels and other tourist facilities, provide services so that tourists can stay overnight during their travels. Other facilities necessary for tourism development include tour and travel operations, restaurants, retail 637 outlets, souvenir shops, financial facilities and services, tourist information offices, public safety facilities and services of police and fire protection. A theme park and its environment need to be planned in such a way that the entire array of physical features and services is provided for an assumed capacity of visitors. It is important in planning the services businesses to realize that they gain from clustering. Food services, lodging, and supplementary services must be grouped together and within reasonable time and distance reach for the visitor. The institutional environment The institutional elements need to be considered in planning the theme park environment. From national to local governing levels, statutory requirements may stimulate or hinder tourism development. For example, policies on infrastructure may favor one area over another. Also, the administrative laws and regulations can influence the amount and quality of tourism development in a particular area. Policies of the many departments and bureaus can greatly influence how human, physical and cultural resources are applied. The development of theme parks The theme park market worldwide has grown dramatically during the last decades. For example, in the USA (where most of the theme park trends originated), theme parks have more than 200 million paid attendees each year. This strong consumer demand has resulted in the development of many parks. These parks are not only growing rapidly in size and importance, but also are investing substantial amounts in new entertainment and facilities, and extending their services into relatively unexplored areas such as catering and accommodation.. Also, Asia is the theme park market for the new millennium. Even more, several Asian cities, like Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, want to become ‘tourism hubs’, and theme parks are central to these plans. Although in the Asian countries a shift from hopping centers to theme parks can be seen, the opposite can be observed as well indicating a growing role of retailing in existing theme parks. The relationship between merchandising and theme park visits clearly has potential for further growth, and the advantages of stimulating this demand are becoming increasingly recognized by theme park operators. They are racing to obtain more profits out of their rides, activities and exhibits by linking rides to merchandise and placing goods at spots where visitors are most likely to buy, and that is close to the key rides, activities and exhibits The objective is to give people a part of the park to take home and share with others. In Europe most theme parks were built in the last 25 years. First, theme parks were more a Northern Europe phenomenon, but recently, several regions and countries in Southern Europe have supported the growth of theme parks as an attractive option to increase economic input. Due to all these new parks built, the theme park market is saturating. Consequently, the competition in the European theme park market is growing. Not only in terms of the growing number of new other parks, but also due to other uses of leisure time and discretionary expenditure such as home-based entertainment systems. Managers of large theme parks are concerned about the scale of the investments required to add new exciting rides, activities and exhibits to their product. Especially, because a golden rule is that a theme park every year has to expand their park with a new attraction, to attract the required level of visitors European theme parks invest in average twenty percent of their turnover on new or better rides, activities and exhibits. Theme parks challenges The first challenge for theme parks managers is to integrate the elements in the park itself with all the elements defining the theme park environment in the theme park development plan. For example, theme parks cannot function without transportation possibilities to bring the visitor to the park, or food supply or accommodation to support the visitor’s stay. Planning a theme park requires significant public private cooperation. More and more public governments turn to the private sector for the provision of services and the production of new products However, in order for such processes to run smoothly in theme parks, greater understanding of the roles of both sectors is needed. All private sector players on the supply side of the theme park environment such as, attractions, services, transportation, etc., depend greatly on investment, planning and management policies of government. Conversely, governments depend on the private sector for many tourism activities and responsibilities. Therefore, cooperation between the public and private sector is essential. 638 Another characteristic of theme parks is that their demand is highly seasonal. For theme park planners seasonality effects mean that they need to plan the facilities in such a way that whatever season or number of visitors in the park, the visitor experiences in the park are optimal. Also, when demand for rides, activities and facilities fluctuates during the day this can cause problems for the park, such as congestion and time specific peaks at the rides, activities and facilities. For theme park managers, capacity planning and routing is therefore an important task to deal with these problems. For example, to optimize the visitor streams in the park and to minimize waiting times at the activities. Another characteristic is the fact that theme parks face high fixed costs and low variable costs. This means that the costs per visitor in the low season, when there are only few visitors in the park, are much higher than in the high season, especially if the quality of the visitor experience has to be maintained. Furthermore, each year parks require high investments to add new exciting attractions to their product to attract the required level of visitors At the demand side, theme park planners may rely on marketers to actively try and manipulate tourist demand, by price differentiation across seasons, special rates for early bookings and bundling of services and visits over time or with other tourist facilities in the region. Similar to other tourist attractions, theme parks first and foremost provide enjoyment to their customers. This implies that theme park managers face especially strong demands from customers for new and exciting innovations in their services. Special strategies need to be devised to deal with tourist variety seeking. Also typically a diverse number of services within a park is required to promote repeat visits and to cater for different members of visitors groups as seniors and children) and for different segments in the tourist population at large. This has important implications for theme park planning in terms of location and type of activities that should be introduced and supported. Detailed consumer information often is essential to meet these consumers’ requirements. The costumers requirements place special demands on theme park planners in terms of: meeting environmental standards imposed through (inter)national regulations and local communities, by increasing demands in terms of landscaping and design, and financial responsibilities in terms of managing large areas of land which need to be bought, leased or rented depending on the organization’s financial management strategy. Another challenge facing theme park planner is that planning a park requires special skills in terms of combining creative and commercial abilities. Theme park design is crucial in determining the success of a park. In terms of design, several different levels can be distinguished. First, rides, activities and exhibits have to be designed attractively and effectively both in terms of initial appeal and usage. Second, landscaping and urban designs are required to integrate the different single facilities into a whole based on the selected theme for the park. And finally, activities and services need to be arranged that can support and increase consumer experiences of the physical elements in the park. There also are some more general features of the theme park product that are shared with other services and that are a challenge to theme park planning. Meeting consumer demand must be done however without compromising environmental and socio-cultural objectives. Because the theme product is consumed and produced at the same time, the service must be right the first time. Therefore, adequate theme park planning is highly critical for optimizing the delivery of the theme park product to the consumer. The final challenges facing theme park planners are created by the theme park market. There is a growing competition in the theme park market, with an ever increasing number of parks and many parks expanding their activities. Even more so, the tourist demand market is facing demographic changes in the form of agreeing population, economic changes that lead to tighter family time budgets because of an increasing number of double earner households, and the introduction of new technologies such as multimedia entertainment that compete directly with the traditional theme park market. Knowledge of potential market origins, and interests, habits and other travel characteristics of the population is a necessary but not sufficient condition to plan the several components of the supply side. It is important for the parks to know how consumers think, and what makes them visit or not visit attractions, and when they want to visit a park. Also, for theme park planners, an estimate of peak visitor volume is essential to the planning of every feature of the theme park, parking, attractions, exhibits, toilet facilities, tour guidance, food services and souvenir sales. 639 It can be concluded that the challenges theme park planners face ask for planning methods that can integrate the different components in the planning processes within and across various levels of planning. References : 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Clave, Clark, Global theme park industry, Cab International, 2007; Goelder, Ch. , Tourism – principles, practices, philosophies 8th ed. , Edit. John Wiley Sons, SUA, 2000; Wright, Godwin, The Imagineering Field Guide to Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Disney Press, 2005; www. themeparkinsider. com www. amusamentparks. com.

Essay on Aristophanes’ Lysistrata :: Lysistrata

The Lysistrata Aristophanes was a "craft" comedy poet in the fourth century B.C. during the time of the Peloponnesian War. Aristophanes' usual style was to be too satirical, and suggesting the outlandish. He shows little mercy when mocking Socrates and his "new-fangled ideas" which were most likely designed to destroy the cohesiveness of society and lead to anarchy, in his play The Clouds. The most absurd and humorous of Aristophanes' comedies are those in which the main characters, the heroes of the story, are women. Smart women. One of the most famous of Aristophanes' comedies depicting powerfully effectual women is the Lysistrata, named after the female lead character of the play. It portrays Athenian Lysistrata and the women of Athens teaming up with the women of Sparta to force their husbands to end the Peloponnesian War. To make the men agree to a peace treaty, the women seized the Acropolis, where Athens' financial reserves are kept, and prevented the men from squandering them further on the war. They then beat back an attack on their position by the old men who have remained in Athens while the younger men are out on campaign. When their husbands return from battle, the women refuse to have sex with them. This sex strike, which is portrayed in a series of exaggerated and blatant sexual innuendoes, finally convinces the men of Athens and Sparta to agree to a peace treaty. The Lysistrata shows women acting bravely and even aggressively against men who seem resolved on ruining the city-state by prolonging a pointless war and excessively expending reserves stored in the Acropolis. This in turn added to the destruction of their family life by staying away from home for long stretches while on military campaign. The men would come home when they could, sexually relieve themselves, and then leave again to continue a senseless war. The women challenge the masculine role model to preserve the traditional way of life of the community. When the women become challenged themselves, they take on the masculine characteristics and attitudes and defeat the men physically, mentally but most of all strategically. Proving that neither side benefits from it, just that one side loses more than the other side. It's easy to see why fourth century B.

The effect of motivation on behavior

In everyday conversation, the question â€Å"What motivated you to do that?† is a way of asking, â€Å"What caused your behavior?   Why did you act that way?†Ã‚   To psychologists, a motivation is a need or desire that serves to energize behavior and to direct it toward a goal.   Psychologists consider motivation as a hypothetical concept.   Hence, they infer motivation from behaviors observe.But in a broader sense, motivation pertains to the purpose for responding.   The term comes from the Latin verb movere, which means, â€Å"to move,† and it is what causes movement (behavior) that concerns this paper.   The idea of movement is reflected in such commonsense ideas about motivation as something that gets us going, keep us moving, and helps us get jobs done.   Conversely, a person is not motivated when s/he cannot seem to get out of bed or off the sofa (Pintrich, 2001).Despite these commonly held ideas, definitions of motivation are numerous and varie d, and there is much disagreement over the precise nature of motivation.   Motivation has been conceived of in such varied terms as involving inner forces, enduring traits, behavioral responses tom stimuli, and sets of beliefs and affects (Schunk, D.H. 2003).Although motivation has many facets, psychologists have been especially concerned with those influences that energize and direct responses.   Simply stated, motivation determines how strong a behavior will be and the form it will take.   Moreover, much of what is known about motivational processes comes from research on how people respond to the difficulties, problems, failures, and setbacks encountered as individuals pursue goals over time.  Ã‚   Various theories contend that motivation underlies much human behavior (Weiner, 2005).Psychologists have different theoretical perspectives on motivation.   At present, there are four motivational strategies that are influential on how psychologists have understood  motivat ion, namely, flow theory, stress and coping theory, and intrinsic and extrinsic theory.Flow theoryCsikszentmihalyi (2005) studied individuals who engaged in intrinsically motivating activities and found that their experiences reflected complete involvement with the activities. This involvement, is known as the flow theory, and is defined as â€Å"the holistic sensation that people feel when they act with total involvement† (Csikszentmihalyi, 2005).According to Csikszentmihalyi, the flow is very much related to other human motives and has shown that the dimensions in this two-by-two classification are closed-versus open-system goals and intra- versus interindividual processes.   Closed goals are those that determined by genetics (needs, hunger, thirst, safety, optimal activation) or socialization; open goals develop as a result of experience and cannot be explained by pre-existing factors.   Interindividual processes are social in nature, whereas intraindividual processes refer to the person.   Flow is a personal process and reflects open systemic goals (Csikszentmihalyi & Rathunde, 2003).Moreover, individuals experiencing flow are so intensely involved with a task that they may lose awareness of time and space.   They also seek a flow experience for itself rather than for anticipated rewards.   Although flow can be experienced with any activity, it is more likely to occur with activities that allow for free expression and creativity such as games, play, and art.   De Charm’s origin state shares many elements with flow.   In extreme form, individuals forsake a traditional lifestyle and most contingent material rewards to engage in activities that provide flow (de Charms, 1996).There are a number of researches on the flow theory.   These researches have proven that despite being nebulous, the flow theory makes intuitive sense.   Csikszentmihalyi (2002)  describes a research study in which the Experience Sampling Method was emplo yed.   Adults carried beepers that sounded several times a week, at which time subjects rated themselves on two dependent variables:   Affect (comprising items â€Å"happy,† â€Å"cheerful,† â€Å"sociable†) and activation (comprising â€Å"active,† â€Å"alert,† â€Å"strong†).Subjects also judged their situation for challenges present and skills available.   The amount of time individuals judged themselves to be in flow (defined as challenges and skills present and equal to one another) was related positively to affect and activation (Csikszentmihalyi,2002).Mayers (reported in Csikszentmihalyi, 2002) had high school students’ rate school subjects and activities on challenge and skill.   Favorite activities fell into the flow are (challenge= skill): TV and music listening (low on each); friends (moderate); and arts, such as drama or ballet, and sports (high on each).   Skills were judged to exceed challenges in humanities a nd social sciences, resulting in boredom.   Challenges were rated as exceeding skills in mathematics and the sciences, resulting in anxiety.Other research compared the flow experiences of three groups of adolescents.   One group attended a select public school in Italy, a second group attended a typical suburban high school near Chicago, and a third group comprised talented math students from a top Chicago public school.   Students used the Experience sampling Method.   The Italian teens reported more flow experiences than U.S. teens, especially those talented in math.   Among the U.S. teens, those attending the typical school reported the most amounts of boredom (skills exceed challenges) and anxiety (challenges exceed skills).Interestingly, the talented group scored significantly lower than the other two samples in apathy, defined as skills and challenges in sync but below average (e.g., watching TV, listening to music).   In sum, experiences are comparable for average and above average students across cultures, whereas for talented U.S. teens, flow and apathy are rarer and boredom and anxiety are common (.Csikszentmihalyi, 1995)These researches implied that motivation affects the behavior of people.   The flow theory concluded that there is a state of equilibrium between the amount of challenge in activities and an individual’s capabilities.   People feel bored when their perceived skills exceed their opportunities for using them; they become anxious when they believe that challenges exceed capabilities.   Flow can vary intensity, with the critical variable being the ratio of challenge to skill.   The portrayed relations presumably hold for peak as well as everyday experiences (Csikszentmihalyi, 2003).Intrinsic and Extrinsic theory Deci & Ryan believes that intrinsic and extrinsic motivational forces govern behavior.   Extrinsic forces are preprogrammed biologically (e.g., food, sleep) or derive from the reward structure in whic h the individual is socialized (money, prestige).   Intrinsic forces grow out of the individual’s belief that a given outcome is worth striving for (Deci & Ryan, 2001).Deci and his colleagues (Rigby, Deci, Patrick, & Ryan, 2002) have recently conceptualized motivation along both intrinsic and extrinsic dimensions.   Intrinsic motivation concerns activities that are autotelic – engaged in for their own sake – which by definition are self-determined.   Extrinsic motivation involves a progression from behaviors that originally were extrinsically motivated but became internalized and now are self-determined.   The first level includes what Deci and his colleagues call external regulation.   In their research, they cited the example that students initially may not want to work on math but do to obtain teacher rewards and avoid punishment.There is very little self-determination in this situation.   At the next level of extrinsic motivation, students may en gage in a task (e.g., study for an exam).   Deci and his colleagues call this introjected regulation because the source of motivation is internal (feelings of â€Å"should,† â€Å"ought,† guilt) to the person but not self-determined since these feelings seem to be controlling the person.   The third level is called identified regulation and here individuals engage in the activity because it is personally important to them.The example they cited is that, a student may study hours for a test in order to get good grades to be accepted into college.   This behavior represents the student’s own goal, although the goal has more utility value (Wigfield & Eccles, 2002) than intrinsic value such as learning.   The final level of extrinsic is integrated regulation, whereby individuals can integrate various internal and external sources of information into their own self-schema and engage in behavior because of its importance to their sense of self.This final level is still instrumental, rather than autotelic as in intrinsic motivation, but integrated regulation does represent a form of self- determination and autonomy.   As such, both intrinsic motivation and integrated regulation will result in more cognitive engagement and learning than external or introjected regulation (Rigby et al., 2002).Deci and his colleagues` (Rigby et al., 2002) position is thought –provoking, has generated much research, and has important implications for the field.   Many points in the self-determination model are not clearly specified, but researchers increasingly are conducting studies that are adding to the understanding of how this theory explains how behavior changes through motivation.Stress and Coping Theory Richard Lazarus` stress and coping theory was developed from his several research on stress and its effects to humans, and it emphasizes psychological variables, namely, the cognitive processes of perception and thought.   Lazarus   (197 6, 1982, 1996) argues that it is neither the process (e.g. stressor) nor the response that best defines motivation.   Rather, it is the individual’s perception and appraisal of the situation that is a significant determinant of whether or not motivation will be experienced.   He cited that an individual may enjoy public speaking, whereas another individual finds it terrifying.   According to Lazarus, events in and of themselves do not produce motivation; it is the individual’s appraisal of the event that creates the motivation (Lazarus, 2001).Lazarus` theory of motivation states that when an individual is confronted with challenge, primary appraisal occurs.   During primary appraisal the individual attempts to determine how the event will affect her or his behavior.   Some events are perceived as positive and beneficial and thus are likely to create a motivation.   However, other events are viewed negatively and thus are perceived as harmful or threatening such as stress.   This appraisal of the event also generates different coping emotions such as fear, anger, or excitement (Lazarus, 1995).The next stage, secondary appraisal, involves determining whether one’s coping capacities are sufficient to meet the demands of a potentially harmful event.   An important part of this stage is a review and analysis of the response alternatives available to the individual.   This secondary appraisal can also lead to the acquisition of new coping responses (Lazarus, 2002).Although the two models of stress and coping theory of motivation are quite different, they are not necessarily antagonistic.   It is easy to see how a biological system to cope with stress would have obvious evolutionary advantages in enhancing survival.   Yet the nature of the human cerebral cortex allows for decisional process in dealing with stress, rather than autonomic biological reactions that are characteristic of lower organisms.   A synthesis of this t heory provides for an immediate, probably nonspecific, preparation for dealing with stressors; it is followed by an intelligent appraisal of the situation that may redirect the physiological reactions and institute motivation.  Ã‚   It is because humans have behavioral options, even though they may not always make intelligent decisions in dealing with stressors (Lazarus, 2001).In conclusion, motivation is an important quality that affects all behavior because the different theories presented have proven that it can influence both learning of new behaviors and performance of previously learned behaviors.   Behavior is related in a reciprocal fashion to motivation because how one behaves can be changed through one’s subsequent task motivation.ReferencesCsikszentmihalyi, M. (2002).   Emergent motivation and the evolution of the self.   In D.A.Kleiber & M.L. Maehr (Eds.), Advances in motivation and achievement (Vol. 4, pp. 93-98).   Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.Csikszentmih alyi, M. (2003). Intrinsic rewards and emergent motivation.   In M.R. Lepper &D. Greene (Eds.), The hidden costs of reward:   New perspectives on the psychology of  human motivation (pp. 205-206).   Hillsdale, NY:Erlbaum.Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Rathunde, K. (2003).   The measurement of flow in everyday life:   Toward a theory of emergent motivation.   In J.E. Jacobs 9Ed.), Nebraska symposium on  Ã‚  motivation 1992 (Vol. 40, pp. 57-97).   Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2005).   Toward a psychology of optimal experience.   In L. Wheeler (Ed.), Review of personality and social psychology   (Vol. 3, pp. 13-16).   Beverly Hills,  CA:Sage.Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2005).   Beyond boredom and anxiety.   San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.  de Charms, R. (1996).   Enhancing motivation.   New York: Irvington.   Deci, E.L. (1995). Intrinsic motivation.   New York: Plenum.  Deci, E.L. (2000). The psychology of self-determination.   Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath.  Deci, E.L., & Ryan, R.M. (2001).   Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human  behavior.   New York: Plenum.Deci, E.L., & Ryan, R.M. (2002).   The support of autonomy and the control of behavior.   Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 1024-1027.Deci, E.L., & Ryan, R.M. (2003). A motivational approach to self: Integration in personality.   In R.A. Dienstbier (Ed.) Nebraska symposium on motivation 1990(Vol. 38, pp.237-238.  Lincoln:University of Nebraska Press. Lazarus, R.S. (1996).   Psychological stress and the coping process.   New York: McGraw-Hill.  Ã‚  Lazarus, R.S. (1995).   Thoughts on the relation between emotion and cognition.   AmericanPsychologist, 37, 109-111.Lazarus, R.S. (2001).   Emotion and adaptation.   Oxford: Oxford University Press.Lazarus, R.S. (2002).   Little hassles can be hazardous to your health. Psychology Today,  pp.82-85.Pintrich, P.R. (2001).   Current issues and new directions in motivational theory and research.   Ã‚  Educational Psychologist, 26,199-201.Rigby et al., (2002).   Beyond the intrinsic –extrinsic dichotomy: Self-determination and  learning.   Motivation and Emotion, 16, 165-167.  Rigby, Deci, Patrick, & Ryan, (2002).   Beyond the intrinsic –extrinsic dichotomy: Self-determination and learning.   Motivation and Emotion, 16, 165-167.Schunk, D.H. (2003).   Goal difficulty and attainment information:   Effects on children’sAchievement behavior.   Human Learning, 2, 107-117.Weiner, B. (2005).   Human motivation.   New York: Springer-Verlag.Wigfield, A. & Eccles, J. (2002).   Expectancy-value theory of motivation: A developmental perspective.   Educational Psychology Review, 6, 49-52.

Fact or fiction Essay

Overtime, tales of the most miniscule historic characters have been slowly distorted into tales of gigantic warriors and near perfect individuals. For instance, stories of Jesus Christ from the bible have always caused people to necessitate an image of purity and selflessness, however, newly discovered testaments are beginning to establish a love affair with a women, whom produced children: living descendants of Jesus Christ. This is just one of many examples that have been continually misrepresented throughout history. Additionally, this raises questions as to whom are the real iconic figures that have shaped our memoirs. One of the model Americans is Robert E. Lee, a timeless figure of American history that has widely been altered in various publications, however, what will remained unchanged is that Robert E. Lee is the true symbol of southern Americanism of his time. BACKGROUND Son of Ann Hill Carter, a wealthy successor of Scottish Royalty, and Harry Lee, an attractive commander in the Revolutionary War, Robert Edward Lee was born in Virginia’s Westmoreland County on January 19th, 1807. Ann Hill Carter married Harry Lee and produced 5 children during their marriage while Harry was governor of Virginia. Throughout the course of their marriage, Harry began drowning the family in debt, thus rendering Robert to take on as head of the household while his father remained unwilling to stop his overzealous spending habits and relentless affairs with other women. It is undoubted that Robert was the favorite of his mother’s children, thus giving him the authority to make decisions as head of the household and care for his mother. â€Å"As sometimes happens, the good son strove to be all that his father was not. When Anne was lonely he kept her company; when she was sick he nursed her; in his teens he helped manage the household. His father had been reckless and unfaithful† (Epstein 23). After years of frivolous spending, thus spiraling the family into debt, Harry Lee fled the country and settled in the West Indies where he lived out the rest of his days. Nonetheless, Ann Carter continued to use the remainder of her bequest to support her children. Lacking the money needed to attend a university, Robert applied to West point and was granted admittance in 1829. Shortly thereafter, Lee also attended the U. S. Military Academy and graduated with honors. Due to various scandals that surrounded Roberts family, such as his father’s abandonment and his older brother Henry’s murderous scandal involving Henry’s sister-in -law, whom he seduced and produced a child with thus giving him the nickname ’black horse’, it was not easy for Robert to find a companion for himself. Nonetheless, Robert married Mary Anna Randolph Custis in 1831 and together they produced 7 children. From thereon, Lee earned recognition for his role as engineer in the construction of the St. Louis Harbor, as well as his is prevailing military operations in the Mexican War. As a Virginian aristocrat, Robert Lee was already accustomed to the ethics behind slavery, consequently, when his father-in-law, George Washington Custis became ill, Lee took leadership in the distribution of slaves to corresponding plantations. It was Lee’s understanding that slaves were the foundation of the south, in which many products of labor were necessary for financial survival. This stance was the drive in Robert Lee’s struggle to maintain the south that he had become habituated to. Although the Lee-Custis families remained relatively respectful and kind to slave families throughout the years, during his leadership in the Civil War, his comportment turned from reverential to malicious. Elizabeth Brown Pryor states that â€Å" Lee rented out so many hands that the black community at Arlington was badly fragmented. The youngest and strongest were chosen to be hired away because they brought in the greatest revenue†¦. Worst of all, Lee ruptured the Washington and Custis tradition of respecting slave families. By 1860 he had broken up every family but one on the estate† (Nolan 24). In addition to this testimony, there are scores of other attests to Lee’s brutal violence towards slaves as well. Although modern Lee patriots have highly scrutinized these testaments, they have been corroborated with consistent authentic eye witness accounts found in various writings. Nevertheless, Lee has been noted for his leadership during the Mexican War in as well as his achievements and calamities during the Civil War. Well educated, yet incapable to produce a strategic victory, Lee is doubtless renowned for his defeat at Gettysburg. â€Å"The disaster at Gettysburg highlights Lee’s chief shortcoming as a strategist, his lack of the political instinct–in the strictest sense, a sagacity in working with men. Lee was so rigid in his devotion to a hierarchy that he held most of his generals at a distance, often keeping them in the dark or ignoring their advice. Meanwhile he went groveling to Jefferson Davis and the Confederate government for guns, food, and uniforms–as if he were scarcely worthy–when he should have demanded the essential materiel, without which his soldiers stood in peril† (Epstein 23). After his military command, Lee retreated back to his home in Virginia, where he died in 1870 at the age of 63. LITERATURE REVIEW Rationalizing realism versus simulated characteristics of Robert Lee begins with previous analysis. Robert E. Lee was born in1807, thus leaving the impossibility of retrieving factual information from the primary source. Consequently, interpretation of fact from fiction lies within previous texts and comparison of those texts against each other. Many contemporary authors such as Carl Moneyhon report that â€Å"In his foreword, the editor of this collection of articles justifies this volume as an effort to break away from the paradigm of scholarship that has produced what he considers to be a stale rehashing of arguments over the merits of the generalship of Robert E. Lee. The core of the interpretive problem, in Peter S. Carmichael’s view, is the tendency of many recent studies to begin with assumptions based upon generalizations made over seventy years ago in Douglas Southall Freeman’s works, then to use Freeman’s own evidence to challenge his conclusions Carmichael suggests that a new scholarship might emerge if scholars return to primary Lee-related manuscript sources. The six articles that follow are unified by that effort, beginning with the contemporary Lee rather than the Lee created by Freeman† (777). Moneyhon’s elucidation of other author’s works display the bias between authors, most of which erratically render Lee as the patron saint of the south. Many publications regarding Lee have rendered him as somewhat mythological, while others have painted him as a failing general, one whom orchestrated many mistakes. According to Alan T. Nolan, â€Å"There is little need to belabor the fact of Lee’s heroic, almost superhuman, national stature, which has steadily enlarged since the war years. Writing in 1868, Fanny Dowling described Lee as ‘bathed in the white light which falls directly upon him from the smile of an approving and sustaining God† (4-5). Many Lee loyalist have portrayed him as a god-like creature, attaining purity and perfection, however, others deemed him anything but. Regarding the issue of slavery, despite its unethical perspective, as a Virginian aristocrat, Lee was accustomed to slavery for all of his life, however, considering his reverential conduct towards slaves before the war, it is alarming that Lee’s behavior took such an impulsive change during and after the war. For instance, despite praises of loyalty and kindness in respect to slaves under Lee’s orders since his attainment of George Washington Custis’s estate, narratives of harsh lashings and slave separation from their families are mottled through historical accounts of Lee’s alleged generosity and empathy. Epstein states that â€Å"Because the Custis will entailed that land should be sold to pay debts and legacies, and did not state that such obligations should take precedence over freeing the slaves, Lee’s conduct is disturbing. Even more chilling is the 1859 testimony of one Wesley Norris, a slave who ran away from Arlington with his sister Mary to Westminster, Maryland. They were caught and imprisoned, and returned in chains. When Lee asked why they had run away, Norris said that they believed they were free. Lee replied that ‘he would teach us a lesson we would never forget. ’ Leading them to the barn, he gave orders to his overseer McQuinn to strip the slaves to the waists, tie them to posts, and apply fifty lashes to the man and twenty to the girl. When McQuinn refused to take up the lash, ‘Dick Williams, a county constable was called in, who gave us the number of lashes ordered; Lee, in the meantime, stood by, and frequently enjoined Williams to ‘lay it on well. ’ When Williams was done, Lee ordered the overseer to wash the bleeding slaves with brine (24). Many Lee scholars do not like to explore the possibility that Lee was cruel towards slaves as this attribute disrupts the harmony of assimilated perfection of Lee’s character, however, these accounts of vindictiveness reassure Lee’s less god-like capabilities. Additionally, in with regard to military expertise, Lee scholars are divided as well on this issue concluding that most of Lee’s military career is focused around the failure of Civil War expeditions, while others concur that Lee exerted the symbol of a genuine confederate liberator. It is undisputed that Lee was very well educated and skilled in military delegations, however, most of Lee’s military career is focused around the failure of thus overshadowing the more positive aspects of his military career. In the Battle of Gettysburg, Lee was very careless thus ruining the lives of the men in his regime. Ballard states that â€Å"Lee could have and should have won† (948). Lee carelessly destroyed his regime during the Battle of Gettysburg, by not waiting for incoming supplies that were to be given to his regime’s depleted arsenal. His soldiers were starved and malnutrition and did not have the proper weaponry for combat, thus presenting an easy victory for the union. (Adams 66). Moreover, despite how conflicting accounts represent Lee, most scholars such as Gallagher agree that â€Å"In a conflict often characterized, whether accurately or not, as the first great modern war, the Confederate commander frequently appears as a soldier of considerable martial gifts who harkened back to an earlier time. Lee is cast as a man who thought of the struggle in terms of protecting his own state rather advancing the cause of the entire Confederacy, forged a personal bond with his soldiers reminiscent of feudal relationships, focused on winning set-piece battles without taking in the broader political and social landscape of a modern war, and failed to understood the implications of new weaponry such as the rifle-musket† (295). Most importantly is to include the feelings of others that admired Lee from enemy lines as those of the North. Although commonly, enemies do not sing the praises of each other, this is not the case in those towards Lee. In fact, many northerners admired lee for a number of reasons as is told as such: â€Å"He possessed every virtue of other great commanders without their vices. He was a foe without hate; a friend without treachery; a soldier without cruelty; a victor without oppression; and a victim without murmuring. He was a public officer without vices; a private citizen without wrong; a neighbor without reproach; a Christian without hypocrisy and a man without guile. He was a Caesar without his ambition; Frederick without his tyranny; Napoleon without his selfishness; and Washington without his reward. He was obedient to authority as a servant, and royal in authority as a true king. He was gentle as a woman in life; modest and pure as a virgin in thought; watchful as a Roman vestal in duty; submissive to law as Socrates; and grand in battle as Achilles† (Warrior and Gentleman’s Gentleman 39). Although this excerpt seems a little over dramatized, it does reflect Lee’s impinge on realistic people versus overly inflated scholarly accounts, thus rendering Lee as a true individual of his time. CONCLUSION In conclusion, Robert Edward Lee, born in 1807 to Ann Hill Carter, wealthy Scottish heiress, and Harry Lee, the former Virginia Governor. Whilst his family endured many problematic episodes, including financial hardships despite their mother’s dwindled fortune due to his fathers erratic spending habits, and his brothers Henry’s alleged murder of his illegitimate child, Lee prevailed in most of his endeavors, including his role in the Mexican War. However, undisputable evidence exhibits the differentiating portrayals of General Robert Edward Lee. Many scholars initiate depictions of a true southern liberator to maintain the south as it was during the early 1800s, whilst others disagree as to the true characteristics of Lee as much less than pure and holy. Nonetheless, both portions of testaments enable the true disposition of Robert Lee as he was. For instance, as a Victorian aristocrat, Lee understood the ethics of labor that slavery entailed, however, Lee’s attitude changed throughout the course of the war. Instead of maintaining the healthy relationships between slaves and Lee, he separated the families and also assisted in harsh beating of slaves, thus severing the once tight-knit relationship between the two. Also, in terms of Lee’s military endeavors, Lee was skilled, however, mostly unprepared for his battles in the Civil War. For example, in the Battle of Gettysburg, Lee was strategically unprepared for the battle, consequently costing the confederate army its most important mission. However, this did not deterred Lee from admitting his faults for his role in losing the battle, which shoes humility for his wins and losses. Finally after many interpretations of literary works, the true formation of Robert E. Lee is quite clear. A Victorian aristocrat he was, accustomed to the south as it was and its dependence on slavery, he maintained humility, strength, and most of all, leadership. Lee was not pure, nor holy, however, he was a man of God, family, and campaign for the southern beliefs, and he preserved those relationships simultaneously. WORKS CITED Adams, Michael C. C. :Review Essay: Robert E. Lee and Perspective over Time. † Civil War History. 49 (2003): 64-70. Ballard, Michael B. â€Å"Robert E. Lee: Icon for a Nation. † Journal of Southern History. 76 (2006): 947-949. Epstein, Daniel M. â€Å"Who Cares about Robert E. Lee. † New Criterion Sept. 2007: 22+. Gallagher, Gary W. â€Å"An Old-Fashioned Soldier in a Modern War Robert E. Lee as Confederate General†. Civil War History. 45(1999): 295. Lee, Robert E. Recollections and Letters of General Robert E. Lee . Westminster, 1904. Moneyhon, Carl H. â€Å"Audacity Personified: The Generalship of Robert E. Lee† The Historian. 67 (2005): 777-780. Nolan, Alan T. Lee Considered: General Robert E. Lee and Civil War History. North Carolina: North Carolina Press, 1991. â€Å"Robert E. Lee. † UXL Newsmakers. (2005): Find Articles. 28 Feb. 2008 `. â€Å"Warrior and Gentleman’s Gentleman: Despite Being a Battle-Hardened General, Robert E. Lee Never Lost His Most Admirable Trait His Devotion to God, Friends, Duty, and Honor. † The New American. 23 July 2007: 33- 39.

Thomas Kuhns Paradigm and its Application to Modern Politic essays

Thomas Kuhns Paradigm and its Application to Modern Politic essays When Thomas Kuhn released his book, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, in 1962, he instigated his own revolution within the history of science. Dramatically altering the manner in which science was viewed, Kuhn established the concepts of paradigms, anomalies, crises, and revolutions as the central operating mechanisms of scientific progress. He radically diverged from the previous belief that science was cumulative. Instead, he placed less emphasis on the accumulation of evidence and gave more credence to intellectual fights over theory. James Franklin compares Kuhns paradigm theory to the classic novel, the Morte dArthur. Current scientific institutions are the peaceable order and its aging king, their virtue undermined by internal corruption, falling to the challenge of the vigorous and bloodthirsty young challenger (Franklin, 2000). Though this is certainly a more exciting image of science than that of white-coated intellectuals intently charting the contents of test tubes, Kuhn is in reality more modest in the scope of his revolutions. Kuhn views them as often relevant only to those scientists in the field and sometimes almost invisible. However, what is truly exciting is extending the application of paradigm theory beyond the hard sciences to the social sciences like philosophy, history, sociology, and politics. To the extent that the book portrays scientific development as a succession of tradition-bound periods punctuated by non-cumulative breaks, its theses are undoubtedly of wide applicability (Kuhn, 1996, p. 208). At its core, paradigm theory is essentially an epistemological model, and after a discussion of The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, an analogy to current American political affairs will further enlighten Kuhns concepts. Kuhns book is meticulously organized. Chapter by chapter, his conception of scientific revolutions unfolds. He begins with ...

Major Music Types in America essays

Major Music Types in America essays Through the past two decades in American history music has led the way in its influence of pop culture. The major types that have paved the way for other forms of music have been Rap or Hip-Hop, Rock, as well as Pop. These three have certainly left their mark on todays culture, spawning television shows, magazines, and even whole networks. Musics staple left in the side of America cannot be ignored, and will be forever felt in society. Each of the three major types of music leaves its stamp on todays society in a different way. All have their own following and all have their own style. One of the biggest forms of music out there is the Rap or Hip-Hop genre of music. Since the early eighties hip-hop has be on the move as far as pushing the envelope of censorship. From the freedom rap of the early eighties to the gangsta rap of the early to mid-nineties hip-hop has definitely caught the ears of a younger generation of rebels. With its fast poetic-like lyrics, and its catchy dance beats rap has taken the music industry by storm. Rap has accumulated a following of millions of teenagers who are lured in by its trance-like beats and fresh lyrics. Hip-Hop has definitely become a force to be reckoned in todays music scene, and will be for many generations to come. Close on the heels of the rappers are the ever so controversial rock stars. Rock and Roll has been apart of American culture since the fifties and Elvis. Since then rock music has transformed and morphed into a plethora of sub genres that we now know today. Just as rappers have pushed to edge in their genre rockers have not hesitated to do the same in theirs. Artists such as Marilyn Manson, and Korn have definitely pushed the limits of the art. Today more and more rock artists are staking their claim in the rock world. Many with their own style, some just improving on the style of others, but all of ...

What Is SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

What Is SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Makers of the new SAT have decided that the Reading and Writing sections go together like peanut butter and jelly. Insteadof treatingthem separately, College Board now takesReading and Writing together to give you one Evidence-based Reading and Writing score. This guide will go over exactly how these two sections merge and how this new formataffects your test prep. To begin, let’s define this new category on the SAT. What Is Evidence-Based Reading and Writing? Ah, the million dollar question! Evidence-based Reading and Writing, which we can abbreviate as EBRW, refers to both the Reading and Writing sections of the SAT together. "But these two sections are separate!" you might have just declared at your computer screen. You wouldn't be wrong, and I applaud your passion for SAT accuracy.When you take the test, youdotake these two sections individually. When you get your scores back, though, you’ll just get one EBRW score between 200 and 800. The other half of your total score will be your math score, which will also fall somewhere between 200 and 800. Add your EBRW score and math score together, and you’ll get a total score somewhere between 400 and 1600. On the old SAT, Reading and Writing were scored separately, resulting in a maximum possible score of 2400. In those days, theverbal sections (technically called Critical Reading and Writing) made up two-thirds of your total score, while math only made up one-third. Not the ideal make-upfor students who werestronger inmath, but English-oriented kids were sitting pretty. Now, half your score is verbal, and the other half is math. They’re equal! Similarly, your performance on both the Reading and Writing sections factor equally into your combined EBRW score, even though the Reading section’s almost twice as long as the Writing section. To give you a clear view into where your EBRW score actually comes from, I'll go over the process in the steps below. Where Does Your Evidence-Based Reading and WritingScore Come From? On the SAT, you’ll first take the 65-minute Reading section. Then you’ll move onto the 35-minute Writing and Language section. Even though Writing’s a lot shorter than Reading, it counts equally toward your combined Reading and Writing score. If you’ve scored any of your own practice tests, then you may be familiar with the scoring process. First, you add up your raw score in each section, giving yourself one point for every right answer and zero points for wrong or skipped answers. Then you use the provided conversion chart to convert both raw scores into scaled scores between 10 and 40. The exact conversion might differ slightly based on how students perform on a given administration, but here’s a representative sample chart: After you convert your raw scores to a scale of 10 to 40, then you simply add them together and multiply by 10. That equation will get you your final EBRW score between 200 and 800. For Example:Let’s say you got a raw score of 31 in Reading and 28 in Writing and Language. Your Reading score gets scaled to a 30 and your Writing and Language score gets scaled to a 28. Add them together and multiply by 10: 30 + 28 = 58 x 10 = 580 Your final EBRW score’s a 580. Similarly, you can see how to perfect scaled scores get you an 800. A perfect scaled score of 40 in Reading + 40 in Writing = 80. Multiply by 10 and you get 800. Even though the two sections are scored together, they’re still presented as separate sections on the SAT. At the same time, they feature some overlap in content and skills beyond a strong grasp of the English language. To give you a sense of their similarities and differences, let’s explore the content of both sections, starting with Reading. Gather round! It's reading hour. SAT Reading: An Overview SAT Reading is always your first section on the SAT. It tests your reading comprehension skills by asking you to read passages and one or more graphics and to answer questions about them. Below you’ll find an overview of the Reading section’s format and question types. SAT Reading Format Time Number of Questions Time/question 65 minutes 52 questions 1 minute, 15 seconds All of the questions in the Reading section are multiple choice with four possible answer choices, A, B, C, and D. This section contains five passages, or technically six, since â€Å"one† is a set of paired passages. One of these passages come from World Literature, two come from History or Social Studies, and two come from Science. One or more passages will be accompanied by a graphic, like a chart, table, or graph. SAT Reading Content The Reading section tests your skills to comprehend passages from various genres. It wants you to examine both big picture ideas and little picture details, as well as to manage your time efficiently. Since you just get one big block of time in this 65-minute section, it’s your job to divide it roughly equally among the five passages. Some elements that the Reading section asks about are main idea, important details, and vocabulary in context. By analyzing the text, we’ve actually picked out eight main types of Reading questions. They are big picture/main idea, little picture/detail, inference, vocabulary in context, function, author technique, evidence support, and data interpretation. For a detailed breakdown of each question type, along with sample questions of each, check out our full guide to the SAT Reading section! For now, let’s take a look at the structure and content of Writing and Language. The Writing section's like the Reading section, except the passages are all messed up. You get to fix them! SAT Writing and Language: An Overview SAT Writing and Language asks you to be an editor. You’ll read passages that have errors of grammar and punctuation, as well as unclear organization. Then you’ll identify the errors and provide suggestions for how to fix them. Before getting into the question types, consider this section’s overall format below. SAT Writing Format Time Number of Questions Time per Question 35 minutes 44 questions 47-48 seconds All 44 of the Writing questions are multiple choice and based on passages. You’ll get four passages, each followed by 11 questions. These passages will come from four distinct areas: Careers, Social Studies, Humanities, and Science. Like in the Reading section, one or more of these passages (often the Science one) will be accompanied by a graphic, like a scatterplot, bar graph, or chart. SAT Writing Content As you read above, Writing and Language questions ask you to edit and revise words, sentences, and paragraphs. You might replace a word, fix a mistake in grammar or punctuation, rearrange sentences, or even add or delete details to improve organization and clarity. College Board categorizes 24 questions as Command of Evidence, Words in Context, and Expression of Ideas. These questions ask about how ideas develop or get supported, the proper use of vocabulary, and organization. The remaining 20 questions ask about Standard English Conventions. These include questions about sentence structure, usage, and punctuation. These questions tend to get down to the nitty-gritty of sentence mechanics and little details like comma and apostrophe use. You can find a full breakdown of the skills tested in Writing and Language in this comprehensive guide. As you can see, Reading and Writing both test your verbal skills, but they do so in distinct ways. So does the fact that they’re now combined into one score affect your prep at all? Reading and Writing have distinct differences, but these next five study tips focus on where they overlap. Prepping for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 5 Tips Reading and Writing require their own approaches to prep, but they have enough of an overlap that some of your prep will help in both sections. The five tips below focus on the ways that Reading and Writing intersect. Read on for five essential pieces of advice that will help you get ready for both Reading and Writing at the same time - and thereby boost your EBRW score! #1: Focus on Command of Evidence If you look at the way College Board describes its question types, it uses the category, â€Å"Command of Evidence,† for both Reading and Writing questions. For both sections, you need to base your answers on evidence from the text. This â€Å"eye for evidence† is a key skill in both sections. However, Reading and Writingevidence-based questions look a little different. The Reading section has explicit evidence-based questions that ask you about your reason for an answer to a previous question. Here’s one example of a Reading Command of Evidence question. The Writing section tests your Command of Evidence slightly differently. It typically asks whether you should make a specific revision to a passage and why, like in the following sample question: While Reading and Writing have their differences, they both call for a strong command of evidence. To improve your EBRW score a whole, you should hone this skill. Make sure you practice close reading and base your answers entirely on the text. Don’t get distracted by previous knowledge of a topic. You should be able to back up all of your answers with evidence directly from the passage if asked. As you can see from the above sample questions, you very well may be asked to do just that! #2: Study Words in Context Another similarity between Reading and Writing is that they both ask about words in context. As all of the questions are passage-based in both sections, all of the vocabulary questions require you to understand how a word is being used in context. Here’s a typical example of a vocabulary questions in the Reading section. It refers to a passage from SAT Practice Test 3. In Writing, you’ll get the passage alongside the questions so you can refer right back to a specific word or line. In the example below, #25 asks if the vocabulary word being used is the correct one. To prepare for these questions in both sections, you should make sure you understand how the meanings of words shift depending on their contexts. The words might not be especially advanced, but they often are ones that can have multiple meanings. Focus on these kinds of mid-level, multiple meaning words as you study for EBRW. Take a close look at graphs and charts to boost your EBRW score. #3: Practice Data Interpretation Questions As you read above, both sections ask you to interpret data from charts, tables, and/or graphs. These graphs will relate back to a passage. Here are examples ofdata interpretation questions from the Reading section. Since the Writing section features passages with errors, it tends to ask whether the data in a graphic is being accurately represented in its corresponding passage. If the answer’s no, it may ask you about the correct way to describe it. To prepare for Evidence-based Reading and Writing, you should practice data interpretation questions. Strengthen your skills at interpreting and describing data in graphs and charts, and keep an eye on the relationship between a passage and its corresponding graphic. Your SAT prep materials should have sample questions for you to use, and you might also practice with data interpretation questions from the Science section of ACT practice tests. #4: Read and Write Widely You just saw three specific ways that Reading and Writing questions overlap. On a more big picture level, these sections are similar because they test your understanding of the English language. By practicing reading widely and writing often, you can greatly improve your skills. As you saw, both sections select passages from various genres, mainly those that are nonfiction and argument-based. To prepare, therefore, you should practice reading not just prose, but also works from history and science. There are specific methods you can use to break down the structure of an argument or analyze an author’s word choice. When you’re not taking such an analytical approach, though, you shouldpractice reading and writing as often and possible. Over time, you'llsee gradual improvementin your reading comprehension and writing skills. #5: Be Strategic About Your Scores One final tip: remember that your final scores will be half math and half verbal. You can’t consider the Reading and Writingsections as unrelated, as your performance on both sections will affect your overall verbal score. Alsoremember that both sections contribute equally to your EBRW score. If you’re scoring consistently strong in Reading, then you might want to put more of your energy toward Writing, or vice versa. Figure out where your strengths and weaknesses lie and what question types you can study to improve your combined score. There are other important strategies you can use to study for each section individually, but these five tips are the most important ones to remember when considering the sections together as Evidence-based Reading and Writing. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! In closing, let’s review the key points you need to remember about EBRW and your SAT verbal score. Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: Final Thoughts If you take anything away from this guide, it should be this: Evidence-based Reading and Writing refers to the Reading section and Writing and Language section together. You'll get one EBRW score between 200 and 800 that makes up half of your total SAT score. Both of these sections require their own approach to prep. Reading asks about reading comprehension, while Writing asks you to be an editor and fix mistakes in grammar, organization, and punctuation. Skills and questions in both sections have some overlap, though. They’re all passage-based and emphasize command of evidence, an understanding of words in context, the ability to interpret data, and, of course, your overall English language skills. Finally, as you prep, remember that both Reading and Writing and Language factor equally into your verbal score. They’re both equally importantsections thattogether make up half of your total SAT score. What’s Next? Would you like to learn more about the Writing and Language section? Check out this guide for a full overview of the Writing section of the SAT. SAT Reading has changed a lot this year. This guide goes over the five key changes that you need to know. Do you feel like you get what the verbal sections are all about? To learn more about the Math No Calculator, check out this comprehensive guide. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Is America a Christian Nation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Is America a Christian Nation - Research Paper Example The research paper "Is America a Christian nation?" pays attention to such fundamental questions as human rights, freedom of conciseness, and ideas of the Revolution. Both in Christian and liberal worldview and in value system an important place is given to seemingly one and the same value – the value of the individual and the associated value of individual rights and freedoms. But it should be understood that this similarity is illusory and formal; it contains the principal substantive differences and contradictions. These differences come to the fact that in Christianity these considered values have an absolute divine source, and thus are endowed with an absolute moral dimension; in the liberal paradigm all these values have only human, relative and conventional sources, and thus lacking absolute moral dimension. History of the formation of the liberal system of values is directly related to the history of Western secular thought, which, starting from the secular humanism of the Renaissance and the secular philosophy of the Enlightenment, put by the wayside Christian religious value orientations, and subsequently totally withdrew from them. In the basis of values and principles designated by the new liberal system were not absolute divine reasons, as it was in the Christian system, but the relative secular human conventions. Because actually beyond religion there can be no justification for the absolute; only religion provides absolute divine source and the absolute divine basis of its values – morals, man, his freedom, and rights. ... Secular values and principles—above all, the values of secular freedom, human rights, morality and values—are not absolute and universal, but relative and conventional, and historically borrowed from Christianity and secularly reconsidered. Approved by the new secular philosophy these concepts of â€Å"natural man†, his â€Å"natural state†, his â€Å"natural rights† are understood beyond the divine and moral dimension. These secular concepts became the basis of subsequent concepts of â€Å"social contract†, â€Å"Declaration of Independence,† â€Å"Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen†, adopted by anti-Christian French Revolution, and finally, the â€Å"Universal Declaration of Human Rights† adopted by the UN General Assembly in1948. Secular concepts prevailed, and Christian religion lost its leading role in the beginning of the US history. In 1796 the United States entered into a treaty with Tripoli durin g the Barbary wars. Article eleven of this treaty stated clearly that the Unites States officials considered their country as not a Christian nation: â€Å"As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Lillian Goldman Law library online). As a matter of fact, this article only proved that all the religions were equal in the territory of the United states, just as the First Amendment of the Constitution states: â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a

Nursing Practice Theory Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nursing Practice Theory - Research Paper Example There exists a relationship between grand theories, middle range theories, and nursing practice theories in that, all these discuss about nursing as a profession and provide a guide for nursing practice. Grand theories are general concepts and are representative of a wide range of nursing practice. They, therefore, have the broadest scope. They use statements to show relationship otherwise known as assumptions to show the basis of their philosophy. Grand theories form the basis for expansion of other theories, research and development of new standards. The focus of grand theories is on the â€Å"phenomena of concern to the discipline such as person as adaptive systems, self-care deficits, unitary human beings, human becoming, or health as expanding consciousness† (Parker & Smith, 2010). Grand nursing theories are visions to be used in nursing practice. However, the limitation of these theories is that, they cannot be universally tested; hence, they have limited capabilities in guiding, explaining, and foretelling about specific situations in nursing. This is because; these theories were developed by scholars who were thinking way above their time. Middle range theories are derived from concepts of grand theories. These theories are narrow in scope as compared to grand theories, and they offer an effective bridge between grand theories and the description of specific nursing phenomena. These theories are of advantage in the sense that, they are more applicable to nursing practices and situations. This theory allows testing of theory through research, devising strategies for nursing practice, and developing tools for nursing practice. As a result of this, middle range theories are more efficient and proficient as compared to the other theories. As a result of covering a wider scope, middle range theories are applicable in many health care institutions and other health quarters. Nursing

You have 4 choices Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

You have 4 choices - Annotated Bibliography Example Many people are suffering because they cannot access medical treatment to curb and maintain the disease because their identity brings conflict. Medical treatment of cancer has become biased since in some instance, it has become difficult to access medical treatment due to their skin color or their economic status. In this piece of literature, the author has described cancer in all its forms. He has also mentioned that cancer is an expensive disease and requires to be maintained. With the lack of finances, many people have been left out of treatment because they cannot afford to pay for chemotherapy and other related methods of treatment. In the United States of America, the racial and ethnic groups who are minorities are the most likely people to die from the development of cancer just because they cannot be able to access medical care and also because they are of a different race. Due to the disparities in cancer treatment and prevention, many people are dying on a daily basis because of their inability to access medical care. Most of the disparities are caused by factors such as low economic class, an individuals’ culture, and the most prevalent is poverty. Nancy E. Adler and Ann E.K. Page, Cancer care for the whole patient : meeting psychosocial health needs / Committee on Psychosocial Services to Cancer Patients/Families in a Community Setting, Board on Health Care Services, Washington, D.C: National Academic Press, 2008. Financial capability when it comes to the medical treatment and prevention of cancer is a factor that is considered by, sadly to say, majority of the facilities that offer cancer treatment. The purpose of the article above is to create awareness and show people that judging a person by their financial status makes the whole idea of treatment wrong. For quite a while, the people who have been regarded as poor have been excluded

Is globalisation a state-authored process Essay

Is globalisation a state-authored process - Essay Example This increased level of globalisation has necessarily meant that cultures and individuals that otherwise might not integrated with one another have come to the in closer contact and sharing a great many more similarities than they have any previous time within recorded human history. The example of the way in which social media has integrated many otherwise disparate individuals throughout the world is a good example of the way that this fundamental shift has been witnessed throughout the current model of media proliferation and globalisation. However, from even a cursory unit of analysis and a discussion into the view that has thus far been put forward, it must be understood that the proliferation and globalisation throughout the world is not an authorless process. Oftentimes, powerful individuals, and indeed states, within the developed world have a strong impact with regards to the way in which globalisation takes place and the particular manner through which the internationalizat ion effects that globalisation is capable of engendering take place. As a function of understanding this â€Å"state authored impact† that globalisation is capable of bringing to bear, the following analysis will approach current levels of globalisation from three distinct perspectives: trade interaction, the impact of technology, and the proliferation of globalized media. It is the hope of this author that through such a distinctive and nuanced approach, the reader will be able to come to a more appreciable view of the way in which current levels of globalisation are illustrated and affected. An Analysis of Globalisation in Tade: Whereas globalisation can be understood in a litany of different mechanisms, perhaps the most effective towards understanding globalisation and the power that it has over individuals throughout the world is to engage it based upon its monetary value (Schoen et al., 2013). In seeking to engage globalisation from a monetary value standpoint, the first rational approach that can be engaged is to approach it from the standpoint of trade. Whereas globalisation is represented throughout the world and impacts upon individuals in a litany of different situations, the power that globalisation has over trade and the means through which different nations choose interact with one another is ultimately the driving force that helps to spread globalisation and increase its impact throughout the world. However, even though globalisation can be understood as a universal concept, it must also be appreciated that globalisation is state specific and ultimately a state authored process (Corstjens & Umblijs, 2012). What is meant by this is the fact that regardless of the nation that is analyzed with a particular economic system that is considered, it must be understood that globalisation exists within a given region only due to the fact that trade agreements, domestic legislation, tariffs, barriers, and a litany of other financial issues have alrea dy been determined and directed in such a way so that globalisation is able to integrate with a given economy (Cook & Underwood, 2013). As such, if it were not for regional and domestic governance and choices that these institutions were able to make, the level and extent to which a globalized economy and the impact of global trade could affect a given region would understandably be minimal (Lapido et al., 2013). An example of this can of course be seen with respect to the way in which the United States,

The role of e.coli ESBL+ Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

The role of e.coli ESBL+ - Literature review Example According to Farrell et al during the period 1999-2000 approximately 1291 bacterial isolates causing UTI were collected from different centres in UK and the most prevalent organism was E. coli which was found to be amoxicillin resistant. Other organisms isolated from UK during this period also included cefruoxime resistant Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis. In UK most of the E. coli causing community acquired and nosocomial infections are CTX-M producing and its control has been a challenge for the clinicians in the past and the years to come. ESBLs may be of different types like TEM, CTX-M, OXA which includes many ESBLs differing in amino acid substitutions. Among the different ÃŽ ²-lactams available, carbapenems were used against ESBL because they are relatively resistant to hydrolysis by most of the ÃŽ ² lactamases. But, however with the advent of carbapenem resistant strains other alternatives like mecillinam and fosfomycin may be used to treat UTIs caused by ESBL producing E. coli with much success. One of the most common problems hovering human females is Urinary tract infection. The annual incidence of UTIs in women is 12 % with the percentage rising to 18.6 % in the case of females aging between 20-25 years. Approximately 40 % to 50 % of women experience UTIs at least once in their lifetime and of these 25-33% experience a recurrence within 6-12 months. Normally, the urinary tract is sterile but bacterial infection may arise from the perianal region leading to UTI. Pathogens in the bladder may remain dormant or irritations and other symptoms like increased frequency of urination associated with pain and burning sensation, presence of blood and/ or pus in urine, nausea and vomiting, cramps or pain in the lower abdomen, fever and malaise in children, strong urine stench, pain during sexual intercourse and increased urgency of urination. Asymptotic bacteriuria may be prevalent in 8% of the

Contribution of Education Law to Social Equality Essay

Contribution of Education Law to Social Equality - Essay Example from increasing the intelligence of people and imparting skills in people for a more productive country, education, and education law also aims at increasing the level of social equality in society. Social equality is seldom achieved by different countries, however, education law ensures to achieve equality in education, which might in return influence other spheres in a country. Nonetheless, social equality is a state whereby all the people in a society are entitled to equal allocation of resources, equal treatment, and opportunities. Social equality therefore, succeeds in removing any kind of barriers, which stand in the way of equality. These barriers might include factors of ethnicity, race, gender, economic status, and religion, which present some people with more opportunities than others. However, social equality should not be mistaken for socialism. While socialism advocates for people to have equal wealth, social equality encourages equal treatment for all people, as well as equal access to opportunities for everyone, despite their position in society (Ross 2009). According to Wilson (1975), education is an opportunity in society. Therefore, the education law in society should serve the purpose of ensuring justice and fair distribution of educational opportunities in society. If this is practiced, then the benefits in a country, which result from education, will be shared equally among all the citizens of a country. In cases where the education law of a country is biased and does not allow for the equal access of education for all its citizens, it is likely that there will not be social justice and social equality in such a country. This is because only a portion of the population will be entitled to the benefits of education, while locking out others (Wilson... The author of the paper declares that educational law is crucial in a country, as it determines whether there will be a considerably high level of social equality or not. Good education laws should adopt policies, which promote the equal access to education by all the children in the country, without any discrimination based on ethnicity, or gender, among other discriminatory forms. Education is an opportunity, which leads to future benefits of a person, with regard to personal development, and financial well-being. These two factors are among those that define a person’s social status. Therefore, if the law of education allows for equal access to education for all, this might help a country to achieve a high level of social equality in future. The paper makes a conclusion that the government funds education in the country, and various education Acts guide the education system in the UK. In an effort to promote social equality for all, the authorities in England expect every parent to take their children to schools, once they reach the rightful age for schooling. Failure to do this attracts a fine from parents. Therefore, while the local authorities are responsible for schools, parents are responsible for ensuring the attendance of their children. There is a uniform curriculum for all schools, therefore, equality is maintained, as this ensures there are no disparities in knowledge. The UK follows the United Nations tenets for human rights, therefore, considers everyone as having a right to education.

The role of e.coli ESBL+ Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

The role of e.coli ESBL+ - Literature review Example According to Farrell et al during the period 1999-2000 approximately 1291 bacterial isolates causing UTI were collected from different centres in UK and the most prevalent organism was E. coli which was found to be amoxicillin resistant. Other organisms isolated from UK during this period also included cefruoxime resistant Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis. In UK most of the E. coli causing community acquired and nosocomial infections are CTX-M producing and its control has been a challenge for the clinicians in the past and the years to come. ESBLs may be of different types like TEM, CTX-M, OXA which includes many ESBLs differing in amino acid substitutions. Among the different ÃŽ ²-lactams available, carbapenems were used against ESBL because they are relatively resistant to hydrolysis by most of the ÃŽ ² lactamases. But, however with the advent of carbapenem resistant strains other alternatives like mecillinam and fosfomycin may be used to treat UTIs caused by ESBL producing E. coli with much success. One of the most common problems hovering human females is Urinary tract infection. The annual incidence of UTIs in women is 12 % with the percentage rising to 18.6 % in the case of females aging between 20-25 years. Approximately 40 % to 50 % of women experience UTIs at least once in their lifetime and of these 25-33% experience a recurrence within 6-12 months. Normally, the urinary tract is sterile but bacterial infection may arise from the perianal region leading to UTI. Pathogens in the bladder may remain dormant or irritations and other symptoms like increased frequency of urination associated with pain and burning sensation, presence of blood and/ or pus in urine, nausea and vomiting, cramps or pain in the lower abdomen, fever and malaise in children, strong urine stench, pain during sexual intercourse and increased urgency of urination. Asymptotic bacteriuria may be prevalent in 8% of the

Economic evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Economic evaluation - Essay Example In this paper, the roles of NICE in the provision of guidance are outlined with a specific reference made to the guidance on domestic violence. Also, the other organizations that provide similar guidance are discussed in the essay. The political, social, environmental, and economic contexts of the guidance are also outlined in the paper. Further, the cost-effectiveness of the guidance is assessed and compared to the previous methods and the implications of the guidance are discussed. Part B of the paper focuses on a publicly funded healthcare system in a country. The National Health Service of the United Kingdom is selected for the study. The various wayhs in which the organization obtains funds and resources are discussed. In addition, the economic models are evaluated within the section and the various health funding by different governments are compared in part B of this paper. NICE involves five different areas of public guidance. The first area is the guidance on the behaviour change. This guidance is mainly focussed on the individual approach. The aim of the guidance is to change the behaviours of persons at individual levels. It, therefore, recommends various behaviours that can result into healthy lifestyles amongst different group of people living in a region or area (NICE, 2014). Secondly, NICE offers guidance on exercise-referral-schemes. This guidance has more emphasis on physical exercises as stated on the definition. It aims to improve on the quality of physical exercises administered by medical practitioners or professionals. It helps the healthcare professionals to provide effective interventions in addition to the sensitization on the methods which can be used to promote physical activity. The methods are four in total. Also, Nice has been very active in the guidance on the various interventions to be used by schools to get rid of smoking. That demonstrates the roles of NICE in the fight against drug abuse. In that case, NICE makes use