Graduating a Specialized Institution in Pursuing Career Ambitions of Personal Statement

Graduating a Specialized Institution in Pursuing Career Ambitions of Becoming a Dentist - Personal Statement Example Your institution, owing to its outstanding capacity in facilities and academic staff, for which it is internationally recognized, is my preferred choice as I intend to gain a high level of professional competence. Even though many environmental factors have influenced my choice of the course, my immediate objective in the undergraduate program is to establish a basis for a future career in dentistry. This will empower me to help my father in his established private practice. I, however, can only achieve this through a competent institution like yours. This is because my success the graduate school will determine my progress in developing a profession as well as my personal competence. Apart from my main objective of supporting and expanding my father’s practice, I aim at using my attained academic qualification and professional position to benefit society as my future part-time activity. For example, I intend to share my gained knowledge, which I shall in future expansion through higher levels of education, with students in academic institutions through lecturing. It is similarly my desire to be a role model to the youth and the entire society, as I have been to my younger brother, and to encourage them to do good things. In order to achieve these goals however, I need to first develop my career to become an influential member of the society. I believe that I can achieve this only through your institution. I also wish to communicate my competence to complete the program within the institution’s schedule. This is because I have resources, in terms of finances and time, to complete the course. My academic background also guarantees my ability to complete the course due to my average grade of 3.19 out of 4.0 ‘GAP’ and a score of 24 in my ‘ACTs’.

ISO 14001 Advantages and Disadvantages

ISO 14001 Advantages and Disadvantages Over time, the need for the protection of the environment has increased as different industries, companies and institutions have contributed to environmental degradation in different degrees depending on the activities carried out by these organisations. Therefore, as the concept of sustainable development emerged in the late 1980s, environmental management tools such as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Environmental Management Systems (EMS) have been increasingly utilized to try to reduce the pressure on environmental impacts and resources in a systematic manner. The British Standard Institute defines environmental management system (EMS) as the organisational structure, responsibilities, procedures, processes and resources for determining and implementing environmental policy (in Welford 1998 pg 38). It is also defined as a set of management process and procedure that allow an organisation to analyse, control and reduce the environmental impacts of its operations and services to achieve cost savings, greater efficiency and oversight and streamlined regulatory compliance(Schaltegger et al 2003 p 296). In other words, it puts a check on the activities of an organization and its impact the environment and at the same time, improves performance. There are several kinds of EMS standards but the recognized ones are the BS 7750 British standards, The EMAS which is a European Regulation and the ISO 14001 standard which is voluntary (Sheldon 1997 pg 128). As at December 2005, 111,162 ISO 14001 certificates had been issued in 138 countries to different organisations ranging from heavy manufacturing industries to hotels and local authorities (R. DEFRA (2005) defines ISO 14001 as the international standard for EMS which specifies the features and requirements necessary for organisations systematically identify, evaluate, manage and improve the environmental impacts of their activities, products and services. ISO 14001 was developed and is managed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) which is a non-governmental organisation and is supported by other guidelines which are ISO 14004, 19011 and 14031 but the 14001 series is the only ISO that requires certification (Arimura et al 2008). DESIGN OF ISO 14001 Sambasivan Fei (2007) states that ISO 14001 has no legal requirements that it should be adopted but voluntary which is an effective tool for proactive organisations as it acts as a benchmark to improve environmental performance thereby meeting legislation requirements and also reassuring stakeholders and regulators. Sheldon (1997) notes that a key principle for designing ISO 14001 was to reach a consensus with all interested parties on a voluntary basis. Welford (1996 pg 63) states that ISO 14001 is a specification standard that requires the adoption and maintenance of an EMS and has been documented in such a way to ensure conformity can be verified and this can be done through self declaration or by an independent third party certifier. It is designed in such a way that it can be applied to any organisation worldwide and generally provides a framework that a firm can base an EMS and it is voluntary in the sense that any organisation would adopt ISO 14001 only if its potential benef its outweighs its cost and competitiveness is not lost as the organisation reduces pollution in the best way they see fit (Delmas 2000, Bansal and Hunter 2003). Bansal and Hunter (2003) notes that ISO 14001 is the preferred EMS because of its legitimacy and easy recognition by external stakeholders as it is externally certified which requires an audit process to ensure that the EMS meets its set targets. They further added that it has a flexible process that focuses on the processes carried out by the organisation rather than environmental performance. STRENGTHS The strength of ISO 14001 as a generic and voluntary standard that can be adopted by all organisations is as follows: Because it is generic, organisations can adopt it in such a way that is best for the organisation to improve environmental performance and can therefore be built around the organisational culture and structure as Sambasiran Fei (2007) writes that the true value and benefits of ISO 14001 is gotten when it follows the companys strategic direction. Organisations have reported financial benefits from adopting ISO 14001 e.g. in the UK, Akzo Nobel chemicals reduced annual consumption of energy by 18% while National Power made  £26,000 profit from better waste management (Sheldon 1997). Birds wall ice-cream factory in Gloucester invested  £115,000 on certification and started saving  £250,000 per year from waste reduction and energy conservation (ENDS 1997). USB, a large financial institution with branches worldwide, implemented ISO 14001 in the branch in Sweden and stated that it is a useful tool as environmental objectives and operational procedures were integrated into business units and culture therefore producing an efficient EMS for the organisation (Hillary 2000 pg 75). Because it is voluntary, proactive industries use it to boast business by improved procedures and at the same time environmental performance and meet regulatory requirements. Rondenelli Vastag (2000) states that the with the voluntary approach, organisations can develop an EMS that is appropriate to activities, location and level of risk which in turn leads to requirements of certification for suppliers and contractors as Ford motors and IBM have done. In their study of Alumax Mt Holly which is an aluminium plant in South Carolina USA and the implementation of ISO 14001 led to improved environmental awareness, enhanced plant reputation, improved recycling and waste reduction and overall, it improved the attitude of staff toward environmental protection and even though it had good environmental practices, ISO 14001 strengthened and improved efficiency of production. ENDS (2006) reports that roll Royce is giving training and support to 6 of its supplier so that they can be ISO 14001 ce rtified Because it can be adopted by all organisations from large manufacturing industries with 50,000 employees to SMEs with 20 employees in all sectors, heavy industries with high environmental pollution can implement ISO 14001 to meet legislation, reduce environmental impacts and prepare for emergencies in case of accidents. Hotels in Hong Kong like the Grand Stanford Intercontinental Hong Kong and Hotel Nikko are ISO 14001 certified to build positive image, improve environmental performance and for economic benefits (Hillary 2000). WEAKNESS The weakness that ISO 14001 is a generic and voluntary standard that can be adopted by all organisations is as follows: Because it is generic, the organisation and implement ISO 14001 in a way that it sees fit and most organisations get the ISO 14001 certification without changing their organisational culture which is a vital success to the implementation of an EMS as Balzarova et al(2006) looks at a case study of a steel fabrication company who had been certified but lost it because focus was on certification rather than improving environmental performance and employees were not involved in the management process. Re-implementing ISO 14001 the organisational culture had to change and Malmborg (2003) concluded that most organisations do not see an EMS as a tool but a substitute for human actions which leads to problems. There is difficulty in the interpretation of the organisations environmental aspects as Hilary (2000 pg 44) confirms in her study of local authorities in New Zealand found it difficult to identify indirect effects such as purchasing policy, contractor and supplier management e.t.c. Because it is voluntary, most organisations adopt ISO 14001 thinking it would miraculously improve their environmental system without top management commitment from an early stage. Researchers have criticised ISO 14001 stating that it does not consider SMEs and developing countries. The cost of implementing ISO 14001 has flawed the fact that it can be adopted by all organizations as the average cost of certification is $10,000-$128,000 and maintenance cost is between $5,000-$10,000 per year depending on the size (Bansal and Hunter 2003). This makes it difficult for SMEs to implement and they contribute about 70% of environmental pollution (Hillary 2000). CONCLUSION The design of ISO 14001 has weak sets of direction compared to BS7750 and EMAS because it sets environmental goals and are continuously improved but ISO 14001 does not and this is as a result of businesses in the US scared of potential litigation (ENDS 1997, Streger 2000). Because of lack of resources, and knowledge, the priority of environmental impact is reduced

Sympathy for a Murderer in Richard Wrights Native Son :: Native Son Essays

Sympathy for a Murderer in Richard Wright's Native Son In Native Son, Richard Wright introduces Bigger Thomas, a liar and a thief. Wright evokes sympathy for this man despite the fact that he commits two murders. Through the reactions of others to his actions and through his own reactions to what he has done, the author creates compassion in the reader towards Bigger to help convey the desperate state of Black Americans in the 1930’s. The simplest method Wright uses to produce sympathy is the portrayal of the hatred and intolerance shown toward Thomas as a black criminal. This first occurs when Bigger is immediately suspected as being involved in Mary Dalton’s disappearance. Mr. Britten suspects that Bigger is guilty and only ceases his attacks when Bigger casts enough suspicion on Jan to convince Mr. Dalton. Britten explains, "To me, a nigger’s a nigger" (Wright 154). Because of Bigger’s blackness, it is immediately assumed that he is responsible in some capacity. This assumption causes the reader to sympathize with Bigger. While only a kidnapping or possible murder are being investigated, once Bigger is fingered as the culprit, the newspapers say the incident is "possibly a sex crime" (228). Eleven pages later, Wright depicts bold black headlines proclaiming a "rapist" (239) on the loose. Wright evokes compassion for Bigger, knowing that he is this time unjustly accused. The reader is greatl y moved when Chicago’s citizens direct all their racial hatred directly at Bigger. The shouts "Kill him! Lynch him! That black sonofabitch! Kill that black ape!" (253) immediately after his capture encourage a concern for Bigger’s well-being. Wright intends for the reader to extend this fear for the safety of Bigger toward the entire black community. The reader’s sympathy is further encouraged when the reader remembers that all this hatred has been spurred by an accident. While Bigger Thomas does many evil things, the immorality of his role in Mary Dalton’s death is questionable. His hasty decision to put the pillow over Mary’s face is the climax of a night in which nothing has gone right for Bigger. We feel sympathy because Bigger has been forced into uncomfortable positions all night. With good intentions, Jan and Mary place Bigger in situations that make him feel "a cold, dumb, and inarticulate hate" (68) for them. Wright hopes the reader will share Bigger’s uneasiness. The reader struggles with Bigger’s task of getting Mary into her bed and is relieved when he has safely accomplished his mission. Sympathy for a Murderer in Richard Wright's Native Son :: Native Son Essays Sympathy for a Murderer in Richard Wright's Native Son In Native Son, Richard Wright introduces Bigger Thomas, a liar and a thief. Wright evokes sympathy for this man despite the fact that he commits two murders. Through the reactions of others to his actions and through his own reactions to what he has done, the author creates compassion in the reader towards Bigger to help convey the desperate state of Black Americans in the 1930’s. The simplest method Wright uses to produce sympathy is the portrayal of the hatred and intolerance shown toward Thomas as a black criminal. This first occurs when Bigger is immediately suspected as being involved in Mary Dalton’s disappearance. Mr. Britten suspects that Bigger is guilty and only ceases his attacks when Bigger casts enough suspicion on Jan to convince Mr. Dalton. Britten explains, "To me, a nigger’s a nigger" (Wright 154). Because of Bigger’s blackness, it is immediately assumed that he is responsible in some capacity. This assumption causes the reader to sympathize with Bigger. While only a kidnapping or possible murder are being investigated, once Bigger is fingered as the culprit, the newspapers say the incident is "possibly a sex crime" (228). Eleven pages later, Wright depicts bold black headlines proclaiming a "rapist" (239) on the loose. Wright evokes compassion for Bigger, knowing that he is this time unjustly accused. The reader is greatl y moved when Chicago’s citizens direct all their racial hatred directly at Bigger. The shouts "Kill him! Lynch him! That black sonofabitch! Kill that black ape!" (253) immediately after his capture encourage a concern for Bigger’s well-being. Wright intends for the reader to extend this fear for the safety of Bigger toward the entire black community. The reader’s sympathy is further encouraged when the reader remembers that all this hatred has been spurred by an accident. While Bigger Thomas does many evil things, the immorality of his role in Mary Dalton’s death is questionable. His hasty decision to put the pillow over Mary’s face is the climax of a night in which nothing has gone right for Bigger. We feel sympathy because Bigger has been forced into uncomfortable positions all night. With good intentions, Jan and Mary place Bigger in situations that make him feel "a cold, dumb, and inarticulate hate" (68) for them. Wright hopes the reader will share Bigger’s uneasiness. The reader struggles with Bigger’s task of getting Mary into her bed and is relieved when he has safely accomplished his mission.

What part does competition play in people’s daily life

What part does competition play in people's daily lives? Playing sports is a necessary habit in everyone's ordinary life. Playing sports not only Improves our health and wellbeing but It also teaches us important lessons of our dally lives. Tennis, Cricket, Football and Basketball are kinds of sports which require more physical ability while chess and poker are the types of sports that require more mental skills. Different sports teach us many lessons of life while keeping us healthy and active.Playing sports not only conditions the body, but also builds social skills, confidence and skills required In everyday living. Take playing basketball for example, In order to play. You must learn how to dribble the ball, how to shoot and most Importantly. How to pass the ball to your team mate with success. This builds teamwork by showing that working together will achieve much more than working alone. When playing sport, the results may not be as important as the experience you would have ga ined, which will greatly influence your life quality and the way you handle things.Sport caches us basic principles of daily life which are required to succeed in a job too. Passing the ball to a team mate to win as a team is like working with your colleagues to succeed at work, shooting a goal is like doing your part for the team and dribbling the ball past the opposition is like overcoming hurdles you will face in your life. Sports that require more mental skills such as chess and poker teach you logical thinking and how to keep a calm mind in difficult situations that arise in life. In chess for example, you must carefully plan every move to outsmart your opponent.When here is an intense situation, you can't afford to be nervous or anxious, you must have a calm mind and make decisions on how to tackle the problem. The same goes for real life. Winning in sports gives you an abundance of confidence which inspires you to keep playing and makes you feel good about yourself. Yet losin g helps too, It makes you set a goal and work towards it similarly to life, this could be getting a certain award or winning a competition. Playing sports like chess and poker teach you to make plans at every step and prepare for the Incidences that occur at every moment wrought life.Sport Is the most interesting way of learning. Sometimes we learn greatly from It even without even noticing It. It does have some negatives such as Injuries but these are greatly overpowered by the benefits. It Is a great preparation for your future life while obviously keeping you fit and healthy. BY toadied improves our health and wellbeing but it also teaches us important lessons of our daily lives. Tennis, Cricket, Football and Basketball are kinds of sports which require and skills required in everyday living.Take playing basketball for example, in order to lay, you must learn how to dribble the ball, how to shoot and most importantly, how teaches us basic principles of daily life which are requir ed to succeed in a Job too. To keep playing and makes you feel good about yourself. Yet losing helps too, it makes make plans at every step and prepare for the incidences that occur at every moment Sport is the most interesting way of learning. Sometimes we learn greatly from it even without even noticing it. It does have some negatives such as injuries but these are greatly overpowered by the benefits. It is a great preparation for your future life

Elizabeth Bennet in “Pride and Prejudice” Essay

Individuality refers to the character or qualities which distinguish one person from another. Ones uniqueness constitutes a strong distinctiveness in his/her character. Thus, when this sense of character is juxtaposed against the concept of individuality, the mutual association results in the inherent emergence of a persons true identity. Although the distinguishing of separate individuals personalities remains admired in todays society, there existed a time in which the pursuit of uniqueness in character and personality was discouraged. This held especially true for women in Regency England in the 1800s. A woman in this time period, respectively the setting of Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice, endured numerous pressures and overwhelmingly strict rules from societal norms in order to obtain proper placement in society. Women of the time most importantly should marry, and marry well, primarily to obtain the substantially vital possession of an exceptional reputation, and also to support their family and retain a good name. In addition, women held considerably inferior societal positions to men, having strict sociable allowances to only partake in balls, dances, and dinners. These contribute to a woman acquiring a greater extent of connections, which in turn increases their chance of marrying well. However, Jane Austen does in fact present a character that ultimately triumphed over the particular stereotype of women in pursuit of her own ideals. Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist and heroine of Pride and Prejudice, conveys a powerful sense of independence, remains very outspoken of her views, and a reason for marrying which all contradict the stereotypical woman of the time. Elizabeth is an extremely atypical female for her time, for she invariably refuses to allow the loss of her individualism and pe rsonal identity in a society which encourages women to do exactly that. Initially, Elizabeths attitude of independence induces her to act on the instinct of her unique ideals; her sense of self reliance eventually causing a mass of pride and prejudice to formulate around her thoughts and dialogue. No, indeed I do not wish to avoid the walk, for the distance is nothing when one has a motive; only three miles (28). Elizabeth acts in direct defiance towards her mother, and even though she expects to create a negative first impression, her own concerns (such as the well-being of her sister), prevail as a top priorities in her independent mind. She also walks alone,  signifying the scarcity of independence exhibited by women of the 1800s, particularly towards situations that could potentially threaten ones reputation, such as Elizabeths walk in the mud. To such perseverance in willful self-deception Elizabeth would make no reply, and immediately and in silence withdrew, determined, that if he persisted in considering her repeated refusals as flattering enco uragement, to apply to her father, whose negative might be uttered in such a manner as to be decisive, and whose behavior at least could not be mistaken for the affectation and coquetry of an elegant female (91). In the thoroughness of Elizabeths dialogue, the author presents a tone of irritancy, for the protagonists self reliance on her own opinions could not sway Mr. Collins foolish assumptions. Through Elizabeth, the author also expresses heartily disdain of the inferiority of female roles of the time period, depicted by the occurrence of Mr. Bennet having to explain Elizabeths feelings instead of her effectively conveying them herself. I am only resolved to act in that manner, that will, in my own opinion, constitute my happiness, without reference to you, or to any person wholly unconnected with me (294). Essentially, this statement of Elizabeths to Lady Catherine demonstrates her fierce independence. She specifically states that her happiness is the only factor in the governance of her actions. Her self reliance and her own opinions create an independence which allows her to disregard the judgments of others no matter their social standing. Elizabeths independent mindset constitutes a v ery opinionated personality and character, which becomes exposed through remarkable dialogue. Subsequently, Elizabeths outspoken nature causes consequently different interactions with people through dialogue, than would traditionally occur with a stereotypical female. I talked about the dance, and you ought to make some sort of remark on the size of the room or the number of couples (76). Normally, a person would not point out the faults in their dance partners manners. However, Elizabeths outspoken nature allows her to mock an individual of higher social consequence for his discomfited behavior. This interaction presents a fine example of Jane Austens ironic humor. Darcy remains silent at the ball in order to remain socially superior in his mind. However, he receives a lecture from a member of lower social standing, a woman no less, concerning manners and formal protocol. From the very  beginning— from the first moment, I may almost say— of my acquaintance with you, your manners, impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form the groundwork of disapprobation on which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike; and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry (159). With none of the traditional politeness or subservience of her gender, Elizabeths reveals her unrelenting will to speak her mind in a situation of anger and in support of her feelings, which consequently humiliates Darcy. He became a victim to something virtually unheard of for a man of his social stature: an outspoken woman. Darcys formal and polite exit reinforces the importance that high society places in constant manners and obedience of formal protocol, portraying his now tentatively preserved sense of superiority. Lady Catherine seemed quite astonished at not receiving a direct answer (139). Elizabeth upon this instance speaks her mind in an incredibly daring manner. It seems that Elizabeth became the first individual ever to address Lady Catherine in that way, an exceptionally audacious stunt considering the old widows possession of so much dignified impertinence. Along with her outspoken behavior, Elizabeths marital ideals present themselves as the exact opposite of views exp ected to be held by women at the matrimonial age in Pride and Prejudice. Furthermore, most women of Jane Austens time period viewed marriage as the ultimate goal in life, a wondrous aspiration to be attained for comfort, materialism, and social stature; Elizabeth exclusively declines to accept these ideals as governance for her own actions. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife (1). This initial statement of Jane Austens masterpiece offers a miniature sketch of the entire plot, which concerns itself with the pursuit of single men in possession of a good fortune by various female characters. The preoccupation with socially advantageous marriage in nineteenth-century English society manifests itself here, for in claiming that a single man must be in want of a wife, the narrator reveals that the reverse is also true: a single woman, whose socially prescribed options are quite limited, desires a husband. However, Elizabeth criticizes the  advantages and consequence of marriage in her society, such as whether or not one holds respect for their lifes partner, negatively portrayed by her parents. Elizabeth fortifies these ideals in her declaration that â€Å"I am determined that nothing but the very deepest love will induce me into matrimony† (38). Due to the fact that Elizabeths extreme opinion of marriage comes as a response to Janes similar view, implications arise that Elizabeths point of view does not remain exclusively unique. However, closer examination of Janes character reveals that although love intrigues her aspirations, she would easily and appropriately succumb to societal expectations. Elizabeths outlook sets her far apart from the majority of women at the time, her position expressing that only love constitutes acceptable reason to marry. You could not make me happy, and I am convinced I am the last woman in the world who would make you so (102). Elizabeth adequately proves her profoundly unique views of matrimony by the adamant refusal of two separate but exceedingly suitable marriage proposals. In Elizabeths position, to not marry Mr. Collins would put her in a very precarious situation financially, condemning all her family to certain disaster, and to denounce tradition for the sake of her principles seems foolhardy but also requires a fair amount of mustered courage. In absolute liberation from the female stereotype she rejects the proposal of Mr. Darcy (likely the richest man she is ever to meet) as well revealing a complete disregard for societal norms and her prescribed role as a woman. In conclusion, Elizabeth Bennets character intrigues many, unique individualism plainly setting her far from the stereotype of her gender. Throughout Pride and Prejudice, several references enlighten every fine attribute of Elizabeths remarkable character. Her interactions throughout the novel quite clearly depict her as an extremely atypical female when juxtaposed against the norm of her gender, during the distinctive period of Regency England in the year 1813. Through her independence and defiance, clearly outspoken nature, and inimitable ideals concerning matrimony, Elizabeths character undeniably challenges the stipulated roles and formal protocol of the women in her time period. She remains principled and unshaken by the overwhelmingly strict expectations of society. Her every action becomes governed by assurance of her happiness alone, while decisions  too depend exclusively on her own sense of correct choices. The character of Elizabeth Bennet provides inspiration for many modern women to develop a sense of courage and confidence, demonstrated by her determined will to speak her mind in effort to support certain unique principles of marriage. Elizabeth figuratively compares with Frodo Baggins of Lord of the Rings, by being dragged into a quest in which a ring is central. In marrying Darcy, she overturns the social hierarchy by taking a husband who remains considerably superior in social class. Using her newly enhanced opinions to understand what constitutes a happy (as well as proper) marriage on her independent terms she makes certain of her true happiness, concluding in final contentment that she will now never desire to discard her ring into Mount Doom. â€Æ'Works Cited Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Ann Arbor: Borders Classics, 2006.

The number of children diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder The WritePass Journal

The number of children diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder INTRODUCTION The number of children diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder INTRODUCTIONAIMS AND OBJECTIVES  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   RESEARCH AIMS RESEARCH QUESTIONSLITERATURE  REVIEW UNDERSTANDING OCDOCD UK STATISTICSCOMPARISON OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS LIVING WITH OCD RESEARCH METHODOLOGYCONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONREFERENCESRelated INTRODUCTION Daily, the number of children diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is on the increase. OCD has been shown to affect at least 2% of young people (OCF 2009).   As defined by the NHS clinical guide 2005, â€Å"obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by the presence of either obsessions or compulsions and most commonly both† The NHS further describe an obsession as any thoughts, imagery or urge which is unwanted and intrusive, repeatedly bogging someone’s mind. Also compulsion, are behaviors or mental activities repetitive in nature which a person feels need or is driven to perform. These definitions embody the reality encompassing people suffering with OCD. The symptoms which cause significant functional impairment and distress coupled with the fact that it can either be overt and observable by others (for example, checking that a door is locked repeatedly) or covert mental act like repeating a particular phrase in ones mind tend to affect suff erers, physically, psychologically, socially and academically as would be expounded in this study. Obsessions or compulsions can negatively impact on the lives of young people within their family environment, school and with friends. Nearly all children have little worries or fears as a normal part of growing up (Pridmore, 2010). This then makes OCD in children difficult to diagnose thus removing early identification and treatment in effect leading to a more developed situation in adult hood. Research into the early diagnosis forms the crux of this study. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   RESEARCH AIMS This research is aimed at scaling more light on ways of early detection of OCD in children with a view to early diagnosis and early treatment by way of research to investigate the relationship between OCD in children, adolescents and adult, thus ensuring translating the cognitive processing of threat across age groups, magnitude of symptom and how this is usually shown by sufferers with age. Furthermore it also aims to add knowledge to what is currently known about the import of age on OCD and the best approach in detecting and treating OCD early in life. OBJECTIVES Interpret how OCD symptoms begin and are displayed across age groups. Assess level of symptom in sufferers across different age groups. Analyze critically the best practice for early detection and best approach to treatment. Make recommendation based on research finding into OCD across varied age groups. RESEARCH QUESTIONS Important to this research are the following questions, which make up the body of the research: How are the symptoms of OCD exhibited in children? What role does age play in the repression or otherwise of OCD in children? How does comparism of OCD symptoms across age groups affect current knowledge of OCD in Children? What conditions affect the repression of OCD symptoms across the test age groups? Can the success of repression across any of the age groups be used as tool to treat OCD in children? These questions would form the building blocks of the research, as the findings would formulate points of discussion. LITERATURE  REVIEW UNDERSTANDING OCD Previously, OCD was thought to be a rare psychiatric illness (Paige, 2007), however, research into the causes and symptoms into the condition, points out that the condition or disorder clearly characterized by cycles of obsessions and ‘rituals’ or compulsions causing extreme malfunction, fear and distress to its sufferers. It is proposed and more likely that in the near distant future, OCD would be grouped in a field of disorders with various treatments. The proposed OC spectrum disorders might include OCD, body dysmorphic disorder (Bjornsson et al, 2010), hoarding (Pertusa et al, 2010), pathological gambling (Black et al, 2010), certain eating disorders, and autism. The current position of OCD differs in the two major diagnostic systems. OCD is perceived as an anxiety disorder In the DSM-IV, while ICD-10 lists it as an entity, which is separate from the anxiety, disorders. As stated above, proposals for the removal of OCD from the anxiety disorders and placed in an independent grouping of â€Å"OC spectrum disorders† is currently under discussion (Bartz Hollander, 2006). OCD is yet to be fully understood thus various theories flourish which link it to different conditions such as a connection to disgust which is a basic human emotion, which may have an evolutionary function that encourages the avoidance of contamination and disease. Husted et al, (2006), explained that functional imaging indicates that the neurocircuitry of OCD and disgust are similar conceiving OCD as a malfunction in an appraisal process. This would fit with OCD in which there are contamination concerns. However, this ideology does not tally with another theory that observes indecision as a feature of OCD and proposes the disorder is a result of disturbed decision-making strategies, which has been discussed by (Sachdev, et al, 2005). In another instance, functional imaging supports the theory that decision making involves the dorsolateral, orbitofrontal and anterior cingulate cortices (CHANGE THE WORDS) which interact with limbic structures to retain memory of emotional rewards, an d the basal ganglia which is involved in behavioral execution, the same structures that appear to be involved in OCD. These are shrouded with other theories that include â€Å"not just right experiences† (Coles et al, 2010), inability to terminate improbable but grave danger concerns (Woody and Szechtman, 2010) and â€Å"an inflated sense of responsibility† (Smari et al, 2010) OCD involves obsession that are involuntary, leading up to thoughts that are unwanted and recurring result in feelings of anxiety and many at times dread hence they are not simply cases of meticulousness or over worry. There tend to be much worse, they make the sufferer seem irrational, interfere with normal thinking and are time consuming in some cases taking up to two hours per day (Fruehling J, 1999). They compel sufferers to make repeated attempts to try and control arising obsessive thoughts all to no avail. The ‘rituals’ performed by sufferers tend to bring temporary relief from the anxiety brought about by the thoughts as there exist a clear the relationship between most obsessions and the compulsions that follow. for example, contamination and washing. Sometimes the opposite is the case as not clear relationship can be attributed to (WHAT)for example, counting behaviors in a bid to prevent harm to others (Paige, 2007). The symptoms of OCD have been shown to grow stronger over time in cases where certain performed compulsions appear less effective in bringing relief. More elaborate measures could be taken to provide a sense of relief effectively ensuring that these become time consuming and thus interfering with everyday functioning. There have been cases of delayed indulgence so as not to appear abnormal socially, but this is nearly very difficult and the urge to perform the rituals always tends to grow. For example, students who tend to and are able to delay their compulsions while in class often tend to go to private places later on to perform set rituals during school hours. The concept of delusion cannot be attributed to sufferers of OCD, more adult sufferers often tend to recognize that such thoughts and behaviors that follow are unreasonable, however, that lack the will or ability to control them. In the face of illness or stress, OCD symptoms worsen. The causes of OCD border around three major areas, psychological, biological and the roles of neurotransmitters. Biologically Studies have linked patients with childhood onset OCD to first-degree relatives, than among patients with later onsets to first-degree relatives (Starcevic, 2005). However, statistical inconsistencies have been shown to exist among twins demonstrating a higher concordance among dizygotic pairs. Upon statistical analysis further more, Grootheest et al, 2005 explained that if a dimensional approach is employed, studies amongst twins suggest heritability of obsessive compulsive symptoms. Early onset of OCD is traceable to strong genetical contributions however, this is not definitive (Pridmore, 2010). Role of Transmitters In another study, neurological images implicate disturbances in pathways between the cerebral cortex and thalamus as pathogenesis of obsessions while pathogenesis of compulsion along with repetitive motor acts results from abnormalities in the striatum (Insel, 1992). When comparing sufferers of OCD and other anxiety disorders, Ruda et al, (2010) observed common and distinct neural substrates as both showed a decreased level of bilateral grey matter volume in the brain. OCD like disorders caused by childhood streptococcal infections has been termed Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections. It has been observed that a large percentage of children who have suffered this complication of rheumatic fever have antibodies directed against the caudate (Swedo et al, 1994). Psychologically – OCD are shown by the symptoms explained upon earlier in this study. OCD UK STATISTICS Torres et al reported in 2006 that the survey of British National Psychiatric Morbidity revealed the prevalence within the general population of OCD was 1.1%. The same statistics also showed that the percentage decreased with increasing age (1.4% within 16-26years and 0.2% within 65-74 years). These statistics also revealed that the condition was slightly higher in females than males. Amongst sufferers of the condition, it has been identified that 55% suffer from only obsessions while 11% have only compulsions with 34% having both obsessions and compulsions (Pridmore, 2010). Further statistics show that 62% patients suffer from mental disorder in particular depression and anxiety, with 20% having alcohol dependence, 13% on drug dependence and 25% with a history of attempted suicide. The above statistics points to the prevalence of OCD in children who very often are ignorant of the existence of the condition and or where conscious are often very afraid to inform parents. In a 9 year s urvey where 142 adolescents and children where followed, Heyman et al, 2010 revealed that 41% of this population had persistent OCD, a very considerable number of those without the condition showed signs of other psychiatric conditions. This reveals that OCD is a chronic disorder amongst the younger generation with a guided prognosis. CHILDREN LIVING WITH OCD Childhood onset of OCD may result in children demonstrating washing; checking rituals, and preoccupation with disease, danger, and doubts inter alia   (Swedo et al 1989), with an approximate 2%–3% of people (including adolescents) having OCD. Notwithstanding this may be an underestimate because many symptoms are kept secret, OCD can emerge as early as preschool. During puberty and early adulthood, the number of children who develop the disorder peaks (National Institutes of Mental Health, Pediatric Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder Research, 2006). Studies by Paige, 2007 show that one-third of adults have OCD developed from childhood. As stated earlier, children and adolescents often tend to hide the symptoms of OCD for fear of being tagged ‘crazy or weird’ this often takes its toll on the severity of the condition in sufferers later on in life. The stigma often associated with OCD come to the full understanding of most adolescents who go through extreme lengths to avoid showing the symptoms. These steps could see them seek ways to avoid situations, which tend to trigger symptoms or young sufferers become clever in devising explanations for their behaviors. Snider et al, 2000 preach that compulsive behavior begins very often gradually and the trend is inadvertently supported by unsuspecting parents at the outset, for example, in cases where children and adolescents show rituals or compulsions that tend to be developmentally appropriate such as wearing a lucky shirt to a game or lining up stuffed animals in a particular way or show healthy behavior such as appear healthy washing of hands after bathroom use, parents may not initially be concerned by such OCD symptoms thus resulting in not seeking medical treatment at the outset until behaviors have become disruptive. Study by Zohar (1999) reveal that following childhood onset, OCD has a complete remission rate of 10 to 50 percent by late adolescence and without treatment tends to become chronic affecting normal function adversely. Considerable effects on adolescents include decreased performance qualities, impaired relationships, depression, problems associated with poor academic performance and so on (Paige, 2004). Expounding further on the effect of OCD on child or adolescent school performance, OCD often at times has a considerable and significant effect on child or adolescent learning; this tends to worsen if left untreated at the earlier stages. Academic problems associated with OCD in children or adolescent include poor attendance often similar to school avoidance, perceived weird behavior as young sufferers tend to avoid situations and places that increase obsessive thoughts as they may spend more time in secret places where rituals or compulsions are performed, this often results in increased social isolation and missed learning. Other problems may include loss of concentration, which is similar to symptoms associated with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) as a dir ect result of obsessive. The consequences of such behaviors often result in victimization or bullying of students suffering from OCD while obsessive thoughts create social problems. COMPARISON OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS LIVING WITH OCD In a study to unearth the developmental differences in the cognitive processing of threat across children, adolescent and adult groups of individual sufferers of OCD by Farrell et al in 2006, some evidence showed that age accounted for differences in the cognitive processing of threat associated with OCD. As this study was the first to examine this relationship, it demonstrated that children suffering from OCD experienced lower anxious and intrusive thoughts in direct comparism to both adolescents and adults. Children experienced lower levels of sadness, worry, disapproval and removal strategies associated with OCD as determined by Farrell et al, (2006) when compared to adolescents and adults. The research also pointed that the intrusive and depressive thoughts experienced by children with OCD was less distressing and less difficult to resist in comparison to the other two groups. These finding where consistent with reports by Salkovskis (1985, 1989) and others (Freeston et al., 1996 ; Rachman, 1993). Similar results were obtained when responsibility was the factor being tested for. The results showed that children report significantly less responsibility on a self-report responsibility attitude measurement in comparison to the other two groups. This suggested effectively that by adolescent, sufferers ten to have increased attitudes regarding personal blame for harm as is also in the case of adults suffering with OCD. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION The cognitive theory of OCD has in the past been heralded as the most widely accepted account of maintenance of the disorder in adults however; it remained to be seen if evaluation across children, adolescent and adult comparison portends any trend. To this end, research was undertaken to investigate developmental differences in symptoms displayed by OCD sufferers across the age range, the results obtained demonstrated that symptoms evinced increased across the grouping (children – adolescent adult). This therefore suggests adoption of strategies for treatment of the condition. Importance is placed of the early discovery of the condition in an individual so as to ensure that whatever treatment is required is provided to stem increased conditions as the individual matures. Furthermore, in managing and ensuring recovery from OCD, early identification and requisite treatment remain imperative. Various strategies to manage and control the condition amongst children within the sch ool environment and at home have to be employed. At schools, staff should be alert as to the symptoms of the disorder in any pupil and to achieve this there is need for adequate enlightenment of staff about the disorder. Advice should the sought from the school counselor as unexplained agitation in pupil, prolonged and or frequent absence from class etc could be pointers to the condition in a pupil. Also, indirect observation such as raw or bleeding hands could give required clues. Stigmatization should also be eliminated. Conclusively, parental involvement remains utmost in the management and recovery process. Some parents may require education on how to identify and support children suffering with OCD. More research is required to fully grasp the role of responsibility, life experiences and exposures on the display and repression of OCD symptoms. This research study however, recommends a more details research into the symptoms showed by sufferers across different age groups and the roles which various factors would play. REFERENCES Bartz J., and Hollander E., (2006) ‘Is obsessive-compulsive disorder an anxiety disorder?’ Progress in Neuropsychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, vol. 30. pp. 338-352. Bjornsson A, Didie E, Phillips K., (2010) ‘Body dysmorphic disorder’ Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, vol. 12, pp. 221-232. Coles M., Heimberg R., Frost R., and Steketee G., (2005) ‘Not just right experiences and obsessive compulsive features: experimental and self-monitoring perspectives’ Behavior Research and Therapy, vol. 43, pp. 153-167. Freeston, M. H., Rheaume, J., Ladouceur, R. (1996) ‘Correcting faulty appraisals of obsessional thoughts’ Behaviour, Research and Therapy, vol. 34, pp. 433–446. Insel T., (1995) ‘Toward a neuroanatomy of obsessive-compulsive disorder’ Archives of General Psychiatry, vol. 49, pp. 739-744. National Institutes of Mental Health, Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Research. (2006) FAQs about OCD. Retreived May 31, 2007, from http://intramural.nimh.nih.gov/pocd/ pocd-faqs.htm#FAQ-1 National Health Scheme NHS (2005) ‘Obsessive-compulsive disorder Obsessive-compulsive disorder: core interventions in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder and body dysmorphic disorder’ National Institute for health and clinical excellence. www.nice.org.uk. Obsessive Compulsive Foundation (OCF) (1999) ‘OCD in Children’ Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation. (2006) ‘What is OCD?’ Retreived June 1, 2007, from www.ocfoundation.org/what-is-ocd.html Paige L. Z., (2004) ‘Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Information for parents and educators’ In Canter, A. S., Paige, L. Z., Roth, M. D., Romero, I., Carroll, S. A. (Eds.), Helping children at home and school II: Handouts for families and educators. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists. Pertusa A, Frost R, Mataix-Cols D., (2010) ‘When hoarding is a symptom of OCD: a case series and implications for DSM-V. Behavioral Research and Therapy 2010; in press. Pridmore S., (2010) ‘OCD – download of Psyciatry’ Chapter 13 Rachman S., (1993) ‘Obsessions, responsibility, and guilt. Behaviour Research and Therapy, vol. 31, pp. 149–154. Radua J., van den Heuvel O., Surguladaze S., and Mataix-Cols D., (2010) ‘Meta-analytical; comparison of voxel-based morphometry studies in obsessive-compulsive disorder vs other anxiety disorders’ Archives of General Psychiatry, vol. 67, pp. 701-711. Smari J, (2010) ‘Pathways to inflated responsibility beliefs, responsibility attitudes and obsessive-compulsive symptoms: factor structure and test of mediational model’ Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapy, vol 38, pp. 535-544. Snider L. A., and Swedo S. E., (2000) ‘Pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder. The Journal of the American Medical Association, vol. 284, pp. 3104–3106. Starcevic V., (2005) ‘Anxiety Disorders in Adults’ Oxford University Press: Oxford. 2005. Swedo S. E., Rapoport J. L., Leonard H. L., Lenane M., and Cheslow D., (1989) ‘Obsessivecompulsive disorder in children and adolescents: Clinical phenomenology of 70 consecutive cases. Archives of General Psychiatry, vol. 46, pp. 335–341. Salkovskis P. M., (1985) ‘Obsessional compulsive problems: A cognitive-behavioural analysis’ Behaviour Research and Therapy, vol. 23, pp. 571–583. Salkovskis, P. M. (1989) ‘Cognitive behavioural factors and the persistence of intrusive thoughts in obsessional problems’ Behaviour Research and Therapy, vol. 27, pp. 677–682. Zohar A. H., (1999) ‘The epidemiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder in children and adolescents’ Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, vol. 8, pp. 445–460.

How to Write a Research Proposal in English A Complete Guide for College Students

How to Write a Research Proposal in English A Complete Guide for College Students A research proposal is a brief outline of the research project you propose, usually presupposing a request for support and sponsorship. Therefore, it is, to a significant degree, the most important part of almost any serious research endeavor, because how well it is written defines whether the project in question is going to be realized. When it comes to English studies, it is worth mentioning that the nature of the discipline dramatically changed over the last few decades, drifting from the study of English literature to the study of literature in English. In addition, many modern English departments accept a much broader understanding of what text is, incorporating oral narratives, films, products of popular and visual culture and other media that aren’t traditionally associated with literature. Therefore, any research in this discipline is very likely to become interdisciplinary, and you should consider it before choosing a topic and starting your work. It is hard to stress this enough – writing a research proposal isn’t something to be taken lightly. It may be relatively small in size, but preparing it requires an enormous amount of focus, work, preparation and polishing, as the future of an entire project depends on it. In this guide, you will find everything you need to know to successfully complete this task. How to Pick a Suitable Topic for Your Research Proposal in English 1. Avoid the Path of Least Resistance The very fact that you are at the level when it is necessary to write a research proposal and have it accepted before you can start working should demonstrate that the easy days are over. At earlier stages it was possible to ask your professor to suggest a topic or an area of research, have him/her point out the texts and reference material you may find useful and recompile it in a semblance of an original work. From now on, your research has to be original. You may ask your professor if the topic you’ve come up with is viable or bounce some ideas off him/her, but don’t ask him/her to define the very direction of your research. 2. Choose a Topic That Appealed to You during BA or MA Studies This is probably the safest place to start. You’ve already done some research and laid some groundwork in certain topics. Do any of them appeal to you enough to study them deeper? It may be a specific author, literary genre, literature (e.g., American 19th century literature or Middle English literature), or a critical idea (e.g., national identity or religious motives). 3. Explore an Unfamiliar Topic If you want your work to be more interesting, you may select a topic that is not familiar to you. The advantage of this approach is that your work is going to be a real research, because you will discover new things as you go along. The potential problem is that you never know what direction this work is going to take. 4. Choose a Topic that Reflects Your Own Identity The best topics (or, at least, the ones that lead to the best research) are the ones that resonate with your own life, identity and experience. Just like in the humanities in general, research in English very often boils down to the research of your own identity: linguistic, national, class, ethnic, gender identity, underline as necessary. If you connect to your research on a personal level, it will certainly show itself (e.g., if you are an Asian American and strongly identify with your ancestry, you can study the representation of Asian Americans in American literature). These are just a few examples of approaches you can take when choosing a topic – there are no real limitations as to what you can try. Just try to find out if there is enough material to go on before you commit to anything serious. Some examples of good topics are: Gender Roles in Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens; Historical Background and Its Role in the Creation of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain; Religion and Religious Consciousness in One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez; Common Motives in 1984 and Animal Farm by George Orwell; Politics, Religion and Mysticism in The Ball and the Cross by Gilbert Chesterton. What Should a Typical Research Proposal in English Studies Contain The exact contents of a research proposal differ from college to college and vary from relatively simple affairs to complex papers in many parts. However, usually it should contain the following: Research Topic A brief outline of what you intend to research. Methodology How you will address the research question and what methods you will use. Usually only written if there is something unusual about the methodology. Time and Expenses How long the research will take and the resources it will need. Context What is the relation of your research to the existing works in this or relevant fields? How is your research different from these works? This part is a good place to demonstrate your familiarity with prior research on the topic. Your Contribution Show why you believe there is a need in the research on the proposed topic and what impact your research will have on this and other areas. Properly written, this part shows that you already view your subject matter in detail rather than merely in outline. Resources You Will Use Exemplify that you know what you need to complete your research and aren’t just going to blindly look around for leads. Project Roadmap Indicate how your project is likely to develop. You may provide different variants depending on how much material you are able to find. However, usually you don’t have to divide the proposal into individual headings – just make sure you cover all these areas. What You Should Do before Starting to Write Your Research Proposal 1. Study the Requirements The first thing you should realize is that there is no single standard for research proposals in English. Depending on the college, the funding body, the course you apply for and other factors, the requirements you have to follows can be wildly different. For example, in Cambridge, your proposal should be 500 words long if you apply for a place on an MPhil course, and 800 words long in you apply for a PhD course. University of Birmingham suggests that it should be around 2,500 words, and you will find even greater discrepancies in other sources. So make sure you get all the guidelines and refresh them in your mind from time to time as you write. 2. Prepare Your Sources Your proposal has to contain a literature review, and the sooner you start collecting information sources, the better. Ideally, you should do it before you do anything else – this way you will know if there is enough material to go about. If you discover there is nothing to build upon, you will be able to start looking for another topic without having committed yourself to anything. There are plenty of resources on the Internet where you can find citations to the sources you may be interested in. A good rule of a thumb is to discuss at least 5 studies in your literature review. 3. Contact the College’s Staff before Applying Officially College staff is usually understanding towards those trying to have their research accepted. You may want to get in touch with somebody who is well-versed in the school’s requirements and demands and shares your research idea. If they see it to be well-aligned with the college’s research strengths, they will give you a few pointers on how you can improve the proposal before you try to officially submit it. Writing a Research Proposal in English: Tips, Tricks and Strategies 1. Make Your First Few Sentences Impactful Just like with all the other writing types, the first few sentences or even words are what will define the success of your proposal. Reviewers have to deal with dozens of such papers every day, so don’t think they are going to carefully study your proposal before passing a judgment. Try to get down to business and grab their attention as soon as possible. Don’t spend words leading up to your topic – show that your research is innovative and valuable in the very beginning. Try to put your enthusiasm onto paper. 2. Pay Attention to Your Language The success of a research proposal (especially in the English studies) is very sensitive to the language you use. It should be written in Standard English, be formal yet concise and devoid of unnecessary embellishments. Make sure you keep your text free of jargon, colloquialisms and contractions. 3. Focus on the Usefulness and Value of Your Research You shouldn’t offer to do a research project simply because you personally are interested in its topic. Instead, you should focus on showing how it is going to be of use for the other researchers in the field, how it will advance the research on this author, literature or idea. For example, if your research deals with lesser-known works by Mark Twain, you can point out that their all-round study is necessary for the comprehensive analysis of the writer’s creative work and will be useful for those studying other literature of the period. 4. Point out the Multidisciplinary Aspects of Your Work Research on English studies has a good chance of connecting to other humanities: Psychology, Sociology, History and so on. By emphasizing the aspects of your work that can be valuable for those studying other disciplines you are likely to attract more positive attention than if you stick only to literature. After the Writing Is Done: What Else Can You Do with Your Research Proposal 1. Check Your Style You should pay attention to your style as you write, but we often slide to bad practices without noticing it, so now is the time to reread the text and ask yourself: Are there any long or run-on sentences? The main goal of a research proposal is to be clear and easily understandable, and breaking up long complex sentences into shorter and simpler ones can be very helpful; Are my paragraphs too long? Again, a wall of text is hard to read; Is my text too wordy or ambiguous? Eliminate superfluous words and check your sentences for exactness; Have you cited all your sources? Did you do it in a proper citation style? 2. Do a Thorough Editing and Proofreading A research proposal is relatively small, and you can carefully check and recheck it for grammar, syntax and typographic errors multiple times without spending too much time on it. It may seem like a hassle, but even a single mistake or typo will make an exceedingly bad impression – they show that you couldn’t have been bothered to reread your text but expect it to be treated seriously by others. You may use a service like Grammarly to weed out the most obvious blunders, but ideally you should hire a professional proofreader or at least ask a trusted friend to check it for mistakes. 3. Ask Your Peers and Adviser for Feedback You only see your research proposal from one viewpoint; and taking into account how important a job it is, you should get additional insights. Ask if, in their opinion, your proposal is persuasive and if you properly cover your research question. They will most likely point out a few things you can improve or change. 4. Keep in Mind That Your Research Is not Set in Stone Remember that your research proposal doesn’t obligate you to do exactly what you’ve written in it. It is a proposal, after all – you describe what you intend to research, and there is no guarantee that your research will go along the way you’ve envisioned for it or will bring the results you’ve expected. Writing a research proposal in English studies can be a grueling task – but using this guide, you will be able to both find a suitable topic and present it for the review in the best possible light.

A Guide to In-Line Lists

A Guide to In-Line Lists A Guide to In-Line Lists A Guide to In-Line Lists By Mark Nichol This post describes how to organize in-line lists, those that occur within a sentence, as compared to vertical lists, those organized by setting the items on the list apart from each other, distinguished by numbers, letters, or other symbols, on consecutive lines. (Vertical lists will be described in a separate post.) An in-line list may consist of a set of words, phrases, or clauses, or a combination of the three. The simplest in-line list is one that consists of one-word items: â€Å"The colors of the American flag are red, white, and blue.† (Style guides differ on whether the comma preceding and, called a serial comma- or, sometimes, an Oxford comma- is necessary, but consistent use helps writers avoid creating ambiguously organized sentences.) More complex lists invite errors. For example, in the following sentence, the syntax of the list items is not consistent: â€Å"Children raised in a traditional two-parent household tend to be physically and emotionally healthier, less likely to use drugs and alcohol, engage in crime, or become pregnant outside of marriage.† One can analyze the sentence by converting it into an introductory phrase followed by a vertical list. Note how the items are not parallel in structure: Children raised in a traditional two-parent household tend to be physically and emotionally healthier less likely to use drugs and alcohol engage in crime become pregnant outside of marriage. A technically correct revision follows: Children raised in a traditional two-parent household tend to be physically and emotionally healthier less likely to use drugs and alcohol less likely to engage in crime less likely to become pregnant outside of marriage. However, the repetition of the phrase â€Å"less likely to† is distracting and is redundant to â€Å"tend to be,† and further revision of this vertical list is recommended if it is to be converted back to an in-line list. Because the four elements in this sentence are not consistently supported by verbs or verb phrases, it is best to separate the first item from the rest of the items, resulting in a sentence consisting of two elements that include examples- the first example standing on its own, and the other three retained as a three-item list: â€Å"Children raised in a traditional two-parent household tend to be physically and emotionally healthier and are less likely to use drugs and alcohol, engage in crime, or become pregnant outside of marriage.† If one or more elements in an in-line list include a comma, a stronger punctuation mark, the semicolon, must be employed to clarify the organization of the sentence. This is true when at least one element includes a single comma that sets off, for example, the name of a city and the name of a state, as in this example: Unusual names of cities and towns include Cut and Shoot, Texas; Truth or Consequences, New Mexico; and Rough and Ready, California. Semicolons are also called for when one or more items in an in-line list are themselves lists, as shown here: Unusual names of cities and towns include Cut and Shoot, Truth or Consequences, and Rough and Ready; Embarrass, Uncertain, and Waterproof; and Accident, Hazard, and Protection. Note that although some writers use semicolons to separate items in a list when the items are long and complex, doing so is unnecessary. Thus, the intervening punctuation marks in the following example are safely converted to commas: â€Å"Uncertainties include the volatility in oil and gas prices; concerns about the impact of economic sanctions in Russia to U.S. and European markets; questions about slowdowns in China; and the effects on U.S. economic policy resulting from the shift in power in the U.S. Senate in January 2015.† This is especially true if an additional clause follows the last list item, creating the implication that the clause applies only to the final item. Here, it is necessary to convert the semicolons after function and shareholders to commas: â€Å"If the chief executive officer is not willing to pay attention to the warning signs posted by the risk management function; the reward system is not sufficiently balanced with the long-term interests of shareholders; or the board is not asking tough questions about the assumptions and risks underlying the strategy, it is not likely risk management will have an impact at the crucial moment when a contrarian voice is needed.† Otherwise, the phrase beginning â€Å"it is not likely risk management . . .† would have appeared (at least when first read) to pertain only to the phrase beginning â€Å"the board is not asking tough questions . . . .† Also, semicolons are not necessary when separating only two sets of list items, rather than three or more. In the following example, or is sufficient to distinguish the two lists, and the semicolon should be omitted: â€Å"This strategy may span several departments- for example, legal, procurement, and finance; or  marketing, sales, and customer service.† Also, to aid in distinguishing items in a list, the items are sometimes preceded by sequential numbers (or, occasionally, lowercase letters) followed by a close parenthesis rather than a period, as in this example: â€Å"The three forms of rock are 1) igneous, 2) metamorphic, and 3) sedimentary.† This method of organization can be useful for enumerating and setting off complex list items (or, in the case of letters, offering options), but it is usually unnecessary, or a vertical list (without numbers or letters) may be a better option. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Common Mistakes category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire You7 Patterns of Sentence StructureEpidemic vs. Pandemic vs. Endemic

A Report from a meeting on the 4see model Essay

A Report from a meeting on the 4see model - Essay Example Representatives present †¢ Simon Roberts-Director Foresight Innovation and Incubation Group, Arup. †¢ Nigel Goddard a Director in School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh †¢ Colin Axon - A Senior Researcher at School of Engineering and Design in Brunel University, Uxbridge, †¢ Barney Foran - Institute of Land Water and Society, Charles Strut University †¢ Benjamin Warr-Director of Environmental Services and Senior Environmental Scientist, GeoQuest Ltd, Modeling paradigm Mr. Goddard took the attendees through the modeling paradigm of the 4see model. He informed members that it differs from other macroeconomic modeling methods. It expresses constraints between components of the macro economy as equations which describe how they affect each other, and then uses iterative time-stepped simulation to evolve the model of the system forward in time. A key principle in 4see modeling is handling of distinctly different classes of flows. The full 4see- GB mo del of the UK economy includes ten distinct flows which are distinguished by having differing characteristics and being non-substitutable to each other in the short term. (Roberts) Modeling principles Mr. Goddard further went on to explain that the approach to creating the model follows a simple principle: that supply follows demand but is constrained in the short term by physical infrastructure or the inputs needed for output. There were concerns on the deterministic approach and corrective approach. Mr. Goddard went on to say that deterministic approach controls the need for inputs. Where as reconciliation between demands on the right and supply of the distinct separate flows is by the corrective approach. Finally, most of the final demand in the model is...The 4see model also identified process flows. The variables of major interest, such as flows of goods and services, were not modeled as stocks and flows in the system dynamics sense, but were assumed to be consumed in the same time-period in which they were produced - there is no modeling of inventory. In system dynamics terms, they we considered being auxiliary variables. The identified fixed capital stocks in the economy with the system dynamics stock concept. This was a reflection of the categorical difference in 4seemodels between fixed capital stocks and other types of stocks such as inventories.(Roberts).We presented a macro-economic modeling framework based on deterministic and corrective approaches that enabled us to reproduce the historical data with a small number of exogenous parameters. The model was grounded in standard national macroeconomic data that conformed to international conventions of data-holding and duration.

The Impact of Neocolonialism on the Social, Economic and Political Essay

The Impact of Neocolonialism on the Social, Economic and Political Life of Nigeria - Essay Example It can be derived from the report and the previous research conducted on the topic that British colonial rule in Nigeria from the second half of the nineteenth century to the early 1950s is associated with intense violence by the colonisers, with â€Å"the use of force to damage people and objects; the use of force to maintain control; and the use of humiliating words to generate violence reactions†. â€Å"Nigeria was a creation of British colonialism† states Wright, to fulfill British self-interest and political calculations. The country came into being only at the end of the nineteenth century, with British imperial policy drawing together different groups of people and ecological zones over the duration of several decades to form the country. In the first half of the twentieth century, imperial arrogance formulated and implemented policies promoting British rather than African advantage. These policies developed the social and political identities of the colony, and produced long-term problems which Nigeria struggled with after 1960 when the country gained independence from colonialism. Neocolonialism, the last stage of imperialism is defined as â€Å"control of the economic and development destiny by a former colonial area such as Africa by outside powers after independence†. Neocolonialism is illustrated by the British giving independence to Nigeria with one hand, while taking it away with the other. Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to distinguish between Colonialism and Neocolonialism in Nigeria, and to assess the impact of neocolonialism on the social, economic and political life of the country. The Difference Between Colonialism and Neocolonialism in Nigeria Colonialism formed the root cause for political crisis by replacing pre-colonial political systems that worked for Africans with alien models. Ethnic conflicts that now destablise the continent were created by changing the geographical outlines in the map of Africa , bringing diverse people together without taking into consideration established borders. â€Å"The new nation states were artificial and many were too small to be viable† (Obadina 2000, p.1). Not even one-thirds of the countries in Africa have populations larger than 10 million, with Nigeria being a significant exception. African societies were divided into separate groups on the basis of western multi-party democracy imposed by colonial powers. The introduction of party politics by colonial administration fuelled the blaze of ethnic conflicts in Nigeria. The imposition of alien rule makes colonialism a dictatorial regime that did not allow people their right of self determination. Colonialism â€Å"brought death, pain and humiliation to millions of its victims† (Obadina 2000, p.2). Colonialism as a civilizing mission is only a myth, because Europe’s economic and political selfinterest drove the system. However, some useful acts carried out by colonial powers f or fulfilling their economic and administrative needs were the buidling of infrastructure such as railway for carrying export commodities, and undertaking the education of a few Africans to assist them in running the colonies. At the same time, beneficial contributions were not made by colonialism to any part of Africa. Significantly, economically stronger countries like Nigeria and Ghana were depleted of their infrastructure, leaving only a few railway lines, rudimentary communication and commuting systems and limited numbers of graduates. Although colonialism did not help Africa’s poor, the elites flourished as a result of the creation of opportunities by the linking of the continent to the western world. The emergence of neocolonialism with the end of British colonialism

Know-How and Knowledge Intensive Organizations Essay

Know-How and Knowledge Intensive Organizations - Essay Example These are the ones who the organization relies the most for problem solving. Sveiby suggests that there comes a point in the organization’s life cycle when the professional transfer their knowledge to other system for the sake of the organization’s growth. The author suggest that at this point, the organization is not reliant so much on the professionals as their knowledge has been transferred into other systems where those who are less skilled can still be trusted to do the jobs as the system guides them. An example is an accounting firm where the professionals pool their knowledge in an information system where the less skilled personnel will just do the heavy lifting involving inputting data and the program does the rest. Whereas this may be true for an accounting firm, the same cannot be applied in the production of a book where the professional must be on hand because what the apprentices print is not always the same. In the book ‘Human Capital and the Balanc e Sheet,’ the author defines the value of human capital as one that should not be underestimated. In many ways, the author recognizes that the value of the human capital could wane meaning that the person will not be worth as much as he was but the circumstances differ with some having remedies. Sveiby notes that the pooling of knowledge in the information systems can make some experts redundant. In the same breathe, Washer and Nippani note that it is only possible in four scenarios: the death of the professional, disability, compulsory retirement and voluntary retirement (Washer & Nippani 2004, p. 16). Death and disability can be either fully or partially hedged by taking out a life insurance policy while retirement could either be accompanied by the full value of the human capital in case it is voluntary or a partial value of the capital if it is compulsory. The authors concede that organizations do not usually recognize the full value of the human capital. While it is poss ible for a conventional balance sheet to reflect a decline in profits; for example from $200,000 to $100,000, the difference can be very minimal considering that the value of the human capital will inevitably have increased in this period from the experience garnered. Welcome to the Knowledge Organization versus On the Nature of Knowledge-Intensive Organizations: Strategy and Organization in the New Economy The book ‘Welcome to the Knowledge Organization’ is focused on the management of knowledge throughout the organization. It refers to the knowledge based organizations as being learning organizations. Here, the author states that knowledge has to be shared for the organization to grow. This book clearly focuses on the need for there to be a pool of knowledge in the organization that can assist it to grow. It refers to the leaders in the knowledge intensive organizations as being in charge of learning as they ensure that the experts push themselves in the generation of better ideas while ensuring that this knowledge gained is shared with the other employees. Most organizations hire employees and then train them in the specific line of work that they expect them to be in. the knowledge int

Four Phases and Rhetorical Purposes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Four Phases and Rhetorical Purposes - Essay Example Phase 2 ads (Argument Spots) exhibit what the candidate stands for, his causes, ideas and concerns. Phase 3 ads (Attack Spots) are direct and personal attacks aimed to lessen the credibility of the opponent. Phase 4 ads (Visionary Spots) are used to draw the campaign to a close by providing a reflective, thoughtful or dignified view of the candidate—leaving the impression that he has the qualities of a leader and has the vision to move the country, state or city to progress. Trent and Friedenberg also identified three rhetorical purposes of political advertisements: (a) to extol the candidate’s virtues; (b) to condemn, attack or question the opponent; (c) to respond to an opponent’s attacks. This paper shall elaborate on the four stages of political advertisements by citing examples of television commercials, one for each stage and draw out the rhetorical purpose used by each ad. Barack Obama ran for presidency in 2008 under the Democratic Party with Republican J ohn McCain as his opponent. His â€Å"Country I Love† (2008) ad was a Phase 1 ad. It showed Obama’s early years—that he was raised by a single mom and his grandparents.

Effects of Radiological Dispersion Device Research Paper

Effects of Radiological Dispersion Device - Research Paper Example Effects of Radiological Dispersion Device In recent times, the U.S, Great Britain and most of Europe have seen the use of radiological dispersal devices by terrorists as a key insecurity threat (Runge and Buddemeier, 2009). In addition to the threats, the impacts that come with the detonation of the radioactive devices in public places have some effects depending on a number of factors like wind and temperature among others. The possibility that terrorists can employ a radiological dispersal device in a public area has even enlarged the concerns of governments and the public regarding such weapons. A Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) is a gadget aimed at disseminating radioactive materials with the purpose of causing destruction, injuries and damage to the habitats around the detonation site (Radiological Dispersal Device, 2005). A suitable example of an RDD is a dirty bomb which is usually made of explosives that disperse radioactive materials upon detonation which is contrary to the norm that RDDs do not require explosives. RDDs are usually used with intent to cause injuries or damage, which are essentially the goals of terrorists. According to Radiological Dispersal Device (2005), an RDD is any kind of device that results in the intentional dissemination of radioactive matter with no nuclear detonation. The mode of dispersion of these radioactive materials is usually via a dirty bomb which explodes to release radioactive dust plus radioactive and nonradioactive shrapnel (Runge and Buddemeier, 2009). The effects of the explosion include radiation contamination, exposure to radiation in certain circumstances, physical injuries, burns, panic and fear. Other methods of dispersion include active or passive dispersion of sources of radioactive materials that are unsealed with contamination of the people coming from the air, food, soil or water. Harper, Musolino and Wente (2007) argue that the effect of RDD explosion is local although the psychological impact it has is worldwide as well as the attention of the media; hence an overestimation of the effects of the exposure may result. In addition, Musolino and Harper (2006) affirm that RDDs are usually located or rather placed in unexpected areas; thus when they explode, the explosion and the selected location will surprise many. The long-term effect of radioactive dispersion will be easy to realize but the short-term may be hard as it takes time to discover the contamination’s source. The initial indicators of contamination include prior threats, routine monitoring techniques and activities to identify the first responders, monitoring of activities of suspected groups by the intelligence community or plainly by chance. Urban population is usually high in many nations of the world. It is for this reason that terrorists least prefer RDDs since it is tricky to design one that will administer plentiful doses of radiation to result in immediate health defects in a densely populated area (M anagement of Terrorist, 2001). As a result, Tochner and Glatstein (2008) debated and concluded that an RDD is likely to be used to; i. Cause uneasiness in people who are of the view that they have been exposed or are exposed to the radiation. ii. Disrupt the lives of people by contaminating the facilities they use or the places they work or live. The experts went ahead to determine the factors that affect the efficiency of the RDD attacks which include weather conditions, local topography, physical and chemical composition of the

The Issues of Terrorism and Culture Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Issues of Terrorism and Culture - Assignment Example To support this, the spate of terrorists’ activities that have taken place in countries such as Libya, this was under Muammar Gaddafi, and other Middle East countries act as evidence. Terrorism has also been integrated into cases of religious barriers as seen in most Middle East countries, which are divided between Christianity and Islamic grounds. Therefore, terrorism is widely used in conflicts between countries such as America and Iraq, or conflicts based on religious grounds such as Christianity and Islam. Terrorism is a tool used in bringing about political change in nations both domestically and internationally (Whittaker, 2007). The term terrorism finds its roots in the French revolution in the 16th century and governments that aimed at bringing sanity and political stabilization to their native citizens. The divisions in defining terrorism base their origin on religious differences as well as conflicts between nations. In international conflict, terrorism is a tool of political violence against the enemy of the state. For example, the war between the Americans and the Israelites, the Americans used terror attacks against the Israelites to instil fear so that Americans could have solid ground to attack the Israelites. In a civil war, terrorism can also be used to explain the acts of violence carried out in the conflict. The other aspect of terrorism is viewed from outside the western viewpoint of terrorism. It is a weapon of alarm for public concern such as in university demonstrations and seminars, witchcraft among others. There is another view of terrorism, and that is terrorism from below, which is in three phases. The first phase that occurred in the 18th century included assassinations and bombing. The second phase occurred in the 19th century and involved acts of violence in most of the European countries. The third phase occurred in the 20th century and included actions from nationalist movements, religious movements and the secular group.     

Effects of Radiological Dispersion Device Research Paper

Effects of Radiological Dispersion Device - Research Paper Example Effects of Radiological Dispersion Device In recent times, the U.S, Great Britain and most of Europe have seen the use of radiological dispersal devices by terrorists as a key insecurity threat (Runge and Buddemeier, 2009). In addition to the threats, the impacts that come with the detonation of the radioactive devices in public places have some effects depending on a number of factors like wind and temperature among others. The possibility that terrorists can employ a radiological dispersal device in a public area has even enlarged the concerns of governments and the public regarding such weapons. A Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) is a gadget aimed at disseminating radioactive materials with the purpose of causing destruction, injuries and damage to the habitats around the detonation site (Radiological Dispersal Device, 2005). A suitable example of an RDD is a dirty bomb which is usually made of explosives that disperse radioactive materials upon detonation which is contrary to the norm that RDDs do not require explosives. RDDs are usually used with intent to cause injuries or damage, which are essentially the goals of terrorists. According to Radiological Dispersal Device (2005), an RDD is any kind of device that results in the intentional dissemination of radioactive matter with no nuclear detonation. The mode of dispersion of these radioactive materials is usually via a dirty bomb which explodes to release radioactive dust plus radioactive and nonradioactive shrapnel (Runge and Buddemeier, 2009). The effects of the explosion include radiation contamination, exposure to radiation in certain circumstances, physical injuries, burns, panic and fear. Other methods of dispersion include active or passive dispersion of sources of radioactive materials that are unsealed with contamination of the people coming from the air, food, soil or water. Harper, Musolino and Wente (2007) argue that the effect of RDD explosion is local although the psychological impact it has is worldwide as well as the attention of the media; hence an overestimation of the effects of the exposure may result. In addition, Musolino and Harper (2006) affirm that RDDs are usually located or rather placed in unexpected areas; thus when they explode, the explosion and the selected location will surprise many. The long-term effect of radioactive dispersion will be easy to realize but the short-term may be hard as it takes time to discover the contamination’s source. The initial indicators of contamination include prior threats, routine monitoring techniques and activities to identify the first responders, monitoring of activities of suspected groups by the intelligence community or plainly by chance. Urban population is usually high in many nations of the world. It is for this reason that terrorists least prefer RDDs since it is tricky to design one that will administer plentiful doses of radiation to result in immediate health defects in a densely populated area (M anagement of Terrorist, 2001). As a result, Tochner and Glatstein (2008) debated and concluded that an RDD is likely to be used to; i. Cause uneasiness in people who are of the view that they have been exposed or are exposed to the radiation. ii. Disrupt the lives of people by contaminating the facilities they use or the places they work or live. The experts went ahead to determine the factors that affect the efficiency of the RDD attacks which include weather conditions, local topography, physical and chemical composition of the

Marketing Communications Management at ALDI Group Case Study

Marketing Communications Management at ALDI Group - Case Study Example ALDI had a long-standing reputation of being a cheap discounted chain and often in West Germany, before about 1990, ALDI shops were often ridiculed as being cheap shops selling poor-quality goods. ALDI's customers were alleged to be only poor people who couldn't afford to shop elsewhere. ALDI also had a hard marketing strategy in that it refused to sell branded products and stuck to its private label products claiming that it helped to cut prices. Although ALDI is very popular in its own target segment, the company decided that a complete revamp was needed. The 500 million pound budget was aimed at improving the existing stores and building new ones. The image of the store was to be upgraded to target middle Britain while carrying specialty products was aimed to bring in upmarket customers and retaining them. Above all the image upgrade was aimed at encroaching into the market shares of its close competitors Tesco and Sainsbury. The ultimate aim was to have 217 more stores by the year 2010, totaling about 500 in the U.K alone. ALDI's strategy for marketing consisted of a TV campaign helped along by an outdoor poster activity and newspaper advertising. The common thread that binds them together is the catchphrase," Spend a little, live a lot". ALDI which embarked on this campaign had never undertaken any kind of PR activity during its past years of existence. The hard discount concept is all about keeping expenses to a minimum so the stores can undercut the main supermarkets on their limited ranges of 650 to 1 200 products, depending on the operator. ALDI's website tries to push the quality angle. It talks about quality products and wide choice "that combine with prices that never fail to astonish first-time shoppers [...] our stringent selection process enables us to offer our customers own- brand products whose quality matches that of leading brands." ALDI has also has entertained the media at one its store openings and tried to improve its visibility in the eyes of the general public through the publicity. In the US, it has used weekly inserts in the newspapers to garner public attention.

Ghost In The Nursery And Compulsion To Repeat Psychology Essay

Ghost In The Nursery And Compulsion To Repeat Psychology Essay In this essay I will be referring to Sigmund Freud, Anna Freud and Selma Fraiberg to explain how psychoanalytic theory views the ghost in the nursery and the compulsion to repeat, and John Bowlby, Mary Ainsworth and Peter Fonagy to account for these concepts on behalf of the attachment theory. This essay is organized as follows. First, I define the main concepts in question and relate these to Fraiberg. Then I discuss to what extent affect regulation and mentalization (Fonagy and Ainsworth) can explain these concepts. Secondly, I turn my attention to classical psychoanalysis and how transference helps us understand the compulsion to repeat. From internal conflict I move on to the external environment and how Bowlby views its importance to repetition and ghosts. Finally, I discuss Anna Freuds defence mechanism of identification with the aggressor. Whilst going through these different explanations I identify how much each theorist is accounting for these concepts and show that neither the attachment theory on its own nor the psychoanalytic theory singly explain the compulsion to repeat and the ghost in the nursery. Moreover, attachment theories also have a psychoanalytic background,  [1]  so one cannot exclude the psychoanalytic influence from attachment theory. So as we will see studies in attachment theory quantify, backup and build up from the psychoanalytic theory. In the paper Ghosts in the nursery, Fraiberg, Adelson and Shapiro (1975) use the term ghosts to represent negative experiences parents had as children which they repressed and excluded all feelings from, in order to deal with the situation. Fraiberg et al. argue that if parents do not allow themselves to feel this pain, they will be pushing the affect associated with these memories into the unconscious (i.e. repression). Consequently, unresolved issues will manifest themselves in dreams and in behaviours with their own infants. Like ghosts, unresolved issues are invisible (unconscious), and like ghosts, they come back to haunt us. Such parents are likely to unconsciously repeat their parents behaviour with their own children since they would not be able to empathise with them and understand their feelings. Fraiberg et al.s (1975) explanation gives importance to affect regulation of parents to be able to identify with the distressed child in them. Their hypothesis is substantiated by observations in their clinical experience but this methodology is subjective as no measuring tools are identified for this intergenerational link. Moreover, this account may be deterministic and reductionist: no feeling of childhood pains will result in compulsion to repeat pains caused to them on their children. It appears that development does not teach us anything and later experiences are not able to dispel the ghost. As we will see, whereas for Fraiberg et al. there is something extra in the nursery the ghosts, for Fonagy there is something missing the mothers ability to mentalize. Fonagy, Steele, M., Moran, Steele, H., and Higgitt (1991) use the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI)  [2]  and Ainsworths Strange Situation  [3]  (SS) (Ainsworth, Waters Wall, 1978) to prove the link between the adults type of attachment to their own parent/s to the attachment they build with their own children. They explain that the attachment we build with our parents acts as an internal working model which compels parents to repeat this attachment with their children. Fonagy et al. argue that parents need to be able to attune to the feelings expressed by their infants since they do not yet have the mental capacity to understand their feelings (psychic containment). However if a parent is not able to observe her own mental function, it is highly unlikely that she  [4]  is able to reflect the infants feelings.  [5]  This will hinder the child from developing a reflective self, leading to the use of defensive thinking processes which are likely à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ to distort, disorganize, or limit access to memories, feelings, interactions and recognition of options (Main, 1991, p. 146). This lack of meta-cognitive monitoring  [6]  may lead to a vicious circle as the infant will not be able to provide an appropriate psychic development to his own infant, leading to the compulsion to repeat and to the ghosts to reappear in the nursery. So Fonagy et al. (1991) in their study are proving the intergenerational link in attachment behaviour hypothesised by Fraiberg et al. (1979). For Fonagy et al. what needs to be present in the nursery is the mothers ability to mentalize and the presence of ghosts is not acknowledged. Fonagys theory postulates that the mother should be able to contain the child, but does not account what the mother does with her understanding of her childs mental state. If the mother understands that the child is frustrated, will she always know what to do to regulate her childs emotions? Fonagy and Target (1994) also relate the trauma experienced in early childhood with how feelings are evoked in the people in their adult life to confirm childhood identifications. Since the therapeutic situation is likely to recreate the nursery, I will be giving Fonagy and Targets example to explain how ghosts may be dispelled from the nursery. Fonagy (in Fonagy and Target, 1994) relates how, as an analyst his patient (Mr. T) had blocked painful feelings in childhood so that he was not in touch with his mental state. According to Fonagy and Target (1994, p. 53-54) what frees us from this state is being mentally involved with someone (e.g. in therapy) that clarifies our sense of identity through their (the therapists) mental state. In this way, Fonagy is explaining the role of thinking processes about ourselves (mentalizing) in the compulsion to repeat and reappearance of ghosts. Thus, if the therapeutic situation is reflecting real life, the mother needs to be in able to reflect abo ut why she is doing things so that she is aware not the repeat and invoke the ghosts of her childhood into her childs nursery. Freud and Breuer (1893) first refer to people forgetting certain moments in life in their paper on Hysteria. They argue that due to trauma, experiences in a persons life are not available to conscious thought, and so properly abreacted. This occurred either because these experiences were so painful that their bearer decided to forget them or because they occurred when the person was in an abnormal psychical state (p. 11). They argue that during such situations splitting of consciousness occurs, making it difficult for the person to connect to his memories, and so the feeling related to the experience is transformed into a physical symptom. At this time Freud dealt with these forgetful memories by inducing a hypnotic state in his patients whereby they could associate memories to their feelings and release cathartic energy. However, soon Freud realised that through hypnosis he was forcing people to talk about their memories and was not allowing resistance to occur. It was when Freud (1905) was analysing Dora that he discovered a form of repetition in relationship which he called transference. In the nursery, transference occurs when the mother acts out unconscious wishes with her child. Freud (1909) surmises that these repressed experiences are like ghosts who reappear in our life and will not go away until we face them: like an unlaid ghost, it cannot rest until the mystery has been solved and the spell broken (Freud 1909, p. 122). Freuds first reference to the compulsion to repeat was in 1914 when he postulated that in obsessional neurosis, forgetting is characterized by dissolving thought-connections (Freud 1914, p. 149). Although the person does not remember the trauma, he unconsciously re-enacts this event in his life thus inviting ghosts in the nursery. The more resistance there is to repress the memories, the more the person will replace remembering by acting out. The resolution of this resistance lies in how the therapist handles transf erence. Transference acting as a playground (Freud 1914, p. 154) allows repressed material to show the secret of its game in the persons mind and for the analyst to work through what the resistance consists of. According to Freuds theory, the compulsion to repeat can only be resolved through transference or the acting out of the compulsion and overcoming resistance a concept which Fraiberg does not recognise. While Freud gives importance to childhood trauma, he does not dedicate equal importance to how current experiences effect a persons life. Nor does Freud give any importance to the affects which as we have seen Fraiberg and Fonagy give so much importance to. Freuds main explanation for the compulsion to repeat is that it is a result internal conflict. He (1920) postulates that the compulsion to repeat is ingrained in our human nature. Freud (1920) states that the function of the pleasure principle is to reduce unpleasure. Material enacted in the compulsion to repeat was once repressed because it was not pleasurable to one of the systems, so the mental apparatus will struggle to keep these instincts away from consciousness. These instincts are persistently trying to push their way into consciousness, and this is felt as unsatisfying by the ego. Impulses can nonetheless breach the protective shield in traumatic dreams, forms of play and as already explained, in transference. Freud (1920) attempts to interpret reasons why children in the nursery are compelled to repeat some actions. He recalls boy re-enacting his mothers disappearance and appearance in games. This repetition of the distressing experience (p. 15) causes pleasure to the child. This could be because the mothers departure is followed by the pleasure of her arrival or during repetition, the child changed from being passive in the real event to playing an active role in the game by throwing away toys he is revenging against his mother for leaving him, something that he cannot do in real life. This part gives him pleasure and causes him to repeat the act. By repeating what has impressed him during the day, the boy can abreact his feelings. In doing so, his game is also reflecting a wish to be grown-up (p. 17) and taking control like adults do. Children can also repeat distressing experiences with peers, causing distress to them and revenging on their playmate who might be representing the real distressing object. Thus, Freud is explaining that a person may use this defence of repeating because it satisfies the pleasure principle but this could also reflect the daemonic aspect inside us. Bowlby criticises Freud for only looking at the persons internal conflict and for not giving enough attention to the persons external environment (1979, p. 21), suggesting that ghosts can be dispelled by environmental change. Bowlby (1969) refers to experiments on rhesus monkeys (Griffin and Harlow, 1966) and on puppies (Scott, 1963) to point out to a sensitive period in which attachment can be formed or be forever doomed. In these studies, animals that were kept away from contact for the first six months of their life did not show recovery of social interactions. He postulates that attachment, or the loss of it (deprivation), acts in similar way in infants. Thus, if a baby is not shown sensitivity, it is unlikely that once a grown-up he would be able to do so with his own children, and so the ghosts of his past will reappear giving him no choice other than to repeat. Bowlby emphasises that attachment is an evolutionary process that helps the infant to survive (the survival of our sp ecies). Conversely, Fonagy (2001) argues that Bowlby gives too much importance to the biological role of attachment. What is important is the infants own survival to distress which could, for instance cause neurodevelopmental abnormalities if he is neglected (Perry, 1997). So what kind of survival would an infant have if attachment is disrupted or inadequate? Bowlbys (1944) own research on juvenile thieves sheds light on the link between hostile and neurotic mothers leading to delinquent children and at times even affectionless characters. This view that the relationship with the mother is important is corroborated by Emde (1999) who suggests that social rules are internalised in early infancy. When an infant has repetitive experiences of stressful episodes he will become hyper-vigilant to his environment leading to persistent physiological hyper-arousal if the mother cannot regulate his emotions. In this case, the infant cannot use the mother to regulate himself and reach homeostasis. This often happens in infants whose attachment is classified as disorganised  [7]  (Lyons-Ruth Block, 1999). According to Hesse and Main (2000) this occurs when the attachment figure frightens or maltreats the toddler. In their study, adults who had a disorganised a ttachment with their children were classified as unresolved/disorganised adult attachment in the AAI. These observations show the likelihood of perpetuating the attachment style from generation to generation. These studies show that Bowlbys theory is backed up by an array of research whereas Freuds theory is only supported by people he came in contact with during their analysis. Bowbly saw it important to ground his work on science rather than Freuds psychic energy. Bowlby (1979) suggests that the infant forms an inner working model which acts as a cognitive map for future relationships from the cradle to the grave (p. 129). This has been supported by studies such as that of Hazan and Shaver (1987) where attachment styles (Ainsworth et al., 1978) in infancy are applied to love relationships in adulthood. Bowlby explains that when one becomes a parent powerful emotions are evoked related to how one felt as a child towards his parents and siblings (p. 17). A parent might not be able to regulate these old feelings because she has not resolved the ambivalent conflict concerning these feelings. When the parent was young, she might have defended herself against these feelings by repressing, displacing or projecting them. With all the changes parenthood brings with it, these conflicts are renewed and come back to haunt us. Such a parent will find herself tormented by these forces and has no option other then resorting to the primitive defences used in childhood to deal with feelings regarding her own child, using her own children as her scapegoats. Unfortunately parents are not aware of these processes or the intentions behind their actions. For Bowlby in order to abolish the ghost, the most important thing is to commit to change in the environment change in the caregivers behaviour and in the defences used. Although different terminology is being used in this explanation, the reasoning behind it is very similar to that postulated by Failberg, mainly that childhood defense hinder the caregiver to feel through her childhood trauma. Anna Freud suggests that another defence mechanism is at play in the compulsion to repeat. For Anna Freud (1936, p. 117-131) parents undergo the compulsion to repeat because of an ego defense experienced in their childhood which she labels identification with the aggressor. If a child endures a trauma, he feels helpless and is likely to identify with the aggressor as a normal part of the growth of the superego. This will enable the child to feel stronger and fearless. He will either imitate the actions of the aggressor, take on this features (e.g. wearing high heels to feel tall), or pretend to be the aggressor (1936, p. 121). In this way he does not feel a victim of the aggressor but this leads him to repeat the actions of his aggressor with his toys, peers and later with his own children. Fraiberg et al. (1975) also links the appearance of ghosts in the nursery and the compulsion to repeat with this defense mechanism but affirms that it is not clear why a person chooses this defens e (p. 419). For instance, why didnt the child use the denial in this traumatic situation instead of identification with the aggressor? In this essay, I argued that both psychoanalysts and attachment theorists give importance to the first years of life by linking personality development to attachment. For the two schools of thought, the compulsion to repeat and ghosts in the nursery are due to problems in the infants early environment. Maternal sensitivity is also important to both of them although they interpret the concept in different ways. In attachment theory maternal sensitivity is seen as the behaviour and personality of the caregiver, whilst psychoanalysis is concerned with how the child organises his self development as a result of maternal sensitivity use of unconscious processes (Fonagy, 2001). Thus, we would need a combination of both theories to understand the importance of the caregiver-infant relationship to the compulsion to repeat and ghosts in the nursery. For whilst psychoanalytic theory analyses internal processes in the infant and the mother, attachment theory try to classify and quantify attach ment patterns through an array of research. They explain that repression of the associated affective experience (p. 419) is involved in this defence. So through remembering they are able to identify again with the distressed child in them and the alliance to the aggressor is broken.