Cannabis and Marijuana Plants

Marijuana Marijuana is a psychoactive drug, and is the most controversial of these types of drugs. The reason being is that there are so many myths and misconceptions that surround marijuana. It is not clear about the addiction potential, physical and psychological problems of marijuana. . Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in America behind only alcohol and tobacco, and has been used by nearly 100 million Americans (marijuana). Marijuana is widely used and it is estimated that nearly 25% of Americans have used marijuana once in their lives and that 2-5 million people use it daily despite it being illegal.Marijuana is a mixture of crushed leaves, flowers, small branches, stems, and seed of the hemp plant. This plant grows best in tropical climates and can be found throughout the world. Most countries cultivate this plant on purpose. Cannabis Indica species can withstand colder climates (â€Å"Marijuana, history of,†) If marijuana were to become a cash crop i t would be the largest grown in the United States. It is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world, following caffeine, nicotine, and alcoholic beverages in the popularity.In the United States, where the route of admission is usually smoking, it also has been called weed, grass, pot, or reefer (â€Å"Marijuana, history of,†). Marijuana is a depressant. The effects of marijuana may vary with its strength and dosage and with the state of mind of the user. High doses can cause tachycardia, paranoia, and delusions (â€Å"Marijuana, history of,†). Marijuana can also have a psychedelic effect in high doses. With this being said, marijuana is classified as both a depressant and a psychedelic.Marijuana does produce some of the same effects as hallucinogens like a LSD or mescaline, but it differs chemically and pharmacologically. Marijuana is made up of many chemicals. There are currently 426 known compounds in the plant. When marijuana is burned there are 1500 additiona l compounds that are formed. The chemical compounds that are found in marijuana only are called cannabinoids. These cannabinoids are the most active and mind-altering ingredients in marijuana. The primary active component of marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), although other cannabin derivatives are also thought to be intoxicating.In 1988 scientists discovered receptors that bind THC on the membranes of nerve cells. They reasoned that the body must make its own THC-like substance. The substance, named anandamide, was isolated from pig brains in 1992 by an American pharmacologist, William A. Devane (â€Å"Marijuana, history of,†). The potency of marijuana is determined by the amount of THC present. All the parts of the plant have different concentrations of THC. So the mixture of the plant material used and the conditions of how the plant was grown determines the potency of this drug sold on the street.The root of this plant has no THC value, the stalk have very l ittle value, there is some THC found in the branches, there is a moderate amount of THC found in the leaves(male has 5 leaves and female has 7 leaves), and the highest amount of THC concentration will be found in the buds, flowers and seeds. The concentration of THC has increased over the past 30 years. Marijuana is 25 to 40 times more potent than it was in the 1960’s, it’s up from . 2% to 5-8% pure today. Marijuana dates back to 2700 B. C. in ancient China. The plant was used to make rope, cloth, and paper from its fiber.It was during this time that the resins, flowers, and leaves from the plant could also be used for medical use. It was used to treat gout, malaria, and gas pains. It was by 500 B. C. that the Chinese put a ban of the use of the plant because of it unpredictable intoxicating effects. Marijuana was introduced into ancient India mainly for the mind altering effects. Marijuana was used in religious ceremonies the euphoria producing ability. It didnâ€℠¢t take long for the plant to be recognized for its intoxicating effects and its value in making rope and cloth.In America the public didn’t show any interest in marijuana as a recreational drug. It was just used in medicines. It was primarily prescribed legally for a numerous physical and mental aliments until 1940. In fact when Congress passed the Harrison Narcotics Act in 1914, many drugs were removed from the marketplace, but it excluded marijuana. It was not until the prohibition of alcohol that marijuana smoking became prominent. The Mexican immigrants were introducing marijuana along the Mexican border, while West Indian sailors were bringing it into the Gulf States.People no longer could legally use alcohol in and get their intoxicating effects so smoking marijuana became very popular. It became apparent in the 1930’s that marijuana was being abused and there was an increase in violence because of its use. Tales were beginning to spread of the effects, murder, rape, sexual excess, and memory loss from using marijuana. The federal government tried to scare the public with a film called â€Å"reefer madness†, but it actually did more harm than good. In 1935 the states took action and started passing their own laws towards non-medical use of marijuana.In 1937 the federal government stepped up and passed a Marijuana Tax Act that prohibited the use of all non-medical marijuana, the possession and use of cannabis nationwide. Marijuana came back on the scene during the World War II era. It was extensively cultivated during the World War II era, when Asian sources of hemp were cut off (â€Å"Marijuana, history of,†). It was commercially grown. The Philippines were being invaded by the Japanese so there was no sisal plant to make rope. American farmers were actually encouraged to the marijuana plants for rope production.Birds loved the seeds of this plant and when they would leave their droppings it would start wild plants of marijua na to grow throughout the United States. Marijuana became a very popular drug of choice because of its availability. Today marijuana is a widely used illegal drug among many ethnic groups. Hispanics are among 9. 2 percent of users; non-Hispanic blacks (7. 7% , nearly 8 percent of females used marijuana in the past year vs. 14% of males used in the past year); non-Hispanic whites (6. 7%, nearly 7 percent vs. 11 percent); Asian/Pacific Islanders (2. 0%, 2% vs. 7. %); South Americans (4. 2%, more than 4% vs. 13 percent). It can be found on the street for a price of $250-500 ounce depending on where it is bought. The cheapest is in Oregon at $258 ounce and most expensive in Washington D. C. at $486 ounce. Age itself is one of the most significant variables in understanding marijuana use. Past-year use of marijuana increased with age, to a peak prevalence of about 23 percent among 18 -25 year olds, before declining to about 44 percent among persons aged 35 and older. Among adults, male s moking rates for marijuana are nearly twice those for females.IN the total surveyed population, males were about 70% more likely than females to have used marijuana in the past year (11 percent versus 6. 7, nearly 7 percent). The only exception to the data showing more male smokers of marijuana than females occurs among children and teens. There still remains controversy over the medical uses of marijuana. Proponents are saying that it is useful for treating pain and the nausea and vomiting that are side effects of cancer chemotherapy and for restoring the appetite in people with AIDS (â€Å"Marijuana, history of,†) Modern research uggests that cannabis is a valuable aid in the treatment of a wide range of clinical applications. These include pain relief-in particular (neuropathic pain), nausea, plasticity, glaucoma, and movement disorders. Marijuana is also a powerful appetite stimulant, specifically for patients suffering from HIV, the AIDS wasting syndrome, or dementia (Ma rijuana). What are the acute effects of marijuana? Marijuana can reach the brain through the bloodstream in less than 30 seconds of smoking a joint. It delivers a physical and psychological effect rather quickly.The peak of the effects is usually reached by the time smoking is finished. If a person wants these effects to last longer they would have to consume the marijuana orally from brownies for example. This would allow the marijuana to be absorbed into the system much longer and these effects would last over 2-3 hours. It only takes a single use of marijuana to impair a person’s motor coordination. The person who just used marijuana may think that they are just fine, but they are really clumsy. This kind of thinking from a person under the influence only spells disaster waiting to happen.A person under the influence of marijuana and their ability to follow a moving stimulus is greatly diminished and can last up to 4-8 hours beyond the point of intoxication. This would int erfere with their driving skills. Also their ability to perceive light will be significantly impaired and would be a major risk for someone operating heavy machinery. Marijuana has some serious physical effects on a person. Although legalization activists and many marijuana users believe smoking pot has no negative effects, scientific research indicates that marijuana use can cause many different health problems (The health effects of marijuana, n. . ) . Smoking a single joint of marijuana is the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes. Marijuana has at least 50% more tar and carcinogenic materials than cigarettes. Because marijuana is not filtered it enters the lungs at a temperature hotter than cigarette smoke and thus drying and irritating the tissues in the lung. Marijuana has been shown to increase the heart rate. Within a few minutes after smoking marijuana, the heart begins beating more rapidly and the blood pressure drops.Marijuana can cause the heart beat to increase by 20 to 5 0 beats per minute, and can increase even more if other drugs are used at the same time (The health effects of marijuana, n. d. ) It is because of the lower blood pressure and higher heart rate that the researchers have found that a person smoking marijuana has a 4 times greater risk of heart attack compared to them not smoking marijuana. If a person is aware that they have heart disease they should avoid the use of marijuana. Marijuana can hurt the immune system of a person’s lungs.Smoking marijuana can paralyze or destroy the anti-infection white blood cells of the lungs. It is because of this that most smokers will develop laryngitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis, cough, hoarseness, and dry throat. Research indicates that THC impairs the body’s immune system from fighting disease, which can cause a wide variety of health problems. One study found that marijuana actually inhibited the disease-preventing actions of key immune cell (The health effects of marijuana, n. d. ) . There have been recent studies that show marijuana can depress T cells.The depressing of T-lymphocyte functions known as â€Å"killer T cells† would make a person more susceptible to the AIDS infection. The greatest concern is the fact that marijuana is a drug. Some of the most profound effects occur in the brain. Marijuana produces a sense of euphoria, but it also produces anxiety, confusion and if used heavily-drug induced psychosis. Not to mention the effects on reflexes, vision, and motor coordination. Marijuana has effects on long-term memory, because studies suggest that marijuana will fill a synaptic gap between brain cells which stops the flow of electrical signals.Marijuana users experience burn-out or amotivational syndrome from regular use. They have a lack of concern for the future, loss of motivation, loss of ambition, loss of effectiveness, dullness, diminished ability to carry out long term planning, difficulty in concentration, intermittent confusion, impair ed memory, and a decline in work and school performance. There are treatments for marijuana disorders. Marijuana dependence may appear to be very similar to other substance dependence disorders, but the long term clinical outcomes may be less severe.The adults who are seeking treatment for marijuana abuse or dependence have used marijuana nearly every day for more than 10 years and have attempted to quit more than six times (â€Å"Marijuana abuse,†). Let it be noted that marijuana dependence is most prevalent in patients that are suffering from other psychiatric disorders, who are mostly adolescents or young adults. Usually dependence in marijuana co-occurs with other drugs such as cocaine and alcohol. Studies indicate that effectively treating the mental health disorder with standard treatments involving medications and behavioral therapies may help reduce annabis use, particularly among heavy users and those with more chronic mental disorders. Behavioral treatments, such as motivational enhancement therapy (MET), group or individual cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and contingency management (CM), as well as family-based treatments, have shown promise (â€Å"Marijuana abuse,†). Success rates of those seeking treatment are modest and even the most effective treatment for adults will only achieve 50% abstinence in a 2 week period. Those that do achieve a full two week abstinence, more than half will resume use within a year.Across studies, 1 year abstinence rates have ranged between q0 and 30 percent for the various behavioral approaches (â€Å"Marijuana abuse,†). This data suggest that a more chronic care model should be considered for marijuana addiction. The intensity of the treatment can be stepped up or down based on the patients need. The availability of family and other supports are needed. There are currently no medications to treat the abuse of marijuana, but there is ongoing research being conducted. The studies are mostly tar geting the withdrawal syndrome of marijuana.For example, a recent human laboratory study showed that a combination of a cannabin agonist medication with loffexidine ( a medication approved in the United Kingdom for the treatment of opioid withdrawal) produced more robust improvements in sleep and decreased marijuana withdrawal, craving, and relapse in daily marijuana smokers relative to either medication alone(â€Å"Marijuana abuse,†). There have been recent discoveries about endogenous cannabin systems inner workings. It raises the possibility of a future medication that would be able to block THC’s intoxicating effects.This would prevent patients from relapsing by eliminating marijuana’s appeal. References Abbott, A. (2010). Alcohol tobacco and other drugs (2nd ed. ). Washington, DC: NASW Press. Colorado and washington legalized marijuana today, what happens now? (2012, November). Retrieved from http://blog. norml. org/2012/11/08/colorado-and-washington-legali zed-marijuana-tuesday-what-happens-now/ Demographics of marijuana users. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. opposingviews. com/i/gov-t-stats-reveal-demographics-of-adult-marijuana-users Drug facts: marijuana. (n. d. ). Retrieved from

CAD/USD Exchange Rate

The Canadian dollar has significantly appreciated against the U. S. dollar since the beginning of 2000. The CAD/USD exchange rate (currency in USD) increased from 0. 686 to 1. 015 as of March 18, 2011. There was a trend of CAD appreciation in 2003-2008, followed by a rapid depreciation in the second half of 2008. Since the beginning of 2009, CAD has risen sharply and has been trading about at par with USD for the last two years. The recent CAD appreciation was caused by a number of factors and lead to certain economic consequences, which are discussed next. Causes of the Canadian Dollar Appreciation Appreciation of the Canadian dollar in the last years can be explained by internal factors, such as performance of Canadian economy and interest rates, and external factors, such as commodity prices and weakness of the U. S. economy. State of Canadian economy. Canada has been quickly recovering from the recent recession. For the year 2010, real GDP grew 3. 1%, following a decline of 2. 5% in 2009. Strong economy makes Canada an attractive target for investors who seek secure returns. This raises the demand for the Canadian currency and, therefore, pushes the exchange rate upward. This argument is supported by the exchange rate fluctuations in the above graph. The Canadian dollar was rising as the economy began to recover in the late 2009. State of the U. S. economy. Rise in CAD/USD exchange rate can be largely attributed to depreciation of the U. S. dollar. The U. S. dollar has historically been a safe investment target for many investors. However, now this situation is changing and demand for the currency is falling. The U. S. economy has been facing serious difficulties in the recent years. The country’s trade deficit was almost $500 billion in 2010, a 33% increase from 2009. The U. S. s also the world largest borrower with a $4,453 billion of foreign debt. Weak economy and high uncertainty are turning investors away from the American dollar, which is supported by its depreciation against other major currencies. Commodity prices. As Canada is a large producer and exporter of raw materials, the Canadian dollar is strongly affected by commodity prices. Many commodity prices, especially gold and copper, have been rising recently, making the associated industries more profitable and strengthening the Canadian economy. Strong economy, in turn, attracts more investor, and the Canadian dollar appreciated due to increased demand. Interest rate differentials. The U. S. Federal Reserved has lowered the interest rate to current 0. 25% since 2008 in order to stimulate the economic growth. Canada currently has a higher interest rate of 1% and thus attracts more investors for its short-term assets. Demand for the Canadian dollar increases and puts an upward pressure on the exchange rate. Consequences of the Canadian Dollar Appreciation Effect on trade. The exchange rate has an important impact on Canadian trade performance, especially with its largest trading partner, the U. S. The Canadian economy significantly relies on its export activity, but stronger Canadian dollar makes the country’s exports more expensive to foreigners and can decrease the trading volume. According to Statistics Canada, exports to the U. S. fell in 2009 by 36. 4%. Exports then increased slightly in 2010, but still the amount was around C$73. 6 billion under the 2008 level. To prevent their exports from falling and keep their market share, Canadian companies have to lower their price and sacrifice some profit. However, decline in exports should not be attributed only to the currency appreciation. The U. S. economical health and trade agreements also affect the trading activity between two countries. On the other side, Canadian importers benefit from the currency appreciation. Canadian manufacturers can acquire materials, machinery and equipment at a lower cost, which leads to increased capital investment and productivity growth. Thus, strong currency is harmful to exporters and beneficial to importers. The dollar appreciation decreases Canadian export and increases imports, which negatively affects the trade balance and lower GDP’s growth. However, lower import costs offset negative consequences of export decline, and the total effect of the currency appreciation becomes muted. Effect on industries and provinces. Not all industries are affected evenly by the currency appreciation. Manufacturers that heavily depend on exports of their production are affected the most. Such industries include forestry, transportation equipment, and machinery. Imported inputs, however, should also be taken into account when assessing the total effect of the appreciation. Industries that use high imported content in their production are less hurt by the rising dollar. For example, transportation equipment industry highly depends on export, but it also has high ratio of imports to production and can profit from cheaper imports. On the contrary, industries that heavily rely on exports but use low foreign content in production, such as forestry, are affected most adversely. The same logic applies to Canadian provinces. Highly export-oriented provinces such as Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia are influenced significantly by the currency appreciation. Effect on unemployment. Rising Canadian dollar makes labour costs comparatively higher and increase the total production costs in export-oriented industries. Profit margin falls, and manufacturers decrease their labour force. They also add more machinery and equipment as the imported capital become more attractive due to the appreciating dollar. For example, in 2010, manufacturing sector experienced a loss of 37,000 jobs compared to 2009. This decrease in employment can be partially explained by the stronger dollar. Effect on productivity. Stronger Canadian dollar can have a positive impact on the country’s productivity. Productivity greatly affects the country’s living standard. Improved productivity results in higher output, profits, wages and, eventually, the standard of living. As exchange rate increases, Canadian output becomes relatively less competitive in international markets, and domestic companies start to lose their profits. Competition among manufacturers gets more intense, and companies try to retain their profits by increasing their productivity through investment in more efficient machinery and equipment. Companies’ capital to labour ratio rises due to lower cost of imported equipment, and increased use of capital leads to improved productivity in the long run. With lower exchange rate, Canadian firms are more profitable and have more money for capital investment, but with stronger dollar, imported capital and materials become relatively cheaper. On the other hand, higher exchange rate makes Canada less attractive for foreign direct investment because of relatively higher labour costs. The extent of this effect is limited, but the country still loses potential productivity gains. It is important for Canada to increase its productivity and relative competitiveness for the long-run strengthening of the economy in order to make the effects the currency appreciation less severe. To conclude, the appreciation of the Canadian dollar caused by a number of factors has a considerable effect on the country’s trade balance, industries, employment and productivity. However, these causes and consequences should not be considered in isolation but rather interdependently, and fundamentals such as economic performance of Canada or the U. S. should be taken into account.

Medieval society and contemporary times

The Dark or Middle Age is usually the time that stretches from year 400 to 1000 which, historically speaking, points us to the European Early Middle Ages. The Italian scholar Francesco Petrarca coined the idea of a dark age. Though it was originally projected as a comprehensive critique of the nature of Latin literature in later times, later historians stretched the concept to contain not only the insufficiency of Latin literature but also a lack of present-day written historical accounts and material cultural achievements in the larger context.The term itself has been further enlarged by popular culture as a means to clearly illustrate the Middle Ages as an age reeking of backwardness, lengthening its pejorative practice and increasing its span. In the 20th century, the consequent emergence of archaeology and other related field in the sciences has removed much dust on the period and provided a more nuanced comprehension of its positive and contributory advancements. Other expressio ns of periodization were put forward: the Early Middle Ages, Late Antiquity, and the Great Migrations, depending on what fraction of culture is being highlighted.Petrarca noted that even though Classical Antiquity lacked the sense of Christianity it nevertheless had much of advancement in terms of culture whereas in Petrarca’s time was now labeled as the age of darkness because of the lapse in such cultural achievements.Two periods in history were observed and written by Petrarca: the Greek and Roman classical period trailed by an age of darkness in which Petrarca saw himself as still existing. The Roman Empire is believed by humanists to rise again one day and bring back classic cultural stainlessness. The promotion of classical culture championed as an ideological campaign by humanists was the beginning foundation of the concept of the European Dark Ages, and was for that reason not a neutral historical examination. It was conceived to convey disapproval and dissatisfaction of one period in time and the endorsement of another.Humanists such as Leonardo Bruni believed they had attained this new age during the late 14th and early 15th century, and that a third, Modern Age had commenced. With Petrarca labeling their age as â€Å"dark†, the age before their own had in effect become a â€Å"middle† age sandwiched between the classic and the modern. Around 1439, the first use of the term â€Å"Middle Age† appears with Flavio Biondo.The very definition of feudalism calls for the use of many qualifiers primarily because there is no broadly established agreement of what it stands for. A working definition is desirable in order for one to start to comprehend feudalism.During the middle ages, the idea of Feudalism points to a general and broad set of reciprocal legal and military obligations and responsibilities among the warrior nobility of Europe which revolved around the three major concepts of vassals, fiefs, and lords and on how these t hree crucial elements fit together inn the society. A lord was a noble who possessed land, a vassal was an individual who was permitted or rewarded custody of the land by the lord, and the land was branded as a fief. The vassal would present military service and assistance to the lord in exchange for the fief. Thus, the very obligations and connected relations between lord, vassal and fief form the structural basis of feudalism.The lord should have to make a certain individual a vassal before the former could grant the fief to the latter. Composed of the two-part act of homage and oath of fealty, this was practiced at a formal and symbolic ritual called a commendation ceremony. The vassal would give his word to battle in the side of and for the lord at his command during homage. Fealty is rooted from the Latin fidelitas, or faithfulness. Hence, the oath of fealty is seen to be a promise that the vassal will be faithful and devoted to the lord. The lord and vassal were now in a feuda l relationship with agreed-upon mutual obligations to one another right after the completion of the commendation.Granting a fief, or its revenues, to the vassal is one of the lord’s major obligations in a feudal system inasmuch as the fief is primary reason as to why the vassal preferred to engage himself into the relationship with the lord. Moreover, the lord from time to time had to accomplish other responsibilities to the vassal and fief which includes, among other else, the maintenance of such a relationship. It was still the lord's responsibility to sustain and keep the land in good condition since the lord had not given the land away but merely loaned it to the vassal while the latter had the privilege to amass revenues produced from the fief. The protection of the land and the vassal from harm is another rightful responsibility of the lord.On the other hand, the core obligation of the vassal towards the lord was to impart â€Å"aid† mostly in the form of militar y service through the utilization of available equipment the vassal could get hold of through the revenues generated from the fief. In essence, the vassal was responsible to take heed of the calls for the service in the military on lord’s behalf. It is quite notable that this guarantee and protection of military assistance was the ultimate motivation the lord preferred to form a junction with the vassal into the feudal relationship.Likewise, the vassal also had to fulfill other obligations to the lord from time to time which includes providing the lord with â€Å"counsel† so that the lord, when faced a major decision, would summon all his vassals and hold a council. One common illustration to this is when the lord had to decide whether or not to go to war. Moreover, the vassal may have been mandated to offer a consented quantity of his farm’s produce to his lord, and that the vassal was occasionally prescribed to grind his wheat in the mills and bake his bread i n the ovens owned and taxed by his lord.During the medieval times, there was a conception of three orders in the medieval society. These three can be briefly identified as those who work or the peasants, those who fight or the warring class, and those who pray or the members of the clergy.For the most part, the peasants provide the manpower in the upkeep or maintenance of the whole system through their labor in the fields and other economic institutions within the feudal system in the middle ages. These are the men and women who comprise the bulk of the system who toil not only to sustain their existence in the smaller scale but also to provide the necessary development of the system right at its very foundation.The estate of warriors in the system naturally has the obligation of fulfilling the task of protecting the system from outside invasion which may root from other systems in its proximity, or from internal disputes which may range from the peasant class up to the nobles. Thei r role is crucial in the sense that their responsibility is crucial to the safekeeping of the entire system by regulating the possibility of intrusion which can inevitably lead to the collapse of the ruling men and of the feudal system in general.Lastly, the clergymen were tasked to look after the spiritual life of the people within the medieval manor. A few of these duties include the administration of the needed sacraments with steadiness and to function as an ideological guardian of the ruling order, the absolution men and women from their sins through confession, and proclaiming secular and ecclesiastical pronouncements. In essence, the function of the clergymen in the medieval village was well beyond the ordinary functions of peasants and of the warriors for the reason that it was the village priest with whom medieval men and women identified the Church, reflecting its teachings, and authority as an utmost concern of the medieval people within the system.Apparently, there are s trands of similarities which can be observed from this class distinction between the medieval times and the contemporary generation. For the most part, the contemporary age also has within it counterparts of the medieval clergymen (priests in the Roman Catholic Church or elders in several other religious faiths), peasants (the modern working man and woman), and warriors (the military forces of nations). However, the structure of the contemporary society does not merely revolve around this three classes. Quite on the contrary, the contemporary society has a bounty of classes from which the structure of almost every nation is reflected. We now have, among other things, Non-Government Organizations which seems not be fit in any of the medieval classes.In a society based on class hierarchy, it is expected that roles are quite distinct and the functioning of every individual is separate from those of the rest. Roughly speaking, the hierarchy of classes entails the supremacy of one over t he other in both economic and social terms where the distribution of power and obligations are directly proportional the attainment of classes. To live in a hierarchy is to basically involve oneself in a system where tasks are delegated accordingly depending on the roles imminent to the class one might fall under. In contemporary society, there is a striking and undeniable existence of a hierarchy which is based on several factors such as economic, legal, and political elements to name a few.ReferencesMaliszewski, James, Lisa J. Steele, and C. A. Suleiman. Dark Ages: Europe. 160 vols: White Wolf Publishing, 2002.Russell, Frederick H. The Just War in the Middle Ages. New Ed ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003.

Music Performance Ethnography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Music Performance Ethnography - Essay Example The Ultra Music Festival Background to the festival The ultra music festival is an outdoor music event that gets held in the city of Miami in Florida. It is a music festival that entails a weekend of electronic music at the Bayfront Park in Miami. The event gets held on the second weekend of every March in every year. The event takes three days from Friday to Sunday. This year the event took place in two consecutive weekends as a way of celebrating its 15th anniversary (Cohn 46). The Ultra Music Festival got started by two business partners, Rusell Faibsich and Alex Omes in 1999. In its inauguration year, the event got held for one day on the south beach in Miami. In the following year, it got relocated to Bayfront Park in the city of Miami. This was due to the large number of people who attended the first event. The event gets sponsored by the Winter Music Conference. During the festival in this year, I happened to have attended one of the two weekends during which it got held. The performers The performers at the ultra music festival were well over 200. They wore civilian clothes but the art in their design could be recognized. As it is with many musicians, the aspect of standing different from others could also be traced. Overall, the performers dressed in a way that it was easy identifying them among the audience as they sought to get an interactive platform with the audience. Prior to their individual performance, the performers looked relaxed, probably reserving their energy for the electric performers each was to hold (Scott & David 21). Some of the performers had come from outside the USA. However, most of them were local artists. The diversity of the performers had an added advantage to the festival. Among the performers were DJs who took turns in the work. All the performers could be said to be established musicians and top DJs in the country. Establishing them by names could, however, be difficult considering their numbers. The event involved the use of live per formance instruments. These instruments got changed with time depending on the performing artist. There were also music systems installed at strategic positions all over the Bayfront Park (Schmidt & Gretchen 198). The park at some point looked like a collection of an electronic factory. Some performers came with their instruments on stage while others used the ones already installed on the stage. Vocal music got included in the performances. Most of the lyrics seemed to have a message for the audience. Most of them praised the different successful people in the city of Miami. They are those that condemned the social crimes in the city. Some could even be seen to be going to the extent of narrating personal experiences on the difficulty experienced by the poor in the USA. There is also another category of music that praised the music festival itself as the greatest on the planet. Whether this is correct or not, it cannot be clearly established. The Audience The size of the audience c ould be approximated to be well over 330,000 according to figures released immediately after the festival. The audience got made to the larger extent by the residents of Miami. There were also people from other states in the USA. The event attracted some foreigners. The culture of the people at the festival could, therefore, be described as very diverse. Several cases of social misbehavior could be noted.

The history of eyeglasses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

The history of eyeglasses - Essay Example Despite this early invention, Ilardi indicates that that reason it wasn’t believed that these lenses had been available at this earlier time period rests on a variety of science-related factors, including the late inventions of the telescope and the microscope and a general distrust of the distortions brought forward by the glass. He also presents the text of the documents that had been discovered which consist of a series of letters between Duke Francesco Sforza of Milan to his resident ambassador in Florence, Nicodemo Tranchedini da Pontremoli regarding eyeglasses in which the evidence exists for the wholesale use of these specialized lenses in correcting vision if not in science. Confusing the issue regarding the origin of the eyeglass, though, are reports in China of similar inventions coming to them earlier than the Italian invention. An article from 1936, Kaiming Chiu’s â€Å"The Introduction of Spectacles into China,† makes the claim that spectacles may have introduced into China as early as the twelfth century, coming in from Malacca â€Å"in the Western Regions.† According to the author, this date was derived by comparing the original documents and reviewing the probable date regarding when they were written given what is known about the life of the author. This also places spectacles in China at least a century earlier than had been determined based on readings of the Western texts, especially the texts coming out of Italy. A large part of the confusion resides in the several textual errors included in the base work, proven by further date comparisons between when a work was written and when the author lived. Through this analysis , the author concludes that while the majority of spectacles were probably introduced to China in the late 14th century as a result of trade with Western countries, there is evidence that at least one Chinese man owned a set

Theories and ideologies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Theories and ideologies - Essay Example In other words, democracy promotes the involvement of citizens in projects or activities that affect their lives within a country. Such projects or activities cut across voting, making laws, participating in public policy formulation, and general country governance.1 It is important to note that democracy has its liberal and conservative sides. Conservative democracy is relatively restrictive in some issues. For example, both men and women could be voters within a given jurisdiction, but this right may not necessarily promote property ownership among women. Even though an aspect of democracy is identifiable in such a case, property ownership remains under a traditionalist approach. In other words, traditional factors result in conservatism even though the society could be said to embrace democracy. Human nature, beliefs, and culture are critical components of conservative democracy. In contrast, liberal democracy is characteristic of widespread exposure to international concerns, interests, or developments. Liberalism does not only promote equal voting rights for both men and women, but also advocate for the practice of free and fair elections.2 The ideology of liberal democracy, therefore, encompasses more than just participation in elections. In addition, liberal democracy practices support the realization of equality and civil rights in society. The idea is to treat all persons as equal in a Free State or society. Most importantly, liberal democracy advocates for press freedom, free practice of religion, private property, and free trade.3 While democracy is its simplest form is easy to comprehend, conservative democracy is relatively reluctant to accommodate the aforementioned aspects of liberal democracy. In this respect, there is clear-cut difference between liberal and conservative democracy. The theory and ideology of democracy gives rise to

Television talent shows Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Television talent shows - Essay Example Discussion Television shows like X-factor add value to the British music industry Modern artists’ debate on the role of televisions shows like X factor talent television in British music industry. Some argue that such television shows add value to the industry and others oppose the claim and suggest that these shows only damage the face of the music industry in recent and future years, (Davis and Hall, 2008, p.87). These in favor of talent television show assert that television shows such as X factor have enormous advantages to the British music industry. The reality of the shoes provides winners and stats with an opportunity to be plucked from mundane, obscure lives and put them into a cauldron of media, until voted out of the show – by the public – in a dramatic way. The hope of a guaranteed recording prize of contract with marketing advantage is increasingly successful as a motivation to engage willing artists at a reduced cost. For instance, X factor provides successful competitors a critical gate pass into the industry of music and gives them an opportunity for recognition. TV synchronizes acts as a crucial opportunity, for instance, beyond the literal advantage in terms of branding artist opportunities and extra income, in one spin of a prominent show, emerging artists and music that may not have had a greater exposure and popularity is faster thrust on many audience, (Cowlin, 2010, p.52). Similarly, through the talent television shows artists have a chance to gain popularity, attain significant growth, and increase their fan base. For instance, X-factor talent shows has assisted in putting live music forward towards the front of the mass consciousness, through making television content from selection of talents. The show has also provided chances for squeezed record labels to propel losing finalists work to markets with reduced costs and risks. This is because of television shows exposure such artists have received and the fan base c reated. This brings a crucial and incredible growth of British music industry in terms of popularity and artists branding. Experts agree that the X-factor alumni bankability plays a crucial role in the industry’s commercial allure, and various other British music industries have began to realize the importance of enrolling their artists in television shows because talent show mentors and performers may have an extensive effect on music industry sales. Television shows such as X-factor add value or are crucial to British music industry because in a highly fragmented media world, the talent show is among the few mass-market strategies for exposing artists to the wider public. For instance, with the prominent Pops and other public media markets demise, the X-factor remains as the only strategy for pop and rock artists mainstream to expose artists and their music to the mass music markets and other public audience, (Holmes, 200, p.56). Talent television shows have over 15 million viewers at a time and it is crucial for various artists to get on these shows as a way of linking to family viewers that are increasingly crucial to music selling and expansion. X-factor show and other shows serves as ‘water cooler’ framework as featured artist enormously benefit from massive press coverage, therefore, the benefit of series appearance can be an extensive advantage, (Davis and Hall, 2008, p.87). Similarly, the shows engage people with the music and make youths enthusiastic about

Corporate Social Responsibility - there is one and only one, Essay

Corporate Social Responsibility - there is one and only one, responsibility of business - to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase it - Essay Example (Rust, Moorman, and Dickson, 2002) In order to gain benefits from CSR initiatives, Handelman and Arnold (1999) argued that companies should be engaged in CSR for good causes and at the same time offer high quality products to its consumers. The main intension of the company’s effort in investing on the CSR initiatives is an important factor that could affect its success. According to Sen and Bhattacharya (2001), CSR initiatives could backfire and result to a lower purchase value and a negative perception.1 The proper implementation of CSR initiative is better than the use of high cost advertisements since it could not only increase a company’s profitability but also establish a direct and more effective relationship with its customers. Based on the observation of Drumwright (1996), the use of advertisements together with a social dimension is gradually increasing. In line with the increasing importance of CSR, several marketing studies shows that social responsibility programmes have a significant direct and indirect positive effect on several customer-related outcomes. (Bhattacharya et al., 2004; Brown, 1998) A good relationship between the company and customers enables the customers to develop a positive attitude on the company’s products. (Berens, Van Riel, and Van Bruggen, 2005) Since most of the companies who are knowledgeable on how to take advantage of the CSR initiatives have proven that social participation could result to a better relationship with the satisfied customers, investment on CSR is considered as â€Å"the smart thing to do.† (Smith, 2003; p. 52) Satisfied customers tend to be loyal to the company despite the tight competition within the same industry. (Bolton and Drew, 1991) The positive experience(s) of customers toward a company will be passed on to other prospective customers via

Thomas Hobbes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Thomas Hobbes - Essay Example Only societies and governments stop this from being a constant state. This is a sort of fiction, since Hobbes points out that this has never actually happened in history. However, it helps to explain why people in countries often suffer from mistrust, violence and criminality. This ‘state of nature’ is central to Hobbes’ view of the world. This reason this is not a reality is because it is blocked by fear and reason. Reason is how man knows how to escape from the state of nature and this is how the natural laws are created which allow man to live in peace. Hobbes then develops his ideas on the ‘laws of nature’. This works against the destructive nature of the ‘state of nature’ and helps man to maintain peace and stability. These laws are instinctive to man and are obtainable though natural reason and philosophy. The first law is the law of peace and divides into the seeking of peace and the right to defend ourselves from violence in order to maintain peace. The second law is connected to peace and states that we give up certain rights, such as murder, in order to avoid continuous warfare. People mutually give up their rights and this becomes a contract, which is the foundation for moral obligations. The third law, therefore, requires us not just to make such contracts, but to respect and keep them. These first three laws are the essential way in which continuous war can be avoided. Hobbes then outlines a number of other associated laws which contribute to maintaining peace. All these laws can be summarised as avoiding actions which an individual would not want performed against themselves. God ultimately rules over these laws. Hobbes then explores how the contracts work. There are two different types of person who can be involved in a contract – natural and artificial. Hobbes defines a natural person as one who uses their own words. An artificial person, rather, is one who uses the words of

Strategic value of information systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic value of information systems - Essay Example The ultimate goal of Information Systems Management is to assimilate the utilization of information technology into business models and business processes to scrutinize its potential to attain business goals. Todays in the scenario of globalize market, which is full of large enterprises; the competition is getting tougher and tougher. As a result, IT departments are ponderous to become more aligned with business. There are lot of models for calculating the profitability with the incorporation of information technology but they all are trying to explore the conjunction between IT investments and the company's financial result .The process of introducing and use of new information technology in organizations is based on the skills and knowledge of experts who has the ability to master a series of interdisciplinary skills. Other factors like organizing and managing human resources, long term planning, employment, training, motivation, encouraging creative work and proper stimulating are also significant. Psycho-sociological and managing processes also depend on the working conditions, type of work and area of work, availability of human resources and skills available, working atmosphere, and other factors. It is imperative that the development of information technology department is the responsibility of information technology management and should offer the effective ways and leadership qualities to manage the human resources efficiently. Following are the issues that executives must consider, examine and evaluate while making decisions regarding the strategic value of information systems. Business And Knowledge Management Organizations are facing ever-increasing challenges, brought on by marketplace pressures or the nature of the workplace. Many organizations are now looking to knowledge management to address these challenges. Such initiatives are often started with the development of a knowledge management strategy. To be successful, a KM strategy must denominate the basic necessities and issues within the organization, and furnish the architecture for incorporating all these factors. Every organization has a specific environment and different set of requirements, signified by various factors like size of organization, its aim and activities of the organization, overall strategic direction, accessibility of resources, geographical situations and many others. As a result knowledge management strategies follow either top-down or bottom up approach for the organizations. This main emphasis of these strategies is to provide the architecture for the selection and prioritization of individual projects and activities. Again this strategic focus depend on the number of factors that include: Organizational strategy documents, such as the corporate plan or annual report Involvement of Senior management Results of other strategic research projects, such as staff satisfaction surveys. External market research. 2. Psychological Factors According to psychological aspect factors that leveraged factors of IT development are as follows: Professional contributions of each individual Level of personal professional development and satisfaction at work Communication whether formal or informal, also plays significant role in the development of

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Essay Example for Free

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Essay According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) depicts a condition in which persons demonstrate an abnormal degree of obsession or compulsion in relation to specific daily activities (as cited in Gournay, Curran Rogers, 2006, p. 60). Obsessions are persistent thoughts or mental images while compulsions are recurrent behaviors that are performed specifically to relieve obsessions (as cited in Gournay, et al, 2006, p. 60). Obsessions usually cause considerable distress and anxiety for the individual and as a result actions (compulsions) are performed to diminish the anxiety caused by the obsessive thoughts or images, Stein (2002) highlights that compulsions are not necessarily observable but could take the form of mental rituals (p. 397). Everyday life experiences usually reveal some amount of obsession or compulsion but do not usually affect normal activities to a significant extent. Often such compulsions are necessary, excusable and natural and therefore do not cause considerable distress. The distinction between these behaviors and the behaviors associated with OCD is in the frequency with which they are carried out, the motivations behind the behaviors and the level of anxiety experienced (Gournay et al, 2006, p. 60). OCD is present when the behaviors reach the extent of preventing the individual from functioning properly in normal everyday activities. For OCD diagnosis, the American Psychiatric Association specifies that there must be the presence of the obsessions or compulsions as discussed above. Additionally these mental processes or behaviors must take up a significant amount of time, usually more than an hour each day (as cited in Geffken et al, 2004, p. 46). It is important to discern the distinction between the obsessive and compulsive behaviors demonstrated by persons with OCD as being significantly different from delusions that are evidenced in various other disorders. The most commonly used treatment method for OCD is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) which has been accounted with an over 80 percent success rate (Geffken et al, 2004, p. 46). This procedure uses the two techniques of exposure and response prevention. In exposure the patient is made to face up to their fears. This procedure seeks to reinforce model behavior by having the patients getting accustomed to refraining from the behaviors that they feel compelled to participate in. By being repeatedly exposed to the anxiety-causing stimulus the patients eventually develop a tolerance for the anxiety and the anxiety itself decreases. The other procedure is response or ritual prevention which uses the principle of negative reinforcement. Individuals have to endure and suppress the anxiety caused by the mental images or thoughts and therefore avoid attempts to reduce the anxiety by participating in the unwanted behavior. Research has found that both procedures are equally as effective in decreasing and eventually removing obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior (Geffken, et al, 2004, p. 46). Of the two the exposure and response form of CBT is probably the most effective treatment alternative for OCD in adults and children. In addition to CBT there are a number of drugs developed for the treatment of OCD and a few other depressive disorders. Many have proven to be effective in treating adult OCD. Among these are serotonergic agents such as clomipramine, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine and sertraline. There are also citalopram and paroxetine but these two have not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (Storch Merlo, 2006, p. 329). However, more and more research is suggesting that a combination type treatment that utilizes CBT and prescription drugs have the most numerical and long term success. Anonymous (2004) reports that, Â  in a randomized study with three distinct groups of patients treated with either CBT along with sertraline, CBT alone, sertraline alone or a placebo, 53.6% of participants in the combination CBT and sertraline group showed a 100% improvement of their symptoms. Comparative results for the control groups were 39.3% with the use of CBT only, 21.4% with the use of sertraline only and 3.6% with the use of a placebo (p. 1156). References Anonymous. (2004, Dec). Combination therapy best for obsessive disorders. AORN Journal, 80(6), 1156. Geffken G. R., Storch, E. A., Gelfand, K. M, Adkins, J. W. Goodman, W. K. (2004, Dec). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: Review of treatment techniques. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing Mental Health Services, 42(12), 44-53. Gournay K., Curran, J. Rogers, P. (2006, Apr 26). Assessment and management of obsessive compulsive disorder. Nursing Standard, 20(33), 59-66 68. Stein D. (2002, Aug 3). Obsessive-compulsive disorder. Lancet, 360(9330), 397-405. Storch, E. A. Merlo, L. J. (2006, Apr). Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Strategies for using CBT and pharmacotherapy. Journal of Family Practice, 55(4), 329-333.

Refugee Convention and the United Kingdom Essay Example for Free

Refugee Convention and the United Kingdom Essay A person who escapes tyrannical or perilous circumstances is termed as a refugee. Some of the reasons for the creation of refugees are civil disturbances, environmental disasters or war. Around three hundred thousand people obtain this status per month and comprise of women and children in the main. The United Nations requires its member states to protect such people (What are refugees? , 2005). On the 14th of December, 1950, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees of UNHCR was established by the United Nations General Assembly. Its principal objective is to afford protection to refugees and find a viable solution to their problems. Fundamentally, the UNHCR makes strenuous efforts to enable the persecuted of the world to obtain asylum and â€Å"safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country. † (Basic Facts). Article 1A(2) of the Refugee Convention states that refugees are individuals who leave their country on account of legitimate danger of persecution due to their political opinions, nationality, race or religion and who are not in a position to obtain the protection of their country (Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Adopted on 28 July 1951 by the United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees and Stateless Persons convened under General Assembly resolution 429 (V) of 14 December 1950). The Member States of the European Union exhibited quite some differences in the interpretation of this definition of refugees. It became mandatory to establish the same guidelines within the Union, in order to implement a common asylum system in the EU. Accordingly, the European Commission made a proposal in the year 2001 to the European Council, whereby the requirements for deeming a person to be a refugee were clearly described and this was in accordance with the UNHCR Refugee Convention of 1951, Article 1 of the Geneva Convention on the Status of Refugees, discussions of the EC with its Member States and specialized institutions dealing with refugees like the European Council on Refugees and Exiles or ECRE and the UNHCR (The European Union clarifies what it means by refugee and subsidiary protection). This proposal comprised of several goals, some of them were to ensue the existence of basic protection, in all the Member States, for persons who required international protection. Initially, the concentration was to be on reducing the differences extant in the legislation and procedures of the various Member States. After this the aim was to restrict subsequent measures adopted by persons who were taking advantage of the variance in the laws relating to the recognition of refugees in the Member States in order to obtain subsidiary protection status. Moreover, it was a major objective of this proposal to assure adequate protection for those whose needs in this regard were genuine. Furthermore, the proposal aimed to ensure that no person could take undue advantage of the process of obtaining asylum (The European Union clarifies what it means by refugee and subsidiary protection). Consequently, in April 2004 Directive 2004/83/EC was adopted and this directive prescribes the requirements for according refugee status to stateless persons or people who do not belong to Member States of the EU. In addition, this directive describes the nature and extent of the protection to be granted to all such eligible persons (The European Union clarifies what it means by refugee and subsidiary protection). The immigration rules in the United Kingdom permit the grant of asylum to a refugee, only if it is possible for that person to establish that they face certain persecution due to their ethnicity, nationality, religion or due to the political opinions that they subscribe to if they return to their country of origin. These rules are in conformity with the United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees and Article 3 of the ECHR or European Convention on Human Rights. The result of these rules is that there is an exclusion of most of the refugees who have been permitted to reside in the UK under exceptional leave (asylum, political, 2005). In the year 1999 seventy one thousand persons sought political asylum in the United Kingdom and most of these persons were Kosovar refugees from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. A few of these applicants were from Somalia, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Turkey, Iraq, Albania and China. These numbers increased to a little over a hundred thousand by January 2000 indicating a massive increase in the influx of refugees to the United Kingdom (asylum, political, 2005). The data available with the Home Office has revealed that thirty six percent of those seeking refuge in 1999 were genuine and that an additional eleven percent had been granted asylum on compassionate grounds. However, statistics from other sources have revealed that less than ten percent of persons whose application for refuge had been refused had been deported and that the remainder continued to stay as illegal immigrants (asylum, political, 2005). On the 1st of April, 2000 the United Kingdom enacted legislation, which expeditiously dealt with straightforward cases by adopting fast track processing of their applications, substituted a food voucher system for the extant welfare benefits and made provisions for the forced occupation of accommodation around the UK. These initiatives were successful in reducing the number of pending applications to ninety thousand by May 2000. However, the United Kingdom had to incur an exorbitant expenditure of nine hundred million pounds sterling, in order to support asylum seekers during the financial year 1999 to 2000 (asylum, political, 2005). The UNHCR, which was established in 1951, has provided succour to approximately thirty million refugees. The number of persons whose status has been of grave concern to the UNHCR has increased from seventeen to twenty seven million between 1991 and 1995. These numbers stood at twenty two million at the end of the year 1999 and comprises of eleven million refugees and five million persons who had been displaced within their own countries (asylum, political, 2005). The United Kingdom received three hundred and ninety thousand applications seeking asylum in the year 2000. Out of these ninety seven thousand, seven hundred were granted the status of refugees or provided with exceptional leave to remain in the UK. This amounted to thirty one percent of total asylum applications made all over Europe. Most of the applicants belonged to countries where human rights were being infringed with impunity. Many of these refugees hailed from Iraq, Iran, Sri Lanka, Somalia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Afghanistan. The number of refugees accepted by the UK was less than the number permitted in Belgium and the Netherlands as a ratio to the population, these observations were made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Immigration and emigration, 2005). In order to compensate for the ageing population of the EU, it has to allow an influx of nearly 1. 4 million immigrants per year. The UK Home Office had undertaken reforms to its work permit system so as to allow foreign nationals to apply for such work permits in order to fill in job vacancies. The objective of these new reform proposals is to encourage legitimate immigration and thereby discourage illegal immigration. In October 2001 the Home Office had announced that the present scheme of issuing food vouchers to asylum applicants would be restructured by implementing a combined cash and identity card system (Immigration and emigration, 2005). The Ministerial Meeting on the Refugee Convention held in Geneva, provided an opportunity for the participating nations to adopt new policies to strengthen international refugee protection. Although, more than fifty years had elapsed, since the adoption of new policies in the Refugee Convention, yet nations were lagging behind in addressing the fundamental cause for refugee exodus. The cause for this situation was violation of human rights, especially during internal conflicts in the nations. Many countries were failing in their duty to respect the right to seek asylum from oppression. They were ignoring the non – refoulement principle, which held that refugees should not be deported to a place of conflict where the risk of serious breaches of human rights were prevalent (Refugee Convention a Convention for the 21st century. 2001). It is indeed deplorable to note that several countries had failed to initiate appropriate action against such infringement, as necessitated by the treaty obligations. According to Amnesty International, subsequent to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre, national governments should be required to reiterate their commitment to the Refugee Convention (Refugee Convention a Convention for the 21st century. 2001). By instituting stringent security measures, subsequent to the September 11 attacks, many countries ignored the human rights of refugees and asylum applicants. These measures targeted non – citizens of the nations. Specifically, countries with powerful economies have treated refugees and illegal immigrants alike and implemented several measures to isolate refugees. Instances have been reported where nations have unnecessarily indulged in imposing tighter security measures. One instance of this was reported in July 2001 to the Amnesty International, wherein the immigration authorities of the United Kingdom stationed at Prague airport detained travellers from the Roma ethnic minority, questioned them, did not permit them to enter the UK and prevented them from boarding flights (Refugee Convention a Convention for the 21st century. 2001). It has become essential to implement measures that provide adequate protection in situations involving mass flight of the populace of a nation. Moreover, the UN refugee institution has to be provided with sufficient funds to carry out its work. The Amnesty International has demanded of the nations that had participated in the meeting in Geneva to resolve issues involving refugee protection in conformity with the spirit of the Refugee Convention (Refugee Convention a Convention for the 21st century. 2001). In R v. Special Adjudicator, Ullah a Pakistani national claimed asylum in the UK, as he feared persecution on account of his religious beliefs; the UK authorities did not accept his petition under the Refugee Convention. The House of Lords held that in the absence of a flagrant denial or gross abuse of an individual’s rights, there could be no compromise on maintain immigration controls in the larger public interest (R v Special Adjudicator, ex parte Ullah , 2004). Several instances exist, wherein the United Kingdom and its agents were unsuccessful in providing adequate protection to refugees, who had been deployed in special camps. In Kenya, a nineteen year old girl’s modesty was outraged in the vicinity of the offices of the refugee camp authorities and similarly, two Rwandan children were killed and their mother was stabbed in a secure residence. Moreover, a number of incidents involving the gross violations of the right to life, the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and violation of the non refoulement principle were reported in these centres (New Approaches to the Asylum Process. Human Rights Watch Submission to the House of Lords, Select Committee on the European Union, Sub-Committee F (Social Affairs, Education and Home Affairs), 2003). As such the responsibility of protecting refugees is vested with the United Kingdom and the latter has to ensure that such violations do not occur in the refugee centres. In case of failure to protect refugees in the camps, the U. N. General Assembly can authorize the UNHCR to provide sufficient protection to the refugees and help the UK Government to find permanent solutions for the problem of refugees (New Approaches to the Asylum Process. Human Rights Watch Submission to the House of Lords, Select Committee on the European Union, Sub-Committee F (Social Affairs, Education and Home Affairs), 2003). The Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, Nick Hardwick, opined that, the policy being implemented by the UK Government was insufficient, and that it was endangering the lives of a number of asylum seekers. He further stated that the UK’s record of granting asylum status to Sri Lankan Tamils was dismal. France had granted asylum to around seventy three percent of the applicants and Canada had allowed eighty percent, in comparison to the woefully meagre two percent by the UK Government. Many felt that such rejection would pose grave danger for these immigrants, who could expect torture and incarceration in dehumanized prisons in Sri Lanka (New Refugee Council report warns UK not to put refugees lives at risk, 2002). From the above it becomes very clear that the UK has not been very friendly towards immigrants. In particular, after the attacks made by terrorists owing allegiance to Osama bin laden, there has been a reluctance to admit foreign nationals into the country. Several instances have come to light, wherein the UK Government had failed to take into consideration the principle of proportionality, while assessing the status of asylum seekers. There is a marked reluctance to permit persons hailing from Asia, the Middle East and Africa into the United Kingdom. This is in gross violation of the Refugee Convention of 1951. Bibliography asylum, political. (2005).In The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia including Atlas . Basic Facts. (n. d. ). Retrieved May 22, 2007, from UNHCR: http://www. unhcr. org/basics. html Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Adopted on 28 July 1951 by the United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Status of Refugees and Stateless Persons convened under General Assembly resolution 429 (V) of 14 December 1950. (n. d. ). Retrieved May 22, 2007, from Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights: http://www. unhchr. ch/html/menu3/b/o_c_ref. htm Immigration and emigration. (2005). Retrieved May 22, 2007, from In The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia including Atlas: http://www. xreferplus. com/entry/6435900immigration and emigration New Approaches to the Asylum Process. Human Rights Watch Submission to the House of Lords, Select Committee on the European Union, Sub-Committee F (Social Affairs, Education and Home Affairs). (2003, September). Retrieved May 22, 2007, from http://hrw. org/backgrounder/eca/asylum-process. htm New Refugee Council report warns UK not to put refugees lives at risk. (2002, February 11). Retrieved May 22, 2007, from Refugee Council Online: http://www. refugeecouncil. org. uk/news/press/2002/february/20020211newr. htm R v Special Adjudicator, ex parte Ullah , UKHL 26 (2004). Refugee Convention a Convention for the 21st century. 2001. M2 Presswire. M2 Communications, Ltd. The European Union clarifies what it means by refugee and subsidiary protection. (n. d. ). Retrieved May 22, 2007, from European Commission. Justice and Home Affairs. Refugee subsidiary protection: http://ec. europa. eu/justice_home/fsj/asylum/subsidiary/fsj_asylum_subsidiary_en. htm What are refugees? (2005). The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia i

Non Experimental Research Design Psychology Essay

Non Experimental Research Design Psychology Essay This chapter details the methodology that will be used to conduct this study. Methodology is an approach, or method used to conduct a research. The aspects that will be discussed in this chapter include the researchs design, approach, sample, instrument, procedure, and also data collection and analysis. 3.2 Researchs Approach and Design 3.2.1 Researchs Approach There are two types of approaches used in research, which are quantitative approach and qualitative approach. According to Blaxter, Hughes and Tight (as cited in Hughes, 2006) Quantitative research is a study that concerned with the collection and analysis of data in numeric form. It emphasizes relatively large-scale and representative sets of data, and is often presented or perceived as being about the gathering of `facts. Qualitative research is concerned with collecting and analysing information in as many forms as possible, mainly non-numerical form. It focuses on exploring smaller numbers of instances or examples which are seen as being interesting or illuminating, and aims to achieve `depth rather than `breadth. In this study, the data collected by researcher will be in numerical form, which obtained from the questionnaires. Thus, the approach used in this study is quantitative research. 3.2.2 Researchs Design According to Chua Yan Piaw (2006), there are three main designs in research, namely true experimental design, non-experimental design, and quasi-experimental design. True experimental design studies the relation between the independent variables and manipulated variables, manipulates the independent variables and observes the changes on manipulated variables. Non-experimental design is used when the treatment is not possible as the independent variables naturally exist, and the respondents will be randomly distributed into every group. This design studies the relation between independent variables and manipulated variables without manipulate the independent variables. Besides that, quasi-experimental design normally used to evaluate the effectiveness of certain program when then the randomly distribution of the respondents in the study is not possible. It studies the relation between independent variables and manipulated variables (Chua, 2006). Non-experimental research design According to Chua Yan Piaw (2006), there are a lot of non-experimental designs, including survey, field research, case study, action research, ethnography, and so on. Survey is one of the most widely used non-experimental research design, which used in different form of media, such as magazine, newspapers, and television to collect data from subjects who respond to a series of questions about behaviors and opinions regarding to certain issue, or to survey the effectiveness of a product or plan. Normally interview or quetionnaires will be used in collecting data. Field research refers to gathering primary data from a natural environment without doing a lab experiment or a survey, where the researcher must be willing to step into new environments and observe, participate, or experience those worlds by themselves. Case study is an in-depth analysis of a single event, situation, or individual, where the researcher examines existing sources like documents and archival records, conducts in terviews, engages in direct observation, and even participant observation, to collect the information in depth regarding to individual behaviours and social conditions. Action research refers to the research initiated to solve an immediate problem or a reflective process of progressive problem solvin lef by individuals working with others in teams or as part of a community of practice to improve the way they address and solve problems. Survey 3.3 Sampling According to Gay and Airasian (2003), sampling is the process of selecting a number of participants for a study in such a way that they represent the larger group from which they were selected (p. 101). Selecting a sample is a very important step in conducting a research study, particularly for quantitative research. The goodness of the sample determines the meaningfulness and generalizability of the research results (Gay Asian, 2003, p. 103). 3.3.1 Population The first step in sampling is to define the population. A sample comprises the individuals, items, or events selected from a larger group referred to as a population. The population is the group of interest to the researcher, the group to which the results of the study will ideally generalize (Gay Airasian, 2003, p. 102). The location of this study is Sabah, and the populations of this study are all the upper form students in secondary schools in Sabah, who are 16 to 17 years old. Initially, the researcher will obtains the information about the upper form students from all the secondary schools in Sabah, and then determine the samples which are involved in this study. The researcher will get the information about the total number of upper form students in each of the schools, because it might influences the outcomes of the study. 3.3.2 Sampling Method According to Chua Yan Piaw (2006), there are two main sampling methods, which are probability sampling and non-probability sampling (p. 189). According to Gay and Airasian (2003), probability sampling, which also known as random sampling, methods are possible for the researcher to specify the probability, or chance, that each member of a defined population will be selected for the sample, and these sampling are all based on randomness in the selection of the sample (p. 103). Non-probability sampling, which is also known as non-random sampling, methods do not have random sampling at any stage of sample selection, it is used when the random sampling is not possible, such as teachers or administrators select students or classes as the samples (p. 114). In this study, random sampling method will be used to select the sample. Gay and Airasian (2003) states that there are four basic random sampling techniques or procedures, namely simple random sampling, stratified sampling, cluster sampling, and systematic sampling, which are also referred to as probability sampling (p. 103). Simple random sampling is the process of selecting a sample in such a way that all individuals in the selected population have an equal and independent chance to be selected for the sample, where the randomness in sampling takes the selection of the sample completely out of the researchers control by letting a random, or chance, procedure select the sample (p. 103). Stratified sampling is the process of selecting a sample in such a way that identified sub-groups in the population are represented in the sample in the same proportion that they exist in the population (p. 106). Besides that, cluster sampling randomly selects groups, not individuals; all the members selected groups have similar characterisics, and it is most useful when the population is very large or spread out over a wide geographic area (p. 108). Lastly, systematic sampling is the sampling technique in which individuals are selected from a list taking every Kth name (p. 110). Although the instrument of students national identity is designed to be applicable to all students in Malaysia, the secondary school students will be selected to test the instrument in this study. The rationale of choosing upper form students as the target population to test the instrument is they might be more mature if compared to the lower form students who are only 13 to 15 years old. They might have a better understanding on the items stated in the questions, and perhaps they will give their response seriously. So, the outcomes which obtained from the upper form students might be more reliable and trustworthy if compared to lower form students. All upper form students from the secondary school in Sabah are over sampled. Two random samples of 200 students and 2500 students will be purchased for the two survey studies by using cluster sampling method. A number of schools will be randomly selected from each of the districts in Sabah as the representatives of those districts. The secondary school students in Sabah are eligible to receive the mailed survey. In the first survey study, the questionnaire will be initially sent to the random sample of 200 students to examine test-retest reliability of the instrument and its subscale. Then, a repeat mailing survey will be sent to the respondents from the initial mailing again. The test-retest reliability of the instrument will be examined using the data from the remaining surveys returned from both the initial and repeat mailings. In the second survey study, the sample needed to be large in order to conduct factor analysis to test the construct validity of the instrument. There is a general agreement among measurement methodologists that large sample sizes are required for the stability of results of factor analysis, the use of larger sample sizes in applications of factors analysis tends to provide results such that sample factor loadings are more precise estimates of population loadings and are also more stable, or less variable, across repeated sampling. The researcher will send the refined questionnaire to the second random sample of 2500 students in order to perform factor analysis, and then to test construct validity and internal consistency reliability of the instrument. 3.4 Researchs Procedures This study will be conducted in two stages. Stage one is the instrument development, and stage two is the instrument testing and refining. Stage one consists of three steps and stage two consists of five steps. Each of these steps is described in the following section. 3.4.1 Stage One: Instrument Development The instrument development stage has three steps: (1) developing conceptual and operational definitions of the construct of students national identity, (2) generating item pool, and (3) determining the format for measurement (or selecting a scaling technique for the measurement). All the three steps in this stage involved determination of content validity of the instrument of students national identity. a. Step 1: Developing Conceptual and Operational Definitions of the Construct. The first step in developing this instrument is to determine clearly what the concept of students national identity is. The definition of the construct, students national identity, is based onà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (need more information from chapter 2) b. Step 2: Generating an Item Pool for the Instrument The focus of second step is to generate a large pool of items for all the dimensions of the construct of students national identity. In the beginning stage, it is better to generate more items. Thus a 60 items scale might be evolve from an item pool over a hundred items. The instrument of students national identity is designed to measure the degree to which a student à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Wording of the items is very important and should reflect this goal of the instrument. Appropriate wording can accurately capture the essence of the construct. The items are evaluative in nature and can reflect respondents views about the desirability of something. Moreover, the researcher developed several negatively worded items with careful wording that examine students à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ besides developing positively worded items that measure students national identity. The purpose of constructing several negatively worded items is to detect respondents with acquiescence bias by their response pattern if there is any. Those respondents will not be included in the data analysis to avoid or minimize the influence caused by acquiescence bias. The issues related to acquiescence bias were discussed in detail in Chapter 2. After a large pool of items that measures students national identity is established, the dissertation committee will be first critique all the items before sending the item pool to the expert panel for content validity review. The researcher will revises the item pool based on comments of the dissertation committee. The items which are repetitive, inappropriate or poorly worded, confusing, or irrelevant to the construct will be eliminated or revised. After this revision, 84 items were retained in the instrument. c. Step 3: Determining the Format for the Instrument The researcher considers the format simultaneously with the generation of items so that the two are compatible. The Likert scales with five responses options is chosen to develop the instrument measuring the students national identity. Each item is presented as a declaration sentence, followed by the response options that indicate varying degrees of agreement with the statement. The five response options are: (1) strongly disagree, (2) disagree, (3) either agree or disagree, (4) agree, and (5) strongly agree. These five points Likert scales are ordinal scale level. Each item in the instrument is classified as two broad categories, which are favourable (positive) or unfavourable (negative). Scoting is reversed for negatively worded items such that disagreement with a negatively worded resulted in high score. At this step, the development stage is completed. Then, the researcher will moves on to the next stage, which is instrument testing and refining. 3.4.2 Stage 2: Instument Testing and Refining The instrument testing and refining stage includes give steps: (1) establishing content validity of the instrument, (2) developing directions for responding, (3) preparing a revised draft of the questionnaire, (4) examining test-retest reliability and pretesting internal consistency reliability, dan (5) testing construct validity and internal consistency reliability. All steps in this stage involve refining the instrument and testing the psychometric properties of the instrument. a. Step 1: Establishing Content Validity of the Instrument Determining the number of experts needed has always been somewhat arbitrary in content validity determination. According to Lynn (1986) (as cited in Wynd, Schmidt, Schaefer, 2003), a minimum of five experts (rates, observers, or judges) and a larger number of categories for data assignment yield greater absolute agreement and increase the risk of chance agreement. The use of more experts may therefore contribute directly to chance agreement (pg 511). The use of only two judges is not only statistically unjustifiable, but also it places the instrument developer at great risk of an erroneous conclusion that content validity has been achieved when it actually has not (Bu, 2005, pg 73). In this study, five experts who either have conducted research related to students national identity or have interest in students national identity will be asked to review the instrument as the content experts. A delineation of the full content dimentions of the construct of students national identity with specific instructions pertaining to the content relevance of each item are provided to the experts by mail or email for review. The five will be asked to return the instrument and their comments within four to five weeks. This review serves multiple purposes related to determining and maximizing the content validity of the instrument. First, having experts review the item pool, confirm or invalidate the definition of the phenomenon of students national identity and the content validity of the instrument is quantified. The experts will be asked to rate how relevant they think each item is related to what the researcher intends to measure. The instrument of students national identity includes three subscales. The general objective of the subscale of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ is to measure the degree to which the studentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Under the broad objective, more specific objectives that are assumed to measure relevant items will provided as well. The intensity of students national identity can fluctuate over time but they are considered stable during a certain period of time, typically three to four weeks. These objectives will be sent to experts along with the instrument. The experts will be asked to rate the content relevance of each item to its general objective and its more specific objective. Content validity index (CVI)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. In addition, the experts will be asked to clarify reasons and provide suggestions if they disagree with some items included in the instrument. Second, the experts will be asked to evaluate the items clarity and conciseness. Sometimes, the content of an item may be relevant to the construct but its wording may be problematic. This yields problems on item reliability because an ambiguous or otherwise unclear item, to a greater degree than a clear item, may reflect factors extraneous to the latent variable. Third, in addition to judging each item, the experts will be asked to identify phenomena that were omitted from the instrument as a part of the content validity assessment. Thus, by asking experts to review the instrument in a variety of ways the researcher could capture the phenomenon of interest, and the expert reviewers help the researcher maximize the content validity of the instrument. The researcher will be paid careful attention to all suggestions from these content experts then made an informed decision about how to use their advice. The instrument will be revised to enhance content validity with the consensus of the dissertation committee. b. Step 2: Developing Directions for Responding The procedures for responding to the statements, as well as the meaning of the anchor points on the continuum, will be carefully develop and then reviewed by the dissertation committee chair and colleagues to avoid confusing respondents. Dillman (1978) (as cited in Bu, 2005) proposed some ideas about providing directions to subjects on how to answer questionnaires. He states that the encirclement process results in fewer ambiguous markings and should be encouraged. It is important that the same marking procedure be used throughout the questionnaire. Lower case letters are preferred for directions because of their greater readability (pg 76). The researcher will apply these suggestions when developing directions for responding. c. Step 3: Preparing a Draft of the Questionnaire. This step involves constructing a draft of the questionnaire and assessing the questionnaire. Three activities will be completed in this step. First, a section of questions for gathering demographic information from participants will be designed and included in the survey along with the instrument of students national identity. The purpose of developing this section of questions is to gather information that would be used to describe characteristics of the participants. Second is the issue of ordering the questions in the questionnaire. In this study, items that are measuring the same dimension will be grouped together. The questions that request demographic information are put at the end of the questionnaire. The questionnaire consists of two parts. Part one is composed of a series of items pertaining to students national identity. Items represented à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.dimensionsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. The form of the instrument of students national identity looks like the following sample. Item Strongly disagree (1) Disagree (2) Either disagree or agree (3) Agree (4) Strongly agree (5) Item 1 1 2 3 4 5 Item 2 1 2 3 4 5 Item 3 1 2 3 4 5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Part two of the questionnaire consists of the demographic questions and includes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ as well as characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity, geographic location. Third, the questionnaire is distributed to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. For the review of clarity of directions, ease of responding and time needed to fill out the questionnaire. d. Step 4: Examining Test-Retest Reliability and Pretesting Internal Consistency Reliability After questionnaire is produced, the researcher conducts two survey studies to gather data to examine construct validity and reliability of the instrument. Step 4 is to examine test-retest reliability of the instrument, preliminarily test internal consistency reliability of the instrument, and perform item analysis. It is assumed that the construct of students national identity does not change in subjects within two to three weeks. The researcher initially mailed the questionnaire to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. In two to three weeks, a repeat survey will be mailed to the respondents from the initial mailing. The test-retest reliability of the instrument of students national identity and its à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..subscales are examined among the subjects responding both the initial and the repeat mailings. Cronbachs alpha of the instrument and its à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Subscales is calculated using the data from the questionnaires returned from the initial mailing to pretest internal consistency reliability of the instrument and itsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.subscales. In addition, an item analysis for each subscale will be performed using the data from the returned questionnnaires from the initial mailing for the purpose of refining the instrument. An item needed to meet Likerts criterion of internal consistency in order to be retained in the scale. A given item whose score significantly correlated with the relevant scale score, which is à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥ 0.3 is considered to meet the criterion of internal consistency and is retained in the instrument. An item whose score does not significantly related to the scale score, which is à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ 0.3, is rechecked and determined for retainment, elimination or revision depending on theory, content of the item, function of the item in the instrument. e. Step 5: Testing Construct Validity and Internal Consistency Reliability In this step, the refined survey will be sent to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. to collect data in order to examine the construct validity of the instrument using factor analysis and the internal consistency reliability of the instrument using Cronbachs alpha. Factor analysis is performed using data from the returned questionnaires. Factor analysis is used to determine construct validity of the instrument of students national identity and select items for inclusion in the instrument. Factor analysis is a broad category of approaches to determine the structure of relations among measures (Nunnally Bernstein, 1994). Factor analysis can be used to determine: (1) grouping variables, (2) which variables belong to which factor and how strong their relationship, (30 how many dimensions are needed to explain the relations among the variables, and (4) a frame of reference to describe the relation among the variables more conveniently. There are two major approaches to factor analysis: exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. In exploratory factor analysis, one seeks to summarize data by grouping together variables that are intercorrelated. The variables themselves may or may not have been chosen with potential underlying structure in mind. Exploratory factors are defined to achieve a mathematical objective such as maximizing the variance accounted for. In confirmatory factor analysis, factors are defined directly, which incorporate the properties such as the number of factors and content (or variables) of each factor that have been hypothesized and then determine how well these fit the data (Nunnally Bernstein, 1994). According to Tabachnick Fidell (1983), exploratory factor analysis is usually performed in the early stages of research to consolidate variables and generate hypotheses about relationships in a reduced data set. Confirmatory factor analysis generally occurs later in the researc h process, when a theory about structure is to be tested or when hypothesized differences in structure between groups of research units are tested. Variables are specifically chosen to reveal underlying structural processes. Data used in confirmatory factor analysis, then, might be different from those used in exploratory factor analysis. Cronbachs alpha will be calculated in this large sample to determine the internal consistency reliability of the instrument of attitudes toward patient advocacy and its three subscales. Up to this step, the instrument of students national identity will be established. 3.5 Data Collection Schedule and Procedures There are some differences between the data collection schedule and procedures for the test-retest study and the construct validity study. For the test-retest reliability study, surveys with the cover letters will be mailed to the 200 randomly selected subjects. A stamped returning envelope will be included in the mail for return of the survey. A code number will be attached to the 200 subjects, and those respondents from the initial mailing survey will be identified and sent a repeat survey within two to three weeks after the initial mailing in order to examine test-retest reliability. Thus, anonymity of respondents is not ensured in the test-retest reliability study for the purpose of the repeat mailing to those who returned the survey. Considering budget limitation for the dissertation, the researcher will makes only one contact with the 2500 randomly selected subjects. In this contact, a mailing that included the survey, a detailed cover letter explaining the nature of the study and asking for response and a business reply envelope will be sent to the 2500 subjects. Since only one contact was made to the 2500 students, anonymity of respondents is ensured in the study. A codebook for data entry will be developed and reviewed. A data entry program will be set up to facilitate inputting data. Data will be entered as responses to the questionnaire are returned. Entered data will be verified to check for errors in data input by going over 25% of the returned and entered questionnaires and running frequencies of each item of the questionnaire. Any differences between original data entry and verification required checking the raw data and correcting the entered data. Data analysis will begins after completion of data entry and involved statistical consultation with the dissertation committee members. 3.6 Data Analysis and Interpretation Three types of data analyses will be conducted in this study, which are analysis related to reliability, analysis related to validity, and descriptive statistics. First, the content validity of the instrument will be determined by CVI. The CVI was the proportion of items given a rating of 3 (relevant and needs a little revision) or 4 (very relevant) to the objectives of a measure based on 4-point ordinal scale by at least six out of the seven experts (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥86% agreement) in this study. Second, data from the respondents returned from the initial mailing in the test-retest study will be used for the analysis of Cronbachs alpha to pretest the internal consistency reliability of the instrument. Data from the questionnaires that are returned from both the initial and the repeat mailings will be used for examining the test-retest reliability. A total score for each of the subscales and the whole instrument will be obtained with the initial mailing, and a second total score for each of the subscales and the whole instrument will be obtained with the second mailing. The test-retest reliability coefficient of the instrument and its subscales will be obtained by correlating the initial mailing scores with the second mailing scores using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. High correlation coefficient indicates high stability or test-retest reliability of the instrument. This reliability coefficient above .70 is considered satisfactory. Third, item analysis will be performed using data from the questionnaires returned from the initial mailing. Correlations among items within each subscale and between each item with the total subscale score will be examined. Items with low correlations with the relevant subscale score ( Fourth, factor analysis will be performed using data from the questionnaires to determine the construct validity of the instrument of students nationasl identity. Factor analysis is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦() In this study, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis approaches will be used to examine the construct validity of the instrument. Exploratory factor analysis will be first performed to extract factors from the instrument of students national identity and determine the items to be included in the instrument. If evidence for construct validity exists, the number of factors resulting from the analysis should approximate the number of dimensions assessed by the instrument, and the items with the highest factor loadings defining each factor should correspond to the items designed to measure each of the dimensions of the instrument (Waltz et al., 1991). Exploratory factor analysis consists of two stages: extract factors and rotating extracted factors (Nunnally Bernstein, 1994). The analysis first condenses the variables (items) into the smallest number of factors that explain the most variance. Principal component analysis (PCA) and principal axis analysis (PAF) are two most popular ways to condense data. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Then, three most common statistical rules were used to determine the number of factors. First, the Kaiser-Guttman rule retains factors with absolute eigenvalues of 1.0 or greater. However, this rule tends to suggest too many factors. The second rule is scree test that uses relative changes in these eigenvaluesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Since the unrotated factors are usually difficult to interpret, the second stage of exploratory factor analysis is to rotate these factors to make them more meaningful or more interpretableà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Orthogonal and oblique rotations Results of the exploratory factor analysis will also be used for identification and selection of indicators (items) for the instrument. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to validateà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦In confirmatory factor analysis, the researcher specifies which items load on each factor according to preconceived theory to test the theory. The result of this analysis indicates how well the empirical data actually conform to these specifications, that is, whether the items actually form the theorized constructs. In order to test the fit of the model to the data, multiple fit indices that reflect somewhat different facets of model fit are suggested à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Goodness-of-Fit Index (GFI) Comparative Fit Index (CFI) Adjusted Goodness-of Fit Index (AGFI) Root Mean Square Residual (RMR) Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) Finally, Cronbachs alpha will be calculated using the data from the returned surveys to determine the internal consistency reliability of the instrument and its subscales. High Cronbachs alpha indicates that the instrument has high internal consistency. Nunnally and Bernstein suggest that, for the newly developed instrument, the Cronbachs alpha with .70 is acceptable. Also, descriptive statistics such as frequency, mean, and standard deviation will be used to describe the characteristics of the sample in both the test-retest reliability study and the construct validity study. Test-retest reliability, item analysis, descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis and Cronbachs alpha will be performed using SPSS version 20.0.0 for Windows. AMOS 5.0 for