Free Essays on The Marketing Research Process

The marketing research process is the function that links the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer through information. Information is used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems; generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions, monitor marketing performance and improve understanding of marketing as a process. The marketing research process specifies the information required to address these issues, designs the methods for collecting information, manages and implements the data collection process, analyzes, and communicates the findings and their implications. The four steps in this process are : 1). Defining the problem and the research objectives Before starting the actual research process, marketers must determine the source of the problem, in order to be able to conduct the relevant research and avoid wasting time and money. A proper definition of the problem is the basic step to the whole process. Defining research objectives involves carrying out preliminary research and this includes, exploratory research, descriptive research and causal research. Exploratory research is marketing research to gather preliminary information tat will help define the problem and suggest hypothesis. Descriptive research is marketing research tat describes in a better way marketing problems, situations or markets. Causal research is marketing research to test hypothesis about cause and effect relationships. 2). Developing the research plan to collect the information. The second step of the marketing research process requires, determining the specific information needed, developing a plan for gathering it efficiently and presenting it to the marketing management. The plan illustrates sources of existing data, and determines what research approach, contact methods, sampling plan, and research instruments will be employed to gather relevant new data. The research approach includes: observa... Free Essays on The Marketing Research Process Free Essays on The Marketing Research Process The marketing research process is the function that links the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer through information. Information is used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems; generate, refine, and evaluate marketing actions, monitor marketing performance and improve understanding of marketing as a process. The marketing research process specifies the information required to address these issues, designs the methods for collecting information, manages and implements the data collection process, analyzes, and communicates the findings and their implications. The four steps in this process are : 1). Defining the problem and the research objectives Before starting the actual research process, marketers must determine the source of the problem, in order to be able to conduct the relevant research and avoid wasting time and money. A proper definition of the problem is the basic step to the whole process. Defining research objectives involves carrying out preliminary research and this includes, exploratory research, descriptive research and causal research. Exploratory research is marketing research to gather preliminary information tat will help define the problem and suggest hypothesis. Descriptive research is marketing research tat describes in a better way marketing problems, situations or markets. Causal research is marketing research to test hypothesis about cause and effect relationships. 2). Developing the research plan to collect the information. The second step of the marketing research process requires, determining the specific information needed, developing a plan for gathering it efficiently and presenting it to the marketing management. The plan illustrates sources of existing data, and determines what research approach, contact methods, sampling plan, and research instruments will be employed to gather relevant new data. The research approach includes: observa...

Should You Guess on the ACT 5 Guessing Strategies

Should You Guess on the ACT 5 Guessing Strategies SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Because the ACT has no penalty for guessing, you should always guess on the ACT if you don’t know the answer.After all, leaving a question blank and guessing are functionally the same. This article will focus less on the technical aspects of whether it’s beneficial to guess on the ACT and more on strategies for guessing that might lead you to the right answer. After reading this guide, you should be able to score some additional lucky points on the ACT! Strategy 1: Eliminate Answer Choices Before Guessing The number one rule of guessing on the ACT is try to minimize your guessing. The first thing you should do when you come across a question that (at least partially) stumps you is to use the process of elimination.The more choices you can cross off, the better your chances of getting the question right will be. Don’t guess blindly just because you think you don’t know the answer; rather, read all the answer choices. Sometimes a question that seems difficult will be less so after you review the options you are given.When it comes down to it, the ACT only tests basic academic skills. Even if a question appears to ask about an unfamiliar subject, you might be able to solve it using simple logic. If you can only find one answer choice that's clearly incorrect, you'll still have a better shot at guessing the right answerfrom the remaining three choices, so don't be afraid- go for it! Strategy 2: Pick a Guessing Letter Before the Test What if you really, really can’t eliminate any answers?On these ACT questions, it's best to pick the same letter answer choice every time.In truth, you have a higher likelihood of getting questions right by guessing the same letter every time than by skipping around. But why? The reason is twofold.For one, using a guessing letter saves you time and ensures a random guess. If you've already decided you're going to go with a certain letter regardless of the question, you can preserve randomness and count on the law of averages to give you around one question correct out of every four guesses. If you skip around with your guesses, you're probably not guessing randomly, which means you're more likely to fall prey to the ACT's traps. The test will try to trick you with answer choices that seem more likely to be correct at first glance but are purposely placed there to ensnare unwitting students. If you don't pick a guessing letter beforehand, you're more likely to fall prey to these appealing but incorrect answers by making a guess that's not truly random. Pick one A through D letter (A, B, C, or D) and one F through J letter (F, G, H, or J) at random before the ACT,and stick to it for allofyour guesses.You can also plan to guess those letters on questions for which you've eliminated one or more answer choices (provided the guessing letters don't correspond with the choices you've already eliminated). BUBBLESSSS! The bubbles! Your bubbles. That you should always fill in on the ACT. (Please tell me you've all seen Finding Nemo.) Strategy 3: Move On and Guess Later Many students make the mistake of lingering on questions they don’t know, causing them to lose time that would be better spent on easier questions.If you really don’t know the correct answer, don’t waste your time dwelling on the question. But what's considered "wasting your time"? The ACT has pretty narrow time constraints. Here's a chart with an overview of the time limits on each section of the test: ACT Section Total Time # of Questions Time per Question English 45 minutes 75 36 seconds Math 60 minutes 60 60 seconds Reading 35 minutes 40 53 seconds Science 35 minutes 40 53 seconds On English, you get around 36 secondsto answer each question, so you should be able to figure out a strategy within the first 10 seconds or you need to skip it. By contrast, with Math,you get a minute on average for each question. If you haven't figured out a strategy to answer a question in the first 30 seconds of looking at it, move on to the next one. Reading and Science each give you around 53 seconds to answer each question, so for both sections 20 seconds or less per question is a good rule of thumb. Most of the time, you won't have to time yourself to realize when you're momentarily stumped. If you've read a question thoroughly and still feel unsure about how to solve it, skip it for now. At the end, you can come back to all the questions you skipped and see whether you're able to eliminate any answer choices before guessing. Overall, you really shouldn't be afraid of guessing on the ACT.I know all you perfectionists out there will be biting your nails at the possibility of guessing incorrectly (high school me certainly would be!). But don't sweat it.There’s nothing more you can do in that moment on the test to ensure that you choose the correct answer.If you get it wrong, you won’t lose points anyway! Strategy 4: Check Your Bubbles Before the Section Ends Another important point to emphasize is that you should always recheck your answer sheetthe last minute of a section to make sure all the bubbles are filled in. As I have said, no penalty for guessing means lots and lots of bubbling. Start training yourself to make dark marks in small circles, my friends, because you're going to want to fill in every bubble in sight on the ACT (not really every bubble ... I got carried away). Seriously, though, there's no reason to ever leave an ACT question blank! Don't cheat yourself by forgetting to answer a question you previously skipped in a section. For every four bubbles you leave blank, you miss out on one potential extra point on average, which can sometimes raise your score by a whole composite point. Most other students will be doing this, too. If you don't, you are essentially putting yourself at a disadvantage! Strategy 5: Plan by Considering Your Target ACT Score If you know your target ACT score, you can use this goal to help yourself feel a little more comfortable about guessing (or push yourself to find a solution to a question you're having trouble with). Here's an example of an official ACT scoring chart. This chart indicates how raw ACT scores (i.e., the number of questions you answered correctly on a section) generally convert into final scaled scores in the 1-36 range(I say "generally" asthese scores translate differently on each ACT): You can use this chart to figure out what your raw score needs to be in order to arrive at your target scaled score for a particular ACT section. Then, you'll know how many questions you can afford to answer incorrectly in each section. This is an easy way to take the stress out of guessing. If you already feel confident on enough ACT questions to reach your target score, the questions you aren't sure about are just potential bonus points. Also, if you find yourself guessing a lot on ACT practice testsand it's preventing you from reaching your target score, make sure youmark every question you guessed on (even if you got it right). This way, you can come back to it later and work on understanding the correct answer. Summary: The Best ACT Guessing Strategies To sum up, guessing on the ACT can be extremely beneficial. There are no point penalties on the test, so any (wrong) guesses you make won't count against you. Once again, here are the five ACT guessing strategies covered above: Always guess on the ACT! Fill in every bubble. There's no penalty, so just go for it. Eliminate wrong answers- always try to get rid of as many answer choices as possible before making your guess. Pick guessing letters(one for A, B, C, and D; and one for F, G, H, and J) before you take the ACT to use as your go-tos for blind guessing. Don’t spend too much time on questions that stump you. Be aware of your target ACT score when guessing so you have a clearer idea as to how many questions you can afford to get wrong. Good luck! What's Next? Want to practice these guessing strategies?Downloadthese free official ACT practice testsand our picks for the best ACT prep books to get started! Check out our article on how to get a 36 on ACT Reading,where we discuss in more detail how to eliminate wrong answer choices for this tricky section. You should alsotake a look at the best way to review your mistakes on the ACT.Hopefully you are doing some practice tests before you take the actual exam so you can target your weaknesses and avoid having to guess too much! Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by ACT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

Motivational interviewing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Motivational interviewing - Essay Example Asma’s case offers a practical example that motivational interview, which is client centered, assists the client to know her problems and develop appropriate solution to tackle the issues at hand. Motivational interviewing can be described as a client centered and directive style of counseling that is aimed at bringing behavioral change by assisting clients to explore, analyze and resolve difficult conditions. When compared to other types of counseling techniques, motivation interviewing is goal oriented and focuses directly on options that are available for behavioral change. The analysis and resolution of the difficult condition facing the client is the main focus of eliciting behavioral change (Longshore &Grills,2000). Motivational interviewing, which applies the trans-theoretical model of change, promotes behavioral change by terminating unhealthy behavior or adopting healthy behaviors through six stages of behavioral change. These are preparation, action, relapse, contemp lation, maintenance and pre- contemplation. Motivation to change is stimulated by the client and is not imposed by other people such as counselors. Other motivational approaches stress on persuasion, coercion, and constructive confrontation but unlike motivation interviewing, they fail to mobilize and identify the intrinsic values and goals that are essential to stimulate client’s behavioral change. In motivation intervention, a client’s readiness to change is a gradual product of interpersonal relationship and so a therapist should be responsive and highly attentive to the motivational signs of the client. In motivation interviewing, therapeutic relationship is like a partnership which is aimed at creating a positive environment for change (Miller &Rollnick,1991). Substance abuse has become a disturbing and dangerous contemporary trend that has affected the political, social and economic lives of people. Its implications are far fetching and many stakeholders have pro posed appropriate measures to curb it. One of the concrete measures of eradicating substance abuse and minimizing its effects is to assist people to change their attitudes and behaviors towards its use and develop habits that will deter them from using drugs. Motivation interviewing has become an essential tool of assisting people to minimize drug intake or stop the vice altogether (Block &Wulfert,2000). As a group, our role is to apply motivation interviewing principles in eradicating and minimizing the impact of substance abuse. The name of our client is Asma. Our group consists of four members, who work as a team in assisting substance abuse clients to come out of the condition through motivational interviewing. The members are Fadumo, Glyn, Sharon, and Perpetua. Fadumo played a key role by choosing an appropriate culture that the group would draw the client from. The culture chosen was Somali culture. Glyn managed to make appropriate arrangements for the meeting and later inform ed the members about it. Sharon managed to observe the interviewing environment, detected the mistakes for correction and recorded the interview. Perpetua was mandated with the role of managing issues involved with recording of the interview and communication issues such as managing email communication. The client approaches the group to assist her to stop taking substances. As

Early Greek,Roman,and Christian Historiography Essay

Early Greek,Roman,and Christian Historiography - Essay Example To this extent, it is important to note that the writing of pre-modern history, often known as historiography, involved early historiographers writing about various civilizations that existed at their lifetime and even beyond (Bispham, Harrison, & Sparkes, 2006). In this regard, it is worthy to note that some of the major civilizations that the historiographers documented included the early Greek, Roman, and Christian civilizations. Due to the diversity of these civilizations, many historiographers adopted different approaches in pursuing the history of such civilizations (Mehl, 2005). This paper therefore, compares and contrasts the various approaches to the historical inquiry pursued by Greek, Roman, and Christian historians. Essentially, the early Christian Historiography incorporated a number of approaches that were unique to the civilization, as the historiographers at the time (Osborne, 2004). Perhaps it is important to commence by noting that all the Christian Historical materials must bear apocalyptic, universal necessity, and periodical significance, according to the Christian principles (Bispham, Harrison, & Sparkes, 2006).. Certainly, Christian historiographers take the approach of universal necessity in the sense that they attempt to describe the history of the world from the creation of man to the latest events in the Christian history (Marincola, 2010). This means that Christian historiography only goes to the universal extent of seeking the origin of the races and distribution patterns of such races. On the contrary, the Greco-Roman historiographers take a slightly different approach in the sense that it is more particular in describing the history of civilizations (Mehl, 2005). Instead of d escribing how civilizations and powers rose and fell, the Greco-Roman historiographers describe Greece and Rome as the nerve centres of all historical revolution. On the other hand, the Christian

Bipolar Mood Disorder Essay Example for Free

Bipolar Mood Disorder Essay Many people ask, â€Å"Is Bipolar disorder real?† Some people believe that Bipolar Disorder is not real since having mood swings is a common factor in one’s life, especially in adolescence. They also say that all people in one point experience sadness, even the happiest people. But Bipolar Disorder is real. The illness isn’t just about being a little depressed once in a while. Bipolar Mood Disorder, or manic depression, is a serious mental disorder that causes a person to have dramatic changes in his/her mood, ability to function, and energy level. It can cause damaged relationships, risky behaviors, and even suicidal tendencies in one’s life if left untreated. The illness consists of the changing of mood between two emotional stages; mania and depression. Although the person alternates between these two episodes, at one point he/she may experience normal moods. Bipolar Disorder Bipolar Disorder was first noticed in the second century, making it one of the oldest known illnesses. The first symptoms of mania and depression were recognized by Physician Arateus of Cappadocia, an ancient city in Turkey. He felt that mania and depression could be linked to each other and that they both were different types of the same disease. Mania is one of the symptoms of bipolar disorder. It divides into two categories; hypomania and mania. Hypomania is a less severe form of mania. During hypomania, one may feel extremely good, excited, and excessively happy. One feels like they can accomplish anything. â€Å"At first when Im high, its tremendous ideas are fast like shooting stars you follow until brighter ones appear All shyness disappears, the right words and gestures are suddenly there uninteresting people, things become intensely interesting. Sensuality is pervasive, the desire to seduce and be seduced is irresistible. Your marrow is infused with unbelievable feelings of ease, power, well-being, omnipotence, euphoria you can do anything but somewhere this changes.† This phase does not last forever. For someone who is bipolar, hypomania can evolve into actual mania, or depression. During Mania, one can go from being happy to feeling furious, irritable, and aggressive. Some symptoms of mania include increased reckless behaviors, talkativeness, sudden shifts from being happy and joyful to being hostile, restlessness, racing thoughts, and excessive energy. Aside from mania, the other symptom of bipolar disorder is depression. During depression, one may feel sad, guilty, anxious, hopeless and/or worthless. Other symptoms of depression include loss of energy, loss of interest in things one used to enjoy doing, difficulty concentrating, feeling restless and agitated, insomnia, changes in appetite, and thoughts of death and attempting suicide. Types of Bipolar Disorder There are many types of Bipolar Disorder; Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Cyclothymic disorder, and rapid-cycling bipolar disorder. In Bipolar I, one goes through severe mood shifts from mania to depression. Bipolar II is a milder form of Bipolar II, containing milder episodes of hypomania that then can evolve into severe depression. Cyclothymic disorder consists of brief periods of depression that last shorter and less extensive than full episodes of depression. Last is rapid-cycling bipolar disorder. The illness is described as rapid-cycling when one has more than 4 episodes in less than a 1-year period. The shift of polarity from mania to depression in rapid-cycling can be in one week, or even as short as in a day. The rapid-cycling pattern can increase severe depression and suicidal thoughts. Causes of Bipolar Like any other psychological disorder, there is no exact cause of Bipolar Disorder. It can contribute from many different factors, the main ones being biological, genetic, and environmental. Scientists believe that primarily it is caused from biological factors. This is because in people who are bipolar, some of their brain’s neurotransmitters, which are the chemical transmitters of the brain, don’t function properly. Another factor that contributes to Bipolar Disorder is genetics. Bipolar Mood Disorder tends to run in families, so if one’s parent has bipolar disorder, he/she is 15-25% more likely to inherit the illness. The last factor that causes bipolar is environmental influence. Factors in life such as major stress or a life-changing event can trigger a biological reaction, thus making one develop Bipolar Disorder. Treatment Treatment is available to anyone who suffers from Bipolar Mood Disorder. The illness is often treated with medications. When prescribed medications, the patient is required to take daily medications such as mood-stabilizers. They are the most effective solutions for Bipolar Disorder, along with Lithium. Psychotherapy also plays an important part in treating the illness. If considering counseling, you can consult your family doctor. They may recommend psychotherapy, and prescribe medications for the disease. Other professionals one can visit are psychologists, psychiatrists, and therapists with a professional degree in the field of the brain. Mood Stabilizers Mood Stabilizers have the ability to decrease the severity of depression and mania, and also decreases the frequency in which they happen. The most common type of mood stabilizer is Lithium, which has been known for helping people who deal with mood swings for years. Conclusion Bipolar Mood Disorder is actually a serious mental disorder which causes one’s mood to shift dramatically in a period of time. The symptoms of bipolar include mania, which is the high, and depression, which is the low. The illness can affect one’s mood, behavior, and way of living, and can also make concentrating difficult. Depending on the type of the disease, one can change mood in months, weeks, or in days. Bipolar Disorder can be caused from many factors, including genetic, biological, and environmental. Many people suffer from this illness, but luckily there is a solution to improving it. With medications and psychotherapy, one can regulate their mood swings and their severity, making Bipolar Disorder easier to deal with.

ray charles Essay -- essays research papers

Ray Charles   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the 1930s many black musicians where coming out of the south. One especially who would soon top the charts and hit fame and fortune starting in his young years, Ray Charles. After conquering poverty, blindness and many other things, success was possible. In his young age he had a few losses in his family and near after came down with a disease which was causing him to go blind. He later came over the blindness and was able to learn and compose music with the help of his skills in mathematics. After enduring a harsh childhood and blindness, Ray Charles was able to over come his handicap and follow his dream in music.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ray Charles was born on September 23, 1903 to a very poor family. Although no birth record exists, his mother, Retha Robinson, dubbed him Ray Robinson, which he later changed so as to not be confused with Sugar Ray Robinson, a famous boxer (World Book 383). Ray Charles, or as everyone called him RC, was born to a mother only sixteen years old and she had another coming. By RC’s first birthday, his little brother George was born. â€Å"None was sure who George’s father was, but all remembered that Mr. Pit and Mis Georgia, who had no children of their own, adopted George to take the added burden off Retha†(Michael 7). While Retha was not able to watch over RC, he was cared for bye her friend Mary Jane, who was split up with her husband and had lost her son.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the...

General Educational Development Questions Essay

1.Why are dogs mans best friends? Dogs are called mans best friend for many reasons. For hundreds of years, dogs have been friendly, loyal and protective of their human owners. For just as many years, dogs have accepted the love and affection of humans and have been greeting them with a wag of the tail all this time. A dog still wants to be your buddy and play with you even if you’re in a bad mood or haven’t spent much time with him recently. They don’t judge us for things like that, they just keep wagging.All a dog wants is to be loved and loved back. 2. Why are Hurricanes Dangerous? Hurricanes are considered to be very dangerous because they are deadly and are formed from strong tropical storms. When hurricanes happen, they result in heavy rains and strong winds that can sweep humans, buildings and livestock, cause inland flooding, marine hazards and even tornadoes. With that combination, they inflict widespread destruction and can result in a large loss of life. 3. Is addiction a disease.? â€Å"Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors.Addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death [emphasis added].† 4.Why is getting my diploma important.?  A high school diploma is important to my future, because college admissions counselors and potential employers usually won’t consider you unless you have one. If I were to get a high school diploma and not need it, not much would have been lost. However, if I were to not get a high school diploma and then end up in a situation in which I needed it, I would be in a bad position. Even people who decide to open their own business might need business classes, meaning they would likely need to be accepted by a college or university, therefore having to present a high school diploma. It seems like many employers and facilities of higher education are willing to accept a GED in place of a high school diploma, but not all of them are. In addition, in order to pass my GED, I should have knowledge of things learned in high school. So it makes sense to stick it out and get the diploma. 5. Why you like or dislike Miami.? I like it because it’s nice and warm with beaches, and because it’s the â€Å"Spanish Hollywood† of the United States. I dislike it because of the streets that tend to get dirty, but overall they’re fine. 6. Reasons why Math is important. Math is hugely important. Pretty much everything you do involves math. All careers invlove some type of math and even if you don’t have a career you still use math everyday. Think about how many times a day you estimate something or figure out some type of math problem. You do use math whether you realize it or not. Some jobs like an artist might not catch people as a math job but you have to add up totals of money in order to sell your art, or even when etimating paint utencils and other stuff. 7. Why is your best friend so special.? My mother is my best friend, i’ve known her all my life. She’s the only person I know that will listen to me, not judge, offer honest and real advice without having other motives. She’s just like me but we’re different in so many ways. I feel so blessed to have a best friend who is actually family. We can share everything from clothes, to purses, to hair items and know we’ll get it back lol.! I feel so blessed to have someone so wonderful in my life. The special for me is that I always gonna have her and her pure love. 8. Why is Tanning in the sun Dangerous.? Some people think having a tan gives them a â€Å"healthy glow.† But a tan really shows that the skin is trying to protect itself from sun damage. Sun damage can lead to premature aging (wrinkles!), eye damage and skin cancer. Even â€Å"indoor tanning† is not without risk. Tanning beds and lamps can expose you to even more harmful ultraviolet light than the sun does. And tanning products such as â€Å"self-tanners,†sunless sprays and pills can expose you to additional risks, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Before you try to get a tan, you should learn how and why our skin tans. When a type of radiation is exposed to the skin, the skin responds by producing melanin. Melanin is a dark substance that helps prevent the body from taking in too many harmful sun rays that can damage skin. The sun produces two kinds of rays, UVA and UVB. UVB rays are around all year and UVA rays are mostly present only during the summer. UVA rays are regarded as â€Å"safer† and they cause the skin to age, while UVB rays cause the skin to burn. However, both of these types of rays are harmful and dangerous in large quantities. Overexposure to the sun can cause sunburn and even skin cancer.

Essay of william Essay

Scepticism about technological determinism emerged alongside increased pessimism about techno-science in the mid-20th century, in particular around the use of nuclear energy in the production of nuclear weapons, Nazi human experimentation during World War II, and the problems of economic development in the third world. As a direct consequence, desire for greater control of the course of development of technology gave rise to disenchantment with the model of technological determinism in academia. Modern theorists of technology and society no longer consider technological determinism to be a very accurate view of the way in which we interact with technology, even though determinist assumptions and language fairly saturate the writings of many boosters of technology, the business pages of many popular magazines, and much reporting on technology. Instead, research in science and technology studies, social construction of technology and related fields have emphasised more nuanced views that resist easy causal formulations. They emphasise that â€Å"The relationship between technology and society cannot be reduced to a simplistic cause-and-effect formula. It is, rather, an ‘intertwining'†, whereby technology does not determine but â€Å"†¦operates, and are operated upon in a complex social field† (Murphie and Potts). In his article â€Å"Subversive Rationalization: Technology, Power and Democracy with Technology,† Andrew Feenberg argues that technological determinism is not a very well founded concept by illustrating that two of the founding theses of determinism are easily questionable and in doing so calls for what he calls democratic rationalization (Feenberg 210–212). Prominent opposition to technologically determinist thinking has emerged within work on the social construction of technology (SCOT). SCOT research, such as that of Mackenzie and Wajcman (1997) argues that the path of innovation and its social consequences are strongly, if not entirely shaped by society itself through the influence of culture, politics, economic arrangements, regulatory mechanisms and the like. In its strongest form, verging on social determinism, â€Å"What matters is not the technology itself, but the social or economic system in which it is embedded† (Langdon Winner). In his influential but contested (see Woolgar and Cooper, 1999) article â€Å"Do Artifacts Have Politics?†, Langdon Winner illustrates a form of technological determinism by elaborating instances in which artifacts can have politics. Although â€Å"The deterministic model of technology is widely propagated in society† (Sarah Miller), it has also been widely questioned by scholars. Lelia Green explains that, â€Å"When technology was perceived as being outside society, it made sense to talk about technology as neutral†. Yet, this idea fails to take into account that culture is not fixed and society is dynamic. When â€Å"Technology is implicated in social processes, there is nothing neutral about society† (Lelia Green). This confirms one of the major problems with â€Å"technological determinism and the resulting denial of human responsibility for change. There is a loss of human involvement that shape technology and society† (Sarah Miller). Another conflicting idea is that of technological somnambulism, a term coined by Winner in his essay â€Å"Technology as Forms of Life†. Winner wonders whether or not we are simply sleepwalking through our existence with little concern or knowledge as to how we truly interact with technology. In this view it is still possible for us to wake up and once again take control of the direction in which we are traveling (Winner 104). However, it requires society to adopt Ralph Schroeder’s claim that, â€Å"users don’t just passively consume technology, but actively transform it†. In opposition to technological determinism are those who subscribe to the belief of social determinism and postmodernism. Social determinists believe that social circumstances alone select which technologies are adopted, with the result that no technology can be considered â€Å"inevitable† solely on its own merits. Technology and culture are not neutral and when knowledge comes into the equation, technology becomes implicated in social processes. The knowledge of how to create and enhance technology, and of how to use technology is socially bound knowledge. Postmodernists take another view, suggesting that what is right or wrong is dependent on circumstance. They believe technological change can have implications on the past, present and future.[6] While they believe technological change is influenced by changes in government policy, society and culture, they consider the notion of change to be a paradox, since change is constant. Media and cultural studies theorist Brian Winston, in response to technological determinism, developed a model for the emergence of new technologies which is centered on the Law of the suppression of radical potential. In two of his books – Technologies of Seeing: Photography, Cinematography and Television (1997) and Media Technology and Society (1998) – Winston applied this model to show how technologies evolve over time, and how their ‘invention’ is mediated and controlled by society and societal factors which suppress the radical potential of a given technology.

Free Essays on Countdown

COUNTDOWN by, Ben Mikaelsen Setting: Æ’Ã ¦ Crazy Peak, MT Æ’Ã ¦ Dakar, Senegal, Æ’Ã ¦ Endeavor (space shuttle). Main Characters: Æ’Ã ¦ Elliot Schroeder, a 14-year-old boy who goes to space. Æ’Ã ¦ Vincent Ole Tome, a boy about the same age as Elliot who is from Kenya. Æ’Ã ¦ Vincent ¡Ã‚ ¦s father, a Maasai warrior. Æ’Ã ¦ Elliot ¡Ã‚ ¦s father, a rancher. Point of View: Æ’Ã ¦ Narrator Theme: Æ’Ã ¦ I think that there are a few points to this story. One, is that friendship can help you get through a lot of different types of hardships. The second, I think that the author is trying to tell you that you never know when you wake up in the morning, if your going to make a friend for life. Plot: Æ’Ã ¦ Fourteen-year-old Elliot Schroeder has always dreamed of becoming a pilot, but his father expects him to stay on the family's ranch in Montana, when he grows up. Across the world in Kenya, fourteen-year-old Vincent Ole Tome dreams of going to the white man's "wood school," but his dad wants him to be a Maasai warrior. When Elliot wins the nationwide lottery to be NASA's first Junior Astronaut on board the space shuttle, Endeavor. Then he meets another boy, Vincent, from Kenya, a place in West Africa. The boys don ¡Ã‚ ¦t exactly hit it off at first. Then when the shuttle has to make an emergency landing in Dakar, a place on the West Coast of Africa. Then the fly Vincent over to where Elliot has landed and they put their differences aside and become friends. Connection to Coarse Content: Æ’Ã ¦ I think that this, in a way, relates to Patrick Henry ¡Ã‚ ¦s speech, because it has to do with not getting along with people simply because of their cultural differences.... Free Essays on Countdown Free Essays on Countdown COUNTDOWN by, Ben Mikaelsen Setting: Æ’Ã ¦ Crazy Peak, MT Æ’Ã ¦ Dakar, Senegal, Æ’Ã ¦ Endeavor (space shuttle). Main Characters: Æ’Ã ¦ Elliot Schroeder, a 14-year-old boy who goes to space. Æ’Ã ¦ Vincent Ole Tome, a boy about the same age as Elliot who is from Kenya. Æ’Ã ¦ Vincent ¡Ã‚ ¦s father, a Maasai warrior. Æ’Ã ¦ Elliot ¡Ã‚ ¦s father, a rancher. Point of View: Æ’Ã ¦ Narrator Theme: Æ’Ã ¦ I think that there are a few points to this story. One, is that friendship can help you get through a lot of different types of hardships. The second, I think that the author is trying to tell you that you never know when you wake up in the morning, if your going to make a friend for life. Plot: Æ’Ã ¦ Fourteen-year-old Elliot Schroeder has always dreamed of becoming a pilot, but his father expects him to stay on the family's ranch in Montana, when he grows up. Across the world in Kenya, fourteen-year-old Vincent Ole Tome dreams of going to the white man's "wood school," but his dad wants him to be a Maasai warrior. When Elliot wins the nationwide lottery to be NASA's first Junior Astronaut on board the space shuttle, Endeavor. Then he meets another boy, Vincent, from Kenya, a place in West Africa. The boys don ¡Ã‚ ¦t exactly hit it off at first. Then when the shuttle has to make an emergency landing in Dakar, a place on the West Coast of Africa. Then the fly Vincent over to where Elliot has landed and they put their differences aside and become friends. Connection to Coarse Content: Æ’Ã ¦ I think that this, in a way, relates to Patrick Henry ¡Ã‚ ¦s speech, because it has to do with not getting along with people simply because of their cultural differences....

Top 10 Words Confused in English [N-P]

Top 10 Words Confused in English [N-P] Top 10 Words Confused in English [N-P] Top 10 Words Confused in English [N-P] By Maeve Maddox My cumulative list of words commonly confused continues with ten that begin with the letters N and P. The confusion relates to spelling or meaning. 1. nutritional / nutritious The adjective  nutritional means, â€Å"related to the process of nutrition,† that is, using food to support life. Ex. The nutritional value of one egg is the equivalent of one ounce of meat. The adjective  nutritious means â€Å"nourishing or healthy to eat.† Ex. A nutritious breakfast can help prevent overeating and snacking later in the day.   2. noisome / noisy The adjective noisome means, â€Å"offensive to the smell or other senses.† Ex. I was repelled by the noisome smell that accompanied the speaker back from the smoking area.   The adjective noisy means, â€Å"characterized by the presence of noise.† Ex. Many writers find it difficult to work in a noisy environment. 3. observance / observation The performance of a customary rite is an observance. Ex. The observance of Memorial Day includes military parades and the placing of flowers on graves. Ex. Do you support moving the observance of Memorial Day to May 30th?   An observation is an act of recognizing and noting some fact or occurrence, often involving the measurement of some magnitude with suitable instruments. Ex. Gallileo’s achievements included the observation and analysis of sunspots. 4. obsolescent / obsolete Something that is obsolescent is going out of use. Ex. Although still used in 66 percent of US homes, landline telephones are obsolescent. Something that is obsolete is no longer active or in use. Ex. Mimeograph machines are obsolete. 5. ordinance / ordnance An ordinance is an official decree. Ex. An ordinance in my town forbids residents to allow pet cats to go outside without a leash. The term ordnance refers to military supplies including weapons, ammunition, combat vehicles, and the necessary maintenance tools and equipment. Ex. In 1969, he served as a platoon sergeant in the 70th  Ordnance  Battalion,  responsible for  maintaining the 5th Infantry Divisions basic load of ammunition. 6. palate / palette / pallet All three words are pronounced the same. The roof of the mouth consisting of the structures that separate the mouth from the nasal cavity is called the palate. Figuratively palate refers to the physical sense of taste or to intellectual capacity. Ex. Ludovico wrote that, given Francescos  exquisite palate, he chose only fish of the finest quality. Ex. It may take a well-developed literary palate to fully appreciate, but this miniseries remains an indelible treat. Painters arrange paint on a palette. Ex. Over the course of more than two decades, Ive used all kinds of palettes dishes with little wells, pieces of porcelain tile, old CDs, waxed paper, and water-color paper.    Figuratively, â€Å"an artist’s palette† is a distinctive combination of colors. Ex. Vermeer’s seventeenth-century palette did not include many strong colors. The word pallet may refer to a temporary bed. Ex. At night I  slept on a pallet  in a  corner  of Belles upstairs room. The word pallet also applies to â€Å"a portable platform of wood, metal, or other material designed for handling by a forklift truck.† 7. pedal / peddle The verb pedal means, â€Å"to use or work a pedal, as of an organ, piano, or bicycle.† Literally, the verb peddle means, â€Å"to travel about with wares for sale.† Figuratively, it means, â€Å"to deal out or seek to disseminate, as ideas or opinions. Ex. Writers come to tell you stories, [and] to  peddle their  ideas. 8. pour / pore pour: to cause or allow to flow; emit in a steady stream. pore: to gaze intently or fixedly; look searchingly; to devote oneself to attentive reading (used chiefly with over). 9. prescribe / proscribe To lay down a rule or give directions is to prescribe. Ex. The doctor prescribed an earlier bedtime. To condemn or forbid as harmful is to proscribe. Ex. The university has proscribed the carrying of guns on campus. 10. peek / peak / pique Most people use these words correctly in speech, but misspell them in writing. All three may be used as nouns or verbs. peek verb: look slyly or furtively or to peer through a crack or hole or from a place of concealment. noun: a surreptitious look peak verb: to reach a maximum, as of capacity, value, or activity. noun: the pointed or projecting part of something. noun: the top of a hill or mountain or something resembling it. pique verb: to arouse anger or resentment in someone. noun: offense taken. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Fly, Flew, (has) FlownFlied?People versus Persons6 Foreign Expressions You Should Know

Voltaire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Voltaire - Essay Example 718). For instance, Candide is characterized as a transient rogue type character, while Cunegonde the characteristic sex interest (Voltaire). While this characterization constitutes satirical elements in itself, as the novel progresses one recognizes that they are largely one dimensional characters. This hyperbolic characterization operates to satirize the aforementioned picaresque novel trends. Another satirical consideration occurs as Voltaire satirizes religion. To a large degree Voltaire implements understatement in this process. Through understated, rather than overhanded criticism, Voltaire highlight religious hypocrisy. For instance, during the novel the reader encounters the daughter of a pope (Voltaire). This is significant as the Pope is supposed to be celibate. In another instance, there is an intense Catholic-inquisitor who also has a mistress. Additionally, there is a Jesuit colonel who also has homosexual personality characteristics. All of these characters are introduc ed in the novel in subtle ways, but by not overly highlighting their hypocrisy the viewed is allowed to experience it more