Interesting Sociology Essay Topics Essay Example for Free

Interesting Sociology Essay Topics Essay Sociology essays deal with the study of human social behavior in a society, thus, it is quite interesting for the students who are interested in human psyche but boring for those who dont like studying their species. By and large, essays on sociology are mostly based on informative and argumentative style of writing, the argumentative sociology essay demands to work on thesis while essays on the sociology of knowledge are mostly assigned to the students in the informative arena. Whether it is argumentative or informative essays, one has to develop a topic that can grab the attention of the reader in no time and this is not such an easy task. While developing a topic for sociology essay, on should remember the nature of the subject, that is it deals with human behavior, psychology, humanities and social science. Thus, the topic should be as such which revolves around these subjects. Following are some of the recommended sociology essay topic for the students who are not able to select a good topic for their assignment. 1- Youth addiction to alcohol Causes and concerns 2- Comparison between the children brought up in Filipino and Europe 3- What is and should the role of politicians in socializing through campaigning? 4- Merits and demerits of media for a society? 5- How cross cultural media transformation destroys the culture of a particular society? 6- Internet and its implications on a society. 7- Diffusion of innovation in European culture. 8- Critical comparison between sociology and anthropology 9- Homosexuality crucial warning to our society 10- Views about organ transplantation in our society 11- What are the causes of increasing street crimes in our society? 12- What does mean to be a single parent in a conservative society? 13- Comparison between marriages and live-in? 14- Life in rural areas and life in a metropolitan city 15- Increasing materialism increases the depression in a society 16- In spite of such an advanced means of communication people are increasingly going for solitude. 17- Adoption and its consequences for an adopted child 18- How does divorce effects on the minds of the children 19- Comparison between materialistic and a spiritualistic person 20- Living a life as an eternal bachelor 21- Women empowerment in a conservative society 22- Challenges a working women faces in our society 23- Comparison between inferiority and superiority complex 24- Living whole life in a prison 25- Origin of sociology as a science

The Oberoi groups

The Oberoi groups For an organization of your choice, outline a new product or process or other form of innovation. Definition of creativity and innovation: Creativity is the ability to think new idea. (This includes the ability to rethink an old idea, for example to think of a new application for an existing technology. Innovation is the process by which the new idea is put into practice. [ (center of competitiveness, 2001)] Introduction about OBEROI GROUPS: Oberoi groups are one of the Indias famous private organizations which step into the different markets in the year of 1934. It has a powerful market position for its products and services. Oberoi hotels are well known for its high quality service and luxury. A distinctive future of the Oberoi hotels is that they got their own highly motivated and well trained staff which provides a good standard quality of services which is really hard to find today. Apart from the hotel industry, Oberoi groups is engaged in the following business as well, Flight catering Airport restaurant Travel and tour services Car rentals Project managements corporate air charters. Oberoi groups has won many awards which as follows, It has been ranked as the best hotel chain (outside the U.S) in Conde Nast Travelers 2007 business Travel Awards readers survey. It has been ranked as the best hotel chain (outside the U.K) in the Guardian, Observer and guardian.co.uk Travel Awards 2008 readers survey. Rated as the second best resorts in India. And lots of other awards. [ (Oberoi hotels and resorts, 2009)] Mission: Our Guests: we are committed to meeting and exceeding the expectations of our guests through our unremitting dedication to every aspect of service. Our People: We are committed to the growth, development and welfare of our people upon whom we rely to make this happen. Our Distinctiveness: Together, we shall continue the Oberoi tradition of pioneering in the hospitality industry, striving for unsurpassed excellence in high-potential locations all the way from the Middle East to Asia-Pacific. Our Shareholders: As a result, we will create extraordinary value for our stakeholders. Vision: We see an organization which aims at leadership in the hospitality industry by understanding its guests, and designing and delivering products and services which enable it to exceed their expectations. We will always demonstrate care for our customers through anticipation of their needs, attention to detail, distinctive excellence, warmth and concern. [ (The Oberoi hotels and resorts, 2009)] A Tragic year: The Oberoi hotel in Mumbai is situated in the heart of the city and a few minutes away from lots of tourist attractions and the hotel has a beautiful view of blue sea and sky which attracts most of the tourist. And the facilities and services are always in a good slandered. Oberoi hotel is a good competitor for Taj hotel in India. But the Tragedy on 27 November 2008 was a major break down for Oberoi hotel in Mumbai. The attacks by terrorist in Oberoi trident in India shock the world by killing more than 100 peoples inside the hotel which include foreign tourists. The attack didnt only spare the life of the innocent people; it destroyed the beauty of the hotel as well. The gun shots, bombs and fire destroyed everything they touched. Terrorist turned the beautiful hotel as the graveyard for the innocent people who died in the attack. After the army killed those gunmen, the hotel reception was almost demolished. Oberoi hotel (Mumbai) was shut down for a while. Oberoi hotel even lost some of its share holders in the market. Innovation process by the organization: But all those bad things didnt stop Oberoi hotel to shut down completely. It was flashing in the news and everywhere that the Oberoi hotel was re opened a year and a half after the terror strike with the complete new look. It was published in the press that, After extensive restoration and renovation costing over 40 million dollars, the Oberoi opened its doors to guests Saturday, announcing its return with front-page newspaper advertisements that simply said: WELCOME BACK. (AGENCY, 2010) The Oberoi hotel in Mumbai is back into business now. The transformation of the hotel is completely different and is has brand new look. But what about their customers? Did they able to get back their customers? Actually they have a surprising innovation process in the organization which was highlighting in the news and press which is as follows, April 22 (Bloomberg) Indias luxury Oberoi hotel groups will open their flagship Mumbai properties in the next quarter with $6,750-a-night suites and butler services to win back tourists a year and a half after deadly terrorist attacks. The Mumbai Oberoi will reopen on April 24, charging as much as 300,000 rupees ($6,750) a night for 2,050 square foot rooms, which will include quarters for guests security officers. (SF Gate, 2010) Their innovation is that by reducing the rates and price levels, there might be a chance of getting their customers back into the business. This will also lead to attract the new customers into the hotel. This is a simple trick which is used by any kind of business in the market which is also an effective one. Usually in the market in order to sell a new product or increase the sales of the existing product, organizations normally reduce the price level. Most of the consumers fell for the cheap price. But later on the organizations will slowly increase the price level where the customers blindly buy the same product even though when the price increases. This is the same technique which the Mumbai Oberoi hotel is using now as their innovation. But this kind of innovation is normally used everywhere in this world. Although it seems to be a reasonable one. People who couldnt afford the price level before terror strikes might be interested as the price level is decreased. Their innovation in the market: As there is a recession in the todays market which is pushing the weakest industries and the organizations out of the market, lots of organizations have been kicked out of the market. This is going to be the hard time for Oberoi hotel to win back their customers. Due to the recession, lots of hospitality industries reduced their price level to attract the tourists. It is surprising that another famous hotel in Mumbai called Taj Mahal Palace was also being attacked by the terrorist on the same day as Oberoi was attacked and reopened recently. They also have reduced the price level which is more or less same level as Oberois. This is going to be a big problem for Oberoi groups. The first thought comes in the mind of people about the new Oberoi is that as they have invested lots of money in rebuilding the hotel; they are going to charge more prices for their services. But in this case, they have reduced the price level and given an additional feature like a free butler service. So this might be an advantage for the organization. The second thought is that the security level. People always criticize the poor security of the hotel. But the chairman of Oberoi hotel groups [P.R.S OBEROI], announced the press about their tight and improved security level of the new Oberoi. He stated to the press that, A big part of the focus has been to improve security. The hotel now has 150 security cameras, up from just 15 at the time of the attacks. It has 50 security personnel, five times the number it had in 2008. Visitors who drive up are greeted by a big steel gate where their cars are searched. The large windows in the lobby that overlook south Mumbais picturesque, crescent-shaped bay are now made from reinforced, shatterproof glass. (NDTV, 2010) Finally more or less they have answered almost every question about the hotel. This may lead the people to think positive about the hotel which is equal to win back their customers. Disadvantages and advantage of their Innovation: Even though their innovation seems to be a good one, there are some other few disadvantages exists which are as follows, It doesnt fit with the current market situation. Because of the recession, all other hotels have already reduced their price level which makes no difference. Maximum numbers of people will still go for the cheap price. Their innovation is very simple one which might not suite the current market situation. A huge amount of money has been invested in re-building the hotel, to win back the amount invested and their customers, there should be a powerful innovation must be implemented. This is also the time where Oberois competitors will try to overtake and try to conquer the market. But on the bright side, the one major advantage is that the Oberois major competitor called Taj is also facing the same problem. This might be a good chance for Oberoi as it will take time for their competitor to capture the market. In the mean time Oberoi can resolve the problems and get back their market position. And the other small advantage is that of the new look of the hotel. The old customers may come back to visit the brand new hotel. This will not only attract the old customers, it might bring the new customers as well which is the first step for the success after the tragedy. How to implement this innovation in the right way: The following are the major steps to implement the innovation in order to succeed any kind of business, First of all, decision making on implementing an innovation should be done by the top level management and should be very careful while implementing it. An innovation will survive in the market, only when the organization understands the market and balance it with the position of the organization in the market. And the innovation should be a powerful one where it should be a new one in the market and an attractive one as well, so that it will get the attention of others i.e. new customers. But the innovation by the Oberoi hotels is like a market tactics where it is used by others in the market. It is not a new one as the innovation is bringing something new where no one has seen it in this world. So reducing the price is not just an innovation but they have given an additional facility like a free butler service for this reasonable price which is a new process for their group. It will attract the new customers as they already know that this is going to be the temporary offer by the Oberoi group. The innovation should be a flexible one, so that any changes will not affect the any process in the organization. Because the market never remains constant. It will keep on changing according to the time and the factors which influence the change. It should also be flexible with the customers as each and every customer is different from each other. In this point of view, their innovation is quite an advantageous level. They have changed according to the time. Because of their tragedy and the recession in the market, they have done the right thing of reducing the price level and an additional free service. This will always works in the market as we have discussed above. Even though they have implemented an innovation, their process remains constant. May be the look of the hotel changed but the process remains constant. Their service to the customer didnt change or they didnt lose the entire market. Nothing changed except the look as it may brings the new customers into the business. If the innovation is more or less familiar in the market, then at least there should be an improvement in that which will make it as a different one when compared to others. The most important step is that the innovation should never affect the vision, mission and the objectives of the organization. Because the innovation is just to improve the business where the vision, mission and the objectives are the basics to survive in the competitive market. This is a good point where the Oberoi groups did achieve. They made a small difference in their innovation of offering a free butler service which makes a difference from others. It is clear that their innovation is not affecting the vision, mission and the objective of the organization. Their mission is to exceed the level of customer satisfaction. The innovation or the recession didnt affect their customer satisfaction. And the other important fact is that their innovation didnt affect the process in the Mumbai hotel or any other process of their different hotels or groups. In some cases it does happen. An impact on a single process of business will affect the entire business and even result in vanishing the organization from the market. A fine example for this scenario is that the Switzerland was dominating the watch making business in the years of 1968. They had a huge profit and powerful market implementations. They were well known as good inventors. But later in 1980, the market collapsed and lots of watch making employees lost their job. The Switzerland lost their market because of their new competitor called Seiko which grabbed the opportunity of making electronic quartz which was rejected by Switzerland. It is clear that the Switzerland was continuously making watch without changing the fundamental rules and didnt bother about their external environment. (STUDY UP, 2009). And the market never remain stable, it changes all the time as per the time and the need of the customers. Especially in the hotel industry, the market never remains constant. So if an organization fails to take a look over the external fit or fails to look after the defects which affects the organizations process, then there is a plenty of change for their competitors to take over their business and leads the market which will end up in winding up the business. When comparing to that example, it is clear that the changes in the Mumbai Oberoi hotel didnt chance any process in the hotel as well as the other hotels of its own group. Even though they have invested a lot of funds in re building the hotel, they didnt suffer that much. It is in the press that they are planning to open new hotels in India and abroad in a very few years. The Oberoi Group is planning to launch a luxury hotel in Goa. Goa is going to witness development of 12 new hotels over a period of 3-5 years, according to a survey by Federation Of Hotel and Restaurant Associations Of India and HVS International. The Oberoi could be one of these 12 new hotels. (ITOPC). It shows that how powerful their financial background is even in their tragic time period and their excellent survival in the market. And one of their major competitors in India is Taj hotel groups which were also attacked by the terrorist at the same time when the Oberoi was. This is a big advantage for Oberoi groups as their competitor is also facing the same problem. It is interesting that the innovation by the Oberoi hotel is more or less familiar with the Taj hotel groups where they have also reduced the price level after they have reopened their hotel in Mumbai. Taj hotel has reduced their price level to 3, 50,000 rupees per night where Oberois price level is 3, 00,000 rupees per night. The price level of Oberoi is little less when compared to the Taj hotel groups which is an advantage for Oberoi groups. In addition the Oberoi hotel now offers a free butler service for that reasonable price which s also an advantage and will be an effective one in the market. There is a scope that it will grasp the attention of the customers in the market and brings them into the business. In this way they have made a differe nce which is an advantage for Oberoi groups as we have discussed above that the majority for people always falls for the cheap market price. But only reducing the price level is not enough to survive in the competitive market. In order to face the market in a recession time, there should be a change in the general process in the organization, more importantly not the main process of the organization. For example as the Oberoi groups comes under the hospitality industry, it has a major opportunity to survive even in the recession time. There is always a scope for tourism and hospitality industry no matter what is happening in the market. Even though there is a recession in the market, Oberoi hotel groups are in the bright side where the hospitality industries are less affected when comparing to other industries. Understanding the problem of Mumbai Oberoi groups, what they could do now is to make a difference in their customer satisfaction level. The hotel is already known for its customer satisfactory level. Even though a small good change in a good process will be more effective than a normal one. By improving their customer satisfaction, they might be able to win back their customers which are equal to achieve their goals and objectives. (Vision, mission). It is very important that Oberoi hotel groups should not keep this low price tactics for a very long time. They should get back to their normal price as soon as they win back their customers or the market come back to the normal state. As they have invested lots of money on the Mumbai hotel, they should also look over the future and make some long term plans as well. They should not only concentrate on winning back their customers, they should also look for winning back their money which is invested in re-building the hotel and capture the market. Only bringing something new to this world is not easy as it seems. It should also reach the customers knowledge without which even a powerful innovation is nothing but a waste idea. In todays world there are plenty of ways where anything could be passes to the public knowledge. There are lots of media for everything. In this case, the Oberoi hotel groups used lots of media to pass their innovation in the knowledge of the people. This could also be a threatening factor as this may lead to the duplication of ideas by the other organizations in the market. But in this case, most of the percentage falls on the positive side which is a good favor for the Oberoi hotel groups. Conclusion: The Oberoi hotel group seems to be a struggling fish in the hooks of the terrorism and the bad market. But it is not yet pulled out of the water (market). It is pulling itself to survive. The hotel was being attacked by the terrorist and completely destroyed, at the time they were ready to get back into the business, the market was far worse than they expected. But they didnt slip out of the market. With their powerful financial background, they are back into business and stepping into their normal level which shows that they could do better in the near future. Their innovation was a simple one it seems to be an effective one in the market. It didnt affect any of its process and the innovation didnt cause any big changes in the organization. These are the very basic points for bringing the innovation in the market which are all achieved by the Oberoi hotel groups. And their major competitor is also facing the same problem which is also a positive climate for the Oberoi hotel groups in the market. May be their hotel was completely destroyed by those terrorist but they are back into business with a promising high tight security which helps the public to have a confident to walk into the hotel again without any of those death fear. Though there are some threats in the market, it is just a stepping stone for the Oberoi hotel groups for their bright future. On an overall basis, we have covered everything about the basic idea of the Oberoi hotel groups and their marketing position. We have also discussed about their innovation process and how they have implemented their innovation in the market and how successful it worked and also given a suggestion of how it could be more effective. It is important to note that there is always a bright fortune for the hospitality industry in this world as the human expectations are always a head then their imagination. So there is a bright scope for the Oberoi hotel groups which is very near and crystal clear. Bibliography: (2010). Retrieved APRIL 1, 2010, from NDTV: http://www.ndtv.com/news/cities/a-mumbai-hotel-reopens-grander-than-before-20545.php AGENCY, T. N. (2010, APRIL 24). TREND NEWS AGENCY. Retrieved MAY 1, 2010, from http://en.trend.az/regions/world/ocountries/1675687.html center of competitiveness. (2001). Retrieved 4 13, 2010, from http://www.cforc.org/newsdata/news.asp?StoryID=73 ITOPC. (n.d.). Retrieved 4 28, 2010, from ITOPC: http://www.itopc.org/travel-trade/new-hotels-in-pipeline.html Oberoi hotels and resorts. (2009). Retrieved 4 25, 2010, from http://www.oberoihotels.com/awards.asp SF Gate. (2010, APRIL 21). Retrieved MAY 1, 2010, from http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/04/21/bloomberg1376-L19D6Z1A1I4H-1.DTL STUDY UP. (2009). Retrieved 4 11, 2010, from STUDY UP: http://studyup.cut-the-knot.org/factors/externalenvironmentalfactors.html The Oberoi hotels and resorts. (2009). Retrieved 4 25, 2010, from http://www.oberoihotels.com/about_us/mission_and_vision.asp

Vincent van Gogh :: Essays Papers

Vincent van Gogh Vincent Van Goeh drew the painting, which is portrait of him. He drew himself as a red haired guy with gray shirt. In the picture, there is only himself and gray background. Gray background is making circle motions composed with thin lines. You can see a lot of circles in the background. His hair, bears, and eyelashes are colored with red. His hair and bears are not trimmed. His eyes are small and dark looking right at me. His shirt is gray and very old one. I touched his lips and all I felt was cold, firm paper. By the oily smell, I guessed he used oil colors. I couldn't hear or feel any sound as if he want to show me what silence is. I wanted to try to kiss him to feel the taste, but didn't want to get caught. He looked at mirror and found a subject he was looking for to draw. He carefully observed the man in the mirror. The man looked angry and tried. His lips are sealed as if he does not have anything to say. Silence was the man's only company. He had pens, pencils, canvas and everything to draw. He started with pencil. He drew the man, his hair, his eyes, his ear, and his shirts. He colored the man. He looked at the mirror again. He saw the man, and there was something missing. He gave colors on the air of the background. He carefully chose gray color, and filled the background. He finally touched his eyes to express the man's anger, or any feelings he had. I was walking without any concentration about the paintings on the wall. I stopped not because I found an interesting piece, but because he caught my eyes. His eyes were dark, and angry. They were looking right at me.

Medias Impact on Politics Essay -- Government

Here in America, we try to pay close attention to everything that goes on in the government. Whatever decision they make we want to know when, where, why, and how. This is because whatever decision that they make will determine what will happen with this country as a whole in the long run. So what is the best way to find out what’s going on with our government? Why the media of course. The media plays a major part in every aspect of the government including what happens in elections, the reporting of major military operations and how the American people will react to certain political situations or scandals. Here are some the ways that the media affects the way we think when it comes to the government. The Right to Laugh: Media Satire and its Role in Politics. In times of political and world turmoil such as the ones we live in today, one may find it impossible to turn on a television or open a newspaper without finding some work that aims to criticize or express opinion about the state of things. Straight ahead and well written essays and reports and serious discussions are always important and the most common method for challenging the status quo. However, in our media saturated world, satires and political comedy are also a valid and potent weapon. Throughout the history of the 20th century and continuing stronger than ever today, political humor and satire has played a significant role in how we as a society perceive, judge, and run our government. True satire is meant to firstly challenge an idea or thought construct and in effect evoke change, all the while making its audience find humor in the idea it challenges. Television programs such as Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, Dennis Miller Live, Comedy Central’s... ...ws.mpr.org/features/2003/03/26_losurem_arabtv Hale, E. Arab Media Focus on Another Side of the Conflict. USA Today. Retrieved March 26, 2003, from the World Wide Web: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-03-30-arab-media_x.htm Audiences fragmented and skeptical: The tough job of communicating with voters (February 5, 2000). The Pew Research Center for People and the Press. Interest Index, Final Topline, January 12-16, 2000. Milbank, D. (October 18, 2000). Tracking Laughs is no Joke in Election Year. The Washington Post. Retrieved March 24, 2003, from the World Wide Web: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A36109-2000Oct18Found=true Moore fires Oscar anti-war salvo (March 24, 2003) The BBC Online Journal. Retrieved March 27 from the World Wide Web: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/2879857.stm

Marketing Final Exam :: brand image for country

Q1. Asian nations are beginning to brand themselves. Considering the country you researched this semester, propose a strategy to create a brand image for the particular country. Based on your knowledge about the country, what might be the biggest three challenges of executing your strategy and how might they be addressed? Brand Image: Sri Lanka – The Southern Asian Dynamic This brand image for Sri Lanka would be an accurate depiction because of the increase in change the country is always experiencing. Sri Lanka has plans in place for future national development to help better the country, with the help and use of humanitarian support from ally countries. Their national development plan also includes Sri Lanka is also known for their quality in exported goods. The quality of goods exported from Sri Lanka tends to be of a higher quality. Above all, Sri Lanka has a great human development rate, which means that the labor force has the potential to be powerful. A strategy I would use to create this brand image would be to promote and advertise the quality of the goods produced in their home country. Promotion for planned national development would also be carried out. The advertising and promotions would take place to target countries that would benefit from importing goods from Sri Lanka. The brands or goods that are exported promote the country and contribute to creating the desired brand. The country (its’ government) needs to promote the brands of goods being exported also. While Sri Lanka has the potential to be powerful, challenges could stand in the way of executing a marketing strategy. Building a brand for a product is not the same as building a brand for a country. A country would need to leverage all of their unique and positive qualities in order to be able to successfully promote themselves the way they plan to. If the government places strict laws on exporting goods, this could hurt the marketing strategy of promoting the country as a brand as well. Another challenge would be that the political violence in Sri Lanka could hurt the creation of the brand image. Countries who would like to import goods from Sri Lanka may see the political violence as an issue that they would prefer to steer clear of. Q2. In which category of innovations do microwaves fall in India? As VP of White Appliances, how would you use the knowledge about the five characteristics of innovations to facilitate quicker diffusion of the product?

Qualitative Research Critique Essay

Hi, my name is Cindy Walters. I am presenting a qualitative research critique on a study conducted in 2011 on people with bipolar disorder with comorbid substance use. The study is entitled â€Å"The lived experience of adults with bipolar disorder and comorbid substance use disorder† written by Terry Ward, MSN, PhD, RN. Bipolar disorder involves changes in cognition, behavior, and mood. The episodes of bipolar disorder cycle through mania and depression. Mania is described as an elevated, irritable, or expansive mood, whereas depression is the opposite or hypomania. In the manic phase people present as euphoric, enthusiastic, and optimistic with an infectious personality. The euphoric state may suddenly may be replaced by extreme irritability if the persons needs are not met. In a manic phase the person’s speech may be rapid, loud, intrusive, and hard to follow or interrupt. If someone tries to interrupt a manic person he or she can just as quickly become, threatening, irritable or assaultive (Ebert, Loosen, Nurcombe & Leckman, 2008). Substance abuse is the excess use of drugs such as alcohol, illicit drugs, and prescription medications. The number of people abusing drugs and alcohol is about 3.4 million. Those individuals abusing have a greater change of acquiring a mental disorder at a rate of 2.7 times more likely than a non-abuser, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis such as bipolar disorder have 28.8% chance of substance abuse or use of drugs. Individuals using drugs with a mental disorder, within a year are diagnosed as dependent on them (Ebert, Loosen, Nurcombe & Leckman, 2008). If bipolar disorder and substance use disorder are combined, they have a devastating effect with negative outcomes for those individuals. Understanding the problem with the ability to manage bipolar disorder with the proper treatment, health care providers can improve patient outcomes and his or her outlook on life. The problem is clearly stated in the abstract and first p aragraph of the study. Several statistics of drug use are quoted to give the reader an estimate and prevalence of this addiction with an unknown cause. The author addressed four hypotheses to explain this phenomenon. The negative outcomes in the use of substances and bipolar disorder affect a person mentally, physically, and functionally. The author stated the prevalence was high and does not receive enough attention in research studies. With increased knowledge, health care providers will be able to introduce new avenues for research, education, and nursing practice. The purpose of the study is to see how the individuals perceive their day- to- day experience of living with the disorders. A study done by Cassidy et al. (2001) addressed supporting and maintaining the patient’s stability and quality of life with effective treatment. Other studies focused on pharmacotherapy, psychosocial factors, and interventions as areas of research. Little research has been done on the phenomena. The researcher provided the broad platform for a qualitative study for individuals to share and speak freely of their experience with the hope the patients will be heard, get support, and have better outcomes. The method of this study was a descriptive and phenomenological design. â€Å"Phenomenology accepts that the truth can be revealed through the words of those that live the experience and that those words can describe the essence of that lived experience† (Thomas & Pollio, 2002, pg. 184). â€Å"Descriptive phenomenology has its emphasis on describing universal essences through direct interaction between the researcher and the objects of study† (Wojnar & Swanson, 2007, pg. 22). Conclusions could be drawn from the researcher of the subject experiences. The method adequately addressed the topic and gave credence to the subject experiences of living with a dual diagnosis. The design was consistent with qualitative studies and proved to be as descriptive and truthful as the researcher intended. Sampling was obtained over a four month period with the use of fliers. Fliers contained inclusion criteria and were validated by expert researchers for content, reliability, and readability. Also in the fliers contents were the researcher contact information, risks, and benefits of the study. Mental health care centers were the origin for the distribution of the fliers for subjects of the study. Snowballing and referrals came from doctor’s offices and recovery centers for abuse that were also included in the distribution of flier for subjects. The credibility came from phone calls made by potential subjects calling the researcher and were given reiterated instructions of the explanation for the study, inclusion criteria, exclusion criteria, risks, and benefits. The sample consisted of 12 stable subjects not using drugs with a self-reported bipolar disorders, and not currently manic or depressed. The demographics pulled out male, female, mean age, and nationality. The description of the inclusion criteria showed the participants inferred for the s ample were familiar and knowledgeable about the subject. The participants were chosen for the purpose of describing their experience of living with the dual diagnosis for this study. The criteria and descriptions were consistent for qualitative study. The sample size was small and consisted of only one male. Although facts indicate that more females have a dual diagnosis of bipolar disorder with substance use disorder (Ebert, Loosen, Nurcombe & Leckman, 2008). Data collection began with IRB approval and a written and verbal informed consent. Written consent was obtained for audiotaping of interviews with the understanding that at any time should the participant chose, the recorder could be turned off or the interview stopped. During emotional times of the participants they were asked by the researcher if they wanted the tape turned off or wish to stop the interview. Probe questions were used by the researcher to get the participant to expand on their explanations and thoughts. Wards probe questions were â€Å"describe for me a typical day that would help me understand what your life is like† or â€Å"how did you feel when you were told you had both bipolar disorder and a substance use disorder?† seemed to prompt the participant to speak (pg. 21). During the questions the researcher jotted notes on the mood, emotion, and expression of the participant the audio would not capture. Participants also shared concerns of ridicule, health problems that complicated their lives, and the lack of acceptance from society. There was no saturation of the data described. The strategy used by the researcher obtained the information she needed for the study. There were two interviews conducted the first was a face –to-face and the second was a follow up phone interview for clarity of the findings. The data collection was obtained in a qualita tive and purposeful manner, although the researcher never stated where the interview was conducted. There was no model or framework for validation of the study except for the data interpretation of the data analysis. Data analysis was studied over and over until the themes of the participants were identified by the researcher. Analytical coding was used to describe meaning to experiences lived by the participant. When a person reflects on their experience it becomes important to the process of understanding the phenomena. Qualitative methodology was proved with peer debriefing of the analysis and techniques used in this study. Audit trails comprised the data for the participants to view and verify that the disclosed information in his or her interview was captured as they intended that proved the validity and reliability of the research. Ward (pg. 22) found six themes that defined experiences of the participants. The six themes were life is hard, feeling the effect, trying to escape, spiritual support, being pushed beyond the limits, and a negative connotation. The participants res ponses were elaborated on in each theme giving the reader the implications of the perceptions of the participants. Each theme was explained and defined for easier reading and understanding. Themes indicated criminal actions, loss of jobs, homelessness, and losing the respect of others. Scientific rigor was not mentioned it could have been a useful tool. The participants lived and survived the experience they felt described as a sense of stigma, negative reactions from others, a sense of worthlessness, and a spiritual support that would help he or she feel as if there was someone they could talk to and as well as someone who would listen. The descriptions of the themes provided by the researcher gave one a visual of the feelings and emotions that a person with bipolar disorder with substance use disorder are trying to overcome on a day- to -day basis. The findings were concurrent with the way the participant felt about losing his or her ability to function in society. The diagnosis of bipolar disorder with substance use disorder kept challenges of coping and becoming productive in society at bay. Overcoming these obstacles proved to be a constant challenge. Without acceptance and forgiveness from society the need to overcome became more challenging and nonexistent. The participants had big dreams that were diminished by the disorders of bipolar and substance use creating havoc in their daily lives that he or she could not cope with. Health care workers can apply specific plans of care for mental health patients with individualized care plans on medication use and symptom management. Alternative plans can help patients find other ways of dealing with everyday problems than using drugs. Patients need education on medication compliance and screening for suicidal ideation. Concepts found in the themes of the study help organize the descriptions of the participants to reduce risk levels and incidence of harm. The type of data used is appropriate for a qualitative method of study. The conclusion of the study revealed and suggested being heard by others affected the participant’s feelings of self- worth and the need for help and support . Sharing with the reader the researcher makes society aware of the need for the voices of the participants to be heard. The individuals want to be heard, forgiven, and accepted by society. Increasing the awareness of mental health with nurses and the awareness of a higher power was a major accomplishment of this study. Indications for further research studies could provide healthcare workers with the tools needed to disrupt the stigma of mental illness and recognize when patients need help. Had the researcher given the benefits of this study to improving the effects of mental illness and the way society perceives it would have more benefit to the reader. This study was a good example of a qualitative study. Future studies require answers to more questions and a better and knowledgeable understanding of mental illness and substance use.

Philosophy of reading Essay

â€Å"Just simply teaching a child to read is not enough; we must provide them something that is worth reading. Material that will make their imaginations grow – materials that will help them to understand their own lives and push them towards interacting with others who’s lives are completely different than there own† (Paterson). As elementary educators it is our privilege and responsibility to expose young people to knowledge. By making this introduction a fun one, it allows for the child to have a positive attitude about school and learning that they will take with them through out their entire educational career. Many children have a excited and happy attitude about starting school. Every student also feels like they are ready and prepared, no matter what their entry level literacy skills may be. It is common knowledge that not every child will enter the school system with the same levels of literacy. That is why it is up to us, as educators, to teach them how to read by using appropriately developed strategies and individualized instructions. When I was a little girl growing up I was one of a family of sixteen children, so beginning from a very young age once the school days were done we were left with our  older siblings while mom and dad worked hard to earn us a living. My mother would frequently read to me out of story books or simply stories she made up on her own. Since there were so many of us, by the time i was born we had a pretty good assortment of books to choose from. My first memory I have of reading in the classroom setting was in the fourth grade. My teacher was Ms. Bartrum, she was such a lovely woman who was the first to instill in me the joys of reading through accelerated reading programs and book fairs. I was a goal of mine to be the first one to finish one  book and move on to another one on the list, this is a case where a little competition was a healthy thing. Mrs. Bartrum was really good at picking out books that would challenge us but also capture our interests which made reading them a lot less challenging. Cunningham and Allington research has shown that those children who learned to read and write with ease had a lot of different experiences in reading and writing, which allowed them to benefit from the literacy experiences they had in school (Cunningham & Allington). Teaching students to read is not simply picking the right  reading program, and one specific program will not work with for every single student. As a teacher I feel that it is my job to be the spark for the love to read, by using an effective and balanced learning approach. It is of the upmost importance that the curriculum is designed so that it engages the students in the content, while allowing the students to use their own learning styles and accompanying to their developmental needs. The teaching method called â€Å"Best Practice† uses the idea that by using teaching methods and strategies within the classroom will create an individualized environment for learning. I continuously make an effort to use the best practices method in my everyday classroom instruction. Students learn based upon their own individual needs or interests. It is important to help students to gain their own craving for knowledge, it is critical to their academic success. By creating a learning environment that allows the students to feel safe, will in turn make it easier for them to trust you which will make the learning experience much easier. An environment that is encouraging, positive, actively engaging, and allows for social interactions will harbor the best practice learning method. The way that a classroom is arranged can have an effect on the students and how they learn as well. My personal classroom is arranged so that they students’ desks are arranged in a U-shape with my desk in the middle, this allows me to have a view of each student and to be able to get to them easier. My classroom is also full to the gill with reading materials, every which way the students turn they are greeted by books. Our reading corner is focused around our interactive word board, it holds our library with is full of many different forms of reading materials from chart books to decoding books. Also posted throughout the classroom is the alphabet, picture cards, and letter cards with a corresponding word being used in a sentence. Morning messages and charts are placed within easy access for the students so that they can review and practice whenever they want. Also made available within the classroom is environmental prints, these help the students with their writing, studies have shown that they are an effective way of aiding in emergent literacy (Jalongo, 2010). Each day there is an hour set aside to work on reading in small groups. Even though throughout the day several books are  read, this one hour period during the day is when individual reading levels are really focused on within each group. Groups are used during these lessons because studies have shown that students within the early grade levels learn more when a portion of their reading lessons are given in small groups, with regularly tested progress, and ample amount of time to understand the lesson is given (Taylor, 2005). â€Å"Reading is fundamental†, this saying is used to demonstrate the how important reading is to our youth. Having the skills to read and write is not only fundamental in an individual’s success in the academic sense but also in life itself. Reading and writing skills are a continued development throughout a person’s entire lifetime, however they early years, from birth to the age of eight, are the most crucial time frame for developing literacy skills (IRA and NAEYC, 2009). Reading has an undeniable importance because of the basic tools it provides an individual. It is the building block for the nation’s educational system. One must have adequate reading skills to be able to master any other subjects such as math or science, this is why it is the most crucial of all subjects to master. Despite it being such a simple concept, if it weren’t for reading our culture  wouldn’t be as advanced as it is today. By simply saying that â€Å"reading is fundamental† lacks emphasis, because without the ability to read our lives would be extremely different in many ways. References: Reading Rockets. Interview with Katherine Paterson. On-line. Accessed on December 5, 2014 at http:// www. readingrockets. org/books/interviews/paterson Hall, D. P. & Williams, E. (2000). Teachers Guide to Building Blocks: A Developmentally Appropriate, Multilevel Framework for Kindergarten. Greensboro, NC: Carlos-Dellosa Publishing Company Inc. International Reading Association (IRA) & National Association for the Education of  Young Children (NAEYC). (2009). Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children. NAEYC: Washington, DC. Jalongo, M. R. (2007). Early Childhood Language Arts. (4th Ed). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Taylor, B. , Pearson, P. , Clark, K. , & Walpole, S. (2005). Beating the Odds in Teaching All Children to Read. CIERA Report #2-006. University of Michigan: Ann Arbor.