Stem Cell Research and ethical issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Stem Cell Research and ethical issues - Essay Example Ethical issues are those that ask us to consider the potential moral outcomes of stem cell technologies, Legal issues require researchers and the public to help policymakers decide whether and how stem cell technologies should be regulated by the government and Social issues involve the impact of stem cell technologies on society as a whole. While stem cells can be derived from aborted fetuses and even adults, the best source for stem cells is the small clump of cells that compose the early zygote only a few days following conception. Stem cells can be extracted from very young human embryos -- typically from surplus frozen embryos left over from in-vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures at fertility clinics. Therefore, to best investigate the latent possibilities inherent in stem cells, scientists prefer to choose the approximately 100,000 "excess" frozen pre-embryos that are "left over" from earlier IVF attempts. Now, the question arises whether it is ethical to allow the destruction of pre-embryos to obtain stem cells for research that may some day save thousands of lives Whether life for those already existing should be improved at the seeming expense of a possible human life that has just come into being While many ethical issues arise, the key one is whether pre-embryos are included in the prohibition of abortion. T he consensus thus far is that it an embryo is not protected by the limitations on abortion until it is implanted in a woman. Nevertheless, many Rabbis oppose the deliberate creation of pre-embryos for the purpose of their destruction, as this would cheapen the value of human life. The halachic process offers fascinating insight into all areas of ethics, including biomedical ethics. Early stem cells have the ability to differentiate into every cell of the human body, potentially forming an entire fetus. However, by manipulating the conditions and controlling cellular differentiation, research has been able create replacement cells and organs, potentially curing illnesses such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. Stem cell is a primitive type of cell that can be coaxed into developing into most of the 220 types of cells found in the human body (e.g. blood cells, heart cells, brain cells, etc). Some researchers regard them as offering the greatest potential for the alleviation of human suffering since the development of antibiotics. Over 100 million Americans and two billion other humans worldwide suffer from diseases that may eventually be treated more effectively with stem cells or even cured. These include heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. The ultimate promise of stem cell technology would be to combine it with cloning. Take for instance, a patient dying of liver failure whose cell is cloned. Instead of allowing a cloned cell to develop into a fetus, it could be subjected to conditions where it would differentiate into a genetically identical liver. If this liver is allowed to "grow" to maturity, we could offer the patient a liver transplant without the risk of rejection and without the need for anti-rejection drugs. Those who believe that human life begins at conception-and who also regard activated eggs as morally equivalent to human embryos-cannot ethically approve therapeutic

Frankenstein Themes Similar with Wolverine Essay

Frankenstein Themes Similar with Wolverine - Essay Example Victor Frankenstein was interested in scientific phenomena from a tender age, which saw him excel in science subjects in school. He was especially interested with science that involved reanimation of dead organisms. This saw him experiment with the practical application of his ideas, and his eventual creation of an actual living being, which he later disowned setting the scene and characters of this book. This paper focuses on discussing the themes presented in the book titled Frankenstein and comparing and contrasting with those presented in the film Wolverine. Wolverine is a movie based on a comic book character who went by the name Logan, but whose real names were James Howlett from Alberta, Canada. James witnesses the death of his father murdered by their farm hand called Thomas Logan. This scene prompted his special abilities or mutation to manifest itself for the first time and James Howlett kills the farmhand using his retractable claws. James’ mother casts him away for this deed, and he runs away to the wilderness where he lives with wolves and Indians. James adopts the name Logan because he comes to learn that the farmhand he had killed was his biological father. He joins the Canadian military alongside his half brother Creed who is also referred to as Sabretooth in comics. The themes of family, isolation and society are brought out in the Wolverine film by the fact that Logan is shunned from the time his family and society discovers his abilities. The same is seen in the book about the â€Å"Creature† that Frankenstein created. This is because he cannot stand the sight of his creation (Coghill 31). In the film, the Wolverine is depicted as a person who does not get along with other people and prefers to be alone (Edwards 3). This is in contrast with Frankenstein’s â€Å"monster† because it seeks to be part of society for it considers itself human, and it strives to do this by learning how to speak and read. The society, in both the film and the book, do not accept these characters, in its stead, shun and persecute them. Isolation from society robs Victor, his ‘Monster’ and Wolverine in the movie, all connection with family and they lose sight of consequences and responsibility of their actions. Revenge is a theme that is central in both the film and the book because Wolverine is seen seeking revenge from his ‘creator’ the army general Stryker for being the root of his problems (Edwards 2). Wolverine’s quest for vengeance satisfactorily depicts the theme of revenge in the book about Frankenstein’s monster. The Monster in the book, seeks to enact revenge on its creator, Victor for shunning and refusing to accept it by giving it a name (Coghill 40). This is excellently brought out in the film Wolverine, whereby Logan goes to great lengths to fulfill his revenge mission. Prejudice as a theme that is illustrated in the film where the Wolverine character is discrimina ted against based on his nature even among his fellow mutants. This is depicted as a character flaw in humans who judge someone from their outward appearance without making an effort to know someone. Logan’s rejection by his family serves as an example of how Frankenstein’s monster was shunned from one part of society to another. The monster started out as an agreeable character who only wanted to be accepted the way he was, but due to society’s prejudices, these feelings were turned to anger and hatred towards those who rejected ‘it’. Lost innocence in the film is a theme that is illustrated from the onset of the movie when James Howlett murders their farmhand. His innocence as a 14-year-old boy is destroyed by the realization that humans are prone and capable of horrible deeds.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms, Risks and Treatment

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms, Risks and Treatment Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Bryan Hines Abstract Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a very dangerous mental health condition. It effects a great many people who have been victims of traumatic events that change their outlook on life and the world around them. The purpose of this paper is to provide basic insight to the disorder, the risk factors, symptoms, and treatment options used by the many trained professionals to assist people with PTSD. Keywords: PTSD, Cognitive Therapy, Exposure Therapy, Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), intrusive memories. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is defined as a mental health condition thats triggered by a terrifying event by either witnessing it or experiencing it. According to Dr. Matthew Friedman, Ph.D, M.D., â€Å"Individuals can only develop PTSD if they have been exposed to a traumatic event. As operationalized in the DSM-IV (2) and shown in Table 1 (as the A1 criterion), traumatic events involve actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of oneself or others. (Friedman, 2000). Post-Traumatic Stress is not new to us. For most, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is mainly associated with military veterans and active duty soldiers who have been deployed to a combat zone and have been involved in or have witnessed very traumatic events. However, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder does not just affect military members. It can affect first responders, such as Police, Fire Fighters, and hospital Emergency Room staff. People who have been in natural disasters such as floods, tornados, hurricanes, Tsunamis, to name a few can also be inflicted with PTSD. PTSD can and does affect a great many people. There is a difference, however, from PTSD and severe stress. Not everyone is susceptible to PTSD. Many who experience a traumatic event or an extremely stressful event often after a few months have no further thoughts or dreams about the event. PTSD refers to the individuals who have these symptoms for a prolonged period and for those who may never lose these symptoms. The hard part is to identify these symptoms and help those who need help but do not believe they have problems. The key is being able to identify these symptoms. Symptoms The symptoms are grouped into four types according to the Mayo Clinic. The first is intrusive memories. Intrusive memories involve reliving the event again as if it were happening all over again in the present. Having recurring memories of the event over and over again and not being able to get away from it. Intrusive memories also include having recurring dreams about the event as we all have seen in movies where the person affected by these â€Å"dreams† and seems to be reliving these events in the dreams. Intrusive memories also include being very emotional and distressed about something that reminds them of the event. Anything could trigger this reaction in someone. A certain noise or surroundings, something someone says which may have occurred prior to the event or during the event could trigger these intrusive memories. Avoidance, is exactly what it implies. Some people go to extremes to avoid anything that will remind them or trigger anything that will remind them of the event. Often going miles out of their way, when it involves and accident they witnessed or were in, to avoid bringing up the negative images in their minds. They will avoid people they knew for many years, because they remind them of the incident or event. For those who have driven on the streets of Iraq, they are often very aware of their surroundings when driving even when they get back home. If closely observed, one can see the anxiety and the â€Å"head on a swivel† motion of these individuals, where they look rapidly and in all directions. They become very anxious when they see debris on the side of the road or new construction, or even dead animals in the middle of the road, often slowing down or avoiding the spot all together. Negative changes in thinking and mood are often the most obvious signs of PTSD but certainly not the only signs. These changes deal with how the person perceives themselves. They have lost self-worth, and see very little hope into the future. They have problems dealing with loved ones and often fail to have or remain in a relationship for any length of time. This may be because they no longer feel anything emotionally. Inability to feel love, or affection toward anyone or anything. They once loved t o do things and now have no desire to do anything they once did, such as sports or socializing. They do not see the point of doing anything because they have no desire to or have no thought about the future. They often have memory issues, especially when it comes to the traumatic event. Emotional reactions, or as they are often called, Arousal Symptoms (AS), include difficulty sleeping, concentrating on little things, anxiousness or extreme angst, always on guard as in the example above. Individuals will always be looking for something to happen, and can be easily scared or startled, which may bring along with it a very negative and destructive reaction. This is caused by irritability, anger, and outbursts or aggressive behavior, which are prominent emotional reactions in those that are affected by PTSD. The severity and frequency of these symptoms are dependent on the nature and severity of the traumatic event and the ability of the person to cope with these emotions. Risk Factors Risk factors vary with respect to the individual. Theses certain risk factors include family history of mental illness, depending on age what childhood years were like, what life was like prior to traumatic event, having other mental or health issues, and of course how often one is exposed to traumatic events. Being exposed repeatedly to these types of risk factors has a significant effect on whether one develops PTSD. However, if a person has strong support system of family, friends, and trained psychiatric personnel significantly diminishes the effects that these stressors have on a person, and can often help to ward off significant stress and the potential to develop a stress disorder. For some, however, no matter how often we are able to talk to someone, these events can trigger a reaction from any event in the past. According to Dr. Friedman physical attributes also play a part in PTSD, he states â€Å"Abnormalities in brain structure and function have been demonstrated in PTSD patients. In three independent laboratories, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has shown reduced hippocampal volume among male and female PTSD patients who had been exposed to combat trauma, sexual assault or motor vehicle accidents† (Friedman, 2000). If identified then one should expect that identification of such findings could result in identifying potential PTSD issues in individuals attempting to join the military, first responders, and even those jobs which are susceptible to higher stressors. This could lead into some rather serious discussions into what would be legal into prescreening candidates for certain positions. But that is a different subject. If risk factors are pre-identified then it should be possible for those individuals to obtain the necessary treatment to and to learn strategies to manage their stress levels. Women according to the Veterans Administration are more likely to succumb to chronic PTSD than their male counterparts. Which is probably the result of women being more at ease with talking about their concerns and thoughts and seeking treatment. Men are less likely to do so. It is also noteworthy that recent openings of combat jobs in the military has exposed women to more stressful and traumatic events than in previous years. Coupled with the fact that women more likely the victims of sexual assault, or at least more likely to report it, than men are. According to studies 34% of women will experience some sort of sexual assault in their lifetime both as adults and as children. Women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with PTSD as men are. Children are especially susceptible for obvious reasons, especially in their younger years since they have not built up the cognitive skills required to deal with such stressors as child abuse, sexual molestation, being neglected, the death of a parent or sibling, or domestic violence. Younger children are often susceptible when one or both parents have PTSD and would possibly suffer the same consequences as they grow older because the neural development occurs faster when children are at a younger age and is determined by their experiences. Extended exposure to this type of trauma at such an early age can change the development of the brain and cause major damage to the mental state of a child. It has been shown that the elderly also are at risk for PTSD. There a few reasons for this. One reason is that with age cognitive function is diminished somewhat. With this declining function it becomes more difficult to cope with stressors that occur during this period of time. The fact is that elderly people feel a decreased role in society as they are often â€Å"pushed† aside for younger people in the workforce and often times in to nursing homes when they reach a certain age. These health problems show us that we are slowly but surely withering away, which is a depressing thought. Our desire to feel needed is also affected as we get older. Children often become too busy to visit, or have others take care of their aging parents and relatives. Money also is an added stressor for the elderly. It is quite often the case that once the retirement age is reached financial income is not the same as it used to be, and the ability to create more income is extremely difficult. The c ost of medications from chronic illness, which normally increase as we get older. Even if one prepares for retirement, it is a burden to live within means based upon a fixed income and having no means of adding income to counter rise of medication dn healthcare costs, insurance, and growing living costs. Military personnel and first responders are at an increased risk for PTSD simply based upon the operational environment that they may find themselves in. For the military the constant stress of daily life of being combat situations plays a tremendous role on the psyche. The images and horrors of war, having been viewed or seen can have an extreme traumatic effect on one’s mental state. These exposures are often the major cause of PTSD in military veterans. First responders also have to deal with very gruesome events when responding to accidents, shootings, or just death in general. It is quite possible that just one event could trigger PTSD. Even while remaining in this type of environment, the individual can show signs and symptoms and need to be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. There is increased risk for all of these different groups when these individuals have dealt with some sort of traumatic event in the past or have other mental health issues that may make them more susceptible to a new traumatic event. Without a strong support system many of these individuals will certainly be more at risk to succumb to PTSD. Delayed diagnosis makes treatment more difficult. There are numerous treatment options available depending on what stage the individual is in and what severity the traumatic event occurred. Treatment Although there are many potential treatments for PTSD, the primary treatment is psychotherapy. In some cases medication may be prescribed to assist with the therapy and will be combined to assist the more extreme or difficult cases. Exposure therapy is a behavioral treatment for PTSD. For PTSD patients it targets the behavior that the patient has learned in order to â€Å"deal† with the traumatic event. Most often this deals with avoidance. In this treatment type, these individuals are asked to try and recount the traumatic event, without the trauma of the event, with hope that new learning via extinction will occur and allow the patient to hinder the effects of the traumatic thoughts versus eradicating them entirely. Cognitive therapy assist the person by allowing them or giving them a new way to deal with the detrimental thoughts they are having about the traumatic event and to help them understand the event or events that took place. It helps by showing how the event changed the thought process of how they view the world, people, and themselves. The way we see things and what we perceive to be accurate has been skewed by the traumatic event. By learning about the symptoms, the way they view things and the way they feel, and understanding how the event changed what they believe in, cognitive therapy arms the person with a new way of dealing with this trauma. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) according to the Mayo Clinic, combines exposure therapy with a series of guided eye movements that help you process traumatic memories and change how you react to traumatic memories.† (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2014). EMDR is a therapy based upon physiology and helps a person see, in a similar way to what they see during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, these disturbing events in a new and less troublesome or traumatic way. After going through the session EMDR a patient should no longer view these events in a similar view that they had prior to the therapy session. The event will still be in memory, however, how the patient views the event should be less traumatic for them. Pharmacotherapy is another approach to dealing with PTSD. While most drugs cannot remove symptoms they can offer assistance in dealing and coping with them. Antidepressants, anti-anxiety, and other drugs that assist with sleep issues may be prescribed. Pharmacotherapy should not be viewed as a primary treatment. According to The Journal of Behavioral Health Services Research, â€Å"While à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ rst-line pharmacotherapy for PTSD, depression, and anxiety/panic disorder is a SSRI, consensus statements recommend that patients with PTSD also have specialized MH counseling, with structured cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or psychotherapy, as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.† (73521271) Patients requiring drugs to assist in the treatment of PTSD should ensure that a list of current medications is provided to their therapist in order to prescribe proper medication and avoid negative interaction. Summary Posttraumatic stress can affect anyone at any given moment. Exposure to any type of traumatic event could set off previous events that have been buried in the past. As we get older we develop new ways to avoid thinking about certain events that have occurred in our lives. If we are no longer bothered by the event after a few months then it would not be classified as PTSD, rather a stressful event that was traumatic. If another event triggered a more significant and longer lasting effect, then it would be considered PTSD. For those of us who have seen PTSD and have known or have had traumatic events may recognize the symptoms. Even if there is any doubt, the first thing one should do is to let the person know that there is no shame in getting assistance and we are all there for them. It is essential to have a great support group and it is even more essential that the one affected by a traumatic event knows there is help and support. We are often too ashamed or unaware of what we do, o r how we act unless someone else points it out to us. The key here is to know the signs and symptoms and then do something about it. References Meltzer, E., Averbuch, T., Samet, J., Saitz, R., Jabbar, K., Lloyd-travaglini, C., Liebschutz, J. (2012). Discrepancy in Diagnosis and Treatment of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Treatment for the Wrong Reason. The Journal of Behavioral Health Services Research, 39(2). (2012, April 1). Retrieved August 10, 2014. Yehuda, R. (1999). Biological Factors Associated With Susceptibility to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 44(1), 34-39. (1999, January 1). Retrieved August 12, 2014. Mayo Clinic Staff. (2014, April 15). Diseases and Conditions Post-Traumatic stress Disorder (PTSD). Retrieved August 10, 2014, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/basics/definition/con-20022540 Friedman, M. (1995, January 1). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Retrieved August 9, 2014, from http://www.acnp.org/g4/GN401000111/CH109.html

Kurt Vonnegut :: essays research papers

Kurt Vonnegut   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kurt Vonnegut is an impressive author who combines comic fiction and social satire in his novels. He often writes about the main character Kilgore Trout, who seems to be more like Vonnegut’s alter ego. He has written many books including Player Piano, Cat’s Cradle, Slaughterhouse Five, Galapagos, Bluebeard, and Fates Worse Than Death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kurt Vonnegut was born November 11, 1922 in Indianapolis Indiana. His parents were Kurt Vonnegut Sr. and Edith Leiber. He graduated from Shortridge High School in Indianapolis where he was editor of the school newspaper. After graduation in 1940, he moved on to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York where he took classes for biochemistry. In 1942, he enlisted in the army as an Infantry Battalion Scout. Later he was trained by Carnegie Institute and University of Tennessee to become a mechanical engineer. In 1944, Kurt’s mother committed suicide on May 14. He returns home briefly, then was captured in the Battle of the Bulge. While working in a factory in Dresden, Germany, Vonnegut picked up his materials for Slaughterhouse Five. After this he married Jane Mary Cox on September 1, 1945. Working as a police reporter, he studied Anthropology at the University of Chicago, but his thesis was rejected. In 1947, his son Mark was born, later, in 1949 his daughter E dith. He then became a publicist for General Electric in Schenectady, New York, but in 1950 he quit GE, and moved to Cape Cod to write. He published Player Piano in 1952. His third child, Nanette was born in 1954. Between 1954 and 1956 he taught English at Hopefield school, worked for an ad agency, and opened the very first Saab dealership in the great United States. Next, Kurt was rocked with a number of close deaths. His father passed away in 1957 on October 1, his sister and his brother-in-law die in 1958. He then adopted his three oldest nieces and nephews. Kurt still found time to write and Cat’s Cradle was published in 1962. From 1965 to 1967, he took up a residency at University of Iowa Writer’s Workshop and published Pearls Before Swine. Vonnegut wanted a closer look in Dresden before he wrote the novel Slaughterhouse Five, to he went back to Dresden on a Guggenheim Fellowship. He finished the novel in 1969. His education was furthered after he taught creative writing at Harvard and received his master’s degree from University of Chicago for Cat’s Cradle.

The Significance of the Rape Scene in Timothy Findley’s

The significance of the rape scene in Timothy Findley’s The Wars Ryan Moore Robert Ross, the protagonist of Timothy Findley’s novel The Wars undergoes a disturbing violation when his fellow soldiers rape him; this is a significant turning point for Robert’s character and a section of the book Findley uses to address many themes. Throughout the book we witness Robert maturing and experiencing many hardships that will help create the man he becomes. The most significant of these trials is the scene at the insane asylum because it is where Robert looses the last connection to his innocence and his faith in humanity’s virtuousness.Findley also uses this scene to address the topic of homophobia in that era, and the substantially detrimental effect the First World War had on the fighting men of Robert’s generation. Findley employs creative diction in the beginning of section five, chapter five of the novel, in order to symbolize the fragmentation of Rober t’s character. Robert pieces together what has just happened as he stands â€Å"in the center of the room† (175). Robert’s thoughts are exposed from the following lines; â€Å"He wanted a clean shirt† â€Å"He wanted his pistol† (175).The author’s short, choppy sentences are representations of Robert’s thought pattern. He is in a state of shock, and his character is splintering as he tries to comprehend the violation that has just transpired. Findley creates emphasis in Robert’s thoughts and actions by double spacing this part and starting each sentence with â€Å"he† followed by a verb: â€Å"He wanted†, â€Å"He looked†, â€Å"He pulled†. As a reader, this writing technique makes us feel as if we are able to see into Robert’s thoughts and be a part of the moment.This creates powerful imagery of Robert’s damaged state of mind and draws attention to this section, which makes the reader consider that it is a very important event that also makes connections to other issues and themes. A notable observation of the scene where Robert wants to hug his friend Poole, but he knows that he must not because it would be inappropriate, is the issue of Homophobia that is touched on. This was very prevalent issue at this time and Findley uses this scene in tandem with the rape scene to create irony. â€Å"Robert wished with all his heart that men could embrace† (177).After what he has experienced â€Å"he knew now they couldn’t. Mustn’t† (177). The irony is that Robert doesn’t want to be thought of as unusual; while he is in fact more normal than most people in the asylum, especially including his assailants, who are in fact very unusual. A potential reason the author draws attention to this topic of homophobia is because it could have been an issue for him growing up as a gay man in the early 1900’s, and he may have thought it needed t o be addressed. The scene when Taffler and the Swede have â€Å"panic† in their eyes on page 40 also lends strength to the theme of homophobia.Robert’s turning point begins when he burns his photograph of Rowena; he has lost faith in humankind and does not want his memory of her to remain in such a perverse and painful world. The narrator describes Robert’s violation as â€Å" . . . being rolled and dumped face down on the stones† (175). Robert discovers something important about his attackers when he realizes that â€Å"his assailants . . . had been his fellow soldiers. Maybe even his brother officers† (175). Findley gives us some insight into Robert’s thoughts when he describes him burning the photo, â€Å"This was not an act of anger-but an act of charity† (178).His assailants treat Robert like a piece of trash once they are through with him and leave him â€Å"face down on the stones†. The atrocious defilement Robert endure s changes his opinion of humanity and after witnessing the hellish events of war, and realizing his attackers â€Å"had been his fellow soldiers†, Robert looses trust in mankind’s goodness (175). When he receives his belongings and sees the photograph of his sister, Robert realizes that he doesn’t her memory to exist in a place that has treated him so harshly and that her innocence does not belong in this world any longer.Robert decides to burn the picture to free Rowena’s memory from the slightest association with the depravation mankind has sunk to in his eyes, and with it he is destroying the last link to his innocence. The rape scene is also very important because of the real life symbolism it represents. Findley uses the rape scene to acknowledge that the war has â€Å"raped† Robert’s generation of men who were affiliated with it. As Robert is assaulted his thoughts lead to â€Å"Why? Robert kept thinking. Why? † (174). The autho r hints at this theme in the following line: â€Å" . . . four hundred thousand possibilities- all of those lives that would never be† (169).Robert’s thoughts of â€Å"why† reflect the thoughts of many North American men and women who had lost love ones during the war. Findley believes that â€Å"the war, and those who made it, raped Robert’s entire generation of men† and left damaged scared victims and grieving relatives in their wake (gradesaver). Findley cleverly emphasizes the subtle metaphor of â€Å"four hundred thousand possibilities† by writing it at the end of the chapter (169). This figure of speech is used to touch on one of the main themes of the book, which is the repercussion of war for humanity and the lives it wastes.In conclusion the significance of the rape scene serves many purposes. Primarily it establishes the dramatic turning point for the protagonist, Robert Ross. He is required to rapidly mature in order to fight his way through the war, and this event forces him to let go of his innocent past self and his memories of Rowena. Findley’s character interactions that follow this scene and also occur in other parts of the book allude to the controversy of homophobia during this time, which may have been a subject of contempt for him.The author also uses this scene to address the real life topic of World War One and how he believes that the war mongers of the era have â€Å"raped† Robert Ross’s generation of men by conscripting them to a ruthless and prolonged war. References Findley. Timothy. The Wars. Toronto: Penguin, 1977. Print. â€Å"The Wars Study Guide? : Summary and Analysis of Part Five and Epilogue | GradeSaver. † Gradesaver, November 12, 2012. http://www. gradesaver. com/the-wars/study-guide/section6/.

Manchurian Candidate – Film Theory Paper

The Manchurian Candidate, adapted from Richard Condon’s novel of the same title, was released in 1962, and directed by John Frankenheimer. Brief Plot Summary The central concept of the film is that the son of a prominent, right-wing political family has been brainwashed as an unwitting assassin for an international Communist conspiracy Thesis Statement The Manchurian Candidate was noted for its breakthrough in cinematography, as the scenes were shot in a creative manner that was new and different in that era.It also made use of different editing techniques to seamlessly piece the story together, along with the use of certain recurring Motifs to effectively deliver the story to the audience. This paper would examine how the groundbreaking use of cinematography, editing help to bring across the theme of surrealism, and delivers a thrilling effect while the motifs help bridge the Theme of The Manchurian Candidate with the use of visual elements. Cinematography The Manchurian Cand idate made use of several different brilliant cinematography aspects to bring forward the theme of surrealism and thrill to the audience.According to the Dictionary, the term â€Å"surrealism† refers to â€Å"an avant-garde movement in art and literature that sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind, characterized by the evocative juxtaposition of incongruous images in order to include unconscious and dream elements. † This theme was highlighted in several scenes in the film. Particularly in a scene where Major Marco was having a nightmare, the camera tracked from the end of Marco’s bedroom towards Marco, who was lying on the bed sleeping.The tracking shot ended with a close up of Marco’s face, with his brows furrowed as he began to experience his recurring nightmare. The close up shot of Marco’s troubled face was then superimposed onto his nightmare shot. From the tracking to close up shot, it creates a sense of mystery and suspense, which intrigues the audience and builds up the anticipation. After which it would lead up to the film’s most noted scene- the Ladies in Garden Club scene.In this scene, the director made use of a 360 degrees panning shot to showcase three different points of view- the â€Å"Reality†, the â€Å"brainwashed white man’s imagination† and the â€Å"brainwashed black man’s imagination†. These three different points of view in a dream add up to one big surrealistic nightmare scene. It is also important to note that this scene was considered to be â€Å"notorious† (Chung, 2006, p. 129) during that era, for its unconventional use of camera work. During and after the 1950s, there is an â€Å"increase in the number of dark, provocative and original films. (Mann, 2008, p. 12) and The Manchurian Candidate was one of them. It was â€Å"stylistically ambitious† (Mann, 2008, p. 12) and can be considered a breakthrough in cinematogr aphy during that era. This scene alone had to be shot 3 different times, as each individual point of view comprised of different elements and actors. The platoon was captured and brainwashed into thinking they were attending a ladies horticulture club meeting, when in fact they were present and sitting in a Communist meeting. The camera then does a 360 degrees slow panning shot from the lady speaking, Mrs.Whittaker, to everyone present in the scene, listening to the talk. However, as the camera makes a full round and returns to the start, gone was Mrs. Whittaker, and in her place stood an East Asian doctor giving the Russian and Chinese generals a speech about the brainwashed American soldiers. This panning shot builds up suspense, as the camera slowly pans around the venue, showing that there were only ladies present. It delivered a shock to the audience, who expected to see Mrs. Whittaker after the camera makes a full round, to find out that the lady was gone and replaced by a man instead.This slow panning movement also gave the scene a dream-like quality, which is a characteristic often associated with the theme of surrealism. The scene with the doctor and Communist generals reflected the â€Å"reality† of which the soldiers are unaware of, as they were brainwashed. The camera used a low-angle shot to reveal the amphitheatre filled with Communists. It was positioned behind the soldiers, as if they were looking up to those seated. This is to show that the American soldiers caught were at the mercy of those Generals present, to show authority from those seated above and around the amphitheatre.Even though they are under the mercy of the Communists, the soldiers showed no sign of fear as they were brainwashed into thinking they were facing a group of women instead. Hence the use of camera angle here provides a sort of contradiction to reality, it showed Communist authority even though the soldiers displayed no fear. Another groundbreaking use of cinemat ography can be found in the scene where Johnny Iselin was confronting the Secretary about the â€Å"number of Communists in the Defense department† with Eleanor Iselin manipulating her husband.In this scene, the Secretary was giving a press conference and Johnny Iselin stood up, and demanded to know why are there communists present in the Defense department. The scene was constructed such that the Secretary was at one end of the room, while Johnny was the other end. Yet they were able to appear in one frame, with the use of juxtaposition. As the press conference was broadcasted live, the confrontation between both parties were filmed and showed on television screen.Whenever the Secretary is in frame, Johnny Iselin would appear on the screen of a small television at the corner of the frame, thus making both parties visible onscreen even though technically, they are at different ends of the room. This use of framing and juxtapose imagery echo them theme of â€Å"surrealismâ₠¬ . Surrealism often uses incongruous juxtapositions to highlight conflicts (Strom, 2003). In one particular scene, the mastermind of this confrontation, Eleanor Iselin, appeared in the foreground, with Johnny in the background, and the Secretary reacting angrily on the small little television screen at the corner of the frame.Every action was combined in one frame capturing the whole shot, filled with conflict and movement. This framing brought the tension of the film up a few notches and audiences were able to feel the impending explosion of anger between the characters. The unconventional use of cinematography aspects in this film successfully brings forward the theme of Surrealism, with its â€Å"unusual framings and camera movements† (Strom, 2003, p. 8), which are styles indebted to Surrealism. Editing The different use of editing was also one of the most noted aspects of The Manchurian Candidate.According to Carroll (2003), â€Å"editing, or montage, was generally cel ebrated as the most important, essential characteristic of cinema† (p. 153). Hence the right choice of editing technique would set the pace and coherency of the film. This would bring us to the editing pace of the film- the long takes versus the accelerated montage. The scene that showcased a long take, happened when in Major Marco’s train ride from Washington to New York. Marco was feeling jittery and nervous, thus he decided to leave his train seat and go to the back of the train for some fresh air.He arrived at the last carriage, and stood with his back leaning against the wall. A woman followed Marco and entered the same carriage. She had observed Marco from before, and decided to follow him into the back. Marco and the woman began to strike up a conversation, with random small talks that made no sense. This whole scene involved no cuts at all, all shot at one go and thus showcasing the aspect of a â€Å"long take†. The long take builds on the tension between the meeting of two strangers, showing the entire conversation between Marco and the woman, despite it being nonsensical and weird.The audience took in the scene at one go, after which it leaves them wondering â€Å"what lies underneath this exchange of words between the Major and this woman? † The long take establishes a fact that this scene is important, as it â€Å"intensifies† a shot (Goldberg, n. d), contradictory to the fact that the content of the scene is random and consist of small talks only. As opposed to a long take, which consists of virtually no cuts, an accelerated montage consists of shots with increasingly shorter lengths.With regards to The Manchurian Candidate, the accelerated montage editing aspect occurs during the â€Å"Convention† scene, where Raymond Shaw was sent on a mission to assassinate the President. In this particular scene, Sergeant Raymond Shaw was instructed by his mother to shoot the newly elected President at the Madison Squar e Garden, with Major Marco scrambling to stop Shaw from accomplishing his mission. The establishing shot of Madison Square Garden showed Raymond walking through rows and rows of empty tiered seats, arriving at a small room high above the arena.He positioned his rifle as he prepares for his mission to assassinate the elected President while he was giving his speech. As crowds filled the arena, Major Marco struggles to locate Shaw in hopes of stopping him. The whole sequence was edited with the cross-cutting technique. Through cross-cutting, it helps to create tension and delivers the sense of thrill when the audience sees Shaw preparing to fire his rifle, as Marco runs frantically to stop him. From the first few shots of Shaw preparing his rifle and locating his target to Marco searching frantically for Shaw, was edited with shots and cuts that got shorter and shorter.It adopted the technique of Accelerated Montage, which serves to create tension and keep the audience at the edge of their seats. As this is the climax of the film, by using cross-cutting and accelerated montage, the film manages to capture the audience’s attention and builds a highly thrilling and exciting sequence. Motifs The Manchurian Candidate makes use of several motifs in this film to drive home its message and to develop its theme. One of the most glaring motifs used in this film would be the Red Queen, or the Queen of Diamonds.The Queen of Diamonds card had appeared several times in the film, particularly during scenes that involved Raymond Shaw being brainwashed. In this film, the Communists had conditioned Shaw’s brain into receiving commands and fulfilling them like a robot would. However, this brainwash condition can only be activated when Shaw hears the line â€Å"Why don’t you pass the time by playing a little game of solitaire? † After which, Shaw would proceed to take out a stack of cards robotically and began playing.As he plays the game, he would even tually draw out the Queen of Diamonds card, and upon seeing the card it would fully activate Shaw’s brainwashed condition. At first glance, it may seem that the Queen of Diamonds motif is played out to trigger Shaw’s mental condition. However, as the film progresses, the intent of using the Queen of Diamonds began to clear up- that the Queen of Diamonds was linked to Shaw’s mother, Eleanor Iselin and later in the film, his soon-to-be wife, Jocie (Blakesly, 2007).According to Blakesly (2007), the Queen of Diamonds card represented â€Å"an adamant woman, his mother, someone Raymond would rather not see†. During the first few scenes, Shaw admitted that he â€Å"despised and loathed his mother†. It was eventually revealed that Shaw’s mother was also part of the Communist conspiracy, and a woman hungry for political power. Hence, the card that would trigger Shaw’s mental condition was picked out to be the Queen of Diamonds, which signifie s his mother and hinted that his mother had a connection with the Communists. As mentioned above, the Queen of Diamonds is also known as the Red Queen.In this case, it represented Communism as this film was shot and based on the Cold War, which was ongoing during that time. Blakesly’s analysis surmises that: Another triggering device for Raymond’s conditioning is when he looks upon the Queen of Diamonds, the Red Queen, with the concomitant relationship of â€Å"red† to the â€Å"Red scare†, the communism from which the left in North America, with rare exceptions, still recoils. (p. 218) Besides being a figure representation of Shaw’s mother, the Queen of Diamonds also took on the representation of Communism.Hence it would make sense to why Shaw would fall into a state of â€Å"brainwashed condition† upon seeing the Queen of Diamonds card- he was being controlled by the Communists, with the card serving as a reminder that Communism took over his mind. Other than the Queen of Diamonds motif, the film also adopted Abraham Lincoln as a motif. The use of Abraham Lincoln ranges from obvious pictures of Lincoln himself, hanging in the Iselin house to a more subtle form, where Johnny Iselin dresses up at Abraham Lincoln in a masquerade party.The Iselins were from the Right-Wing, or Republican party. The use of Lincoln signifies the stand that the Iselins take within political context and also to serve as a kind of contradiction between right and wrong. Abraham Lincoln was a prominent leader of the Republican Party. According to Redding (2008), the film was â€Å"mediating symbolically on the political heritage of Lincoln’s republic among a corrupted public sphere†. Lincoln was used a symbol to represent America, and the director’s portrayal of the Iselins served as a satire of the America politics during that time.Johnny Iselin, the Senator, was portrayed as a drunk, impulsive and rash person. He often con fronted the government with issues concerning the communist, when in fact; he is also part of the communist conspiracy to take over the American government. This is a parody of â€Å"McCarthy†, who was a rash and impulsive Senator from the Republican Party. During the time he acted as a Senator, he often appeared drunk and caused a lot of controversy. Thus the portrayal of Johnny Iselin based on McCarthy, and the images of Lincoln all served to fuel the director’s satire on the political situation.During the masquerade party scene, Johnny Iselin dressed up as Abraham Lincoln, a contradiction as he is working with the communists whereas Lincoln was regarded as a righteous politician in the past. To further highlight the contradiction, Johnny’s wife, Eleanor Iselin dressed up as Bo Peep, a character which symbolizes innocence and naivety. However, as mentioned previously, Eleanor was anything but innocent. She worked hand in hand with the communists in order to ga in political foothold. Thus, this portrayal also serves to show a contradiction between right and wrong, righteous and evil.Portraits of Abraham Lincoln decorated the Iselin house, and in a particular scene, where Eleanor was confronting Raymond about his love interest with the daughter of a Senator from an opposition party, Lincoln was â€Å"staring† down at the confrontation. This is yet another example of contradiction between right and wrong, the mother being an evil influence was threatening Raymond to give up his love and Lincoln’s portrait in the background serves to remind us light will prevail, as the portrait was hung above of Eleanor as she speaks.The different motifs of this film helped shaped the entire plot and provided audience with clues; when they see the Queen of Diamonds they immediately would know that Raymond Shaw would be brainwashed. It also helped to bridge certain morals or theme of the story with visual elements, like the battle of right and e vil was shown through the portayal of the Iselins versus Abraham Lincoln iconography. Conclusion This paper discussed how use of cinematography, editing helped bring across the theme of surrealism, and delivered a thrilling effect while the motifs helped bridge the Theme of The Manchurian Candidate with the use of visual elements.In conclusion, The Manchurian Candidate made use of highly unconventional cinematography and editing aspects that successfully showcased the theme of â€Å"surrealism† and effectively created tension and thrill, for the audience. Not forgetting the effective use of motifs, which helped developed the main theme with the use of visual elements and provoked thought from the audience as they watch the film, while trying to piece the puzzles together.Bibliography * Blakesly, David (2007) The Terministic Screen: Rhetorical Perspectives on Film. Illinois: SIU Press * Carroll, Noel (2003) Engaging the Moving Image. USA: Yale University Press * Chung, H. S. ( 2006) Hollywood Asian: Philip Ahn and the Politics of Cross-Ethnic Performance. USA: Temple University Press * Goldberg, * Mann, Denise (2008) Hollywood Independents: The Postwar Talent Takeover. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press * Redding, A. F. (2008) Turncoats, traitors, and fellow travelers: culture and politics of the early Cold War. USA: University Press of Mississippi * Strom, Kristen (2003) Resurrecting the Stylite Simon: Bunuel’s Surrealist Film. P. 8

Self Efficacy And Students with ADHD Essay

Self Efficacy And Students with ADHD Essay Impact of Self Efficacy on College Students wiyh ADHD and LD Impact of Self Efficacy on College Students wiyh ADHD and LD Nakaya (2009) describes attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a kind of a disorder, whereby one cannot control his or her behavior due to challenges in processing neural stimuli, which is accompanied by extremely elevated motor activity. ADHD can occur in both children and adults although it is easier to recognize the symptoms when children reach the school age. There are various symptoms of ADHD and they differ from one individual to the other. The main ones include hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity. Although ADHD often begins at a young age, it persists in to adulthood in 2 out of every 3 individuals diagnosed with it in childhood (Hammerness, 2009). Children diagnosed with ADHD experience difficulty in activities that require concentration both at homes and schools. They may also find it difficult to make and keep friends. If the condition is not addressed, it can interfere with one’s learning, work, as well as social and emotional development. ADHD is genetic; a child is 25%-35% more likely to develop the condition if born in a family that with at least one of its members experiencing the condition. People born from normal families only have 4%-6% chance of developing it (Nakaya, 2009). Impact of Self-Efficacy in Addressing ADHD and LD On the other hand, learning disabilities (LD) denote a sequence of disorders, which deleteriously influence learning. People with LD have problems acquiring, retaining or even understanding information (Bakken, Obiakor Rotatori, 2013). According to the authors, LD can affect the quality of learning among individuals, who without it showed at least average abilities with regard to learning and reasoning. The level of severity of LD varies from one person to another but it may affect oral language, written language, reading and mathematics. Moreover, LD hampers one’s social life, discernment and his/her general perception of the world. LD commonly lasts throughout one’s life. Consequently, the life of an affected person maybe full of educational underachievement, which can be very discouraging (Selikowitz, 2009). LD usually results from hereditary or neurobiological reasons, which may lead to conditions like ADHD. In addition, LD may develop after injuries that affect th e functioning of the brain, especially the processes involved in learning. There are various conditions that may develop alongside with LD. They include emotional disorders, attention and behavioral disorders among others. Self-efficacy refers to believing in oneself to the extent that one is able to take the required course of action to deal with various situations/conditions (Kernis, 1995). It is what everyone, especially people with ADHD and LD, needs to be able to deal with, including learning and other life’s challenges. It helps people feel empowered as they introduce various corrective measures to numerous limitations in their lives. Such people have more power to determine whether or not they succeed in achieving their goals. Self-efficacy can particularly help college students who are dealing with ADHD and LD challenges. Many researchers have tried to investigate how self-efficacy can be used to assist college students with ADHD and LD learn better. Their work has also concentrated on how ADHD and LD affect college students due to the fact that such conditions disrupt one’s education. Current section will examine the impacts that self-efficacy has on college students with ADHD and LD and how it can assist them achieve high academic and other life’s goals. According to Nadeau (2006), significant amount of attention is being given to college students with ADHD and LD. The number of individuals with such conditions joining higher institutions of learning has tremendously increased. The author goes ahead to explain that undergraduates with the conditions are more likely to be overwhelmed due to many academic demands. Many students having LD do not like to report their condition in addition to the fact that no authorized processes are available in institutions of higher education for the purpose of identifying such students or helping them. Therefore, some faculties have a problem determining if a student is experiencing the conditions, while others do not provide any help at all. Some students may not understand they have a problem, while others may choose to conceal it. Students who hide their disorders may adversely affect their education as they might not receive the required help. Nadeau (2006) asserts that students with ADHD and LD g enerally perform poorly in academics and receive lower grades. They are also at a higher risk of facing academic probation compared to the others. The author proposes a forum in which each of such students can be empowered to create an environment that could assist him/her perform better and achieve the set goals. According to Mayes, Calhoun Crowell (2000), one of the best ways of knowing if college students can perform well is by looking at their ability to sustain attention. It seems to be a problem to those with ADHD and LD. Loe Cuttino (2008) agree with such point of view through their observation that during the first year of college, it is possible to predict the grade point averages of a student by pairing the response inventory of the student with that of their parent. They further explain that students who have high inattentive levels have a higher chance of receiving lower academic grades on average. Apart from the difficulties in processing and functioning that such students experience, they deal with stigmatization issue, as well. Self-efficacy can be included in existing practices to help college with ADHD and LD explore their potential to the maximum due to the fact that it affects how one feels, thinks, behaves and the way he/she motivate him-/herself. Nadeau (2006) explains t hat, with regards to learning, self-efficacy is the belief that a student has abilities to employ the learning strategies to deal with the various difficult learning conditions. Lyle, (1998) supports the point by saying that the individuals who have not been trained on self-efficacy often doubt their capabilities. They try to avoid situations where they perceive failure to be the outcome. The author goes ahead to say that if such students experience several academic failures their self-esteem is bound to reduce significantly. With self-efficacy, students with ADHD perceive themselves to be in control and are more insistent and persistent in improving themselves. One’s self-efficacy, in current case, plays a great role in the environment, in which a student places him-/herself and also how he/she handles failures. The author proceeds by stating that professionals can continuously strive to improve self-efficacy in ADHD and LD college students through positively improving their learning environments. In addition, they should focus on the strengths that such students have. Additionally, counseling to motivate the students to accept and work to improve th emselves is required. It directly impacts the student’s success and makes such students boost their confidence in self-efficacy. Students with ADHD and LD form the largest number of people with disabilities in colleges and may increase up to 29% in some of them (Bakken, Obiakor, Rotatori, (2013). Previous experiences of students are the strongest determinants of how academic self-efficacy is perceived (Lyle, 1998). It is caused by the fact that students examine their results after completing an academic task and equate the self-perceptions with their performance. The way one is able to interpret such performances greatly influences his/her personal beliefs, which lead to a change in their future actions. Therefore, the author comes to the conclusion that the relationship existing between the previous academic performance and the type of beliefs related to self-efficacy are reciprocal. It means that previous success leads to greater self-efficacy beliefs, which translate to greater future academic performance. According to Loe Cuttino (2008), a repeated cycle of academic failures can make students have less belief in their abilities, which can reduce the expectations such people have for their future. Success has been linked to academic motivation and positive beliefs (Stevens, 1996). Stevens notes that students with positive self-efficacy towards academics having the two mentioned conditions are usually more eager to deal with challenging tasks as opposed to the ones with negative self-efficacy, who may not try at all due to their fear of failure. A rewarding learning experience is the one in which the academic tasks are given in accordance with the student’s level. It should be applied in case of people struggling with ADHD and LD in order to reduce the level of anxiety associated with such task. Therefore, faculty and administrators are faced with the task of constructing a learning experience meant to motivate the students and enable them to achieve their fullest potential. ADHD and LD may have varying effects from one individual to another. Therefore, it is important for the faculties to understand the differences and challenges each individual face, which is crucial f or improving the self-efficacy they have towards academics. Selfs of the professionals who can do it include counselors, disability coordinators, even advisers and the support services staff among others. The authors state that most students with LD often associated success with external factors but considered failures as their fault. They normally reason that they fail because they don’t have the ability or skill required. Others feel like they have not made enough effort even when they have. In instances where such negative perceptions are countered, their self-efficacy rises and better results are obtained. Moreover, a change of attitude is noted, which is mostly followed by improved academic performance. Rief, Hanson, Cassone National Professional Resources (2008) say that the level of confidence that one has in handling various situations greatly influences how one views that particular situation in terms of being a challenge, stress or threat. Self-efficacy serves to assist an individual to cultivate a positive attitude, which a ssists a person to develop coping strategies. Moreover, it assists such people to have a better perception of their challenges and have a ‘winning attitude’. According to Farrar (2011), students experiencing ADHD and LD may have their learning experience greatly improved if the right approach is used; this can greatly improve their performance, as well. It is important to note that such students need a different environment and a different approach. That is why it is not advisable to put the two groups of students in one category when trying to help them overcome their challenges and achieve academic success. Many colleges do it but it yields poor results. The author explains that even students with ADHD should be assisted in a different setting from those with learning difficulties arising from other conditions. The ability to distinguish the two is important in dealing with the particular challenges that each group faces. For example, individuals with ADHD have lower levels of concentration, issues with time management, effective test taking strategies and choosing the main ideas compared to the students with LD arising from other condi tions. The students without disabilities were better compared with the two sub-groups in all aspects. Being aware of the two sub-groups is important when training self-efficacy among students because the individuals with ADHD may not find it difficult to visit classes compared to those with LD arising from other conditions. According to the author, some students have multiple disabilities, for instance, a student may have LD arising from other condition and also show some characteristics of ADHD (Farrar, 2011). In such case, case by case evaluation is recommended to offer the support in line with the student’s unique needs. Despite the various challenges and conditions that some students have, training them on how they can assist themselves have shown the best results. In the midst of confusion that may arise after a series of discouraging academic performance, such students find relief and /or consolation in learning how changing their perception and attitude can improve the ir situation. Additionally, a sense of empowerment is cultivated among such students when they learn the practical steps they can take to improve their state. In addition to students’ efforts, self-efficacy is easily achieved when higher education faculty together with the support staffs apply individualized strategy instruction model as a means of providing a learning environment that is both constructive and challenging to the students (Mizutowicz, 2007). Another way of promoting self-efficacy among students with either ADHD or LD is by setting suitable and realistic academic goals (Mizutowicz, 2007). The author explains that the goals decided upon should have some personal importance to the students in order to be successful. In addition to that, they should be short-term, achievable and very specific. Not every faculty and peer mentor has experience of effective coaching but they can use an approach that is effective in order to achieve the desired results. It involves having discussions with the students and finding out what is important to them in addition to the necessary steps that can be taken to achieve the set goals. Such approach leads to a higher level of optimism and satisfaction, which is necessary for the students to not only to do well but succeed in college, a well. Baum, Owen, Baum (2004) observed that presenting clear learning objectives to the students with ADHD and LD helped in assisting the students to cultivate a positive attitude. It also helped students identify the material they would study. As a result, students have more time to read and understand the materials, which results in better grades. It may boost their self-esteem and is also crucial in cultivating self-efficacy. Such strategy greatly increased students’ chances of passing tests and assignments, which further increased their level of self-efficacy leading to more success. Coaches and counselors in colleges can help lower the rate of anxiety and frustration among students through systematic demonstrations and explanations regarding the learning strategies to employ, including individualized strategies that cater for ones’ specific needs. In addition, there should be a conducive environment for the students to approach their instructors with any question regard ing issues that may cause stress and anxiety. When they are relaxed, their self-efficacy is boosted, which can assist them to perform well academically. Kernis (1995) suggests that higher levels of anxiety and depression are linked to lowering self-efficacy. The author states that students normally assess their emotional states in the same manner they assess their intellect. Strong emotional reactions give students signals concerning the success or failure they are expecting. It means that feeling upset or anxious in a particular situation can make students with ADHD and LD believe that they cannot perform the tasks well. On the other hand, when the same student feels physically and emotionally well, it gives him/her more confidence to perform the task well. For this reason, when anxiety is avoided, students with ADHD and LD perform better as their self-efficacy is boosted. Students with ADHD and LD should continue using the common services and accommodation that is offered by colleges for students with disabilities. Examples of such services may include additional time given to complete tests and assignments (Loe, Cuttino, 2008). They can also be supplied with copies of the lecture notes due to the fact that some of them may have difficulties with processing and making notes during the lectures. In addition, such students can benefit from tape recording in addition to being given alternate formats with regards to assignments and assessments. A good example is choosing of oral as opposed to written form for tests. Staff members should also be educated on such types of disabilities and how to handle such students. Mayes, Calhoun Crowell (2000) are of the opinion that faculty should practice such kind of professional training regularly in order to help students understand their disabilities. Such type of training can encourage higher levels of interpersonal communication necessary between the students and the faculty members, making the students develop more self-efficacy, therefore, greatly improving their chances for success. Synthesis and Analysis Self-efficacy has been considered very effective in the motivation of college students with ADHD and LD. The reason for it is that self-efficacy leads to a change of attitude, where affected individuals take active role to improve themselves. It positively influences academic outcomes in terms of classroom engagement, grades, as well as one’s likelihood of having the determination to continue pursuing academic success. Their boosted expectations for success, as well as their willingness to try various self-regulatory strategies yield more success and determination. Additionally, a positive correlation exists between positive self-efficacy, positive perception towards the school and improved academic performance. Negativity, on the other hand, has been linked to procrastination, anxiety and poor academic performance: people with negative attitudes may fail to achieve many of their goals. The remarkable correlation between self-efficacy and improved academic outcomes demonstrate that the role it plays goes beyond one’s skills, knowledge or even intellectual ability. The literature shows that self-efficacy is very useful among students with ADHD and LD. It assists such students to understand that academic performance is not solely based on the student’s capability but on the level of capability each believes he/she has. Promoting positive self-efficacy among college students with such disabilities helps providing them with more rewarding academic and life experiences. It is the responsibility of the higher education professionals to promote a learning environment that can enable such students to receive the best experience at college and continue implementing the same positive self-efficacy later in everyday life. Through positive self-efficacy, the focus is shifted from the impairments that such students may be having and is directed to their strengths. Many of them have experienced academic disappointments, especially before learning how self-efficacy can be helpful. Practices of self-efficacy are meant to encourage more perseverance, op timism and personal satisfaction. Students facing challenges of ADHD and LD can improve their academic and other forms of achievements in higher educational institutions through learning how to reveal their strengths through the use of self-efficacy.

Coffee Bean Inc. Costing Analysis

Coffee Bean Inc. Costing Analysis Free Online Research Papers This report analyses the costs associated with two of Coffee Beans Inc. products, Moana Loa and Malaysian blends based on two different costing methodologies, namely the traditional job costing system that the company uses so far and the Activity Based Costing (ABC). ABC provides us with a more detailed and accurate estimation of the real cost of the products and it can serve as the basis for suitable strategic decisions, concerning products mix, pricing, suppliers and market positioning. A major issue that have to be concerned is the discontinuation or not of Malaysian blend. Appropriate recommendations and alternative solutions are being provided in order to facilitate the strategic decision process and help the Board of Directors to go to the right direction that will optimize our product mix, strengthen our position in the market and boost our operating profit. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 1 2. Traditional Costing method 2 3. Activity Based Costing (ABC) 3 4. Comparison Between the Results of Traditional Costing and Activity Based Costing for Coffee Bean Inc. 5 5. Conclusions 6 6. Recommendations 7 7. Appendix 9 1. Introduction Traditionally, companies used costing based solely on direct labor or machine hours in order to allocate indirect costs to products. A more recent approach is the Activity Based Costing (ABC) that first accumulates overhead costs for each of the activities of an organization, and then assigns the costs of activities to the products, services, or other cost objects that caused that activity. The present report will investigate the costs structure of two products of Coffee Bean Inc., Moana Loa and Malaysian. Initially, the so far applied traditional method will be presented. Then, the refined costing system of Activity Based Costing will be examined. Following there will be a comparison of the two methods with an effort to locate points that will reveal inconsistencies in costing and subsequent pricing of the products. The aim is Coffee Bean Inc. to identify precisely which drivers dominate the cost of each blend and actively adjust its product mix, pricing, purchasing and marketing strategy. Conclusions and recommendations on possible routes of problems, solutions or strategies to follow will be thoroughly discussed and a crystal clear image of the â€Å"cause-effect† relationship of all stages and factors in each blend will be drawn. 2. Traditional Costing method The first method of costing used to evaluate the Coffee Bean products’ costs and profitability is the traditional costing method. This provides an initial base for comparison in order to assess the Malaysian and Moana Loa coffee blends against each other. The traditional costing method classifies all manufacturing costs of products into three big categories, these being direct materials, direct labor and manufacturing overhead. Direct materials and labor are straightforward in the case of Coffee Bean Inc. Company data provided breakdown these costs for both coffee blends in question. On the other hand, the third category of manufacturing overhead may not always be as accurate as it is applied based on a weighted average for the products. The calculation of all three categories is discussed in the following paragraphs. Data is provided for the direct cost of Moana Loa and Malaysian coffees as well as the direct labor costs (Table 1). In addition, a prediction of production in pounds for each product is 100.000 and 2.000 respectively. Given the above inputs, the following direct costs are extracted: Moan Loa Direct Material Cost Moan Loa Direct Labor Cost Malaysian Direct Material Cost Malaysian Direct Labor Cost The manufacturing overhead budget provides us with a schedule of costs for coffee bean products including all other costs other than direct labor and materials. In order to determine the indirect manufacturing costs, the overhead rate used to charge all the indirect manufacturing costs is determined. The product of the overhead rate along with the direct cost allocated to each coffee brand provide a figure of the indirect manufacturing overhead which can be allocated to each blend. Overhead rate = Total budgeted manufacturing overhead / budgeted direct labor cost ? Overhead rate = = 5 Having all three categories of conventional costing and the quantity of each blend required for production, a budgeted cost and price of each blend can be acquired ( Table 2). It is evident that the budgeted cost and price of Moana Loa blend is higher than that of Malaysian, reaching values of $6.00 and $5.00 respectively. Given that the direct material cost is the only different driver in value, and all other costs are found as a product of common rates with quantity, this result is expected. Higher direct material cost of Moana Loa, leads to higher price. This result is seen with skepticism since the data provided for the different activities does differ with blend choice, and to assign manufacturing costs based on weighted averages of production is a simplistic way to go. The effect the different activity costs provided per blend have on their budgeted costs is investigated in the following sections. 3. Activity Based Costing (ABC) The second method of costing used to evaluate the coffee bean products’ costs and profitability is the Activity Based Costing (ABC) method. This method will reveal the link between performing particular activities like purchasing, materials handling, quality control, processing beans which consist our indirect costs, and the demands those activities make on the organization’s resources. In contrast with traditional method, in ABC the expenses incurred to produce individual units of particular products (Malaysian and Moana Loa coffee blends) are separated from the expenses needed to produce these different products. Concerning the activities of roasting, blending and packaging, they have the same overhead cost per hour. Hence, they all can be included in a pool of processing costs since they are homogeneous with a cost allocation base or hours of processing. (Table 4). Activity Cost-Allocation Base Budgeted Activity Budgeted Cost Roasting Roasting hours 96.100 $961.000 Blending Blending hours 33.600 $336.000 Blending Packaging hours 26.000 $260.000 Processing Beans Processing hours 155.700 $1.557.000 In order to proceed to ABC method, the cost allocation rate is needed. Using data in table 4 of the appendix the following results arise. Purchasing Cost Allocation Rate =$579.000 Budg. Cost / 1.158 Budg. Activity= $500 Material handling Allocation Rate = $720.000 Budg. Cost / 1.800 Budg. Activity= $400 Quality control Allocation Rate =$144.000 Budg. Cost / 600 Budg. Activity= $240 Roasting Allocation Rate =$961.000 Budg. Cost / 96.100 Budg. Activity= $10 Blending Allocation Rate =$336.000 Budg. Cost / 33.600 Budg. Activity= $10 Packaging Allocation Rate =$260.000 Budg. Cost / 26.000 Budg. Activity= $10 In addition to the cost allocation rate, the rate per unit of each cost allocation base used to allocate indirect costs (activities) to the products is required. Activities are bonded with activity drivers. Thus, activities like purchasing, materials handling and quality control are linked with cost drivers known as transaction drivers where the number of times an activity occurs matters. On the other hand, processing activities are associated with duration cost drivers where the time needed for the completion of each activity is of importance. Each activity uses a specific cost allocation base. Retrieving data from Table 5 of the appendix, the amount allocated to the cost base used is found. Activity Cost-Allocation Base Moana Loa Malaysian Purchasing Purchase orders 4 4 Materials handling Setups 30 12 Quality control Batches 10 4 Processing beans Processing hours 1.600 32 Purchase Orders=Exp. Sales (pounds)/Purchase order size (pounds) Setups=Setups per Batch x Batches Batches=Expected Sales(Pounds)/Batch Size (Pounds) Processing Hours= Processing Beans*Expected Sales (pounds)/100 In order to proceed to the calculation of the budgeted costs and prices of the two blends, the contribution of each direct and indirect (activity) cost per pound are calculated (Table 6 of the Appendix). Purchasing Cost per Pound=Purchasing Orders Used*Purchasing Cost Alloc Rate/Setups per batch. Materials Handling=Setups Used*Set Up Cost Allocation Rate/Setups per batch. Quality Control per pound=Batches Used*Batches Cost Allocation Rate/ Setups per batch. Processing Beans per pound=Process. Hrs Used* Process. Hrs Cost Allocation Rate/ Setups per batch Having completed all the above steps we are in a position to find the total budgeted cost and price of each blend (Table 7 of the Appendix). It is deduced that budgeted cost and price of Moan Loa blend is lower that of Malaysian having values $4.82 and $6.27 respectively contrary to the values of $7.54 and $9.80 of Malaysian blend. The number of the outputs affects the budgeted costs and prices of the blends. Economies of scale are introduced in the production of Moana Loa contrary to Malaysian coffee. In the first blend the expectation of 100.000 pounds sales allows bigger distribution of cost per pound. At the same time forecasted sales of 2.000 pounds for Malaysian coffee do not let the product to benefit through this method as the cost and the price is higher. The contradicting results arising from the application of the two costing methods (traditional and ABC) are further analyzed. 4. Comparison Between the Results of Traditional Costing and Activity Based Costing for Coffee Bean Inc. The first evident difference which arises from the application of the two aforementioned costing methods is the significant gap between the final cost figure of each method (and consequently the big difference in the price of each blend). With traditional costing the cost of Moana Loa is 25% higher than in the case of ABC ($6.00 Traditional, $4.82 ABC) while for Malaysian blend the cost when calculated with the traditional method is almost 51% lower than what in the ABC case ($5.00 Traditional, $7.54 ABC). The reason for this cost (and consequently price) difference is the fundamental difference between the two costing systems which is the assumption in traditional costing that cost objects consume resources whereas in ABC it is assumed that cost objects consume activities. Another thing that becomes clear with the use of ABC but could not be observed with the use of the traditional costing method is the fact that the item with the lower material cost is actually the one with the higher price (the cost of the raw material for the Malaysian blend is 24% lower than the cost of raw material for the Moana Loa blend while the price of the Malaysian blend is 56% higher than the price of the Moana Loa blend). The above observation can be explained by the fact that in the case of the Moana Loa blend we have economies of scale, so the total cost per pound is lower than the total cost per pound of the Malaysian blend, even thought the cost for the raw material is higher for the Moana Loa and lower for the Malaysian blend. In general after observing the results of the two methods we may say that in the case of the traditional costing method the usually deceiving results that we obtain do not allow us to notice and take actions for cases of mispricing, do not always make clear the cases of economies of scale, do not make us wonder about the effectiveness of our product mix an so on. It is obvious that without accurate cost figures, management cannot make accurate observations and take actions regarding important issues. 5. Conclusions Following that comparison between the existing costing system, which is based on the direct labor cost for the production of each products, and the Activity Based Costing we can derive the following interesting conclusions: The actual cost of Malaysian coffee is higher than the price that it is currently sold ($7.54 vs. $6.50). Hence, a loss of $1.04 per unit is occurring from selling that product. The two products are both mispriced. Moana Loa is overpriced (the price should be lower than the current, after the addition of the 30% mark-up at he new cost). Malaysian is underpriced and a loss is incurring with every unit sold. It is almost certain that more of the remaining 13 products of the company will be also over- or underpriced under the existing costing system. That leads in a totally wrong pricing strategy and is a marketing drawback when the products take their position in the selves of the stores. The total operating profit will be lower in the case we decide just to adjust our prices to the new cost estimations and continue selling the products. Moreover, there is a high probability that the sales of Malaysian, will drop dramatically because it will be too expensive for the quality it offers. From the cost structure under the two different costing methods, it is notable that the indirect cost for Moana Loa is 25% with traditional costing and only 6.72% with ABC and for Malaysian the respective percentages are 30% and 53,6%. It is clear that there are economies of scale for Moana Loa that sells in high volumes and the cost of raw materials account for a very high percentage of the total cost (87.1%) under the ABC method. The indirect costs are allocated in large quantities of the blend, resulting in a very good product (raw seeds are more expensive than other varieties) with a reasonable price. 6. Recommendations The above conclusions make clear that some corrective strategic actions are absolutely necessary in order to re-launch our product mix in a more efficient way, offer value-for-money to our customers and take our business forward. Based on the cost analysis under ABC system and the conclusions that were derived, the following recommendations are made: We should discontinue the production and selling of Malaysian blend since it is currently a source of loss for our business. If there is a special reason that we do not want to discontinue the marketing of Malaysian coffee (ex. to cover the needs of some good and special customers that want a wide variety of products), there is an alternative solution that can turn Malaysian coffee profitable. The solution is to make an accurate sales projection and unify the sales orders throughout the year in only one order that will cover the demand for the whole year. The proper storing conditions will ensure the optimal preservation of the product. In order to illustrate that argument with numbers, if the budgeted 4 orders of 500 pounds each were unified in one order of 2000 pounds (total annual estimated sales) the cost per pound will drop from $7.54 to $4.63 per pound and there will be a profit. We can maintain the price at $6.50 (in order not to confuse the market) and have a profit of $1.87 per unit or decrease the price to $6.02 (30% mark-up) and gain market share with the competitive lower price of the product. Maybe, the reason that Malaysian does not sell much and has very low market share is that it is expensive in relation to its quality. We should examine the cost of all other 13 products in order to discover other products that may be inexpedient to continue producing. We should conduct a Market Research in order to gather information of the consumer behavior regarding the coffee consumption and determine their willingness-to-pay for more premium products. That will help us decide if we shall maintain the price of Moana Loa at $7.80 and promote it as a premium quality coffee in order to have a high mark-up (61.8%) or lower the price to $6.27% (30% standard mark-up), increase sales and gain market share from competitors. The need for change in our pricing policy will bring about the need for other strategic changes as well. We shall plan our tactics towards our strategy taking into account other relevant information. We have to make better sales projections based on historical data of our sales and on market intelligence. The proper market research will provide us with information about consumer preferences and needs, so we can fine-tune our product mix’ quality and price offered to the consumers. We will then proceed to a more detailed segmentation of the market and promote the right product to the right consumer segment (ex. premium coffee for willing-to-pay customers and less expensive blends to customers that consider coffee a commodity). Also, information about competitors’ moves that can come from our suppliers and wholesale customers would be extremely valuable for the mapping of the market field. Another aspect that we should look into is the origin of our raw materials and the location of our suppliers. We have 15 different raw materials (coffee beans) that come from various suppliers. If we could group suppliers together based on their location, we could design a coordinated purchasing plan that would unify the orders and decrease a lot the transportation cost. As an immediate result, we will have a higher operating profit per product. Overall, this new costing system will help us become more efficient, more productive, make better strategic decisions and our products will became more competitive with the new representative pricing that will be based on the real cost and the real value they carry to the consumer. That will strengthen our position in the market and empower the company to expand in other consumer goods market as well. 7. Appendix Direct Costs Moana Loa Malaysian Direct Materials (per pound bag) $4.20 $3.20 Direct Labor (per pound bag) 0.30 0.30 Table 1. Direct cots per coffee blend Traditional Costing Indirect cost allocation rate 5 Moana Loa Malaysian Total Total Direct Materials cost $420,000 $6,400 $6,000,000 Total Direct Labor cost $30,000 $600 $600,000 Total Indirect overhead cost $150,000 $3,000 $3,000,000 Total costs $600,000 $10,000 $9,600,000 Pounds produced 100,000 2,000 Cost per pound $6.00 $5.00 Price per pound $7.80 $6.50 Table 2. Traditional Costing figures allocated per coffee blend Traditional Cost Structure Moana Loa Malaysian Sales 100,000 $780,000 2,000 $13,000 COGS Direct Materials 70.00% 64.00% Direct Labor 5.00% 6.00% Gross profit Indirect overhead 25.00% 30.00% Table 3. Traditional Costing Cost structure Activity Cost-Allocation Base Budgeted Activity Budgeted Cost Cost-Allocation Rate Purchasing Purchase orders 1.158 $579.000 $500 Materials handling Setups 1.800 $720.000 $400 Quality control Batches 600 $144.000 $240 Roasting Roasting hours 96.100 $961.000 $10 Blending Blending hours 33.600 $336.000 $10 Packaging Packaging hours 26.000 $260.000 $10 Total manufacturing overhead cost $3,000,000 Table 4. Cost Pooling Moana Loa Malaysian Expected sales (pounds) 100.000 2.000 Batch size (pounds) 10.000 500 Setups per batch 3 3 Purchase order size (pounds) 25.000 500 Roasting time (hours/100 pounds) 1,0 1,0 Blending time (hours/100 pounds) 0,5 0,5 Packaging time (hours/100 pounds) 0,1 0,1 Table 5. Amount of Cost Base Used ABC: COST per pound Moana Loa Malaysian Direct Costs Direct Materials $4,20 $3,20 Direct Labor $0,30 $0,30 Indirect Costs Purchasing $0,02 $1,00 Materials handling $0,12 $2,40 Quality control $0,024 $0,48 Processing beans $0,16 $0,16 Total Cost per pound $4,82 $7,54 Price per pound $6,27 $9,80 Table 6. ABC:Cost per pound Moana Loa Malaysian Total Total Direct Materials cost $420.000 $6.400 $6.000.000 Total Direct Labor cost $30.000 $600 $600.000 Total Direct costs $450.000 $7.000 $6.600.000 Total Purchasing cost $2.000 $2.000 Total Materials handling cost $12.000 $4.800 Total Quality control cost $2.400 $960 Total Processing beans cost $16.000 $320 Total Indirect costs $32.400 $8.080 $3.000.000 Total costs $482.400 $15.080 $9.600.000 Total Cost per pound $4,82 $7,54 Price per pound $6,27 $9,80 Table 7. Budgeted cost and price of each blend Research Papers on Coffee Bean Inc. Costing AnalysisMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductDefinition of Export QuotasOpen Architechture a white paperThe Project Managment Office SystemAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaResearch Process Part One

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