General Biology hw Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

General Biology hw - Essay Example These light-harvesting molecules otherwise called antennae molecules absorb light energy and transmit it to the reaction center. Once they absorb light, the molecules are in an excited state which is generally unstable. Therefore the excited molecules (electrons) rapidly decay to the ground state with simultaneous transfer of excitation energy to neighboring molecules. This process is called exciton transfer. This transfer continues to the third and fourth or subsequent neighbor until a special pair of chlorophyll a molecules at the reaction center is excited. Upon being excited the electron is promoted to higher energy orbital and then it passes to an electron acceptor leaving the photochemical center with an electron ‘hole’. This electron is then replaced by another electron from a neighboring electron donor molecule. Experiments set up to investigate photosynthesis in plants in the 1950s by Louis Duysens with bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum found that there was a temporary decrease in absorption of light at the wavelength of 870 nm. This temporary decrease in light absorption was referred to as ‘bleaching’. Similar studies also demonstrated similar ‘bleaching’ at wavelengths of 680 and 700 nm. Therefore, P680 and P700 stand for bleaching which occur in plant chloroplasts at the wavelength 680 and 700 nm respectively. The P680 and P700 represent the maximum wavelength of maximum bleaching (needed to excite) in photosystem I and photosystem II respectively. Chloroplast is a double membrane organelle present in photosynthetic organism. The organelle contains the photosynthetic pigment, chlorophyll which absorbs light in the visible spectra and converts the light energy into chemical via two distinct phases, the light phase and dark phase with the final step of assimilation of CO2 into the cell as a hexose sugar. Photosynthesis is a process that takes place in the chloroplast of photosynthetic organisms where light is absorbed

The Underlying Benefits of a College Degree Essay Example for Free

The Underlying Benefits of a College Degree Essay We can all recognize the obvious benefits of obtaining a college degree job opportunities and higher earning potential. But oftentimes we overlook or under appreciate the underlying benefits of earning a college degree. However, if you take a closer look at the hidden benefits, you will likely realize that earning a college degree is not completely about financial enrichment. Earning a degree could potentially boost your self-esteem, allow you to make healthier choices, and create a better quality of life for your children. You know the feeling you get when you finally reach your lifelong goal? Priceless, right? Thats exactly what earning a college degree can do for you. It gives you a sense of accomplishment and self confidence that everyone strives for. Not only that, but you have accomplished something that will always be yours and that you will always be able to fall back on in tough economic times. In addition to the boost of confidence, you will likely be able to make more healthy choices than you would without a degree. Generally, this is due to an increase in income which then leads to an overall greater access to healthy food options and health care. Plus, with higher education comes the desire and ability to make healthier choices such as whether or not to smoke. Finally, the greatest benefit of getting a degree is knowing that your children will have a better quality of life and may even follow in their parents footsteps and choose to further their education as well. Even if your children don’t wish to go to college, they will be more motivated to reach for their goals just as you have. In a sense, you have set the standards for them by achieving your dream of obtaining a college degree. You have given them an example to follow by setting a goal and achieving it. Although financial stability is one of the main reasons people choose to obtain a degree, there are many other benefits. You better yourself through boosted self-esteem and improved decision-making ability, which also enhances the lives of your children.

Portrayal Of African Americans In Film

Portrayal Of African Americans In Film In the assignment, I investigated the portrayal of black female in Hollywood films. Which I started off by watching an old time romantic classic film Gone with the Wind, which at first I thought it was a non racial film as slaves were portrayed as normal employees, and were rewarded with presents like the masters pocket watch if theyve been appropriately loyal. Black women involvement in changing African American culture in all black setting was from their outsider experience in White family home. Black women saw white women elites, both actual and aspiring. Black women didnt only perform domestic duties; they also performed a close relationship with the children they nurtured. Moreover, black women noticed that the myth of the domestic worker was becoming an increasing racial ideology. Nancy White, a black inner-city-resident, explores the connection between experience and beliefs: Now, I understand all these things from living. But you cant lay up on these flowery beds of ease and think that you are running your life, too. Some women, white women, can run their husbands lives for a while, but most of them have to..see what he tells them there is to see. If he tells them that they aint seeing what they know they are seeing, then they have to just go like it wasnt there! (In Gwaltney 1980, 148). (Name the Book). This passage illustrates that being an outsider; black women will foster a new angle of vision on domination. It suggests that Black female worker could never be a White middle class women lying on a Flowery bed of ease. But her duties leading for caring her White women allowed her an insiders view of some of contradiction that is being played between White women thinking that they are running their lives and the patriarchal power and authority in their households. To an extent, I did some research on what stereotypical views American people had for African Americans; as a result I found that the slaves contained a little truth surrounded by a large lie for example the mummy at GWTW played by Hattie McDaniel, portrayed as an obese, coarse, maternal figure. The lie that is behind this according to Professor of African American and African studies Patricia Turner is that she claimed that one of the many brutal aspects of slavery was that slave owners sexually exploited their slaves especially light skinned ones which are the mainstream definition of female sexual attractiveness. Therefore mummy was then deliberately constructed to suggest ugliness. The white women felt threaten by this assumption; so therefore the attempt were to desexualise mammy and by extension, the white family could feel safe. The actor Hattie McDaniel who played the well known mummy portrayal has won herself an Oscar for the best supporting actress. The actor who she played Scarlett OHaras sassy but loyal servant in Gone with the Wind, was the first Black to win an Academy Award. Hattie McDaniel not only did she starred in Gone with the wind as a mummy but did lot more in her previous films for example The Story of Temple Drake (1933) and The Gold West (1932) as she played an unobtrusive, weak mummies. Furthermore she was criticized by Blacks by allowing herself portray as a mummy caricature. She responded that Why should I complain about making seven thousand dollars a week playing a maid? If I didnt, Id be making seven dollars a week actually being one. This statement tells us how black women were given choice whether to endure the stereotype ridicule from both her African American to receive an Oscar, people still argue until today whether she sold out or did she succeed in her life. However she stated in her appearance at the Oscar and quotes that I sincerely hope that I will be a credit to my race suggesting that she has come far in life as Black American to achieve such an award which then would have been impossible, she claims that anyone could succeed if they work hard for it. The Cosby shows is a comedy about a middle class black family. the main character Bill Cosbyis played by Cliff Huxtable. He is gynaecologist and obstetrician, and his wife Claire is a lawyer. The show has become popular over the years as they were the first black people to have a leading role on a TV show. However there are speculation whether the show is constructed or reflective in This is part of the white fantasy: blacks should stop complaining and work hard. Hence the reference to The Cosby Show, which I have only just remembered You now need to conclude this introduction. Is the Hattie McDaniel character a racist image? Yes because it conforms to the stereotype. No because the actor playing the part is doing well in white society and might be called a role model. Yes because the stereotype limits the ways in which she can be successful. You have to make the point that different readings are possible, hence The Cosby Show study. Methodology- In the 21st century the portrayal of black female in Hollywood still continues, therefore I want to find out how teenagers in todays society handle the stereotype that the media with holds and what affects has it caused in how black female view themselves. In my investigation I got a group of black teenagers to discuss the issue of the portrayal of black women in films. In addition, I have chosen four film trailers for the teenagers to watch; which where two modern and two classic films the reason I have chosen classic and modern is because I want to prove the point of how Hollywood still continues these portrayal of black women, whether its a black comedy or black drama it still de-humanizes black women and creates humour from this. The film trailers that I showed to the teenagers were the following: Norbit Precious Gone With the Wind Birth of the Nation The group discussions were vital as it provided me crucial information about the teenagers view point of the media portrayal. However its not only films that are constantly shown portraying black women negatively its also in the media; these stereotypes been presented in the music videos. As these black women are shown dancing all over these men while half naked, allowing champagne to be poured on to them, all for just money. However, to young teenagers it looks like these women are living the best life. Research suggests that when negative images are repeatedly exposed over a long period of time, we use these images and measure ourselves and others against them. Therefore, when young teenagers are being exposed to the media that portrayal people of colour are less likely to succeed, less beautiful and less worthwhile than white people, they tend to believe those ideas. In the group meeting I have asked the students an open question of what they have thought of the film trailers, and successfully I got a useful responds which I will utilise in my investigation. The following are the questions that I asked the students: From watching these trailers what were your thought? Which one in particular did you find disturbing to watch? Which one of these trailers did you find racist? Which film do you think portrays black female in a negative way What elements did they use to stereotype black women? As a young black female teenager how did these trailers make you feel? Did you think GWTW is a racist film? If yes why? Do you think this negative stereotype still carries into the 21st century? The film Gone with the Wind (1939) was one of the most controversial films that depicts of race relations. Through freed from the novels positives portrayal of the Ku Klux Klan, Gone with the Wind depiction of slavery still remains particularly naive. The writer of the film Birth of the Nation Thomas F. Dixon Jr has written a letter to praise Margaret Mitchell about how great Gone with the Wind was: the greatest story of the South ever put down on paper, you have given the world The Great American Novel. Margaret replied back with the great praise for Dixons extremist Klan-praising books and quotes In truth, the film Gone with the wind is Birth of Nation without the bed sheets and hoods of the Klan suggesting that the truth of Gone with the wind hides the important elements that happened to Blacks. The extremely dehumanizing, exploitative, and bloody reality of slavery, with its great violence against (including much rape of black women) enslaved African Americans, is missing from th e novel and the movie. In the film blacks appear mostly as slaves: loyal servants like Prissy . . . , or clownish servants. Whites are seen as worthy of the subservience, loyalty, and love of faithful servants. This is because the genre of the film is romantic Happiness and wholeness and one with antiseptic slavery without whips, chains, or rape is shown to create the mood. To an extent, the sense of the collective identity produced by laughing at others, those who are perceived as different and possibly a treat. For example when blacks appear alongside whites in comedies, racial issues become a main focus for the humour. Hattie McDaniel in her mummy role in Gone with the Wind, black women has been stereotyped since then. She had a very aggressive personality and was overly possessive even when she is preserving the female master. Her powerful aggressive is where the portrayal of African American tradition started off, as people often stereotype women as being overly aggressive and disrespectful. The mummy represented the black mother figures in white homes; the matriarch symbolized the mother figure in Black homes. Which therefore the representation that is been stereotyped is that the mummy symbolizes the good black mother, whereas the black matriarch symbolizes the bad black mothers. This has been introduced widely through a government reported titled The Negro Family: The Case for National Action, the black matriarchy thesis argued that African -American women who failed to fulfil their traditional Womanly duties at home contributed to social problems in Black civil society (Moynihan 1965). The mummy of the house is seen being strong and her dignity is largely intact but her grammar is chopped down into broken English with an extremely simplistic level. However they deliberately constructed this type of character to suggest that all black people are sexually unattractive. They portrayed them as being dark skinned, often pitch black which in the society they regarded black people being ugly. GWTW uses black over weight maid that looks old. The reason they used this is because that no reasonable white man would choose a fat, elderly black women instead of the idealized white women. The white family would feel safe, by de-eroticism of all black mummy by portraying them of lacking all sexual and sensual qualities. Historically, it is the African American women, has been the rock of the family, who is strong both in emotion and in honour, she has kept the family together through hardship and poverty, preserving in the most difficult of times. The African American women has protected and raised her family for generation in the worst of circumstance. Butterfly McQueen plays the character Prissy, the stupid, loud and annoying house girl. The character Prissy is a squeamish, a liar and becomes hysterical over the smallest things. As the Jim Crow minstrel entertainment era this portrayal was being used to entertain the white audience. The minstrel stereotyped black people of being a clown, something funny to watch so therefore watching this character makes the humour of the film to the white audience as it was successful in the early minstrel time, including it on a movie would be greater success on their believes. I watched this The film Precious stars by Gabourey Sidibe who plays an obese black girl Claireece Jones, known as Precious. The film is set in 1986 Harlem, Precious daydreams of having glamorous life, with a light skinned boyfriend and the paparazzi in love with her. In reality Precious experiences and suffers constant sexual abuse by her father, the father of daughter who suffers from Down s syndrome, and Precious is now carrying her second child by him. The film is also narrated by Gabourey Sidibe, she takes us through her day dreams and the things she hungers for. As in her day dreams she says she wants to be on a BET videos this shows videos that degrades women. The parent television council claimed that BET rap programming, which they believed contained gratuitously sexual, violent, and profane content, was targeting teenagers. Furthermore scholars within the African American community maintain that BET perpetuates and justifies racism by affecting the interpersonal beliefs others may generali ze about African American and also the young teenagers viewers through its negative image of African American. The image of the welfare mothers that is being portrayed in the film provides ideological justifications for intersecting oppressions of race, gender and class. African American can be racially stereotyped as being lazy by blaming black welfare mother for falling to pass on the work ethic. She is portrayed as being content to sit around and collect welfare mother the image of the welfare mother represents another failed mummy, one who is unwilling to become de mule uh de world which this links back to Precious of instead of her mother encourage to stay in school, she forces to go to the welfare. Welfare queen is a phrase that describes the economic dependency- the lack of a job and/ income (which equal degeneracy in the Calvinist United States); the presence of a child or children with no father and/or husband (moral deviance); and finally, a charge on the collective U.S. treasury- a human debit. The cumulative totality, circulation, and effect of these meanings in a time of scarce resources among the working class and the lower middle class are devastatingly intense. The welfare queen represents moral aberration and an economic drain, but the figures problematic status becomes all the more threatening once responsibility for the destruction of the American way of life is attributed to it. (Lubiano 1992, 337-38), (Patricia Hill Collins, Black feminist thought). Book The welfare queen held a portrayal of being selfish, money-oriented women, who are manless, working class people. The image of the welfare queen portrayal represents black welfare queen happy taking money from hard earned money of taxpaying Americans and remains married to the state. The welfare queen image signals efforts to use the situation of working class black women as a sign of the deterioration of the state. Reference the book Political scientist Martin Gilens did a study of the way in which poverty was being represented in USAs leading news magazines (Times, Newsweek and US News and World Report). Following key figures were produced by Gilens: Gilens found 182 stories concerning poverty in these magazines during the period under analysis. 635 people were pictured as Poor in these stories, in 214 pictures (photographs and drawings). Gilens interest was primarily in the representation of poverty in terms of race and ethnicity. He excluded 75 people in eight stories whose race could not be identified; 637 minus 75 left 560 people pictured. Gilens found that of those 560 people pictured in news stories as poor, 62 per cent were African- American. He claims that African American make up only 25% on government statistics of the US poor. Gilens suggests that A reader of these news magazines is likely to develop the impression that Americans poor are predominantly black. This distorted portrait of the America poor cannot help but reinforce negative stereotype of blacks as mired in poverty and contribute to the belief that poverty is primarily a Blacks problem (THE books name) the politician Gilens examines the survey that he took, and he found out that the media over exaggerate the percentage of African American being poor, he suggests that the negative stereotype leads to a situation which many white people do not support government welfare provision because they perceive poverty and/or unemployment as a black problem. The film precious has been shown primarily black people being Poor as to therefore suggesting that majority of the black people in America is poor. However, going back to the newspaper, the portrayal of black people could have been escalated by one media featuring more black people than usual, which then could have exaggerated the results. In addition, I watched Norbit. The film is about a young man named Norbit. Eddie Murphy co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in the film. I found this film humorous to watch, of the repetitive hate humour that it represents. I found myself to be expected to laugh at the portrayals of verbal and physical abuse that it creates through the film. The film starts off with the character Norbit; he is skinny, insidiously shy, irreproachably geeky and a painfully awkward guy. His childhood was not very kind to him, as he was given away at birth to an orphanage home. He then meets Rasputia. She helps Norbit from the bullies which she manhandles two older teenagers. Rasputia (Eddy Murphy), introduces herself to Norbit at a playground. She is enormous for a 10 year old, and when she finds out that his single, she makes a decision right then and there that Norbit will be her new boyfriend whether he wants to or not. The film tells us that black skinned women are unattractive and lighter women are. This creates an enormous affect on teenagers who are watching this, as portrayal that it tells through the film is that light skinned are beautiful than darker skinned. Rasputia later becomes Norbits new wife. She is shown as a bigger, bossy, sassy, mean spirited, and unfaithful, holding Norbit emotionally captive. The film Norbit stereotypes black women into the following three categories. They are: Mummy Jezebel Sapphire Moreover, while I was researching I came across by statement which states that Aggressive, assertive women are penalized-they are abandoned by their men, end up impoverished, and are stigmatized as being unfeminine. Book Therefore suggesting that the stereotype has been used penalize black understands of black masculinity. The image of the matriarch also supports racial oppression. Much social science research implicitly uses gender relation in African American communities as one seeing measure of black cultural disadvantage. For example the Maynihan report (1965) contends the slavery destroyed black families by creating deviant because they challenge the patriarchal assumptions underpinning the traditional family idea. The image Rasputia portrays is unattractive and weight black women. She shows off her tiny bathing suit; when the attendant asks her if she is wearing bottoms because her belly obscures it. However, Rasputia beyond large breasts hitting the steering wheel, and claiming that Norbit adjusted the seats, as she slaps him across the face when he denies it. This shows that she is violently abusive and stupid as to think she is right when she is clearly not. Rasputia is loud, bossy, and dishonest, but these are seen as the sure fire in the society, this is identifiable traits of the modern of black women. Rasputias type is historically been portrayed of them driving all good men away, leaving only emasculated Norbits and feminized girlie men (like the exercise guru forced to sleep with her in order to get ahead), who are the inevitable byproducts of a matriarchal culture run amok. Jasmyne A. Cannick is a well known and respected public policy and communications professional with a successful track record in the areas of public policy, issue and campaign strategies. She has recently written a review of the film Norbit of its negative stereotype of obese black women (Why Norbit Sent Me Intro Orbit). She states that the trailer for Norbit encouraged a strange ambivalence of laughing at something that in reality shouldnt be funny, because the comedy relates to the social and historic tragedies about body image/obesity and skin colour preference, respectively Tim Cogshell, in a review of Norbit, comments about this: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦there is a great deal of mockery of the obese in Norbit, but therein lies a bit of truth, too: We do mock the obese, dont we? à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦The lithe Kate (who seems to transform into a white girl post her childhood persona) juxtaposed with the big, fat, mean Rasputia may simply look like more of the same fat-bashing humour weve come to expect in movies such as this, and it is, but thats not all it is. There is a mirror in this movie, reflecting a lot of things, not the least of which is that we are a mean, fat country that ironically doesnt like mean fat people. Rasputia is shown on as a sexualized freak show; her short hair is did. Her flawless make-up does not mask a teethy, hideous smile. Her fingernails are manicured and claw-like. This Black womens sexuality lie at the heart of black womens oppression, historical jezebels and contemporary Hoochies represent a deviant black female sexuality. The image of jezebel originated under slavery when black women were portrayed as being, to use Jewelle Gomezs words, sexually aggressive we nurses (Clarke et al. 1983, 99). Jezebels function was to relegate all black women to the category of sexually aggressive women, thus providing a powerful rationale for the widespread sexual assaults by White men typically reported by Black slave women (Davies 1981; D. White 1985). Jezebel served yet another function. If black slave women could be portrayed as having excessive sexual appetites, then increased fertility should be the expected outcome. Rasputia is shown singing to the Pussy Cat Dolls Dont Cha, this creates the humour of the film. In the scene she is shown washing the car while PCD Dont Cha is being played. It also shows her in a low angle shot and slow motion while she washes the car. This overall suggests while its portraying black women extreme, Raspuita is shown, of her being proud of who she is, almost creating a positive view. However it also could be argued that excessive portrayal of the stereotypes might affect young teenagers on their behavior of what they see in films such as Norbit. These constructed stereotype images represents by Black Director, writer and Actor to entertain the audience of allowing the image to escalate into the black community. Moreover, I started to watch Birth of the nation is Directed by David Llewelyn Wark Griffith. The film was made in 1915 and caused extream controversy with individulas and orgaisation across the country. The film had expilicit rasism, as one scenes portrays black men as savages possessed by animalistic lust, sexually assaulting white women. in the film black roles were mainly white actors, as they painted their face with burnt cork. American films has popularized the stereotype that are held by the soicety. Griffith exploited as many of the stereotype in his film Birth of the Nation. For example, Mulattos were represented as being evil , while those who has full black in them have the choice to be either Good (i.e. faithful to whites or bad (i.e. interested in self-preservation and equality). The black actors that worked in the film were given roles for them to create humor and humanity in their characters. the historical and contemporary challenege of race relation, was the begining of cultural identity in American cinema.

Revenge Essay -- Literary Analysis, The Iliad

Throughout history, revenge, or vengeance, has been altered by several cultures and even the American culture. This is shown throughout many ancient greek epics. Throughout these two epics, what is just revenge and what the action of revenge is are much different than what Revenge is seen through today’s society. Revenge is the main theme in The Iliad, with Achilles’ revenge on Agamemnon and Hector, and in The Odyssey, with Poseidon’s revenge on Odysseus and Odysseus’s revenge on the Suitors, and these epics define how revenge was seen in the ancient Greek world. Revenge in The Iliad it the main theme and drives men to do things that they would not normally do. The main example of this is Achilles wanting revenge on Agamemnon. The first book of the Iliad explains that Achilles wants revenge because Agamemnon is forced to return Chryseis, his war bride, to her father, and he decides to take Achilles war bride from him. According to â€Å"Some Thoughts about the Origins of ‘Greek Ethics’†, by Nicholas D. Smith, â€Å"Agamemnon’s unjust affront to Achilles leads to and extraordinarily deadly retaliation, the ultimate outcome of which is that multitudes of these men’s innocent allies are killed unnecessarily†(smith 10). This is out of character for Achilles, who would normally be the first man into battle, not sitting one out. By â€Å"rejecting even the most earnest and impressive entreaties Agamemnon offers, and increasingly making decisions which are rationally indefensible†, he shows how much hi s wanting of revenge has turned him into a madman (smith 10). His only desire is to get revenge for his loss. It takes the death of Patroclus, his dear friend, to bring him back to the war, which he has left. The death of Patroclus not only forces Achi... ...rses the murder of Agamemnon. As Dilworth states in â€Å"The fall of Troy and the Slaughter of the Suitors: The Ultimate Symbolic Correspondence in the Odyssey†; The slaughter of the suitors reverses and sets right the murder of Agamemnon. As the story is recalled in the Odyssey, Aegisthus used twenty men to ambush and kill Agamemnon. From Ithaca the chief suitor, Antinous, Sent twenty men to ambush and kill Telemachus. He would have suffered the fate of Agamemnon. So might Odysseus, for whom the story of Agamemnon is a warning. Instead the suitors die at a banquet, in corrective balance to the murder of Agamemnon at a banquet. (Dilworth) This shows that Odysseus’s revenge of the suitors is not only sets right what Odysseus knows it sets right, but it also sets right what has not been set right by anyone else, it balances the revenge throughout all of the Odyssey.

Kosovo Movement

Kosovo served as a centre of Serbian kingdom with old Serbian monasteries and Serbian Eastern Orthodox Churches. These survived the harsh ottoman rule until 1912, when there was liberation. Large number of Serbs hard firm attachment to Christian faith thus, opposed the conversion to Islam. This made them to leave Kosovo region because of fear of persecution by the Turkish. The Albanians settled in their places and their number increased. Kosovo Problem. The problem faced by Kosovo is the highly increasing Albanians population. The population increasing rate outweighed the industrial growth, despite heavy investments on the region. Many efforts have been made to develop the regions especially the Yugoslav Federation to no success. The region continues to become poor, and remains the poorest region in Yugoslavia. An extensive autonomy was given to the Albanians with the aim of enhancing development, only to understand that the autonomy was abused by the Albanians since they used the autonomy to clear the Kosovo habitants who were non-Albanians. The Albanians aim of when clearing the Kosovo region of the non-Albanians was to start up a succession process as they needed to be greater Albania. The Albanians in Kosovo are self satisfied, small political classes of Western Europe. The Albanians claim that they are solving the problem selling drugs illegally, and carrying out other illegal activities in the west, and the income got from the trade, are used to cause more disaster in the region, since they purchase illegal weapons, which they used in the conflict and continued spreading terror throughout the region.( Booth, 2001). The conflict had inter-ethnic tensions in Balkans and despite how much the Serbian tried to find ways of implementing peaceful solution, the Albanians never cared.  The west have tried to use many method to solve problem, but most of the methods they used, and especially the ancient methods are aimed at getting chances to access the great mineral resources which the region owns. This explains why the Americans supported the Albanian terrorists. Important Actors and their interests The Milosevic acted in the Kosovo tragedy. He had power over the Kosovo region, and his interest was to control and clear the Kosovo autonomy. The Albanians in Kosovo lost their jobs, their access to school, and health care was limited, and they lost administrative control. He also had interest in creating Greater Serbia, and to clearing the minority from the region. The Kosovo Albanians responded against the Milosevic power, where they created a parallel civil administration, and other social facilities such as schools and health care facilities. Under the leadership of Ibrahim Rugova, the Kosovo Albanians resisted the Milosevic regime in a non violent way, where they applied Gandhian tactics. The Kosovo Albanians’ interest was to have their rights considered, because despite the frequent periodic reports made by human right investigators, and International diplomats who investigated the gross and systemic human rights violations, Milosevic continued to violate their rights. After the failure of non violent demonstration, the Kosovo Albanians decided to use violent demonstration. The Kosovo Liberation Army joined the fight against Milosevic, and the army publicly asked for help from the entire community. The crowd provided overwhelming support, but the Serb had a disproportionate retaliation responds. The conflict between the Serb and the KLA continued, and revenge was persistent. The human rights continued to be violated, with no intervention, instead the Milosevic increased the military to clear KLA. The Contact Group intervened, with the interest of enhancing negotiations between the two groups and subsequent signing of peace plan. The Contact group required the KLA to disarm, Milosevic to reduce his military, and to restore autonomy, and to have NATO peace keeping force to be implemented. This brought more conflict because the Kosovo needed full independence guarantees, while the Milosevic wanted total control over the Province and the people, so they could not allow a new military force in the Province. The NATO joined the fight with the aim of enhancing the signing of the peace plan, and threatened to bomb Serb if they failed to sign. Kosovo signed after a delay, but Milosevic refused to sign, and continued to destroy Kosovo. NATO launched air campaign targeting the Serb military. Milosevic fought the NATO, and the Kosovo population in respond. (Ruga, 2007). Why does this conflict exist? The Kosovo conflict exists because of the existing form of revisionism which has prevailed for many years among the critics of Kosovo population desire for independence. This has been caused by failure of scrutiny, ignorance, racism, culture and religion. The various sides are guilty of varying degree, and mall the actors have failed in one way or the other. No actor wants to be held responsible of the conflict, despite the fact that each of the actors has played a role in the conflict. Serbia blames the Serb security force of the 1998 and 1999 massacre. The Kosovo Albanians explains their innocence by convincing people that they flew from their land to be refugees because of the fear of NATO bombing (Loyd, 2007). This has led to continued conflict in Kosovo. References: Booth, K (2001) Kosovo Tragedy. New York: Routledge. Loyd, A (2007) Kosovo deserves its independence, Retrieved April, 2008, from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article3037002.ece Ruga, G. (2007)   History of Kosovo war, Retrieved April, 2008, from http://www.friendsofbosnia.org/edu_kos.html.      

Research Process Steps - Your Ultimate Guide for Best Papers

Research Process Steps - Your Ultimate Guide for Best Papers Research Process Steps - Your Ultimate Guide for Best Papers College brings a lot of uncertainties – new roommates, living within a budget, making new connections, etc. One thing, however, is quite certain – research paper assignments. You will have many - in fact an average of 32 papers - to write during your four-year march to a Bachelor’s. While you were possibly able to be a bit lazy with the steps in research process in high school, you do not have that luxury now. Every paper you write will be judged on the research you have used, the validity of your thesis statement or research question, and, of course, those pesky details, such as sticking with the specified research paper format style. Here’s a step-by-step guide that should get you great results – results that translate into great grades.                                                                     Ã‚  Step I: Selection and Refinement of a Topic If you goof at this point, your entire paper will suffer, so you have to get this right. In high school, you perhaps chose a factual topic, let’s say, the â€Å"Causes of the Civil War† or â€Å"Pollution of our Oceans.† These topics required you to research facts and report them. You are in the â€Å"big leagues† now, and that will not do. Here are the important parts of selecting that topic: Understand the parameters provided by your instructor. S/he will have guidelines – stick to them. Go through your text and your class notes, and find a topic that interests you. This is important – if you don’t like the topic, the entire process will be drudgery. When you do find a topic, it might be a good idea to run it by your instructor. Another suggestion – try to find one that is not common. When instructors have the chance to read something different, they are happier. Check out research available on your topic. You can usually gauge the refinement of your topic by checking out what research currently exists. If there is too little, you will need to broaden your topic, and vice versa. You need a scholarly thesis. Usually, you can get to this thesis by turning your topic into a question. Instead of â€Å"ocean pollution,† for example, you might ask, â€Å"What are the newest technologies for cleaning up our oceans?† or â€Å"What are the politics that hinder cleaning up our oceans?† These questions will give you your research question and, once you have done some initial research, your thesis statement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Step 2: The Preliminary Research In the course of selecting your topic, you have done some preliminary research, if only to confirm that there are appropriate and scholarly resource materials available on the topic. If you are in grad school, specifically working on your thesis or dissertation, then your preliminary research will entail much more. You will be using it in writing a research proposal and so will be taking notes as you thoroughly review that research. Do a good job here, because not only will you use that content for your proposal, these resources can form a part of your total body of research for writing a literature review section or chapter.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Step 3: Locating Those Resources Obviously, the first place to look will be the electronic database of your school library. Using keywords and keyword phrases that relate directly to your topic is all you will need. For a larger swath of resources, particularly for grad students, use ProQuest. Here you will find research articles and other scholarly works (e.g., published theses and dissertations). Here is the thing about selection of resources. Secondary materials are perfectly fine for undergraduate work, so long as the author is a respected scholar in the field. No encyclopedic-like resources are acceptable. Obviously, the Internet is an additional source for material, both through generic searches and through subject directories.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Step 4: Assessing those Resources No resource should be considered for use without a check of the author’s authenticity. This means reading his/her bio, either the one that comes with the publication or searching online. A Ph.D. in English does not make an expert in history or economics. The other important consideration is the biases that author’s may have, particularly if your topic is controversial. It is fine to use a biased author, but you must acknowledge that bias in your paper. Especially when using Internet resources, double-check data and statistics you are given. Validating the authenticity of your source material is an extremely important step in the research process. Don’t skip it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Step 5: Taking Notes In high school, you were probably taught the note-card method. Guess what? It really is old-school but it really is still effective and most efficient. Why? Because if each note card holds one piece of information (along with source information), it can be sorted out and placed with similar information from other sources. Ultimately, sorting out those note cards will provide you with your sub-topics. Whether you plan to quote or â€Å"source† something on a note card or not, you still need the resource bibliographical information, so that it may be included correctly in your bibliography.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Step 6: Organizing the information                                                    This can be the most difficult of the research process steps. This is the step at which you have to organize all those note cards into categories, with the expectation of having sub-topics for your outline. This can be frustrating. However, here is a tip that you will not find elsewhere. Get online. Search for research papers on your topic. Take a look and see what sub-topics were used. This will give you an organizational plan to begin with. IMPORTANT: You are looking at organizational structure; you are not looking to â€Å"lift† any part of a paper for your own. You already know how easy it is for your instructor to check, so just don’t do it. For graduate students completing a literature review: you will not have sub-topics in the same manner as undergrad research papers. Your research has involved a review of the relevant research that others have conducted and you will be reporting on their findings as they relate to your research project. Reading through literature reviews of other theses and dissertations on related topics will give you good examples for you to follow.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Step 7: Even a Cursory Outline Will Keep You on track You should construct some type of outline that will cover the order in which you will cover your sub-topics. How detailed you make it depends upon you and the topic. Even a brief very informal outline will help you draft that first copy. Just list your sub-topics and, under each one, a listing of the points you will be covering. This will keep you organized as you construct your paper.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Step 8: The Rough Draft Using the outline, you now write the first draft of your paper. While many say you should not concern yourself with grammar and other composition, it’s a good idea to try to avoid grammar mistakes the first time through – it’s just more you have to clean up later.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Step 9: Editing and Revising Plan on plenty of time for editing and proofreading your paper. Once you have finished your rough draft, set the paper aside for 24 hours. If you try to edit right away, chances are you will miss things. As you begin the editing process, do it in this order: Read the paper first for coherence and flow. Are the sub-sections organized in the right order? Have you made your points clearly? Is there a logical flow of ideas? Look at your transitions from one paragraph to the next and from one section to the next. Will the reader know what to expect next? Does your introduction contain a good statement of your thesis or hypothesis? Does your conclusion sum everything up? Does there need to be a call to action? Once you are satisfied with the flow, it is time to proofread for grammatical, spelling, and mechanical errors (e.g., punctuation). If this is a challenge for you, get someone else to read the paper for you and point out any of these types of errors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Step 10: Check that formatting Instructors can be sticklers for detail. One of those details is the format style that has been specified. If you are unsure about your in-text citations or your bibliography format, use one of the many tools now available that will format those citations in the style you need.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Step 11: The Final draft Your last step is to type the final copy and submit it.                                                    Other Processes This is a common step-by-step process for research paper construction. You may find an alternative model of the research process, especially as you move into graduate level research and writing or as instructors in various disciplinary field require. This process, however, will give you a basic model that you can use for most any paper you write at the undergraduate level. When You Are in a Bind It happens to the best of students. There is simply too much going on; there are too many paper assignments at the same time; other obligations have prevented you from being able to meet a deadline. In these circumstances, you may need to find a service that can write a research paper for you. This is no reflection on you or your intelligence. It is just a fact of life, and nothing to be ashamed about. In fact, it is a part of learning how to work â€Å"smarter† when you need to.