Introduction to Different Types of Mental Training free essay sample

Task: B1 Introduction to Different Types of Mental Training An athlete qualifying for an Olympic Final competes against athletes who are fit, strong, flexible, powerful and skilful. All the competitors have devoted time and energy to becoming top-class athletes. However, there is only one champion and two medal winners. Often the difference between a medal and eighth place is a fraction of a second or a few centimetres. Interviews with athletes who succeed at this highest level often focus on which aspect of their preparation made them different from everyone else.Nine times out of ten these great athletes refer to a mental edge or psychological toughness. An athlete who wants to compete against other talented athletes needs to think carefully about mental preparation. It is not enough for them to expect to win simply because they have coved more mileage then the next athlete, or because they have lifted heavier weights. We will write a custom essay sample on Introduction to Different Types of Mental Training or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In the final analysis it is often more important to keep the mind in the pressurized environment of competition. In this essay I will be covering different forms of mental training employed by the sport psychologist.Imagery Imagery and mental rehearsal are techniques that are frequently used in sport and exercise psychology because of the verity of applications they have in different settings. Imagery Imagery is a polysensorial and emotional creation or recreation of an experience that takes place in the mind. It should involve as many senses as possible as well as trying to recreate emotions experienced through the activity the athlete takes part in. The post effective imagery uses kinaesthetic, visual, tactile, auditory and olfactory senses.An example of imagery that anyone could take part in is to think about a favourite athlete in any sport. Then think about when you have watched that sports person performing. Consider when you have thought about what that athlete has done during their performance, (e. g. how they kick a ball) tried to see your self doing that in a future competition, and then copied what they did during your performance. This is just one example of how our mind allows us to remember different events and then attempt to recreate them. It is imagery in one of many forms.There are two main types of imagery in port and exercise: internal and external. †¢ Internal imagery is imagining yourself doing something and concentrating on how the activity feels †¢ External imagery is imagining yourself doing something as tough you are watching it on a film so that you can develop an awareness of how the activity looks Uses of imagery Imagery has a number of uses in different areas of performance including relaxation, goal setting, concentration, developing confidence, controlling emotions and handling pressure, and diction making. Goal settingImagery can be useful to highlight specific faults in performance which can then be used to set goals to improve performance . Concentration A key aspect to concentration is being able to focus on relevant cues in the environment (e. g. things that directly affect sports performance) and being able to close out factors that don’t directly affect the sport performance (e. g. crowd noise and banners). By imagining what you want to achieve and what you need to be able to do to achieve it you can prevent your attention from focusing on irreverent aspects and focus on relevant aspects instead. Decision MakingDecision making skills are benefited greatly by imagery because the use of imagery allows individuals to look at a number of options in different situations and the consequences of making different decisions. The benefits of imagery in the area tend to be greater for experienced performers rather than novices, because it helps them to refine skills and make the necessary dictions quickly. Controlling Emotions and Handling Pressure One of the benefits of using imagery is that you can imagine things that have gone wrong in previous performances (such as missing penalties, being bowled out and experience poor officiating).Then you’re able to imagine yourself coping with these negative influences in a number of ways and being able to perform the task successfully. Developing Confidence A football player has been taking penalties for his team on a regular basis but keeps missing them which have knocked his confidence in his ability to score penalties. The sport psychologist could work with the player asking him to remember having a strong support foot placement, striking the ball hard and true, thinking about where exactly he wants the ball to go, seeing the ball hit the back of the net and thinking about the elation experienced at successfully scouring a goal.The sport psychologist would do this because seeing yourself perform well in your mind is a good way of in creasing a sense of mastery. It increases your belief in your ability to perform a task. Relaxation A sprinter is in the start position in the final of the men’s 100m hurdles at the Olympics Games. In this example the athlete would imagine emotions associated with relaxation and together with other techniques such as breathing exercises, could try to control anxiety, arousal and stress levels Mental Rehearsal Mental rehearsal is one aspect of imagery.It is a strategy for practicing something in your mind before actually performing the task. The difference between mental rehearsal and imagery is that mental rehearsal does not take into account how the skill is rehearsed or what senses and emotions are used throughout the skill. It is the cognitive rehearsal of a skill without any physical movement. Uses of Mental Rehearsal There are a number of ways in which mental rehearsal is used including skills practice and rehearsal, practicing ‘what if’ scenarios, replaying performance and performance routines.Mental rehearsal can also be linked to pre-performance routines, as mental rehearsal can allow the performer to rehearse how they want to complete an activity before t hey actually start the performance. The use of mental rehearsal of future performance ensures that athletes take time to review physical, technical and mental aspects of the activity and produce strategies that will help individuals to meet its demands. Practice for Events Using mental rehearsal in the lead p to competition as well as in practice settings has been shown to benefit skill practice and developmentSkills Practice and Rehearsal Although it is not as effective as physically practicing a skill mental rehearsal is more beneficial then not practicing the skill at all. It actually helps to develop neuromuscular patterns associated with different movements. It is important for the performer to rehearse both good and bad movement patterns so that they can get to know the difference between the two to develop the appropriate neuromuscular responses. Practice ‘what if scenarios’ Mental rehearsal gives the performer the opportunity to practice ‘what if scenarios’ (e. . what would happen if I did it this way’). Then to assess whether something different would work in the same scenario. In Competition Practice Mental rehearsal gives the athlete the opportunity to practice their skills during an event without having to expend any energy or perform any movements. This is a useful way of concentrating on a particular aspect of skill and further developing it. Performance Routines Mental rehearsal forms an important part of performance routines. Think about when you have seen a rugby player take a kick at goal from the ground.They place the ball then look up at the posts, take a few steps back and to the side, take a stance, look at the ball then up to the posts, sometime close there eyes then take a deep breath and go to kick the ball. This is all part of a performance routine. During this routine the player is mentally rehearsing the kick of the ball before actually performing the movement. Replay Performance ‘What if’ are often combined with replaying performance in your mind, where you go thorough previous performances and detect errors in performance using the mental rehearsal.Arousal Arousal is an important aspect of sport and exercise because it can affect performance either positively or negatively depending on how you perceive the arousal. Therefore it is important to understand ways of regulating arousal and how this can benefit performance. Arousal Reduction Over-arousal is often experienced by athletes for reasons such as lack of confidence or seeing competition as a threat. The effects of over-arousal are generally the same regardless of the performer: physical and psychological discomfort that leads to reduced performance.The role of the sport psychologist would be to help the athlete to understand the causes of over-arousal to recognise the symptoms of over-arousal and then to help athletes to apply appropriate arousal management strategies to reduce levels to an optimal point. Common arousal reduction techniques include progressive muscular relaxation, breathing control, biofeedback, mind to muscle techniques and imagery. Progressive Muscular Relaxation Muscle tension is one of the most uncomfortable and devastating symptoms of an over-aroused state and can severely hinder performance due to losses in coordination (and therefore disrupt technique).It can also lead to an increased risk of injury due to vastly decreased flexibility. Progressive muscular relaxation (PMR) is an easy to use technique that can help to reduce muscular tension. It is a useful technique because it increases an individual’s awareness of their levels of muscle tension and through the relaxation phase helps the individual to distinguish between what is a state of tension and relaxation. Breathing Control When you start to experience increased pressure in sport situations an automatic tendency is to hold your breath a little.Unfortunately when you do this it increases factors that can be negative to performance (like muscle tension). The best time to use breathing control is when you are in a sporting situation that allows you to take a brake. Controlled breathing is one of the easiest techniques for reducing anxiety symptoms and it has a range of physiological and psychological benefits. The physiological benefits include oxygen transport, carbon dioxide removal, reduced muscle fatigue and reduced chances of injuries such as cramp. However the psychological benefits are also important.One of the biggest problems with over-arousal is the reduced concentration levels that accompany it such as (focusing on the negative aspects) muscle tension, increased heart rate and (in some cases) the nausea that can be symptoms of over-arousal. Using breathing control techniques can be beneficial in reducing arousal in two main ways: †¢ It reduces the physiological symptoms of arousal and anxiety †¢ It focuses the athlete’s attention away from the negative aspects, because they have to concentrate on getting the breathing techniques correct.As a result of these different aspects, the athlete will benefit throu gh increased concentration, confidence, control and well-being. Biofeedback Biofeedback involves the use of different equipment to detect physiological responses to arousal. This helps the athlete to learn how to control those responses. The technique generally uses either visual or auditory feedback of different physiological responses. The common physiological responses that biofeedback is used with are heart rate, breathing, skin temperature and muscle tension.It has not always been shown to improve performance but it is effective in helping the athlete to detect and reduce physiological symptoms of arousal and anxiety. Mind to Muscle Techniques The aim of mind to muscle relaxation is to train the athletes muscle to be able to recognise tension so that it can be released and a relaxed state can occur. Common examples of mind to muscle relaxation techniques include imagery, PMR and autogenic training. Imagery Imagery is one of the most common psychological skills techniques because it can be used to reduce arousal symptoms before, during and after competition. The process by which imagery reduces anxiety is a relatively simple one. If the athlete can use calming, tranquil and relaxing images this will reduce the symptoms of arousal and anxiety to a level that will not hamper performance. Arousal Increasing Just as over-arousal can be detrimental to performance under-arousal can also be as damaging. It is generally based on the interaction between the situation in which the individual finds them in and their psychological appraisal of that situation. Under-arousal is nowhere near as common in a sporting situation as over-arousal.However when an athlete is virtually guaranteed success this phenomenon is quite understandable. The sports psychologists’ role would be to consult with athletes and teams to develop ways of increasing arousal levels again. Some common ways of increasing arousal levels in a sport or exercise setting include: use of music, using energising imagery, increasing breathing rate, affirmations and acting energised (some know it as a pep talk or high energy body language). Use of Music Music is more widely researched in the exercise domain than in the sports domain, but it is often used in both areas to increase arousal levels.It has been shown to be effective at increasing arousal levels by eliciting both emotional and physiological responses in different individuals. The use of music increases arousal in a number of ways. By narrowing a performers attention music can divert their focus away from sensations of fatigue. The benefit of this is that the performer will have an elevated mood state through avoidance of negative thoughts. Another benefit of music is that the music which people consider to be exciting can increase body temperature, heart rate and breathing rate all of which will improve sports perfor mance. Energising Imagery In the same way that imagery can be used to reduce arousal and anxiety it can be also used to increase arousal. This can be achieved through the use of high-energy images of competition e. g. a hard tackle in rugby. Increasing Breathing Rate Just before a high jumper in competition attempts to jump the next height up they take a series of short, sharp breaths then take the run up. This is a way of increasing arousal levels; you take a series of sharp short breaths until you feel energised.This technique is also used in other sports such as weightlifting. Affirmations An affirmation is a positive statement that is designed to confirm gaol achievement. It is often used alongside other forms of arousal-increasing techniques such as imagery or acting energised to increase arousal levels. When you use affirmations it is important to review them on a regular basis. Good practice would be to change affirmations when you change the goals you set. It is important to do this so that further progress can be made. Acting EnergisedActing energised increases arousal levels in a number of ways that can benefit performance. It can heighten concentration levels, reprioritise goal achievement, increase motivation levels and make the athlete excited about competing again. In an elite sport setting, the use of this type of body language can also increase arousal levels in athletes. It increases the arousal levels of the crowd (often displayed through cheering on the team more) which further benefits the athlete. Goal Setting Goal setting is one of the best ways of increasing motivation in sport and xercise. In sport and exercise psychology it’s essential to be specific about what a goal is and what the different types of goal are. Types of Goal There are two main types of goal: †¢ a subjective goal is a general statement of intent such as ‘I want to have fun’ †¢ an objective goal is a measurable statement that relates to the achievement of some form of standard normally within a designated period of time Outcome goals, process goals and performance goals are all types of objective goal. Outcome Goal Outcome goals relate to the outcome on an event.They tend to be unpredictable because they depend on the performance of others as well as the one setting it. For example you could play the best frame of tennis you have ever played yet still fail to achieve your goal because your opponent plays a little bit better than you. Process Goals Process goals look at the process the athlete must go through to achieve a desired level of performance. They relate to skills and technique they could be required to perform at a high level. Performance Goals Performance goals look at achieving a certain standard of performance without comparison with other individuals.

How to Say and Write I in Chinese

How to Say and Write I in Chinese The Chinese symbol for I or me is 我 (wÇ’). Easily remember how to write 我 by understanding the Chinese characters radicals and interesting etymology. Me Versus I While the English language has separate terms that differentiate between me and I, Chinese is simpler. One character, 我, represents both me and I in the Chinese language.   For example,  Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã© ¥ ¿Ã¤ ºâ€  (wÇ’ à ¨ le) means I am hungry. On the other hand,  Ã§ »â„¢Ã¦Ë†â€˜ (gÄ›i wÇ’) translates to give me. Radical The Chinese character  Ã¦Ë†â€˜ (wÇ’) is composed of 手 (shÇ’u), which means hand, and 戈 (gÄ“), which is a dagger-like tool.  In this case, 手 is used here in the form of æ‰Å', the hand radical.  Thus,  Ã¦Ë†â€˜ appears as a hand holding a little spear.   Pronunciation 我 (wÇ’) is pronounced using the third tone. This tone has a falling-rising quality. Character Evolution An early form of 我 showed two spears crossing. This symbol evolved into its present form over time. Depicting a hand holding a spear, the Chinese character for I is a  symbol of ego assertion and therefore an appropriate representation of â€Å"I or me.† Mandarin Vocabulary With WÇ’ Here are five examples of common Chinese phrases that incorporate the character,  Ã¦Ë†â€˜: 我們 traditional / 我ä » ¬ simplified (wÇ’ men) - We; us; ourselves 我è‡ ªÃ¥ · ± (wÇ’ zà ¬ jÇ ) - Myself 我的 (wÇ’ de) - Mine 我明ç™ ½ ( wÇ’ mà ­ngbi) - I understand 我ä ¹Å¸Ã¦Ëœ ¯ (wÇ’ yÄ›shà ¬) - Me too

1. What is Social Contract Theory and what are its strengths and Essay

1. What is Social Contract Theory and what are its strengths and weaknesses - Essay Example The social contract theory suggests that men being self interested can dominate his will in a civic society and hence a contract can avail justice. The social contract theory emphasis on the origin of the society. Social contract theory is a concept theory which is used in political science, sociology and philosophy. It is an implicit agreement between the state and citizens of the country to stay within the society without violating the contract. Social contract theory relies on an anthropological conception that man is either â€Å"good† or â€Å"evil†. The most famous philosophers of social contract theory are Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean – Jacques Rousseau. It is a theory which has its ground on democracy. According to this theory, the people abide by law to live in peace and harmony in a society. Social contract theory is a philosophical idea which propagates maintenance of society and law. According to this theory people in a state abide by a contract to agree upon laws and rules to live in a society. Usually it is a government which will enforce these laws in a society or state. The theory suggests that if someone violates the rules then he will punish. This contract theory can be changed if the people believe that the law needs a change. Social contract theory implies that without it the society will be in chaos and people would act according to their wishes and desires. For example, in case of natural disaster like flood or hurricane people would do whatever they like as no one is there to enforce law in a confused situation. The society need a contractual obligation which makes the responsible towards their action in the society and the social contract theory advocates it. Social contract theory explains that for a secured society a contract is necessary between citizens and state. Since men are born free, he has a tendency to violate natural laws and create conflicts and brutalities in a

Assessment for learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Assessment for learning - Essay Example During learning for assessment sessions, students are communicated of what is expected from them to deliver and how they can produce quality work in their lives to complete different developmental stages in their careers (Black & William, 1998). Assessments for learning also enables the teacher to communicate to the student, any misconceptions that the student might have pertaining to different aspects in an individual’s life and how these misconceptions would lead to gaps in information that might effect decision making skills. As the process of learning goes on, the teacher identifies any gaps present in the student’s knowledge pertaining to life events and the decision-making skills. As a result, techniques to cover those gaps are identified by the teachers and incorporated into the assessment plan for students. These techniques improve the overall results of the assessment and produce pupils with enhanced decision-making and knowledge processing students (Black et al., 2003). The question, which arises here, is that why are assessments for learning so critical for the rest of students’ lives. Apparently, teachers found themselves as being responsible for the pupil’s life and career and for that reason they held themselves responsible for the quality of conduct that a student might adopt in future life. In this manner, students are prepared to be professional in their relationships with the colleagues, kind in relationships with their family and spouses and down to earth in their social lifestyle (Black et al., 2003). Teachers ensure that students are achieving good progress and results from the assessment methods applied by the teachers. Teachers might carry out following activities in order to promote good progress and results delivered by students: By establishing high expectations from students,

The project of Kellogg Company producer of cereal and other food Essay

The project of Kellogg Company producer of cereal and other food - Essay Example This report starts with a proper introduction which gives a fair idea about the basic concept of strategic management and the sequence of work that is followed throughout the project. Since the project is on Kellogg, it is very important to have a clear understanding about the company, its business model, products, and employees. This report includes a brief but well structured overview of Kellogg Company. There are several strategic management models. Two of such models (Porter’s five forces and Ansoff Matrix) are used in this report. The main theory behind these models and their application in the context of Kellogg are properly discussed in this paper. ‘Strategic management’ is one of the most widely investigated terms in the global business environment in the recent past. The concept has arrived from the word strategy. Ansoff and McDonnell have defined strategic management as â€Å"a systematic approach for managing strategic change which consists of positioning of the firm through strategy and capability planning and real time strategic response through issue management.† (Cole, 2003). According to Andreas Rasche, main objective of strategic management is to create potentials with the purpose of achieving future success by directing organisations regarding what they can do and what they need to do in order to stay ahead of competitors (Rasche, 2007). Strategic management deals with the formulation of business strategies along with its proper implementation in order to achieve various strategic objectives. It is very important to have a clear understanding regarding the internal and external environment of the organisation before making business strategies. Strategies that are made without any prior knowledge of company’s internal and external environment are likely to have high chance of failing and failed strategies ultimately result to the wastage of valuable resources like time and

The Use Of Brainstorming In Stages Information Technology Essay

The Use Of Brainstorming In Stages Information Technology Essay Brainstorming is usually the first crucial creative stage of the project management and project planning process. See the brainstorming method in detail and explained separately, because it many other useful applications outside of project management. Fishbone diagrams are chiefly used in quality management fault-detection, and in business process improvement, especially in manufacturing and production, but the model is also very useful in project management planning and task management generally. Within project management fishbone diagrams are useful for early planning, notably when gathering and organising factors, for example during brainstorming. Fishbone diagrams are very good for identifying hidden factors which can be significant in enabling larger activities, resources areas, or parts of a process. Fishbone diagrams are not good for scheduling or showing interdependent time-critical factors. Fishbone diagrams are also called cause and effect diagrams and Ishikawa diagrams, after Kaoru Ishikawa (1915-89), a Japanese professor specialising in industrial quality management and engineering who devised the technique in the 1960s. Ishikawas diagram became known as a fishbone diagram, obviously, because it looks like a fishbone: A fishbone diagram has a central spine running left to right, around which is built a map of factors which contribute to the final result (or problem). For each project the main categories of factors are identified and shown as the main bones leading to the spine. Into each category can be drawn primary elements or factors (shown as P in the diagram), and into these can be drawn secondary elements or factors (shown as S). This is done for every category, and can be extended to third or fourth level factors if necessary. The diagram above is a very simple one. Typically fishbone diagrams have six or more main bones feeding into the spine. Other main category factors can include Environment, Management, Systems, Training, Legal, etc. The categories used in a fishbone diagram should be whatever makes sense for the project. Various standard category sets exist for different industrial applications, however it is important that your chosen structure is right for your own situation, rather than taking a standard set of category headings and hoping that it fits. At a simple level the fishbone diagram is a very effective planning model and tool especially for mapping an entire operation. Where a fishbone diagram is used for project planning of course the Effect is shown as an aim or outcome or result, not a problem. The Problem term is used in fault diagnosis and in quality management problem-solving. Some fishbone diagrams can become very complex indeed, which is common in specialised quality management areas, especially where systems are computerised. This model, and the critical path analysis diagram are similar to the even more complex diagrams used on business process modelling within areas of business planning and and business process improvement. project critical path analysis (flow diagram or chart) Critical Path Analysis sounds very complicated, but its a very logical and effective method for planning and managing complex projects. A critical path analysis is normally shown as a flow diagram, whose format is linear (organised in a line), and specifically a time-line. Critical Path Analysis is also called Critical Path Method its the same thing and the terms are commonly abbreviated, to CPA and CPM. A commonly used tool within Critical Path Analysis is PERT (Program/Programme/Project Evaluation and Review Technique) which is a specialised method for identifying related and interdependent activities and events, especially where a big project may contain hundreds or thousands of connected elements. PERT is not normally relevant in simple projects, but any project of considerable size and complexity, particularly when timings and interdependency issues are crucial, can benefit from the detailed analysis enabled by PERT methods. PERT analysis commonly feeds into Critical Path Analysis and to other broader project management systems, such as those mentioned here. Critical Path Analysis flow diagrams are very good for showing interdependent factors whose timings overlap or coincide. They also enable a plan to be scheduled according to a timescale. Critical Path Analysis flow diagrams also enable costings and budgeting, although not quite as easily as Gantt charts (below), and they also help planners to identify causal elements, although not quite so easily as fishbone diagrams (below). This is how to create a Critical Path Analysis. As an example, the project is a simple one making a fried breakfast. First note down all the issues (resources and activities in a rough order), again for example: Assemble crockery and utensils, assemble ingredients, prepare equipment, make toast, fry sausages and eggs, grill bacon and tomatoes, lay table, warm plates, serve. Note that some of these activities must happen in parallel and crucially they are interdependent. That is to say, if you tried to make a fried breakfast by doing one task at a time, and one after the other, things would go wrong. Certain tasks must be started before others, and certain tasks must be completed in order for others to begin. The plates need to be warming while other activities are going on. The toast needs to be toasting while the sausages are frying, and at the same time the bacon and sausages are under the grill. The eggs need to be fried last. A Critical Path Analysis is a diagrammatical representation of what needs done and when. Timescales and costs can be applied to each activity and resource. Heres the Critical Path Analysis for making a fried breakfast: This Critical Path Analysis example below shows just a few activities over a few minutes. Normal business projects would see the analysis extending several times wider than this example, and the time line would be based on weeks or months. It is possible to use MS Excel or a similar spreadsheet to create a Critical Path Analysis, which allows financial totals and time totals to be planned and tracked. Various specialised project management software enable the same thing. Beware however of spending weeks on the intricacies of computer modelling, when in the early stages especially, a carefully hand drawn diagram which requires no computer training at all can put 90% of the thinking and structure in place. (See the details about the most incredible planning and communications tool ever invented, and available for just a tiny fraction of the price of all the alternatives.) project critical path analysis flow diagram example gantt charts Gantt Charts (commonly wrongly called gant charts) are extremely useful project management tools. The Gantt Chart is named after US engineer and consultant Henry Gantt (1861-1919) who devised the technique in the 1910s. Gantt charts are excellent models for scheduling and for budgeting, and for reporting and presenting and communicating project plans and progress easily and quickly, but as a rule Gantt Charts are not as good as a Critical Path Analysis Flow Diagram for identifying and showing interdependent factors, or for mapping a plan from and/or into all of its detailed causal or contributing elements. You can construct a Gantt Chart using MSExcel or a similar spreadsheet. Every activity has a separate line. Create a time-line for the duration of the project (the breakfast example shows minutes, but normally you would use weeks, or for very big long-term projects, months). You can colour code the time blocks to denote type of activity (for example, intense, watching brief, directly managed, delegated and left-to-run, etc.) You can schedule review and insert break points. At the end of each line you can show as many cost columns for the activities as you need. The breakfast example shows just the capital cost of the consumable items and a revenue cost for labour and fuel. A Gantt chart like this can be used to keep track of progress for each activity and how the costs are running. You can move the time blocks around to report on actuals versus planned, and to re-schedule, and to create new plan updates. Costs columns can show plan and actuals and variances, and calculate whatever to tals, averages, ratios, etc., that you need. Gantt Charts are probably the most flexible and useful of all project management tools, but remember they do not very easily or obviously show the importance and inter-dependence of related parallel activities, and they wont obviously show the necessity to complete one task before another can begin, as a Critical Path Analysis will do, so you may need both tools, especially at the planning stage, and almost certainly for large complex projects. gantt chart example A wide range of computerised systems/software now exists for project management and planning, and new methods continue to be developed. It is an area of high innovation, with lots of scope for improvement and development. I welcome suggestions of particularly good systems, especially if inexpensive or free. Many organizations develop or specify particular computerised tools, so its a good idea to seek local relevant advice and examples of best practice before deciding the best computerised project management system(s) for your own situation. Project planning tools naturally become used also for subsequent project reporting, presentations, etc., and you will make life easier for everyone if you use formats that people recognize and find familiar.

Persian Empire :: essays research papers

I am here today to talk to you about the Persian Empire. One of the reasons I chose this topic is that I am Persian myself. Another reason for me choosing this topic is that there is a large Persian community in Lower Mainland. Moving along, Persian Empire was founded around 548 BC. It was the first largest empire stretching from Atlantic Ocean, Morocco, to Indus River, India. The Persian Empire is most famous for its tolerance over other religions and races and the first people to write the Charter of Human Rights. They also invented coins, roads, postal system, and many more innovations. Furthermore, one of the best innovations, the Persian Empire invented was canal building. They built canals for various reasons: to have drinkable water, to water farms, and to dispose wastes. However, their greatest innovation came around in 525 BC. Now I ask you a question, where and when the Suez Canal was constructed? The Suez Canal lies between Middle East and Egypt and it was completed in 1869. But when European engineers were in the middle of constructing the canal they found a statue with some writing on it which said, â€Å"I, Darius the Great, King of Persia, King of Kings, King of the World, commanded my men to build a canal so that the East and West can easily trade with each other.† They constructed the canal around 525 BC but years later when the Persian Empire was gone, the climate changed therefore the canal was destroyed. This will always be remembered as the greatest innovation of Persian Empire. Moreover, their postal system was also famous because a mail could be delivered from one end of empire to the other end of empire in 12 days.

Lust Caution by Eileen Chang Essay

In the novel Lust, Caution by Eileen Chang, there are debates of the reason why Wang Jiazhi made the decision to warn Yi and to let him go, which is not only a betrayal to her mission but also a suicidal action which eventually led to her death. This action of hers involves multiple psychological origins from Wang’s childhood memory and family structure through out her experience of being a student with her peers to her subtle relationship with Yi during her spying mission. Such experiences formed significant psychological defenses within her according to the psychoanalysis of Freud. The movie Lust, Caution provides a much fuller explanation and details about what the author of book did not offer thoroughly, which is the family background of Wang Jiazhi. There is a scene in the movie that Wang is sitting in a shabby room and trying to organize her word for the wedding greetings to her father who moved oversea years ago with her little brother when she was a child. The experience of her father’s leaving at her young age leads to her fear of abandonment after she grows up, the unshakable belief that her friends and loved ones cannot be trusted. The fact that her father brought her little brother with him but left her at home creates a further belief that she is less worthy than other people and, therefore, does not deserve attention, love, or any other life’s rewards, which is called low self-esteem in the psychoanalysis. Her fear of abandonment and low self-esteem add together and form her most essential mental defense: fear of intimacy, the chronic and overpowering feeling that emotional closeness will seriously hurt or destroy her and that she can remain emotionally safe only remaining at an emotional distance from others at all times. These mental defenses of Wang appear in different areas in her personal and social life, and largely affect Wang in her processes of decision making. In Wang’s social life, the main part of the cause of her solitude does not come from her peers but rather from her prejudice to herself and hatred of her own life and identity. Within a patriotism student division, the members of the division are supposed to have an extremely strong and tight emotional bond. However, as the key factor of this operation, Wang and her view of her peers and coworkers are strangely biased and distanced. When she thinks  about them, she sees the â€Å"detestable eyes† and â€Å"meaningful smile† appear on her friends’ face. Her belief of how her friends in fact hate her and laugh at her at behind reflects on the definition of fear of abandonment in the theory of the psychoanalysis. During her spying mission, Wang’s interaction with Yi, a married â€Å"short man in his forties or fifties† according the description in the novel, revealed another psychological defense of Wang: oedipal fixation, a dysfunctional bond with a parent of the opposite sex that she does not outgrow in adulthood and that does not allow her to develop mature relationship with her peers. Despite the fact that Wang’s relationship with Yi is based on a conspiracy, Wang has certainly developed some kind of emotion that is beyond her position as a spy toward her role and her target, Mr. Yi. Although the fact that Yi is in his forties or fifties may impair his charm in many ways, for Wang the age of Yi provides her a sense of fatherhood, which has been absent from her life since she was a young girl. Also, having a love affair with a married man gives her the feeling of competing with another woman, which reflects her being influenced by her father’s marriage. Being chosen to play the role of the mistress of Yi, Wang Jiazhi not only is an extremely skilled actress, but also has putted her full passion and dedication into her character even beyond the expectation of her job. Such a strong emotional attachment to her target and her life as Wang, the character, contributed largely to her excellence at the job; however at the same time, made it very hard for her to distinguish her own life as a spy and the life as Wang Jiazhi, who lives a luxury life and has no relation with the life of her own, the life filled with confusion, self doubt, and fear of betrayal. Wang’s small actions unconsciously depict a strong sense of hatred to her own life. She hates her family, her friends, and most importantly, herself. Her life is pointless except â€Å"when she is with Yi, she finds the meaning and purpose of living.† Wang feels truly alive only when she is acting as someone else, someone who could be anyone but herself. Therefore, Wang becomes so attached to her character that has forgotten that the original intention of this mission is to end it. When she is in the jewelry store with Yi, she realizes that this is her final plot of being  Wang Jiazhi. However, she can still control her ending pose. Wang chooses to warn Yi and to release him. As the result of her decision, she dies, and the Wang Jiazhi the character leaves the stage, but the play continues without Wang Jiazhi. In this way she does not have to return to her own life which she thinks is not worth of living. She, as an actress, has devoted her life for acting and has chosen to end her life as Wang Jiazhi for her stage and her own masterpiece. Her death has no direct relation with her affection to Yi. She has lived in her art and she died for her acting.

Trumans Decision essays

Truman's Decision essays A Reason for Trumans Decision The decision made by Harry Truman to drop the atomic bomb over Hiroshima, on August 6th 1945, is one of the most controversial issues in American history. Although many Japanese soldiers and civilians died because of the decision to drop the bomb, many American soldiers were saved because of it. Many people who argue against the bombings talk about how much destruction was caused by the bomb. However it is important to look at the reason why Truman decided to drop the bomb. His decision to drop the bomb wasnt to gain victory over Japan or to only save American lives, but rather to intimidate the Soviet Union and demonstrate the power of the United States. America didnt need to drop the bomb in order to win the war over Japan. The decision to use the bomb was made by President Truman. There was never any doubt of that and despite a lot of criticism; Mr. Truman took full responsibility for his action. From the beginning of the war, the United States didnt even plan to drop the bomb. They were planning an intensified sea and air blockade and strategic air bombing. After a while, Japan was in really bad shape. Most Americans believed that they didnt even need the bomb to defeat the Japanese. Nuclear Physicist Leo Szilard said, I knew at the time, as the rest of the government knew, that Japan was essentially defeated and that we could win the war in another six months. (Print Document 6). This shows that the use for the bomb must have been for another reason than to just wipe out the Japanese people. To use such a powerful bomb even when you know that you have won the war shows a desire to gain more power. The devastating effects of bo th kinds of bombs depended essentially upon the energy released at the moment of the explosion, causing immediate fires, destructive blast pressures, and extreme local radiation exposures. ...

High School Preparation Tips for Business Majors

High School Preparation Tips for Business Majors Admission requirements at schools all over the nation are getting more and more difficult to meet. Many schools have minimum GPA requirements, prerequisites that need to be completed in preparation for college classes, and other requirements that are more stringent than ever before. The application process is also more competitive nowadays. A single school can reject more than 10,000 students during every round of applications. Business schools - even at the undergraduate level - have an application process that is even more competitive than some of the other common college majors. The best way to increase your chances of acceptance is to plan ahead. If you are still in high school and are thinking about majoring in business, there are several ways in which you can prepare. Take the Right Classes The classes you will need to take as an active business major will depend on the school and the program that you choose to attend. However, there are certain classes that are required for every business major. Preparing for these classes while you are still in high school will make everything a lot easier. It will also give you an edge over other applicants when you are trying to get admitted into a quality business program. Some of the classes you will want to take while you are in high school include: EnglishSpeech/CommunicationsMath and Accounting If your high school offers computer classes, business law classes, or any other classes that directly relate to business, you will want to take these too. Develop Leadership Skills Developing leadership skills while you are still in high school will be very beneficial when it comes time to apply to different schools. Admissions committees value business applicants who can demonstrate leadership potential. You can acquire leadership experience in school clubs, volunteer programs, and through an internship or summer job. Many business schools also value an entrepreneurial spirit. Dont be afraid to start your own business while you are still in high school.   Research Your Options If you want to be a business major, it is never too early to begin researching careers, scholarships, and schools. You will find numerous resources on this site and in other places around the web. You can also speak to your guidance counselor. Most counselors have information on hand and can help you develop a plan of action. Sometimes the best way to get accepted to college is to find a school that is the right fit for your style of learning, academic capabilities, and career aspirations. Remember, not every school is equal. They all offer a different curriculum, different opportunities, and different learning environments. Take time to find the one that works for you.

Article Critique 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Article Critique 2 - Essay Example After reading the article, one realizes how important it is to avoid drugs in the first place as according to the article, the effect of the drugs on the brain chemistry is so fast and strong, that people don’t even realize how and when the drugs take control over them and make them addicts. Hence, the best way to reduce addiction is to keep away from drugs and never to fall in the trap of ‘just one time’. Summary The article â€Å"Stress, Habits, and Drug Addiction: A Psychoneuroendocrinological Perspective†, is written with an intention of understanding how stress leads to substance abuse and addiction by affecting the brain chemistry in human beings. Psychological stress helps the human beings to face the imminent threat and adapt to the surrounding. However, excessive stress response can lead to pathological disorders as it can enhance addictive behavior in people. The authors argue that stress not only stimulates the motivation in reward system and cre ates the possibility of addiction, but also develops a risk of relapse by developing a habit of certain actions and cravings that lead to addiction and relapse. Brain imaging has shown that goal directed actions in human beings are controlled by prefrontal cortex and habitual actions are directed by dorsolateral striatum. The choice (and the action) of taking drug for the first time is in control of human beings, but once the action becomes habitual, he loses control over it and becomes an addict. That is, the action becomes involuntary and gets into the category of habitual actions. Hence, addiction is called as maladaptive form of habit process as a voluntary action of taking drugs gets transformed into an addiction. According to the authors, the first important factor of addictive behavior is the function of dopamine. A study by Packard and McGaugh (1996) has revealed that dopamine is instrumental in development of habitual behavior and strengthening the different aspects of habi t formation in human beings. This leads to second factor which is the habitual behavior in human beings. Habits can be defined as the behavior pattern in which the actions of human being persist even when the reward or goal value of that action reduces to a great extent. It takes regular and persistence efforts for a particular action to become a habit. However, a study by Miles, Everitt and Dickingson (2003) has revealed that in case of drug use, people become addicted (habitual) to drugs in very short time and the transition from controlled dosage to addiction is unusually rapid and fast. The third factor of addiction is the substance itself as it acts as strong stimuli for cause of relapse in people suffering from addiction. The fourth factor in the development of addiction is a problem or injury to the goal directed system, which is located in the prefrontal cortex. Chronic drug administration leads to the damage of prefrontal cortex. This shows that use of drugs harm the human beings in two ways. Firstly, the drug use leads to damage of prefrontal cortex and secondly, the damage, in turn, strengthens the addiction to drugs. This shows how the brain chemistry influences the addiction in behavior pattern. However, the authors have found that even stress plays a

California advocacy paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

California advocacy - Research Paper Example Legalizing marijuana would free up law-enforcement funds and manpower so they are free to tackle more urgent social issues such as gangs and violent criminals. There is precedent in other countries such as the Netherlands where, although not fully legal, use of marijuana is openly tolerated. It can be legally purchased and consumed in Amsterdam at specially licensed ‘coffee houses’ without undue risk to the general public. This fact proves that opponents claims of rampant anarchy should the drug be made legal are baseless. Available evidence in California and elsewhere proves that legalizing marijuana within the state would be beneficial to society, contribute to the welfare of the state and improve quality of life for many. A movement to make the drug legal was voted down last November in the form of Proposition 19 but was revived last month in the form of the Coalition for Cannabis Policy Reform 2012. Proposition 19 "would have allowed adults to grow and possess mariju ana and authorized cities and counties to legalize and tax sales" (Hoeffel, 2011). Proposition 19 failed by a vote of 46-54 percent last November, but may win in 2012 with larger voter turn-out due to the Presidential election and with some adjustments to the bill. Because Cannabis Policy Reform is based on the same arguments brought forward in Proposition 19, it is appropriate to examine some of the issues that were addressed by Prop 19 in examining the topic. It is important to remember in this discussion that possession of marijuana in quantities of less than an ounce is merely a civil infraction within the state rather than a criminal misdemeanor as it is in many other states after the enactment of SB 1449, signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in October of 2010. In addition, medical marijuana use and growers are also legal under state, but not federal law, following enactment of Proposition 215 in 1996 (Gieringer, 2011). This is because marijuana has proven more effective in re lieving numerous health issues than prescription drugs as is attested to by a cancer patient and former police commissioner. In addition to relieving his nausea, Jo Daly said he was â€Å"able to drastically reduce my dependence on more powerful prescription drugs that I was prescribed for pain and nausea. With the help of medical marijuana, which I ingest only occasionally and in small amounts, I no longer need the Compazine, Lorazepam, Ativan and Halcion. No combination of these medications provided adequate relief. They also caused serious side effects that I never experienced with marijuana† (1997). Proposition 19 was designed to extend the benefits of marijuana to the state and the average citizen without the need to go through the farce of obtaining a medical prescription. The provisions given under Proposition 19 would have changed things very little from where they already are today on an individual level but could have given the state numerous benefits. Individuals o ver the age of 21 would be allowed to possess and consume the drug in quantities of less than one ounce at a time in non-public places and could grow marijuana plants in a private residence with at least 25 square feet of personal space (Legislative Analyst's Office, 2009). The only difference here would be that those growing and using the drug already wouldn't need to fear being caught and