Trends in Graduate Employment Opportunities

Trends in Graduate Employment Opportunities INTRODUCTION To be employed is to be at risk, to be employable is to be secure (Hawkins 1999). Today employment is no longer a form of security because of the ever changing nature of the economy, the workplace and the changing needs of employers. If graduates are to attain employment, retain their positions in the work place and move up the career ladder, they need to continuously develop themselves professionally and build on their employability skills: they need to have a plan. This report researches graduate opportunities in the Business administration/Management sector. Business administration is used as a synonym for management. Administration is often seen as paperwork and form-filing, but it reaches more widely than that to encompass the coordination of all procedures that enable a product or service to be delivered, together with keeping of records that can be checked to identify errors or opportunities for improvement. (Business Administration 2009). This sector was chosen because the researcher is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and aspires to know exactly what is needed to become employable. The researcher plans to fulfill this aspiration by first identifying key information regarding this sector in terms of: general employment trends and graduate opportunities, the employability skills organizations expect from graduates and the recruitment and selection methods used by organisations. The research methods used to accomplish the former is explained in detail in the methodology section of this report. Second, the findings of the research in terms of the employability skills are then matched against a personal analysis of the researcher and a gap analysis and career action plan formulated. Finally the report concludes with the researcher reflecting on what was learnt from the research experience and the usefulness of the career action plan for the future. OCCUPATIONAL RESEARCH This section of the report provides a factual reflection of the findings from the research conducted on graduate opportunities in the Business administration/management sector. Terms of Reference This report researches graduate opportunities in the Business administration/management sector. Through a process of factual and personal reflection it provides information on how can graduates in this field can increase their employability and marketability through personal and professional development. The report is required to show evidence of the research used for reflection. Methodology This report is based on secondary research carried out between February and March 2011. The researcher aims to gather factual up-to-date information on graduate opportunities in the Business administration/management sector in the following areas: General employment trends. Opportunities for recent graduates. The skills knowledge and experience required from graduates by employers. How graduates are recruited and selected. The researcher set out to use the case study method for research as this method allows the researcher to investigate a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident, and in which multiple sources of evidence are used (Yin, 1989). However due to difficulties faced in completing interviews with companies chosen for the case studies and the large number of incomplete questionnaires returned, the researcher had no choice but to complete the report with the use of secondary research only. Using the limited information attained would have compromised the accuracy, reliability and validity of the report. Time constraints prevented the researcher from setting up interviews with other companies and it would have been unethical for the researcher to force respondents to complete the questionnaire or to fabricate information. Thus a wide range of secondary research from academic sources were used such as journal articles, books, business databases, newspapers, jobs and career websites and general job and specialist websites. For general employment trends in this sector not only articles were used but up to date statistics as well from reliable sources (The United States Depart of Labor, Bureau of Statistics) to maintain accuracy. Information for employment opportunities were found mainly in job and career websites. The summary provided on the skills, knowledge and experience required from graduates and the recruitment and selection methods was based on online research from six organisations in different sectors ranging from large enterprises to not for profit organisations. Although company websites provided the majority of information for this section they were not the only source used. The researcher is aware of the limitations of secondary research such as inaccuracy and out of date information, however the researcher attempted to counteract this by using reliable sources such as journals and databases and sites that provided up to date information and national statistics. Main Findings This section of the report provides key information regarding the Business administration/management sector. Whether the industry is expanding or contracting is vital information for graduates as this directly affects the demand for jobs in fields within the sector. With this knowledge graduates will be able to make informed decisions, for example, to choose a career in a field that is growing and not declining. In addition, graduates will be able to reflect on their knowledge, skills and experience after gaining information on the employability skills employers are seeking, thereby providing them the opportunity for professional development in areas needed. Furthermore, being aware of the recruitment and selection practices employed by organisations allows graduates to prepare themselves to get the job they desire. General employment trends in this sector Administration and Management are extremely broad areas and graduates seeking employment in this sector can get jobs in the goods-producing industries such as manufacturing and construction or the service-providing industries such as health care, education and administrative and support services. See section 2.2.2 page 9, figure 3 for a list of graduate jobs in this sector. According to the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in goods-producing industries has declined since the 1990s. Although overall employment is expected to change little, projected growth among goods-producing industries varies considerably. See Figure 1.This is in contrast to service producing industries; the shift in the U.S. economy away from goods-producing in favor of service-providing is expected to continue. Service-providing industries are anticipated to generate approximately 14.5 million new wage and salary jobs. (United States Department of Labor 2010). See Figure 2. According to these industry trends, graduates who choose jobs in the growing service industry are expected to have a long-term career as opposed to those in goods- producing industry. Industry growth or decline will affect the demand for occupations. Thus if an industry is growing for example the health and services industry then graduates who gain employment in this industry will be able to move up the career ladder from perhaps a junior health administrator to a senior health administrator. However if the manufacturing sector is on the decline then entering this industry as a junior production manager may not be wise as the post may be short lived through retrenchment or layoffs. Statistics reveal that employment in management occupations project to grow slowly over the projection period 2008-18, increasing by 5 percent, an addition of 454,300 new jobs and office and administrative support occupations expect to grow by 8 percent, adding 1.8 million new jobs by 2018. (United states Department of Labor 2010). Another recent trend is the demand for graduates from Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs). There are an estimated 4.8 million SMEs in the United Kingdom (UK) employing 23.1 million people with a combined annual turnover of  £3000 billion. (Kewin et al 2010). Thus, graduates who do not wish to work in large corporate have an option and opportunity to work in a different atmosphere as compared to the past. Also in recent years, there has been an increased interest in employability skills by employers. A degree alone is not enough. Employers are looking for more than just technical skills and knowledge of a degree discipline. They particularly value skills such as communication, team working and problem-solving.'(Jones, D 2005). In addition, the methods used to advertise jobs are also changing. In the past, it was common for advertisements to be in newspapers, career magazines, career services under universities and spread by word of mouth. However, due to increased technology organisations are putting advertisements on employment websites and using online recruitment agencies. By the click of a button, graduates can access and explore a range on different job opportunities and career information locally and globally as well as apply online for jobs instead of the traditional way by post or hand delivery. Furthermore, there are changes in the methods used for graduate recruitment and selection. Socio economic and political changes as well as developments in information technology have all led to the introduction of new and more sophisticated methods of recruitment and selection. (Sackett Lievens 2008 cited in Brianne, M 2008). The roles employers expect graduates to perform are also changing. For example, earlier, the role of the secretary was limited to taking notes from their heads, typing and storing information. However, with the advent of technology in companies and offices, the secretary duties have extended to things that are for the professional and managerial staff. (Kartha, D 2010). Additionally, because the world is now becoming a global market place some occupations require graduates to have a second language as they will be communicating with clients worldwide, for example a sales manager or executive administrative assistants and secretaries. Graduates may have certain skills, interests and objectives, however, they need to take into consideration these industries and employment trends so they can make informed decisions regarding their career choice. The following section will now uncover the range of opportunities available to graduates. 2.3.2 Opportunities for recent graduates All organisations, large or small and across all sectors need administrators, managers and administrative support staff. Thus, graduates can get jobs in the public, private and not for profit sectors, in large corporate and in SMEs. In fact, if graduates do not want to choose the traditional graduate management route self-employment, franchising or branch management could be what they are looking for. Fig 3 shows a list of careers available in this sector. Figure 3. Source:University Career Center. KUCareerHawk.com The role graduates perform would depend on the organization they are working for in terms of the sector, the organization structure and culture and the leadership styles within the organization. For example in large organisations graduates may perform routine structured roles in a specific area of the job example finance as compared to Small and Medium sized Enterprise (SMEs) who duties may be unstructured and graduates will be involved in all aspects of the organisations work. Employers advertise graduate employment opportunities in newspapers, career magazines and through university career services. However, the most popular form of advertising today is on company and university websites, online recruitment agencies and graduate jobs and career services websites such as targetjobs.com. The next section provides information about the employability skills employers seek from graduates. 2.3.3 The skills, knowledge and experience required Leaving university with a Bachelor Arts degree in Business administration is important in attaining a job in the graduate employment market, however it is not enough. According to Carl Gilleard Chief Executive, Association of Graduate Recruiters 21st century graduates need to demonstrate to employers that they can hit the ground running. In addition to working hard to gain a good degree, students should engage in extracurricular activities and obtain work experience in order to develop skills that will make them better prepared for the world of work. It is also important for students to become self- aware and develop the confidence to market themselves effectively when the time comes to apply for jobs. (target jobs.com) Apart from the formal qualifications of a degree which was strongly desired by five of the six organisations researched employers required graduates to have at least one year experience in the field. In terms of skills, commercial awareness skills, people skills, enthusiasm and motivation and communication skills were deemed to be the most important. The section that follows provide information on recruitment and selection processes used by organisations. 2.3.4 How graduates are selected Graduate recruitment and selection is a process of searching for and obtaining potential job applicants from graduates in sufficient quantity and quality so that employers can select the most suitable candidates to fill in their job vacancies .'(Beardwell et al., 2004). In practice there is no one best way or commonly agreed procedure on how to recruit and select graduates because different employers have different recruitment and selection methods depending on their operations, size and needs. (Sackett and Lievens, 2008). According to the employers in the organisations researched they preferred to recruit graduates through online methods, example via milkround. Other methods sometimes used are recruitment brochures, recruitment fairs; this method was very popular, recruitment agencies, and to a lesser extent newspapers and magazines. The selection process has changed as organisations are not only using interviews as a means of selecting individuals. In order for individuals to display their knowledge, skills and abilities the use of assessment centers was most popular in large organisations. The smaller organisations that do not have assessment centers set up used aptitude and psychometric tests. PERSONAL REFLECTION This section of the report is based on a personal analysis which is matched against the findings of the research. A career action plan is then developed to for future use. Personal Analysis Drew and Bingham (2001) define reflection as looking back on experience and making sense of it to identify what to do in the future. The following skills were indentified after I did a personal reflection. Communication skills I enjoy working with people of all ages and backgrounds. At work I have experience in training On the Job Trainees( OJTs) via workshops and in my second year at the University of the West Indies I coached students on a weekly basis for two modules for a period of six months. I communicate with the public on a daily basis and this has enabled me to strengthen my skill in this area. Presentation Skills I have experience in giving presentations to small groups in the first two years at university as some of the modules were partly presentation based. Assignment based presentations has allowed me to develop the use of clear and concise language, good planning and organisation and good interaction with the audience. Other Skills My work experience throughout the years enabled me to gain extensive experience in the area of customer service. My first part time job in a fast food restaurant as a customer service worker has developed my team building skills. I was promoted to team leader in one year time and I was awarded for having outstanding enthusiausm and motivation skills. As a Secretary I was involved in the preparation of correspondence, reports, plans and budgets. Multitasking was a skill I learnt as a telephone operator whereby I handled six incoming lines with 40 extensions transferring calls to department heads. The position I currently hold requires me to work in a fast paced, hectic environment so I am capable of handling multiple tasks at once. I know how to prioritize job assignments, work independently and interdependently and resolve problems on my own as well as part of a team. I am very organized and detailed oriented. I am the project leader for all incoming projects because I possess good m otivation skills and organizational skills CV Covering Letter Appendix is a cover letter and CV prepared in response to a job vacancy recently advertised in the Public service sector as a Business Operations Assistant. Gap Analysis After conducting research and conducting a personal analysis I have matched all the skills needed excepting commercial awareness skills. I have plenty experience in the Administration field and I am in the process of obtaining my degree. Apart from theses knowledge skills and experience, I have hands on experience in typing but lack a formal certificate, which are often requested by organisations. Lack of education in terms of possessing a foreign language has always restricted me from taking advantage of opportunities I would like to apply for. Many times I see a job advertised and I have all the qualification and experience except the ability to speak a foreign language Career Action Plan The definition most often used for Commercial Awareness is by Christopher Stoakes in his excellent book All You Need to Know about Commercial Awareness. He states At heart, commercial awareness is about being able to talk to clients, finding out what they want, why they want it, what they will do with it and what they are prepared to pay, and then delivering it in the way they want. To do that you need to understand how organisations work, the issues they face and the role of people within them. To increase my commercial awareness skills I intend to read not only the newspaper articles but also published business magazines as well. When applying for jobs I also intend to research the company and even prepare a SWOT analysis of the company for two reasons. First to let the interviewer know that I have extensive knowledge of the company enabling me a better chance of getting the job and second, to know if the company is one I would really like to work for. Furthermore, I intend to buy the book All You Need to Know about Commercial Awareness by Christopher Stoakes it is selling on Amazon for just $24.27. I have located a business school that offers a short course on typing. The duration is 3 months part time. I intend to take this course as a next step to developing my skills. Having achieved this will better position me to apply for those jobs that require the certificate in typing. Spanish and French are two popular foreign languages, however because I live in the Caribbean Spanish is more often requested by employers. A local university offers introductory intermediate and advanced levels in Spanish courses. The total duration for all three parts is one year part time. As a part of the course the university in the final stage takes a trip to a Spanish speaking country to give students practical experience in the field in real live settings. I also intend to take this course. Appendix 3 is a summary of a career action plan I developed. CONCLUSION Having completed this exercise has made me aware of available opportunities I never knew existed in this sector. Having knowledge of the recent trends and developments and future trends in this sector will now enable me to make more informed decisions when applying for positions in the job market. Also I was not aware of commercial awareness skills until I did this report, I never even knew that a skill like this existed. Furthermore identifying my strong and weak areas gave me a sense of self fulfillment and now I know exactly what steps I had to take to develop them. Drawing up a career action plan allows me to see exactly how long it will take me to achieve my career goals and I am enthusiastic to start. I intend to continuously keep up to date with trends in the sector and always keep updating my career action plan. I am extremely happy that I did this module. It really helped me personally and professionally. REFERENCES Beardwell, I., Holden, L. and Claydon, T. (2004), Human Resource Management, 4th ed., Prentice Hall, Harlow. Business Administration (2009). Business: The Ultimate Resource [Online] Available at:http://www.credoreference.com/entry/ultimatebusiness/business_administration [Accessed: 25th March, 2011] Drew, S Bingham, R. (2001). The Student Skills Guide. Academic Skills Unit.Workshop Slides. Reflective Thinking and Writing. [Online] Available at: http://www.studynet1.herts.ac.uk/ptl/common/asu.nsf/Teaching+Documents?Openviewcount=9999restricttocategory=Workshop+Information/Workshop+Slides. [Accessed: 25th March, 2011] Hawkins, P. (1999). The Art of Building Windmills: Career Tactics for the 21st Century. Graduate into Employment Unit. Jones, D (2005). Employability uncovered. Prospects Directory. [Online] Available at: http://ww2.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/What_do_graduates_do__2005/Employability_uncovered_/p!epmjFbc . [Accessed: 25th March, 2011]. Kartha, D (2010). Secretary Duties: Responsibilities of a Secretary. [Online] Available at: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/secretary-duties-responsibilities-of-a-secretary.html. [Accessed: 24th March, 2011]. Kewin, J, Hughes, T Fletcher, T (2010). Generation Crunch: The demand for recent graduates from SMEs. Available online at: http://www.studynet1.herts.ac.uk/ptl/common/myfuture.nsf/Teaching+Documents?Openviewcount=9999restricttocategory=Exploring+career+options/SMEs. [Accessed: 15th March, 2011]. Sackett, P.R. and Lievens, F. (2008). Personnel selection. Annual Review of Psychology, Vol. 59. In Branine, M (2008).Career Development International, Vol. 13 Iss: 6, pp.497 513. [Online] Available at: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1362-0436volume=13issue=6articleid=1747607. [Accessed: 24th March, 2011]. Target Jobs.com (2011). Employability Uncovered. [Online] Available at: http://ww2.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/What_do_graduates_do__2005/Employability_uncovered_/p!epmjFbc [Accessed: 24th March, 2011]. United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (2010). Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition. [Online] Available at: http://www.bls.gov/oco/oco2003.htm. [Accessed: 25th March, 2011]. University Career Center (2010). What I can do with a bachelor Of Business Administration. [Online] Available at: http://www.KUCareerHawk.. [Accessed: 24th March, 2011]. Yin, R.K. (1989), Case Study Research: Design and Methods, 2nd edition, Sage Publications, Beverly Hills, CA. Yorke, M (2006) Employability in higher education: what it is-whatit is not. Learning and Employability Series One. Enhancing Students Employability Coordination Team. Higher Education Academy. [Online] Available at: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/resource_database/id336_employability_in_higher_education. . [Accessed: 24th March, 2011]. Bibliography. Moon, J. A. (2007) Learning journals: A handbook for reflective practice and professional development. 2nd Ed. Routledge.

The Environmental Effects of Fossil Fuels :: Environment Ecology Ecological Essays

The Environmental Effects of Fossil Fuels The situation is scary, but real. The very resources that the world relies upon for energy are also helping to destroy the world. Fossil fuels, such as petroleum, coal, and natural gas, all include some very serious environmental concerns with their essential energy usage abilities. All stages of fossil fuel use have a severe impact upon the environment, from recovery to storage and end use. Thankfully, important legislation has been put together to help to reduce and control the havoc caused by fossil fuels on the environment. But, with the enormous need for fossil fuels, it is impossible to prevent all environmental problems, especially when they are a part of each stage of usage. In recovery of fossil fuels, such as coal mining, top soil is destroyed, acidic water run-off causes orange creeks, and land subsidence occurs.[1] Petroleum drilling is a danger on land or off-shore due to gushers and accidents that are harmful to the environment. Transporting fossil fuels is also a problem, especially with petroleum, with accidents and even routine operations polluting the seas. Preparation and refining of the fossil fuels can lead to refuse or â€Å"sludge† finding a way out of coal cleaning plants, and air and water are often spoiled from petroleum refining. Gasoline leaks are always a risk during storage of petroleum, but end use might be the most disastrous of the stages. End use produces pollutants from combustion, such as sulfur and nitrogen oxide (SOX and NOX), particulate matter (ROX), and carbon monoxide (CO) and unburnt hydrocarbons (UHC).[2] These pollutants, either separately or in combination with one another, are responsible for smo g in the ozone, acid rain, and The Greenhouse Effect. In 1994, transportation was the major source of carbon monoxide emissions (77%), nitrogen oxide emissions (46%), and lead (32%). [3] A combination of sulfur and nitrogen causes acid rain which, in 1952, caused 12,000 deaths and many ill in London, England.[4] All fossil fuels being burned produce carbon dioxide, a leading cause of the Greenhouse Effect. The Greenhouse Effect is the idea that incoming solar radiation readily penetrates the glass coverings of an ordinary greenhouse, but the outgoing infrared radiation from the interior does not.

Streetcar :: essays research papers

The play centers around Blanche DuBois, who has been fired from her teaching job, and arrives unannounced at the small two-room apartment of her pregnant sister, Stella Kowalski. Stella, who lives with Stanley, her rough and domineering husband in a poor section of the French Quarter in New Orleans, welcomes her older sister. Although Blanche portrays the part of an aristocratic young woman, in actuality she is nothing more than an aging Southern belle who has come to tell her sister that she has lost everything, including their childhood home, Belle Reve. Stanley’s suspicious nature causes him to assume that Blanche is keeping money from Stella and immediately puts him at odds with her. Stanley’s nature is violent and Blanche sees him as "common" in every way, so advises her sister to strike out against him. Stanley overhears this and cannot forgive Blanche, realizing her as a threat to his marriage. The two argue about everything, causing Stella to choose be tween them. The main problem comes when Stanley unearths Blanche’s sordid past. Mitch, Stanley’s gentle friend, has gradually been seeing Blanche from the time of her arrival. As a last resort to save herself from Stanley and poverty, Blanche expresses her hopes to marry him. Blanche’s past however, is tainted due to her promiscuity and her affection for young boys. She blames this on her ex-husband, whom she found lying with another man and soon afterward killed himself. On her birthday, Stanley informs Mitch of her many affairs, causing the deterioration of their relationship and killing Blanche’s hopes for the future. This causes a scene between Stanley and Stella, and as a result, she goes into early labor. The final conflict comes when Stanley and Blanche are alone in the apartment waiting for Stella to come home from the hospital. Stanley decides to take advantage of the situation and when he expresses his intentions, Blanche tries in vain to defend herself. The scene ends with her brutal rape by Stanley.

The Ethical Research of Animal Testing

Argumentative Topics The Ethical Research of Animal Testing Name Animal testing has been a hot topic of discussion in society for many years. The debate is whether or not animal testing should be allowed. Some people believe that animal testing is wrong and that it causes undue harm to animals. Throughout the last 150 years, the practice of using animals for research has been under intense scrutiny between animal activists and researchers.Scientists insist that the experimental research they do is essential for producing effective drugs, and the animal rights activists believe that testing animals for advancements in medicine is not necessary. I believe that research using animals should continue as long as there is a reason for it to continue. Thanks to animal based research, to date millions of human lives have been saved. Animal testing is the only way to find out if vaccinations work for different diseases. We cannot just ask people off the streets to volunteer, as that would be morally and ethically wrong.At this time, scientific researchers have no alternatives for testing new drugs, as scientific computer modules can only do so much for testing. Also, the government has strong laws in place to ensure the health and welfare of test animals. As long as there is disease and sickness in the world, scientists will always be looking for the next cure and treatment options, so we will always need to have animal research. As long as the animals are treated humanely, I believe that it would be inhumane to the human race to stop animal research.Thanks to animal research, the advancements in disease control have been beneficial and should be able to continue in the future. Although animal research has saved thousands of human lives, it has remained a major controversy for several years even though scientific researchers have tried to ensure the well being of animals. Animal rights activists still deem it inhumane, even though there are strict laws forbidding the in humane treatment toward animals. Inhumane or not, thanks to the research of animals, scientists have been able to cure many diseases throughout the world, saving millions of human lives.Thanks to the advances of medical technology due to animal research, the research of animals should be able to continue. Stopping animal research would be inhumane to the human race. At this time, scientists have not come up with an alternative to testing drugs on animals. They do have computer simulators, but this technology can only do so much. It is not an advanced enough system to determine if the new medical breakthroughs will work. In the 1960’s, it was discovered that animal research had taken a dark turn, and that scientists were mistreating animals and causing unnecessary harm.Congress later passed a bill called The Laboratory Animal Welfare Act of 1966, which states that it is essential that the welfare of animals being test is the main priority. It is required that animals being tes ted are to be treated with respect and given the best treatment possible, however; realizing that they are not human. At this time, there are roughly 50 million animals in case studies in the United States, and there are protesting lobbyists that are trying to eliminate animal case studies all together. The problem today is the difference between the medical treatment of humans and the wellbeing of animals.Nowadays, people worry about the welfare of animals until they need the benefits of the medicine that is developed because of animal research. Most people only worry about animals being tested when it is convenient for them. People like to think of themselves as better than that, and animal testing being an unkind and unfavorable act of cruelty. When medical science is needed, it is then that the benefits are welcomed and testing of animals is forgotten. Most people realize that they would rather see an animal be tested on than a child or loved one.Being as it is, if an epidemic d id come to be, humans are more likely to side with humans than animals, always putting their own interests above anyone else’s. Thanks to animal research, there has been much medical advancement, such as the discoveries of treatment for polio, emboli, and insulin for diabetes. In the 1950’s, polio ravaged the American public, with its debilitating illness, but thanks to animal research a cure was found. American scientists did extensive research on animals, giving the animals that were tested the polio virus and then curing it.No harm came to the animals involved. Thanks to this research, today there is not a case of polio in the United States. Furthermore, thanks to the scientific study of animals, a treatment for diabetes was discovered by finding a way to get insulin into the cells of humans. These discoveries would not have happened if animal research did not exist, and millions of people would have died as a consequence of it. Researchers continue to find cures fo r illnesses, and further the advancement of medical technology because of animal testing.People and animals share a similar anatomy so it is easy to see why we share similar diseases, and why treatment should be tested on animals first. By testing animals first, scientists can determine if the new drug is safe for human ingestion. If animal testing were to be banned, how would we be able to find out if new medical technology works? Would we just test on willing participates and see what happens? This would never be accepted by the public or government. No one ever said eating a piece of chicken was wrong even though everyone knows the living conditions chickens endure.They live their whole lives in a little cage in a factory or on a farm until they are all dried up. Then they are killed and served up at McDonalds or Burger King, but there’s no conservancy there. The reason people eat meat is because of the many benefits of meat, with all the nutrients and vitamins to grow hea lthy and strong. We have used animals in this nature since the beginning of time to eat, keep warm, to build, and to wear. Through all these things we use animals and it is ok. We can go into the forest and shoot and kill animals for sport, but it is wrong to use them for medical purposes.In conclusion, we should show animals the respect they deserve. They have been one of the main sources of human survival since the beginning of time. We need to ensure they are treated with admiration and value. No person should ever treat an animal with disrespect or cruelty, for they are one of the reasons people are on this earth today. Animals are not things for people just to play with and disregard when they are done with them. They are creatures that deserve to be cared for, but not at the expense of the human race. Animals should have the right to thrive, grow, and live a painless life.This should be our tribute to animals for all they do for people. This does not mean that they should have the rights that people have. Regarding animal testing, it is clear that there are two sides of the story, but what side is the right side? This is a personal decision that needs to be seriously considered. The human benefits of animal research discoveries have saved the lives of millions of people, and these treatments would have never been possible without the testing of animals. References Holley, K. (Aug 2009). Animal research practices and doctoral student identity development in a scientific community. In Education Research Complete. Retrieved 26 Sept, 2012, from. http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/detail. United States Department of Agriculture. Last Retrieved (Sept 21, 2012). United States Department of Agiculture, National Agriculture Library. In undefined, Retrieved Sept 26, 2012, from http: //awic. nal. usda. gov/research-animals. Burnett, C. (March 2009). Should animals continue to be used in research Education Research Complete? In Humane Education Representative, Animals Australia Inc. Retrieved Sept 26, 2012, from. http://web. ebscohost. com/ehost/details.

Defiance and Resistance Essay

In both works The Crucible and The Bride Price by Arthur Miller and Buchi Emecheta, superstition and hysteria play key roles in destroying the morale of the Puritan and African communities. The setting in which both take place in between pre and post modernization effect the odd behavior demonstrated. In both texts, behavior different from that which is customary and accepted is interpreted as supernatural witchcraft. The fear of the unknown as well as jealousy fashion’s agitation, which in turn provokes individuals to turn on one another going against values and beliefs. In the play-write The crucible, Miller demonstrates the theme of the story which was rising over adversity, and standing for the truth even to death. Miller is displaying his interpretation of rise over adversity through John Proctor. John, in the beginning, wanted to keep distant from the trials. He did not want to associate or disregard his personal values by being part of the trials. When Elizabeth was arrested, he was forced to become part of it. He went to court first to set his wife free but after watching the proceedings, he saw that the evil was not only being done to his own wife but many others like his wife. As a result, he worked even harder to free the other innocent people, getting himself arrested. Despite this drawback, he did not give up. He had the chance to free himself if he testified against the others but he realized that this would be wrong, and even though he wanted to free himself, he would not if it meant bringing trouble upon others. He cleansed himself at the trial, standing for what he knew was right and died a righteous person. Though he stayed away from church, he became more pure than the common Puritans, dying as a martyr like the original apostles. He learned what truth meant through his suffering. In the novel, The Bride Price, Emecheta displays defiance and resistance through her protagonist, Aku-nna. In the Ibuza culture, it is not proper to marry or even associate one’s self with an â€Å"oseu†. As the story builds to a climax, so does Aku-nna’s courage build. Her courage, in turn, builds her defiance. After Aku-nna’s menstruation has become public knowledge, she refuses to eat the chicken that has been slaughtered in her honor. At this point in the story, Aku-nna registers what very well might have been her first defiant thought. â€Å"She was beginning to feel that it was unjust that she was not to be allowed a say in her own life, and she was beginning to hate her mother for being so passive about it all. † As she stands in front of Okoboshi, the young man who has kidnapped her as a potential bride, Aku-nna loudly and forcefully speaks out in an attempt to save herself. It is out of fear of not only being raped but also of being deprived of ever seeing Chike again that she finds her voice and creates a story so vile that Okoboshi leaves her alone. The vile story that she creates is a lie, but the lie represents the epitome of her defiance. She tells Okoboshi that she is not a virgin; and, furthermore, she lost her virginity to a descendant of a slave. In so doing, Aku-nna risks everything, possibly even her life. â€Å"Her uncle would surely kill her on sight but if she was forced to live with these people for long, she would soon die, for that was the intention behind all the taboos and customs. Anyone who contravened them was better dead and when you were dead, people would ask: Did we not say so? Nobody goes against the laws of the land and survives†. Although Aku-nna has made her own choice to run away from her arranged marriage and marry Chike against her parents wishes, she cannot let go of the myth that plagues her: â€Å"If a girl wishes to live long and see her children’s children, she must accept the husband chosen for her by her people†¦ if the bride price was not paid, she would never survive the birth of her first child† (168). Though Chike’s father offered to pay Aku-nna’s bride price, her uncle simply refused to accept it, and therefore cursed her to die. In the end of the story, Aku-nna dies in childbirth, and her legend is used to further reinforce the threat of grim results for women who make their own choices. These stories remind its readers of an ugly blemish on human history. It reminds one that man is not perfect, and that we can make mistakes. However, even with these mistakes, we can cleanse ourselves and purify ourselves by making what is wrong right. As in The Bride Price where Aku-nna stands for what she believes in and what she loves and John Proctor standing for what he valued, both were defiant against their setting or community. The sufferings become to the sufferer like a crucible, and one must pay the price be it a bride price or the price of life. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Miscellaneous section.

Tragic Hero: Creon or Antigone

Joachim Ogundipe English Comp 2 Tragic Hero: Antigone or Creon? In Antigone, a play written by Sophocles, the characters Creon and Antigone both fit into a few of Aristotle’s criteria. They are both choices of tragic heroes. They both are neither good nor evil in the extreme but just a man like any of us; they are both born of a better social status than most of us, and both have a tragic flaw in their characters. But even though the story is called Antigone, it is not necessary for Antigone to be the tragic hero. Other things that only Creon does that make him the tragic hero should be responsible for his downfall, the misfortune they get should be greater than what he deserves, and should also have recognition of a truth about himself. By many of Creons actions, he shows all of the characteristics of a tragic hero and fits in these descriptions perfectly. Creon fits in all of the characteristics of Aristotle’s criteria and is the tragic hero. Creon is neither good nor bad. He is not completely bad because he didn’t really want to kill Antigone. Instead, he just wanted to keep all of the laws in order to make his men follow his orders. He was just a stubborn man who wanted to show his people that he was a man of his word. Creon is the king in the play and he is definitely more powerful than the rest of the characters. Creon makes it a point to show of his pride. Self-pride is the tragic flaw Creon faces in this play. He showed so much arrogance in every decision he made. Creon insisted on punishing Antigone and would not change his mind. He is responsible for his own downfall. Even though Creon sentenced Antigone, his misfortune is way worse than hers. All he wanted was to keep his country at peace, and did not want to let people go against his laws. In conclusion, the play titled Antigone by Sophocles has Creon as the tragic hero. Creon shows all of the characteristics of a tragic hero. He is neither good nor bad in the extreme, he is in a high status than us, he receives pity through the audience, recognizes his weakness, and his downfall comes from his own self-pride. Therefore, he is definitely the tragic hero of this play.

Gang activity editorial Essays - Crime, Criminology, Gang

Gang activity editorial Essays - Crime, Criminology, Gang Today, there is a great concern about gang activity and youth violence. Every day, we can open a newspaper or turn on the evening news and see that another child or victim was killed in gang or youth related violence. Teenage crime and violence has existed for many years. Many people have become more aware of the violence committed by today's youth because of the media coverage of the viciousness of these crimes. The public is also aware of the new breed of criminal. Juvenile gangs have existed for many years. In the past, gang members fought with fists, brass knuckles and sticks. Today's gangs have better weapons, including sophisticated automatic weapons and they are prepared to use these weapons. The gangs usually come from the poorer areas of the inner cities, which was the case for even the earliest known gangs. Gangs and youth violence has always existed, but the increased interest and concern in their activities has emerged because of the increasing violence and death toll on our youth. New York City was the first city to have serious problems with gang- related activity because it was the first stop for many new immigrants entering the United States. Search of a better way of life immigrants created gangs. Even back then people joined gangs to feel a sense of safety even though it was the total opposite. Gangs attacked people who ventured into their neighborhood and attacked, robbed or pick-pocketed them and more risking their life every time. After immigrants entered the United States more youth gangs were formed. The poorer neighborhoods have became a breeding ground for these gangs. . In the 1920's there was a decrease in gang activity. Many factors contributed to the decrease in gang activity, but the main reasons were the police put many gang leaders in prison, immigration started to slow down, and opportunities for better jobs allowed recent immigrants to move out of the slums to better neighborhoods. Today, we see an increase in gang activity. Some of these gangs are still running. we are seeing violence by large groups of teenagers that have joined together, sometimes not even knowing each other and a kind of mob psychology takes over, where there is sometimes a frenzy of violence. In 1989, a sixteen year old black youth was beaten by a gang with bats in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, when he went to purchase a car. In 1986, Howard Beach, Queens, eleven white youths beat and yelled racial epithets at two black men that had entered their neighborhood. One black was beaten by the group and the other was chased onto a highway were he was struck and killed. My point is gangs are very much alive and they will do anything to get what they were taught across. One big reason why these youths get caught up in this loop is to receive a sense of power but there are other ways then joining a gang.