Data Collection †Business Research Essay

Introduction The experience of focus group and semi-structured interview were gained during my data collection research. I conducted one focus group and one semi-structured interviews, due to participants time limit and busy schedule I was not possible to conduct more interviews. I have designed the interview procedure including questions prepared for each interview to capture different group and individual. I have given participants consent form to sign and ask for their permission to audio tape recorder, simultaneously I was taking note. This type of interview was more suitable for my data collection research because it allowed face to face assurance and explanation of the importance, aim, and necessity of the research. I have enjoyed the interview exercise and my learning reflection about data collection process is addressed below. How well did the research instrument address the research questions and meet the goals of the study? Using focus group and semi-structured interview instruments to collect data helped keeping track of what I observed and how to analyse it. Methods of recording information gathered during focus groups and interview for collecting unbiased information have helped to gain credibility as an accurate and useful source of information collection. Focus group and semi- structured interviews were effective in communicating a desire to obtain meaningful and honest information, both instruments were well designed that helped the conversation develop in line with my research questions. I was able to use technique for collecting data as a combination of an audio tape recorder and note taking which allow me to capture all of the essential information in an unbiased manner, I was also able to capture nonverbal behaviour of group participants, i.e. reactions of other participants after a participant statement may indicate consensus or disagreement. Both instruments are valid and reliable in collecting data, and questions and observations accurately assess what I want to know. What specific advantages and disadvantages can you see from using this particular method? Semi-structured individual interviews are more efficient than focus groups and interviewers are typically able to cover more ground interviewing one person versus a group. While focus groups may actually get less information than one hour individual interview, the dynamic interchange between the group members may result in more in depth and unbiased information concerning a particular topic. A potential weakness of focus groups may occur when members do not express their personal opinions and conform to a popular opinion or agree to a particular group member. In semi-structured interview there is no significant time delay between question and answer, the interviewer and interviewee can directly react on what the other says or does. An advantage of this communication is that the answer of the interviewee is more spontaneous, without an extended reflection. But due to this type of communication, the interviewer must concentrate much more on the questions to be asked and the answers given. Especially when semi-structured interview list is used, and the interviewer has to formulate questions as a result of the interactive nature of communication. Interview also has the advantage that the interviewer can make more use of a standardisation of the situation. On the other hand this type of communication of time and place can bring with it a lot of time and costs. Social interaction in the focus group provides more free and complex answers, interviewer can ask for clarification, problems as to whether the group represents a larger population and difficult to assemble the group. What issues did you face in data collection and compilation? In my situation, I needed to obtain an appropriate permission or approval to collect information from the senior management of the company I have done my research on. I had to allow time to work through the proper channels and it was stressful process to know whether they will provide me with an approval to conduct my interviews and collect data. One of the problems encountered by me was the limited time allocated as the questionnaires were process oriented and it took time to complete some of the questionnaires while each interview was allocated 45 minutes only, in addition, the geographical location of the company was presented a difficulty as I had to travel more than 30 minutes to reach the company’s premises. I had to visit the company twice to conduct a focus group with one team and a semi-structured interview with another team manager. I believe there is no issue in data integrity or accuracy that was provided to me by the team during both interviews. However, compilation of data has been time consuming process due to documenting all notes taking as well as referring to the audio tape recorder to ensure that I haven’t missed anything out. I did not encounter any non-response or outright refusal from the participants. The response from the leaders and officials was also encouraging. How would you change the research instrument based on the data you collected? I believe the answers I have got are as good as the questions I asked, I may need to expand on my research instruments techniques and get the best answers that fit my questions, or follow formative research process that will help me think through which questions I want to ask of which people. For example, asking good questions of the wrong people or asking the right people bad questions will provide me poor and unusable results. Even if focus group and semi-structured interviews are the best method for collecting my data, I will consider changing how to do them, collecting the best data possible is to separate research instruments into smaller rounds instead of trying to get all answer for the questions at once. Later rounds can build on information from earlier rounds. For example, I would use one round of the interview to help me determine a target group, understand their roles, skills and knowledge around using systems and processes and then a second round to investigate more deeply into the group’s thoughts and feelings. What lessons have you learned about collecting data? I believe collecting data for this study or MRP research is way more stressful than other data collection I have experienced. First of all, the stakes are higher, if I don’t get it right I will continue to be in purgatory. All what I needed is to hear from my potential participants about whether they are participating in my research study. I got tons of questions from the senior management asking details of the research study and proposal. This, however, does not mean that they are going to participate in my study. So, I had to be very careful about how I answer their questions and how to interact with them. I learned to be always prepared to get tones of questions. I also had to send my participants a reminder about the date and time of the interviews and accommodate them, otherwise they will forget as they are busy people. I learned to keep my spirit high, and I needed to remind myself that things are going to be OK. I needed to continue providing information, checking in, reminding, answering questions, sending e-mails, making phone calls, and running my research study with a smile on my face. Even though I was exhausted, tried to keep my energy high, and didn’t let my participants feel the stress I felt inside. At the end, I was grateful to have each and every participant I had and enjoyed the experience with them. And finally I learned to be patient, collecting data is a slow process and I was focusing on how to achieve the big goal of interviewing participants and collecting data, while I forget to pay attention to what I achieve everyday towards getting my data collection complete. What thoughts do you have about the importance and relevance of your project based on the data collection experience? Data collected during the focus group and interview is adequate to be analysed for my process improvement project purpose and to make decisions about important issues. I will be able to present findings and analysis based on data collected from interviews and that subsequent decisions based on arguments embodied in the findings are valid. Data collection process will help my project identifying area for improvements, analysing and assessing the importance of systems and processes. Quality and type of data play a vital role in supplying objective information for the problems in process improvement project so that some analytical understanding of the problems and hence solutions can be obtained. Making decision on the basis of poor quality data is risky and may lead to disastrous results. My project requires data that is valid and reliable, and in this study data was collected using a variety of research methods, such as interview and focus group were participants debriefed to ensure interpretive validity in order to determine if data was being interpreted correctly.

Music Lyrics Do Not Promote Violence

Music Lyrics being NON-VIOLENT Rap music can be considered a style of art, and a way for the artists to express feelings through their words on paper. However, there are quite a few rap artists that get criticized for their lyrics. In my essay, I want to discuss why rappers use certain lyrics in their music and why people shouldn’t believe that it causes violence among the younger generations. People shouldn’t censor the music just because of violent, vulgar and abusive messages it promotes to the world. I believe in my own mind, that there is a reason for these types of lyrics that rap artists use and I will simply explain those reasons in this essay. Rap has been called one of the most important music forces to emerge in two decades. It’s pounding beats and staccato rhymes exploded on the streets of the urban America in the early 1980s and since have become the theme music and lyrical heart of the vibrant youth culture called hip-hop ( SIRS 1993). There are many different types of rap artist. There are some that talk about money, some talk about righteousness, and the list goes on and on. Every rap artist had their own way of expressing themselves. There are those that talk about sex, drugs, and violence who receive the negative attention( SIRS 1993). People, think this so- called gangster rap is a bad influence on children in the world and that it promotes violence and that it also is abusive to women. Delores Tucker, head of national congress of black women has been among those pressuring different record companies to stop distributing gangster rap music. There were other significant names that participated in this action. Names like Senate Majority leader Bob dole, and former education Secretary William J. Bennett(Surveys, pg. 1). There are some rap artists that have been openly criticized for their lyrics. Rappers like Lil Kim, Too Short, Snoop Doggy Dogg, and a member from â€Å"Too Live Crew,† named Luke Skywalker. These rap artists in the past have been appointed for the things they say in their music. Lil Kim talks about sex in her music, Too Short talks about drugs, sex, and how much of a pimp he is, and Luke Skywalker talks about girls and sex. The lyrics that these rap artist use in their music might not be suitable for everybody to listen to but I don’t think their music should be banned or criticized because you don’t have to listen to it if you don’t choose to. Rap music, how much influence does it really have on it’s youthful listeners? Many, from record company executives to high school students agree that it plays a critical role in the lives of many tans, affecting the way they dance, dress and speak(SIRS 1993). Personally, I feel that rap music is a form of art. I think it takes a great deal of talent to write lyrics that rap artists write, because you have to use metaphors and similes, and at the same time get your point across so the listeners can understand. I give rappers a great deal of credit because I know it took them a long time to get where their at today, and I know it takes a tremendous amount of time to write a song. It’s also true and I strongly agree with that rap artists use lyrics that reflect on their childhood and the way they grew up. That could be the reason why gangster rappers and rappers talk about sex, drugs, and violence in their music because that was what they were exposed to through out their life. Rap artists generally write about what they know because it is easier to write about things and situations that you know, and if sex, drugs and violence is what you know about, then you are going to write about situations that involve those subjects. Not just write about them in hopes to cause more violence in our world. Young rap fans caution it is wrong and simplistic to believe music can dictate their actions. Upbringing and circumstance steer a child’s behavior, they say, not a record on a turntable or a performer posturing on stage(Newsweek, 1998). There are other reasons why gangster rappers should not be criticized for their lyrics. One reason is that I would rather hear gangster rappers talk about violence on the streets than them actually going out on the streets and participate in the violence. Another reason why rappers shouldn’t be criticized is because the world was violent long before rap was invented, and it is not rap music that is making the world more violent then it is already. I strongly believe that people have the freedom of choice to listen to rap music and if you don’t like what rap artists talk about, then you do not have to listen to the music. If people didn’t have a choice that would be one thing, but as long as people have a choice to do or not to do something then they shouldn’t try to criticize it. To me, rap music is more than a strain. It is the reflection of horrible suffering, struggle and pain of the ghetto life. I feel that art reflects life, so I ask myself why aren’t the National Black leaders like Delores Tucker, more concerned about where the source of rap music exists than the work denuding these types of harsh conditions(SIRS 1993). â€Å" I think that kids know the difference between right and wrong, music and reality. They know it’s not right to go kill somebody and if there driven to that, that’s not the fault of the music,† says Jon Shecter, editor of The Source, a rap magazine(SIRS 1993). If the people throughout the world that criticize gangster rap music would begin to really care then they would try to find and fix the conditions that this art of music comes from and stop criticizing the artist. In other words, the abusive language and rise of violence found in most gangster rap songs are the reality of our present day society. Americans should be mature enough to realize that not talking about something won’t cause it to go away. People talk about the violence of gangster rap music, but look at the violence we see on television everyday, on almost every channel you turn to. Violence is everywhere, you might see or hear something violent every day of your life, whether it is on television, radio or in real life. Violence has been existing for hundreds and hundreds of years, gangster rap music hasn’t remotely made violence more intense or worse than it already is( Surveys, pg. 1). So is it then fair to pin point rap music and blame it’s lyrics on the violence happening around the world? Teen-agers, both black and Latino, say it is the driving beat that attracts them and many other young people to rap. That, and the music’s honesty(SIRS 1993). It’s not the guns and drugs that make them like the music. The rappers aren’t saying to solve a problem you must kill, they are just stating what they know. In which, ever since they were young, that violence around them always ends in a shooting or stabbing, so is it right to blame them for singing about it when really they learned it from television? Sex in rap music shouldn’t be criticized either because look at all the pornography that is in the world today. There are magazines that are being sold nearly everywhere. They have triple X rated movies that could be purchase and you could rent these kind of movies at your nearest video store(Showbiz, pg. 1). So, lyrics that talk about sex can’t hardly be no worse than the movies and magazines being sold all over the world today. When rappers talk about drugs in their songs, they could be talking about how drugs were used in their neighborhoods growing up, and maybe they had to sell drugs for a while to put food on their table( Newsweek 1998). I feel, people get confused about what the rap artist is trying to say to people. They are missing the whole point. Just because rap artists talk about drugs in their songs doesn’t mean they are actually selling the drugs or using the drugs. These rap artists are making thousands of dollars just by making records, why would they go out and sell drugs? That doesn’t make any sense. There are plenty of artists that are positive, and speak positive aspects in their music about life, like A Tribe Called Quest, the Roots, De La Soul, and many others. So for those that think that rap music has a negative effect on children, and people in the world, there are a lot of rappers that speak unity, and things that are positive about life(Showbiz, pg2). If a person could listen to some of these positive rap artists, they could learn about life. There have been plenty of times where I was in a terrible mood or I was upset about something, and I popped in a CD of a rapper, and after I was finished listening to the CD I felt much better. The words and phrases used, are words of actual life events and the positive things or outcomes of them. In conclusion, I speak in favor of gangster rap, and I don’t think people should criticize these rap artists because they are speaking the truth. Situations they’ve been in are shown through their lyrics and we need to try to find the source of the problem instead of criticizing the person speaking about the problem. Drugs, Sex, and Violence are what gangster rappers are considered to be glorifying, but drugs, sex, and violence was in effect long before rap music was even thought of and so we shouldn’t use the type of music against the type of behavior caused by teens around the world. Word Count: 1667

Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Case Analysis - Essay Example These are perceived as the depictions that have seized them, altering their psychological composition into something damaging to their wellbeing, and yet, advanced by society. For instance, it appears to be slender is an objective to a large number of females, and as Susan Bordo indicates, it is the consequence of advertisements and a public representation of females sustaining a number of roles, including that of the sexually suppressed and that of server. Generally, Hunger as Ideology highlights her significant attempt to uncover, educate, and illustrate past and current behaviors, eating habits, and social influences on both males and females. This paper is a case analysis of Susan Bordo’s Hunger as Ideology. The paper will highlight my views in support of the ideas from the article. Also, the paper will make use of three evidences of advertising and several quotes from the article to support the ideas. Bordo asserts, â€Å"Mass imagery has an unprecedented power to instruct.† This means that the capacity to broaden influence to a mass produces expected outcomes, outcomes which recommend the correct way, the only way, which is usually the most widespread influenced way. She goes on to claim, â€Å"Women with their eating disorders bring photos of ultra-thin models to their therapists†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Bordo 140). This is seen as the ideal explanation of mass produced views of ideology. The notion of utilizing magazine pictures of the ultra slim models as stimulators for contentment is the in thing, for example, the Fire and Ice advertisement which contained a questionnare aking women if they were made for Fire and Ice. In the part, Food and Love, the author illustrates how females display their affection for others by preparing dinner or baking for other people. For example, the use of the catchphrase â€Å"Nothing says ‘Cookie, I love you’ like Nestle’s Toll House Cookies Do.† is employed to emphasize this point (Bordo 159). Even though

Topical summery of the movie Moolaade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Topical summery of the movie Moolaade - Essay Example Since he was an artistic filmmaker, in his film he realized that his dream of unifying Africa was essential and it was what the political leaders had still not produced (Rapfogel & Porton, 2004, pp. 201). The film focuses on the injustice of female genital circumcision (FGC). The film shows six girls that have ran away from a purification ceremony from which four seek refuge with Colle Ardo Gallo Sy because they do not want to be circumcised and Colle had not allower her daughter to be circumcised in the past. The other two of the girls have been thought to have run away to the city. This is about the modern day village of Africa where the genital mutilation of females is rather a culture and tradition that has been coming along since many years. Colle is the hope of the girls as she refused her daughter to be drawn through the painful procedure and she creates a moolaade which is a protection place. She makes the place by putting some yarn across the compound entrance where she and her husband lives; along with his other two wives. Her hostility brings out the tension which comes out episodically to maintain the social stability. Moolaade is the French name given to the study of the social relations in the African village. According to the people of the village, she has something going on in the ancient spell which is the Moolaade. No one could harm those four girls until they were under the protection of Colle, and those who tried would suffer bad things. The spell could be broken by Colle only by saying the words that are right. However, while Colle was working on these developments, the women who were responsible for the mutilations saw her as a threat. On the other hand, the film shows that the other people from the tribe are rather worried about the changes that would affect their village life. There were many anthropological insights which suggested important facts such as man’s higher authority over women, older brothers have dominance over the y ounger ones and the first wife has higher authority over the second wife etc. These traditional factors are eroding away due to the influences. The older people of the tribe are campaigning against these influences and so they take away the radios from women to stop them from accessing to modernized ideas coming from the outside world. The women are angry and one of them says â€Å"they want to lock up our minds†. The men have tried hard but it seemed that they could not completely take away the outside influences. Many modern ideas came to the village through people like traveling salesmen. The salesman brought many modern items in the village like candies, batteries, food and sneakers. The prices of these are high and he is a womanizer as considered by many. Amasatou informs him about her marriage to the heir of the tribal throne, when she goes to pick things for her mother, who is in Paris currently but is going to be back to the village. She and her grandmother carried ou t a spending spree charging the costs to the heir of the throne that she is about to wed. Sembene has been known as the father of the African cinema and this movie was directed by him at the age of 81. At this age Sembene had all the experience and power to engage in a heroic masterpiece that he produced. He had a clear storytelling style which was presented in this film as well. The character of Colle was a heroic character which sent waves to the whole community about a never seen change. She is a strong

Orignial topic - adopting a positive or negative viewpoint Essay - 1

Orignial topic - adopting a positive or negative viewpoint - Essay Example Environmental Damage Genetically modifies foods could pose a great threat to environment. According to Revill, â€Å"The genetically-modified crops could cross-pollinate with the other plants and create super hybrids and super-weeds. They could contaminate nearby organic farms, which could then lose their organic status (2004, p.4).† It takes millions of years for an eco system to grow and stabilize. In that context, the genetically modified plants may interfere with the stability of the eco system in which they are introduced by inadvertently introducing new and unwanted traits in the natural existing strains of plants, thereby leading to hazardous and dangerous results. Risks Posed to Food Chain Many a genetically modified foods do have the ability to produce chemicals that acts as natural pesticides. Now the thing is that the natural pesticides that the genetically modified plants contain, though intended to protect them against pests, may be consumed by other beneficial in sects and animals residing in their vicinity. Not to mention these natural chemicals inherent in the genetically modified foods could threaten the existence of species that are beneficial to humanity.

Evaluating Learning Curve for Kitchen Renovation Research Paper

Evaluating Learning Curve for Kitchen Renovation - Research Paper Example The objective of incorporating learning curves technique is to avoid steep learning curves and learn kitchen remodeling skills in a small amount of time.   The cumulative average curve is used to measure the learning curve and determines the efficiency of learning in quantified format. For the kitchen renovation project of 30 square feet of space, the rate of improvement was found to be 20%, which gives the learning percent of 80 in quantifiable terms (100 - 20 = 80). Learning efficiency was significant even for the purchased parts for which the efficiency remains in the region 80%-85% (Cyr, 2007). Kitchen remodels budgeting was the critical factor in determining the magnitude of the cumulative average curve. The general contractor was hired for the budgeting portion and over $500 was spent on budgeting alone. This cost was added to the total cost and then the learning efficiency was calculated. For installing ducts and plumbing, the learning curve remained above 70%, consuming 80 hours each. On the other hand, the learning curve for rewiring and installing lights was higher than plumbing. Due to proficiency in these tasks, less labor and time was consumed which instantly increased the learning efficiency and pushed it in the range of 85%-90%. Both of these tasks (lighting and rewiring) consumed 55-60 hours each. Follow-up on orders It is extremely crucial for a project manager to follow up on its products and services. Finishing and selling the product is one part of the battle, providing assistance after selling is another part of the job and constitutes as the backbone of customer retention. For the kitchen remodeling project, there are various aspects that need following up. Maintenance of various items is the necessary part of this project. The paint and varnish on the walls take some careful supervision after applying and needs following up. Enhancement and ongoing support are very important for a good customer feedback. Electric wiring system needs a l ot of care after installing. Follow up on the electric circuit as well as kitchen appliances counts as a regular follow up for the kitchen renovation. For this project, repairing drywalls of the kitchen required maintenance and follow up with the drywall contractor. This follow-up didn’t require any additional costs. There was also some problem in kitchen cabinets, which was discovered after installing them. Immediate replacement cabinets were called for from the contractor as he was responsible for all follow-ups. Finish carpenter was an independent contractor and the services he provided were not included in the initial contract. Therefore for tasks like Trim Molding, no follow-up service was available. For maintenance of the molding, the same carpenter was hired again at additional charges to take care of the moldings. The similar case was with the Laminate flooring, as a contractor was rehired to take care of the new flooring tiles. Another item which demands attention af ter purchase and installment is the Kitchen oven. Installment and the actual price of the oven were included in the contract price but maintenance and follow up was for one year only.  Ã‚  

Simple report Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Simple report - Term Paper Example The text book was not easy to understand. I had to consult a number of sources in order to comprehend the concepts presented in the text book. Online sources like webibliography were particularly useful in clearing my ambiguities and misconceptions regarding writing. The Writing Center provides an individual with the opportunity to attend a conference online in which he/she can have one-to-one conversation with a writing expert on a piece of expository writing. I find report writing a very time consuming activity. A lot of time goes into deciding the subject of writing and brainstorming so as to acquire a whole range of ideas before the writing can actually be commenced. I find this exercise very lethargic. The process of writing was particularly difficult for me because English is not my mother tongue. It gets very hard to organize wild thoughts into a coherent argument when it is to be done in a second language. Therefore, in an attempt to improve the quality of my work, I would ask my friends to have a look at it and point out the mistakes before I forwarded the final version to the mentor for grading. In addition to that, I used to communicate with my friends in no other language but English all the time with a view to achieving fluency in speaking English and becoming confident with its use in speech and in writing. Now, that I have been through this class, I notice a lot of improvement in my writing skills. Although my current self-grading i.e. 4 and 5 out of 10 is remarkably low, yet it is much better than the scores of 1 and 2 which used to reflect my competence in writing before I took this course. I am positive that a little practice every day would drastically improve these scores. I have organized the improvements I now notice in my writing ability after this course below: I maintain the lines of communication with my colleagues so as to establish the goals of

Exam paper---read the requirement I send you carefully Essay - 3

Exam paper---read the requirement I send you carefully - Essay Example Due to increased competition in a perfect market, the bargaining power of the consumers is very high. The market trends are thus required to be followed by the companies in a market that is perfectly competitive. The price of products and services in a monopoly market is determined by the single player which also takes the government regulations into account. The products in a perfect market could not be differentiated as the products could replace each other. The products in a monopoly market could be differentiated and it is not possible to replace the products in a monopoly market. Response of a perfect market to changes in consumer demand A perfect market is a market that has the highest competition and is less concentrated. This means that the market is driven by a number of competitors which increases the level of competition for delivering products and services to the customers. The changes in the demand and its effects on the changes in price in a perfect market have been exp lained as follows. In a perfect market, the demand curve is perfectly elastic. This means that any further change in price will result in demand falling to zero (Mankiw, 2011, p.37). Thus a perfect market is represented by a horizontal demand line with the benchmark price remaining constant for the quantity demanded. ... Such an ideal condition is difficult to obtain under practical conditions. For a change in the consumer demand in a perfect market, the response of the market could be explained in the short term period as well as the long term period. In the short term period, a rise in the demand level of the products against the prevailing supply will increase the price of the products and services. The increase in demand over a short term period is represented by the green line over the dotted line. A rise in price of the products and services over the prevailing cost would provide the companies with economic profits (Hall and  Lieberman, 2007, p.108). The rise in the economic profits of the business would be supported by the revenues earned from the market. This is well supported by the economic theory of supply and demand and is explained by the graphical representation given below. â€Å"MC† and â€Å"ATC† are the marginal cost and the average respectively, â€Å"P† is t he price which exceeds the cost as a revenue driver. An example of the demand of coffee in a perfect market could be used to explain the market response. A rise in demand of coffee in the market against the prevailing supply would force the coffee firms to raise the prices which would provide them short term economic profits which are, however, not sustainable in the long run as the competition level would tend to bring down the prices very soon. The response of a perfect in the long run with the changes in demand level is explained by the graphical representation given below. With time, the number of firms in the market would increase as there in minimal barrier to entry and also in order to tap the market opportunity. Thus with the increase in supply, the demand line would

Maya Angelou Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Maya Angelou - Essay Example This paper will discuss her style of writing and highlight how she manages to inspire people with her works. Getting a basic understanding of Angelou’s life is essential in order to understand her poetry. She has explored the world of literature widely and is a writer, poet, actress, dancer, and producer. Due to her insurmountable experience in literature of different genres, she excels in presenting unique poetry (Kuhlman 12). From her autobiography, it is evident that Angelou managed to exhibit resilience despite the challenges she faced as a black woman. Her poetry highlights some aspects of her life. Background information on her life indicates that she spent her early childhood with her grandmother after her parents divorced. In her teen age, she lived with her mother. Other challenges in her life included rape and teenage pregnancy. Her life experiences ands the strength she manages to gather from the circumstances in her life inspire her poetry. Maya Angelou has an incredible style of writing that makes her stand out among many poets. Her poetry exhibits a constant use of strong language. She brings out power in her arrangement of power and ideas making her poetry highly inspirational. Angelou explores several themes in poetry, and manages to utilize the power of language in communicating with her audience. It is evident that her good command and use of language makes her poetry much more interesting. For example, in her poem ‘still rise’, there is evidence of her expertise in language use. An analysis of Angelou’s style in this poem will serve as a benchmark in getting highlights about its uniqueness. In this poem, she makes use of the usual English words to bring out an intense theme. In addition, she augments her good command of language with numerous literary devices. Angelou uses both short and long lines in her stanzas. However, she creates a rhythmic version in her

Crime Scene Reconstruction Essay Example for Free

Crime Scene Reconstruction Essay It has moved beyond a physical barrier allowing analysts to dissect the crime scene to identify evidence often missed simply walking through the traditional steps of sketching. There is now the opportunity for anyone to revisit the crime scene the next day, next week, or years from now. This is an important the crime scene leaving nothing to the Jurors imagination. According to the Department of Safety for the State of Connecticut, forensic crime scene reconstruction is the process of determining the sequence of events about what occurred during and after a crime (Department of Public Safety Scientific Services, 010). Crime scene reconstruction normally starts ideas of what happened during the crime and then moves to an analysis of the evidence at the scene. It focuses on gathering as much data and evidence to form a valid hypothesis. The hypothesis can then be subjected to various tests to prove or disprove the overall interpretation of the reconstruction. Once the reconstruction is formalized a theory can be determined in support of the reconstruction. There are three types of crime scene reconstructions. They are specific incident reconstruction, specific event reconstruction, and specific physical evidence reconstruction. Specific incident reconstruction involves reconstructing a crime scene where an accident or incident occurred. This will be needed during such incidences as traffic accidents or homicides. The purpose is to identify the types of evidence that can be associated with these incidents. Using specific event reconstruction, the sequence of events or timelines can be established. This form of reconstruction looks at how all of the pieces of the puzzle fit together. With specific event reconstruction the sequence of events can be determined. The final type of reconstruction is specific physical evidence reconstruction. This involves evidence such as blood and bullets. Through reconstruction of blood splatter, it can be determined where the shooter was standing during a homicide. It will also help identify the location of the bullet if it is exits the body of the victim. Capturing the crime scene is an important part of the crime scene reconstruction process. Typical methods include sketching the crime scene using graph paper and a pencil or taking photographs from a digital camera. Both of these methods do provide a snapshot of the crime scene for preservation but, they do not capture the scene in its entirety. A sketch will note measurements of physical evidence in their relation to the victims body or to such items as furniture and doorways. However, it is completely relying on the investigator to supply accurate measurements and identification of the physical evidence. Using 3D technology, the entire crime scene can be analyzed for accurate measurements at anytime. An advantage that 3D technology has over other methods of crime scene reconstruction is that it can preserve the crime scene in a moment in time. This is vital if the scene is in a populated area and needs to return to its natural state as soon as possible. Think about a crash scene involving two vehicles on an expressway in Los Angeles during rush hour that resulted in a fatality. The time it takes to clear the scene is a very important variable when collecting the evidence. Under these conditions, there may be evidence that goes unnoticed by an investigator that is sketching the scene. Not to mention the time that it takes to do physical measurements. Using 3D technology can allow the investigator to collect the data and have confidence that nothing will missed. In order to capture a crime scene in its entirety multiple scans of the scene must be considered. The collection of data comes from only the viewpoint of the investigator. Consider capturing the image of an automobile. If we were to stand at the front of the automobile we would not be of the automobile to in order to collect a complete image. One tool used to collect 3D images from a crime scene is a calibrated digital camera. It uses a technology called stereo photography. Standard photographs are only 2-dimensional representations of what you see. 3-dimensional photographs are taken from two perspectives. Because we have two eyes, we will need two perspectives on a scene. By forcing each eye to see only one photograph, i. e. the left eye sees the left photograph and the right eye sees the right photograph, your brain will reconstruct the depth information from the two pictures and you will see a 3D image (3dphotography, 2010). The use of calibrated digital cameras allows the viewer to see the image as it would have been seen by the individual taking the pictures. When multiple photographs are combined, a reconstruction of the scene is created. Another tool that is used to collect 3D images from a crime scene is a 3D scanner or laser. A 3D scanner is known for high-accuracy and long range. Most 3D scanners can collect data from 900 feet away. It can operate in bright sunlight or total darkness, indoors or out. The built-in digital camera allows the measured 3D data (known as a point cloud) to automatically be mapped creating a 3D rendering of the scene (3D Forensic Mapping, 2010). The 3D scanner quickly digitizes a scene using both panoramic photography and 3D laser scanning which is the process of making millions of highly accurate measurements in Just a few minutes. The result is an accurate 3D representation of he scene from which any measurement can be made, even long after the scene has been vacated. Whether using a calibrated digital camera or a 3D scanner, it is time to create a 3D model of the data. The models are assembled in 3D animation software. This is when the data that was collected at the crime scene is put into the software. In the case of the using a calibrated digital camera, each pixel is assigned a coordinate. The coordinate is made up of XYZ; where X is an Easting coordinate, Y is a Northing coordinate, and Z is the elevation. The pixels or coordinates are then lotted on a 3 dimensional grid. If we consider a sketch that is typically performed at a crime scene, it is laid out on a piece of graph paper. The investigator assigns a certain measurement between squares and then plots all the relative items of the crime scene at the respected distance. This would be considered a 2 dimensional drawing where only X Y are plotted. In a 3D plot, it includes the Z value. This gives the 3 dimensional model its depth. So, the multiple photographs taken with the calibrated digital camera are overlaid, assigned a coordinate, and modeled into a 3D image. The 3D scanner is not much different from a calibrated digital camera, although it uses an infrared laser to collect data points instead of pixels. The hardware then assigns coordinates to each data point and the software plots them. A 3D scanner can collect as many as 100,000 data points per second (Oberle, 2009). This creates a huge advantage over using digital camera which can only collect upwards of 8 million pixels with each photo (Patterson, 2010). It would only take a scanner Just over a minute to surpass a digital camera in resolution. At this point, the scene is ready for review. With the combination of photo-like images the software will allow the viewer to spin the images 360-degrees. Looking at the computer screen, you will be able to enter the crime scene as if you were actually there. This can be copied and viewed by anyone with access to the 3D software. It becomes a crime scene, the more likely evidence will not go unnoticed. When reviewing the crime scene reconstruction, measurements can be achieved right from the office. Because each data point is assigned a coordinate, the distance formula can be used to calculate distances between two points. The software includes an algorithm that can quickly calculate the distance between any points selected by the user. Therefore, determining specific physical evidence reconstruction such as blood splatter is made possible back at the office. In blood spatter evidence, the measurements will help calculate the mass of each drop from the size of its stain, and use this to calculate its maximum potential velocity. Air drag would tear apart a droplet if it travelled faster than this limit (Marks, 2010). With that information, and an angle of impact estimated from the shape of the stain, the software projects a ealistic trajectory backwards in time to locate the origin of the blood spatter.

Dystopian And Utopian Elements Film Studies Essay

Dystopian And Utopian Elements Film Studies Essay With close reference to no more than three postmodern films discuss the dystopian and utopian elements evident in their mise-en-scene. This essay will analyze Ridly Scotts Blade Runner (1982) and Alfonso Cuarons Children of Men (2006) in order to discuss dystopian elements evident in their mise-en-scene. The film begins with a panoramic view of the directors vision of Los Angeles in 2019. The night sky of the cityscape is lit an unnatural reddish hue and broken up by towering black skyscrapers and chimneys out of which sheets of flame erupt. This shot has the effect of immediately setting the scene for a post apocalyptic dystopia with the city being portrayed as demonic in the judeao- Christian tradition. At street level the sense of alienation the protagonist, Deckard, feels is reflected in the ethnic mix of his fellow Los Angelians. Hordes of Orientals throng about him. This sense of cultural alienation is compounded by witnessing Deckard struggling to order food from an oriental s treet vendor who struggles to understand what he is saying. The following scene further affirms this when a police officer arrests Deckard in order to bring him in for an assignment. The officer cant even arrest Deckard in English and the proprietor of the noodle stand has to translate for him. Another way in which the mise-en-scene conveys themes of dystopia in this sequence can be observed in the attire worn by the people in the street around Deckard. An eclectic mix of mismatched, castoff and recycled clothing is evident which seems somewhat contradictory when one considers this is also a society where space travel is normal and there is an abundance of flying cars. Continuing on this theme, the streets of Los Angeles are presented as being thoroughly dank, dirty and are perpetually strewn with refuse. Technologically advanced society where the common people still live in dirty, squalid conditions is a common trope of dystopian SF. Its function is to interrogate contemporary anxi eties regarding late capitalism and its effect on society. The mise-en-scene effectively conveys to the viewer this anxiety surrounding late capitalism and its dystopian undertones in a number of ways. The first and most symbolic way is through the opening shots of the Tyrell Corporation building: a gleaming glass and concrete pyramid reaching so far above street level as to be lit by natural sunlight: everything and everywhere else is dark and wet. Tyrell, Batty ironically observes, is the God of bio-mechanics and bio-mechanics is the citys ruling technology. Andrew Milner This immediately has the effect of emphasising the fact that it is corporate power that has shaped and moulded this apocalyptic vision of Los Angeles. Further examples of mise-en-scene which convey dystopian anxieties pertaining to late capitalism can be found in the repeated shots of enormous neon billboards which advertise various commodities, notably Coca-Cola, the product that perhaps best sums up the multinational corporate power of late capitalism. Additionally, a huge metal airship circles the city. Studded with searchlights, emblazoned with adverts and bellowing advertisements out of loud speakers it appears several times throughout the film. It could be argued that there is something inherently dystopian about such an imposing and intrusive contraption, especially during one scene where it shines its searchlights on Pris and Sebastian through the holes in the roof. Alfonso Cuarons vision of an infertile Britain in 2027 also makes effective use of mise-en-scene to convey dystopian themes. Unlike the corporation dominated future of Blade Runner, the society in which the protagonists inhabit in Children of Men is dystopian in part due to a fascistic, totalitarian British government that controls its subjects through fear and oppression. The sequence when Theo catches the train home from work (3:55) contains several elements of mise-en-scene that convey these dystopian themes. It is apparent that the Government broadcasts propaganda on public transport, in this instance its function being to warn the population about the insidious menace of illegal immigrants: Hes my dentist, shes my housekeeper, hes my cousin, they are illegal immigrants. Hiring, feeding or sheltering illegal immigrants is a crime. This is followed by a reminder to citizens that whilst the rest of the world has apparently collapsed, Only Britain soldiers on. This is command and co ntrol through fear in a classically Orwellian sense of the idea. These recordings bare a strikingly similar resemblance to the ubiquitous propaganda spouting telescreeens of 1984. Further aspects of mise-en-scene with dystopian undertones can also be identified in this scene. The train has metal grills protecting its windows, an ominous signifier of the level of crime in this society. They are quickly proven to be necessary when large group of adolescents pelt the train with rocks as it goes past. Graffiti is also used as a frequent reminder both of the level of antisocial behaviour and also the despair and nihilism that is felt in this society. Daubed on a billboard behind the group of youths is a slogan that reads Last one to die, turn out the lights. After alighting at the station, Theo walks past several armed soldiers and cages full of wailing immigrants. These cages are a sad sign of how this society has become utterly desensitized to human suffering, it is apparent that nobod y pays the people inside them the slightest bit of attention as they walk past. Throughout the film it is evident that although the narrative takes place 21 years after the films release, the technology of this future world has not improved in any significant way. This helps to convey the general trend of atrophy and stagnation that is an important theme in Children of Men. Throughout the narrative there are numerous instances where the mise-en-scene reflects this trend. For example, unlike Blade Runners rather optimistic portrayal of flying cars in 2019, British cars in 2021 appear pretty much identical to contemporary cars. If anything, they actually appear inferior, embodying perhaps a natural culmination of the modern trend for plastic, ugly Japanese manufactured cars that exist today. In certain instances it is apparent that technology has actually regressed. This is evident in the opening sequence where motorized rickshaws can be observed travelling down a street in London. In a further example of how the pace of technological advancement has in effect hal ted, the army and Homeland Security forces appear to use only contemporary weapons and hardware. It appears there have been no improvements in arms technology at all in the 21 years since the films release. For example, in the scene where Theo walks past the cages of immigrants at the tube station, the guards are armed with XM8 assault rifles weapons that were designed for the United States military in the nineties. The only minor exception to this lack of technological advancement can be found in the final battle sequence. Several soldiers in this sequence appear to be wearing some kind of HUD eyepiece device on their helmets, although this technology has been under development for some years and is not in itself particularly revolutionary. The governments control through fear and intimidation is evident in many of the scenes set in London and later in the Bexhill refugee camp. Again returning to the scene where Theo alights from the train, after walking past the cages he passes an army checkpoint complete with sniffer dogs and vehicle mounted heavy machine guns. This is reminiscent of Britain during the height of the terror alerts when Scimitar tanks and road blocks were deployed to defend airports against the threat of suicide bombers. In this sequence the fact that none of the public appears troubled by the sight of all this hardware arrayed against them is a further indication of just how routine this state of alert has become to the British people in 2021. A further example of this theme can be found in the sequence at 11:20 where Theo walks past a tower block that is being raided by security forces. The mise-en-scene in this sequence is inherently dystopian. A line of imposing riot police officers armed with trunc heons and shields denies access to the public whilst the black-suited Homeland Security forces menace the huddled occupants of the tower with assault rifles before throwing them into cages. It has already been mentioned that part of the reason for the dystopian nature of Children of Mens society is down to the totalitarian government. The mise-en-scene pertaining to the apparatus of their rule reflects this. For example, the faceless, abusive black suited government officials which appear throughout the film are a common motif in dystopian fiction. Also the vehicles the Homeland Security forces use are intimidating and authoritarian. For example, the vehicle that Sid the immigration official drives is a black, heavily armoured 44. It is also kitted out with what appears to be a remote-controlled Gatling gun mounted on the roof which swivels to track Theo as he emerges from the derelict school. All the government vehicles also appear to be equipped with loud-speakers which their occupants use to shout at the civilian population. This serves to further highlight the level of state oppression. The most powerful themes of dystopian governmental oppression are evident in the mise-en-scene during the Bexhill processing sequence. The protagonists are forced aboard a Homeland Security bus and driven past a heavy military presence outside the camps entrance. The camera angle changes to a first person perspective inside the bus looking out of one of the wire mesh covered windows. Somehow the view outside of two black Chinook helicopters flying in the opposite direction over a bleak moor manages to convey the sheer sense of hopelessness and futility of the protagonists situation and appears at the same time uniquely dystopian in nature. The mise-en-scene in the following sequence is perhaps the most useful to analyze in order to identify dystopian themes. The bus stops at a check point and search lights pierce the darkness and illuminate the busses occupants. A soldier with a large dog on a chain boards the bus and drags people off more or less at random if he doesnt like the look of them. From the activity that is visible outside it is easy to deduce that a nybody taken off the bus will be systematically stripped, beaten and shot. This scene seems to be constructed to be reminiscent of the way that Jews were treated upon entering similar camps in World War 2. A Nazi commandant would often stand at the entrance and Jews that he deemed that fit for labour would be sent off to the right whilst the once that werent would be sent off to the left and summarily shot. The Homeland Security soldiers in this scene behave in a similar fashion. The guard departs from the bus with the final remark You people fucking disgust me, uttered in such a way that there can be no doubt about their new status as beings that are less than human. A quote by Slavoj Zizek sums this scene up: And is it not that, in a strictly homologous way, the liberal warriors are so eager to fight the anti-democratic fundamentalism that they will end by flinging away freedom and democracy themselves if only they may fight terror? This is an apt quote, especially when one considers the hooded detainees in cages outside the bus which appear chillingly reminiscent of our contemporary equivalent, Guantanamo Bay, and the politics of fear that surround the Wests War on Terror. 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