biotech food essays

biotech food essays This paper is about Biotechnology and its use in creating new food products. In researching this paper, I found there is a lot of information on this subject and a lot of debate on the creation of genetically altered food, medicine, crops, and more. I decided to do my paper on the genetically altered food part of the subject. I will discuss what biotechnology is, who is for it and who is against it, and what some of the ethical concerns are when it comes to growing genetically modified (GM) crops. THE FOOD BIOTECHNOLOGY DEBATE WHAT IS BIOTECHNOLOGY? Biotechnology is a broad term that applies to all living organisms. It is used for everything from microorganisms used to ferment beer to the most sophisticated forms of gene therapy. There are two categories of activities in biotechnology: the traditional methods and new scientific methods. The traditional methods are the way that farmers have been breeding their crop for centuries, cross breeding plants until finally some generation down the line is exactly the way they want it. The new methods are taking genes from different organisms and inserting them into another organism in the lab. This eliminates the waiting period to get the results they want, instead they get the exact plant they want right away. The United States government defines it as being "any technique that uses living organisms or parts of living organisms to (1) make or modify products, (2) improve plants or animals, or (3) develop microorganisms for specific uses. The purpose of biotechnology in foods is to cr eate better tasting and more nutritious foods, that have higher crop yields, and plants that are naturally protected from disease, insects, and drought. Through biotechnology scientist can develop plants with only specific beneficial traits and leave out the undesirable traits. They can change one characteristic or a few characteristics at a time with current technology. This enables them to release, for us...

Value vs. Vanity Marketing Metrics With Andy Crestodina From Orbit Media

Value vs. Vanity Marketing Metrics With Andy Crestodina From Orbit Media Marketers have unprecedented access to marketing measurables. They’re inundated with data. So, which marketing metrics matter the most? Today, we’re talking to Andy Crestodina, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Orbit Media Studios. Also, he’s the author of Content Chemistry. Andy believes that the most visible marketing metrics are usually the least useful. He identifies and ranks metrics that matter. Inverse correlation between the visibility of a metric and its importance/success Metrics correlated with business success are difficult to get and require analysis Social, Search, and Email Metrics: Easy-to-see metrics that offer low to medium importance that correlate to business success Easy to see which post gets the most traffic, but it takes analysis to calculate conversion rate from visitor to downloader/subscriber/registrant per article Critical Metrics: Revenue, margin, profit, utilization, and capacity are difficult to measure, but are critical to business success Rather than trying to get reviews, try listening to your customers to make them happy enough to give testimonials and referrals Deliberately seek out sales, revenue, invoice, leads, and other critical metrics Look at your own biases as a marketer; deeper down you go in your funnel, the more impact of each action Best ways/tools to track metrics include UTM campaign tracking codes and Google Analytics; avoid influencer marketing Links: Orbit Media Studios Content Chemistry A Guide for Content Marketing Metrics: The 37 Most (and Least) Useful Metrics SEMrush Google Analytics Garrett Moon at Content Marketing World Barry Feldman QuickBooks How To Avoid The Most Costly Mistake In Influencer Marketing With Shane Barker [AMP 115] Write and send a review to receive a care package If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Andy Crestodina: â€Å"The problem is that those super visible metricsare the ones that are the least closely connected with business success.† â€Å"We tend to overvalue things that we can easily find. The hardest-to-find stuff is where we should be focused more.† â€Å"I don’t think you should start by trying to get reviews. Start by trying to listen to your customers.† â€Å"We all have to look for our own biases as marketers. The deeper down you go in your funnel, the more impact each action has.†

Prospectus Regulation is it a Misleading Tool for Investors Essay

Prospectus Regulation is it a Misleading Tool for Investors - Essay Example H) RECOMMENDATION BY ESME REPORT 2. I) FUTURE CHANGES 4. CONCLUSION 5. REFERENCES 1) INTRODUCTION 1) A. PROSPECTUS REGULATION -2005 Prospectus regulation1 came into effect from 1st July 2005 based on Section 2(2) of European Communities Act 1972 in relation to issuing of prospectus offering transferable securities to public through listing of securities / shares in the respective stock exchanges of the home country (Legislative.gov.uk, 2005). Only an approved prospectus can be offered to the public. The Prospectus Directive (PD) is required to be reviewed every 5 years by the European Commission (Lannoo, 2007). On 25th January 2011, the PD was reviewed and amendments were submitted which was approved. This is the first review that has taken place since the Prospectus Regulation came into effect since 2011. 1) B. EXEMPTIONS AND CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL Securities are exempted from offer to public if – The offer is made to Qualified Investors only The offer is made to less than 100 investors other that the qualified investors Minimum consideration per investor should be at least 50,000 Euros. The transferable securities are denominated in amounts of 50,000 Euros The total consideration should not exceed 100,000 Euros. The prospectus shall be approved only if the following criteria is strictly met by the companies which includes- UK will be the home state where the transferable securities are to be listed The prospectus contains all information related to assets and liabilities, financial statements, the rights of transferable securities. The prospectus needs to be submitted in comprehensible format, non-technical language and also includes a summary, and risk factors. 1) C. SUPPLEMENTORY PROSPECTUS Supplementary prospectus is one which includes significant new factors, corrections due to material mistakes or omissions relating to information included in the prospectus approved by the authority. 1) D. PASSPORTING A prospectus which is approved by another state outside UK where the company is going for issue of transferable securities after getting necessary approval from competent authority. Here the competent authority has to provide with the following documents for approval – certificate of approval, copy of prospectus and translation of summary of specified prospectus. 1. A prospectus can be published only with some types of securities that are either offered to the public or are requested for admission on a regulated market (Legislative.gov.uk, 2005) 1) E. SUSPENSION OF TRADING AND OFFER TO PUBLIC If the competent authority feels that a particular provision has been infringed then it has the power to suspend issue of securities / advertisement of offer for a period not exceeding 10 working days. The aforesaid authority also has the power to require the offeror to with draw the offer of issue to public in case of breach of regulations. Similarly, after listing of shares on respective bourses, if the competent authority finds in fringement of provision, then it can inform the market operator to suspend trading in the stock for 10 working days or even in that matter prohibit public from trading in the securities till further notice. 1) F. INVESTOR RIGHTS An investor who has agreed to subscribe for shares in circumstances where the final offer price is not mentioned in the prospectus, then the investor can withdraw his acceptance before the withdrawal period which begins at investors acceptance and ends the second day after the competent aut

Race and Whiteness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Race and Whiteness - Essay Example From the discusses it is clear that a concept of whiteness is based on custom and tradition, but it greatly undermines social and scientific principles of race. Racism is a representation of a historical evolution and there is a great degree of the inferiority of an â€Å"other† â€Å"race†. Racial practices are usually degrading and representatives of ethnic minorities are afflicted by negative practices of racism. There are many factors influencing deepening of discrimination practices, such as customs, traditions, social and political factors and even law. Racism by intent in the run of time transformed different cultures and social practices and underlined the superiority of white ethnic groups. This paper stresses that the social construct of race and whiteness are considered in relation to Brazilians and Asian Americans. From the very beginning, Brazilians differed from native inhabitants by skin color and were often referred to as browns or blacks. Race classification on the basis of the skin color differed greatly from color of race. Starting from 2000 in Brazil there was a lot of complaints concerning discard of color of skin and there was a need to introduce numerous social and political changes in order to constrict social gap between native inhabitants and ethnic minorities. There are evident controversies between â€Å"ideological† and â€Å"scientific" positions and representations of race.

Health promotion Essay Example for Free

Health promotion Essay Diversity among individuals, as well as cultures, provides a challenge for nurses when it comes to delivering meaningful health promotion and illness prevention-based education. How do teaching principles, varied learning styles (for both nurses and patients), and teaching methodologies impact the approach to education? How do health care providers overcome differing points of view regarding health promotion and disease prevention? Provide an exampleAccess to health care to obtain a complete physical examination before starting to exercise and the quality of the work or neighborhood environment available for exercise can contribute to success or failure of this objective. This objective is related to other objectives such as nutrition, obesity, and stroke prevention. Additionally, current knowledge about physical activity and specific populations was considered when creating the Healthy People 2020 objectives. Women, low-income populations, Black and Hispanic people, people with disabilities, and those older than age 75 exercise less than do White men with moderate-to-high incomes (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). These health disparities can influence the number of people in these groups who develop high cholesterol or high blood pressure measurements, which further increases their risk of heart disease and stroke. Although this objective addresses adults, other objectives address the need for beginning exercise activities at an early age and encouraging young adults to be actively engaged in exercise. How might this objective be adjusted to the needs of an older adult population? (Edelman 7) Edelman, Carole, Elizabeth Kudzma, Carol Mandle. Health Promotion Throughout the Life Span, 8th Edition. Mosby, 2014. VitalBook file.

My Goals - I Want to Get Back What I Once Had Essay -- strength flexib

My Goals - I Want to Get Back What I Once Had Physically I've always had my ups and downs. I suppose it all depends on what's going on in my life that would allow adequate amounts of physical activity. Most of my physical activities are done in the summer and the least amount is done in the winter. That's not to say that I don't get a little here and there all the time. Most of my cardiovascular fitness is done in the summer, whereas any other exercise I might have is done mostly other parts of the year. Currently I don?t have many strengths as opposed to weaknesses as far as physical fitness is concerned because I haven't been active very much since high school. You could say I?ve been pretty lazy. If I were to say that I still had any strengths left, they would be anything having to do with anaerobic exercise. Perhaps such things as lifting weights for a short period of time I may still be able to do pretty well, but as for running a mile or so, I don?t think I'd be able to do it as well as I used to.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My activity background isn?t very extensive other than a required physical education class throughout grade school. However in middle school I played on a soccer team recreationally for a year or two. In high school I really started to become aware of my physical condition and myself. I began to get tired easily and my muscles always hurt. I was horribly out of shape. So in ninth grade I decided to joint the wrestling team. And every winter form ninth to twelfth gra...

urfews are popular

Youth curfews are popular. In poll after poll, Americans support laws that restrict teenagers' activities during certain hours of the day and night. Youth curfews are also logical. If youngsters are getting into trouble, it makes sense to get them off the streets. Yes because most crimes are usually committed at night.. teens can be used as an easier target for adult predators.. less people to witness things at night Why Curfews Are a Good Thing Kids certainly need their freedom, but how much freedom?Some parents today are so worried about being friends with their kids that they forget hese young folks need guidance and structure in order to survive on their own later in life. There is nothing wrong with setting a curfew for a teen under the age of 18. The overarching goal of a curfew is protection, both of the teens as well as the community itself. According to youthright. org curfews are very effective in protecting minors from hazards such as, â€Å"drunk drivers, drug dealers an d stalkers/rapists that scuffle around the streets at night. Obviously a curfew won't keep a teenager out of trouble during the day time, but that is not their purpose. Curfews for minors play a big role in keeping them out of situations that can lead to them getting into trouble. Teens should have curfews because teenagers get into more trouble without them. Research shows that 59% of teens get in trouble at night rather than during the day. That's more than half, teens will be better having a curfew and not getting in trouble at night. Not only so, but also most teens get into car accidents late at night.There is one chief danger on the road that curfews aim to protect teenagers from and that is drunk drivers. There are thousands of accidents every year involving drunk drivers. It is best that we keep our young and inexperienced drivers off the road during this dangerous time of night. Essentially, with a curfew they won't be out on the roads late at night and they will get into l ess car accidents. Curfews help keep both teens and adults safe. It can be unsafe having teens roaming around without an adult after certain hours.Curfews would keep kids off the streets late at night. If they are home, and not out on the streets, there isn't the temptation to do something risky that will et them into trouble. Also if teens are at home they are safe from the very dangerous threats of drug dealers, talkers, and rapists. This is a very real threat because the naive youth of today are often the targets of these criminals in todays society. Having a curfew in place would significantly cut down on the chances of this happening.Keeping our children safely asleep at home. With curfews in place, the lifespan for our teens would increase. Teens should have curfews because teenagers seem to get into more trouble without them. If they are with friends then they may be empted to do things that are not okay. In the nighttime, it is more likely for teens to go out and cause troub le, or make trouble for themselves. In a group of cities that took a poll, over half agree that a curfew is a good idea and that it is effective if it is followed.The curfew helps keep teens out of trouble because they cannot be out causing trouble for others or themselves. Without a curfew, there would be many more case of crimes involving teens. Keeping kids off the streets would cut down on crimes such as vandalism and destruction ot prope Even though curtews can be ard to enforce, it is important that police officers make sure they are followed. Ninety Percent out of a group of cities interviewed agreed that police officers should enforce curfews.If they do not, the curfew will not be followed and teens can be out at whatever time they want. Having teens out at night can sometime be a bad thing because of the dangers they are susceptible to and the trouble they can more easily get into during the night time. Keeping teens at home during the night can help stop any trouble that i s caused mostly during the night. Although it is sometimes hard for olice officers to make sure curfews are followed, it helps make their Job much easier. Without teens being out at night, not as much trouble is caused.Late night parties are not as much of a worry to police officers or parents of teens. These parties cannot start if teens have a curfew to follow. Ninety three percent of cites interviewed agreed that curfews help stop these kinds of parties from starting. In conclusion more than half of the crimes committed by teenagers take place at night, so curfews would also help cut down on the overall likelihood of teenagers committing crimes. Curfews would also protect others from the dangerous things that teen do at night.Most importantly curfews contribute greatly to keeping teens safe from criminals such as drunk drivers, rapists, and kidnappers. A curfew is, in my mind, the best way for a parent and teen to build trust. The more the teen fallows the curfew the later or mor e lenient the curfew will become. In a good relationship the curfew soon is done away with because the parents know and trust that their child will be safe and know when to come home and when it is the right time to leave said party or friends house.When it comes to rebellious acts and the lot if the parents start early with the curfew then it will become more habitual for the teen. The only really troubling aspect of this is the friends of the teen. If they have a later curfew the teen will be torn between their friends and their parents. The best way to stop this is to ask why the teen what some of their friends have for curfews and negotiate and later time. This makes the teen see the parents and curfew in a more positive light and the parents now know that their teen will be home for sure.

Dimensions of brand personality or characteristics Essay

As shown in the figure above, the dimensions of brand characteristics include sincerity, competence, excitement, ruggedness and sophistication of the products or services. In this regard, the dimensions can be sued for operationalising the dimensions of the characteristics of the brand structure. Different studies have shown that the characteristic of a specific brand reveals their best characteristic that outperforms their rival brands (Kapferer, 1997). The distinctive brand characteristic provides the brand the ability to be exploited as a channel for self-expression, self-appraisals and self-definition for clients (Karande, Zinkhan & Lum, 1997). In addition, brand characteristic is a context linked with the multidimensional image of a specific brand (Keller, 1993). These imply that the characteristic of the brand will lead to brand image. The brand personality dimensions can be sued evaluate or measure various brand images. It is noted that the brand personality dimension is a well researched context to determine whether the brands is strong and effective (Austin et al, 2003, Phau & Lau, 2000). The most direct and simplest manner which has been recommended in measuring the strength and effectiveness of the brand image is to solicit responses to different questions which pertains to a specific human traits (Keller, 2003). As mentioned above, one of the questions that should be answered in this paper is to determine the characteristics of a strong and effective brand. Different scholars have been able to establish some points to distinguish strong and effective brands. It can be said that a specific brand is strong and effective if such brand have the ability to influence the consumer purchase behaviour. According to Keller (1993), a brand is strong and effective if it has a significant impact on the purchase behaviour and decision making of the target market. In addition, strong brand is a brand which has the ability to retain on the memory and consciousness of the clients associated with their purchasing decision making. Based on the brand concept of a target market, Dobni (1990) regarded brand image as the subjective consciousness phenomenon. Dobni (1990) have realized that it is not easy to understand how brand can retain on the memory and consciousness of the consumer but brand which has a strong image is forming through the reason and perceptual connotation of the consumer. Furthermore, since the image of the brand does not physically exist in the products as well as in the entity, it is mentioned that a strong and effective brand has the ability to influenced and meld by its brand’s declaration of specialties of their content and by the individuals who accept the image throughout the purchase process. Hence, it is more essential consider the image of the brand than the consciousness appeared of fact to know whether the brand is strong and effective. In the explanation made by Aaker (1991), he mentioned that the brand is typically linked with the company in a meaningful manners and its strength and effectiveness is reflected to different attitude of characteristics include the performance of the product, compare price, the interests of the customers, the behaviour of the clients, famous person/s, personality and life style, their competitors, product category, and others. Each of these characteristics has a different degree of intensity to influence the strengths and effectiveness of the brand image. In addition, it can also be noted that strength and effectiveness of brand image of the products or services offered by the company can also bee attributed with the associated brand name to ensure that the clients will purchase the products or services. The characteristics of a strong and effective brand can be divided to flexibility of the materials, the tangible and intangible feelings of the consumer and others. A strong and effective brand is also considered as the one which has the ability to determine the products and services taken on their brands. It can be said that one of the characteristics of a strong and effective brand has the ability to appeal to its target market, and has the ability to become memorable among customers. Furthermore, a strong and effective brand also offers a unique image which separates it from other competing products or services. It can be noted that a company with a strong brand enables a specific service or product to distinguish itself from its rivals. From the study conducted in which 101 companies have been surveyed, the participants of the study revealed that having a strong and effective brand are indeed important to the success of the company and products, specifically new launches (Kohli & McBahn 1997). In addition, it is said that strong and effective brand has the ability to make statements to other audience. Having a strong and effective brand enables the company to have a short-hand communication of what the organisation is and what it offers. Strong and effective brand create social acceptance and instant mutual recognition among their clients. By having a strong and effective brand image, organisations can have the ability to relay to relay to the clients their intended market expression for the products or services they offer. Most likely, target market tends to buy strong and quality or effective branded products and as time go by, this branding change use-value with image value. Furthermore, it can be said that the key component of a strong brand is based on the initiation of an integrated approach in which industries are able to convey what they can offer relative to the competition, do what they are offering to the market and confirm it through consistent practice (Cai & Hobson, 2004). Accordingly, having a strong and effective brand and image to attain competitive advantage in the global market and to sustain its strengths and effectiveness, the management of the company must be able to give value to the capabilities of the brand (Nguyen and LeBlanc (2001). In an organisation, having a strong brand is attributed to having quality products or services. In this regard, the company must be able to provide a pleasant experience for target market to establish a strong and competitive brand image which may lead to their competitive advantage. It is said that the strength of the brand can be established once the company is able to consistently provide the target market quality products and services. In a study conducted by Kim, Kim, and An (2003), they have stressed that a strong and effective brand image has the ability to meet the specific needs of the consumer and achieved consumer-based brand equity. Strong and effective brand image has the ability to influence the development of customer base of each of the company as well as the consequent enhancement in brand’s financial performance. One of the significant characteristics of a strong brand has the ability to meet the viewpoint of the clients. Furthermore, a strong brand and effective brand has the ability to convey and update their information on the current trends in market demand and has the ability to formulate a strategy to sustain its strengths and effectiveness through customer satisfaction. Strong brand has the ability to provide total customer satisfaction which was developed within the company from knowing that most of the target markets are trying to find products which have been used by other people based on its name alone. Another characteristic of a strong and effective brand is its ability to reach the feelings that clients and other establishments have about the company with regards to the evaluation and assessment of other competing brands. In doing so, the management or the company handling the brands must be able to reach the clients through marketing activities like advertising and promotions. Having a strong and effective image means that the brand has the ability to maintain and sustain their competitive advantage. These brands has the ability to maintain such image in the marketplace since a negative change for a brand name may decrease in target market and consequently of revenue. It is said that it takes twice as hard to rebuild a good and effective brand image rather than initially building it.

Free Essays on Competitive Advantage

Competitive edge is defined as how effectively an organization meets the needs of customers relative to others that offer similar goods or services. There many companies in the United States that have this competitive edge in their industry. Their competitive edge causes growth in many key aspects within the business. These are return on investment, better service to their employees and customers, paying of debt, and increased market share. There are many ways a company can have a competitive edge. These are price, quality, flexibility, time, service, employees, and product or service differentiation. A few of these companies are Dell Computer Corporation, United Parcel Service (UPS), and Wal-Mart. These companies have strengths in one or more of the competitive advantages listed above. The competitive advantages listed can be defined as the following. The most common way to have a competitive price is to make the cost low to customers. Most customers will look for the lowest price i n the market. The main reason for customers wanting lowest price is to save money. By having a customer save money they are more likely to invest in the products or services offered by the company. Quality is defined as how well the product or service serves it purpose. Many customers will not continue to buy a product or service that breaks repeatedly, does not last longer or cannot perform the task that is needed to be done. A company’s ability to recognize and adapt to changes in the economy, trends of the market or other market facts is related to how flexible the company is. If the demand of a specific type of product or services increase or decreased in a certain market and the company cannot meet the required about need by customers then another company in the industry it will lose its competitive edge. Time refers to many operations that go on within the business. These operations are defined as the ability for the organization to deliver its produ... Free Essays on Competitive Advantage Free Essays on Competitive Advantage Competitive edge is defined as how effectively an organization meets the needs of customers relative to others that offer similar goods or services. There many companies in the United States that have this competitive edge in their industry. Their competitive edge causes growth in many key aspects within the business. These are return on investment, better service to their employees and customers, paying of debt, and increased market share. There are many ways a company can have a competitive edge. These are price, quality, flexibility, time, service, employees, and product or service differentiation. A few of these companies are Dell Computer Corporation, United Parcel Service (UPS), and Wal-Mart. These companies have strengths in one or more of the competitive advantages listed above. The competitive advantages listed can be defined as the following. The most common way to have a competitive price is to make the cost low to customers. Most customers will look for the lowest price i n the market. The main reason for customers wanting lowest price is to save money. By having a customer save money they are more likely to invest in the products or services offered by the company. Quality is defined as how well the product or service serves it purpose. Many customers will not continue to buy a product or service that breaks repeatedly, does not last longer or cannot perform the task that is needed to be done. A company’s ability to recognize and adapt to changes in the economy, trends of the market or other market facts is related to how flexible the company is. If the demand of a specific type of product or services increase or decreased in a certain market and the company cannot meet the required about need by customers then another company in the industry it will lose its competitive edge. Time refers to many operations that go on within the business. These operations are defined as the ability for the organization to deliver its produ...

6 Neuroscience Hacks to Beat Writers Block - Freewrite Store

6 Neuroscience Hacks to Beat Writers Block - Freewrite Store The page is blank and the cursor is blinking at you accusingly. You’ve been sitting at your computer for an hour and you’ve written a sum total of nothing. It’s not that you don’t want to write – it’s that you can’t. The words that yesterday flowed so easily have disappeared into the ether – and you’re wondering despairingly if they’re ever going to return. Most (if not all) writers are familiar with this scenario. The dreaded writer’s block – that, for me at least, usually turns up when there’s an important deadline looming. Recently, however, I got into an argument with a friend – another writer – who insisted that writer’s block doesn’t exist. Writer’s block, he said, was all in my mind. He’s not the first to suggest that idea. I headed straight to Google to find out what others have to say about it (hoping to be able to present my friend with proof that I was right and he was wrong). Instead, I stumbled across some fascinating research from the world of neuropsychology and neuroscience. It turns out that writer’s block is just in my head – but not in the way that my friend was suggesting. The Neuropsychology of Writer’s Block Neuropsychology is a complex field that combines psychological understandings of the mind with a more physiological investigation of the way that the brain works. For example, neuropsychology might look at what neurons are firing when we experience certain feelings, or what the parts of the brain that are active during specific experiences or actions. So, what does neuropsychology have to say about writer’s block? Neurologists, psychologists, neuropsychologists and neuroscientists have been studying and debating for decades why things like writer’s block occur. While some psychologists will conclude that writer’s block is more of an excuse than a phenomenon, there have been studies that have set out to demonstrate that there’s neuropsychological evidence for the reality of writer’s block. Executive Dysfunction Neuropsychologists Elkhonon Goldberg and Russell Barkley have both investigated a set of complex mental functions that happen in (or are controlled by) the pre-frontal cortex known as ‘executive functions’. It is these executive functions that allow us to do things like plan, organize, prioritize, self-monitor, initiate and sustain certain behaviors as we pursue goals. When there’s disruption to executive functions, we enter a state Russell Barkley has called ‘executive dysfunction’. A sign of executive dysfunction is an inability to stop ourselves from doing something that’s preventing us from achieving a goal-focused activity. A prime example of this is when you’ve set yourself a goal of writing a blog post but spend the time set aside for writing watching videos of dogs on YouTube. When writers are experiencing writer’s block, then, it’s a form of executive dysfunction. Certainly, there are problems with executive functions when you feel that your creativity is blocked. These problems can include: Difficulties with getting started (initiation) Distraction Trouble prioritizing Struggling to pace ourselves Emotional Roots Another key neuropsychological view of writer’s block came from Gene Parret. His theory is that not only is writer’s block a genuine malady, but it is also rooted in underlying fears. Neuroscience backs up this idea. Everything that we do is the result of neurons firing in our brains – and strong emotions, such as fear, can have a profound effect on neuron functions. Parret’s view is that the way that we perceive our writing abilities plays a huge role in our experience of writer’s block. For example, if you have a negative mindset (such as thinking that no one will want to read what you’re writing) and sit down to write, the negativity will impact on your neuron pathways and cause difficulties with the writing process. The Psychology of Writing Ronald Kellogg is the author of ‘The Psychology of Writing’ and he has highlighted the way that certain environments, schedules and rituals can either increase or inhibit writing processes. There’s a neuropsychological link with this, as it’s been shown that neural pathways can be activated by associations with places, times of day, and so on. Circadian Rhythm Rules There are links, too, with the circadian rhythms (otherwise known as the sleep-wake cycle). For example, many writers find that their creative juices flow better at certain times of day. This is another area that has been backed up by neuroscience – albeit in studies done with mice. Neuroscientific studies have revealed that circadian rhythms aren’t just about when we’re awake and when we’re asleep. There are also times of the day that are better suited to different types of tasks. To make this more complicated, everyone’s circadian rhythm for specific tasks is different, so there are no rules when it comes to the specific times when you should be doing something. What the circadian rhythm studies have shown, though, is that if you don’t understand your own circadian rhythms, you could find yourself trying to write when your brain is better optimized for research (knowledge-processing). There are different neural processes involved in creativity (such as writing) compared with more structured tasks (such as research), so when you experience writer’s block, it could actually be that you’re trying to be creative when your brain wants to be learning. Interestingly, we’re notoriously bad at correctly understanding our own circadian rhythm, too. Some research has proved that self-proclaimed ‘morning-people’ are actually more productive in the evening, and those who call themselves ‘night-owls’ are more productive during the morning. Could beating writer’s block be as simple as better understanding your circadian rhythm? Using Neuropsychology to Combat Writer’s Block Now that we’ve taken a quick tour through some of the complexities of neuropsychology, it’s time to get practical. How can you use neuropsychology to combat writer’s block? There are actually a number of techniques you can use that have their roots in neuropsychological thinking. 1.  Cognitive Cueing Cognitive cueing is based on Kellogg’s understanding of how certain places can impact on the efficiency of certain processes. It’s not an immediate fix, as it takes time to establish cognitive cues, but it’s a technique that’s been shown to help break the cycle of writer’s block. With cognitive cueing, you need to create a specific space that is only used for writing. It will only be effective if that space is exclusively for writing – if you use it for anything else, the cognitive cues won’t work. Your brain will come to associate the space with the act of writing, and the neural pathways that are formed will kick-start the writing process when you return to the space to write. 2.  Circadian Self-Reflection Since our circadian rhythms have such a big impact on our ability to perform specific tasks, it makes sense that another means of beating writer’s block lies in understanding the times of day that are most suited to writing. It’s different for everyone, so the only way to figure out the times of day that are suited to research and those that are better suited for creativity is through self-reflection. Keep a journal or notes about your daily activities and reflect on how easy (or difficult) the different types of tasks seemed. Vary the times of day that you complete tasks so that you can begin to see patterns. When you understand your circadian rhythm, you can focus your writing activities at the most creative times of day, and reduce your risk of writer’s block. 3.  Incubate Your Creativity Incubation of ideas is a neuropsychological principle that’s been tested on mice. It’s based on the idea that when you work on a task (or learn a skill) and then take a break or begin a different task, the neural pathways involved in the original task or skill remain active. RELATED: Writing Habits to Jumpstart Your Creativity Applying this to writer’s block, if you find that you’re struggling to get the words onto the page (or screen), then taking a break and doing something else – going for a walk, reading a book, and so on – can allow ideas to incubate, since the neural pathways that related to your writing task will stay active. Writers regularly report that their best ideas come when they’re doing something completely unrelated, so it’s worth trying incubation to beat writer’s block. 4.  Motivational Methods In neuropsychology, there are different types of motivation that have been identified, and people tend to have one or the other. These are known as ‘approach motivation’ and ‘avoidance motivation’. ‘Approach motivated’ people are optimistic about what they can achieve, and positively motivated to complete tasks. ‘Avoidance motivated’ people, by contrast, are negative and motivated by a fear of failure. Neuroscience shows that changes in neuronal activity can be affected by perceived outcomes – so what we think will be the result impacts on our performance. If we start writing worried that no one will want to read what we’re writing, this perceived outcome will negatively impact our neurons, and the writing task will become more difficult. RELATED:  55 Motivational Writing Quotes from Famous Authors The solution to this problem is to change our motivational type and use approach motivation. To do this, we focus on positive outcomes and set easily attainable goals that will reinforce the positivity. The more we attain these ‘easy’ goals, the better the impact on our neurons, and the less likely we are to experience writer’s block. 5.  Background Noise I was skeptical about this technique – until I tried it myself. Apparently, studies have shown that writers are often more productive in coffee shops or other similar environments where others are being productive. This has something to do with background noise – and there are now apps that will actually replicate the ambient noise of a coffee shop for writers who aren’t able to physically go out and sit in a coffee shop to write when they’re feeling blocked. Different types of background noise can either positively or negatively affect our creativity and productivity, so it’s important to note that you need to find the kind of background noise that works for you. Some people, for example, are more sensitive to noise, so a very busy coffee shop could have a negative impact on their ability to write, but a quieter shop could help to combat writer’s block. 6.  Unplug and Reset In the modern world, it sometimes feels like we’re slaves to our technological devices. Smartphones, tablets, and laptops keep us constantly connected to emails, social media, online videos and other distractions – which can be bad news if you’re already prone to experiencing writer’s block. There are a range of psychological benefits to unplugging from technology for a while. Unplugging can help when you’re feeling depressed and anxious or overwhelmed in any way. It can also help with writer’s block, by removing distractions and allowing you the opportunity to reset and get back in touch with your creativity. If you’re used to writing on a laptop or desktop computer, switching off all your technology can help unblock you when you feel like your creativity has dried up. The abundance of distractions on the internet can make it impossible to focus on anything and get into a rhythm.   It’s a simple technique that increases your ability to focus and helps get those creative juices flowing again. While you could abandon technology completely and go back to the basics with pen/paper, most of us can type much faster than we write.   Plus, re-transcribing handwritten notes to the computer is extremely tedious. Luckily, there is a way to unplug but still reap the benefits of technology: Freewrite’s distraction-free writing devices. With a typewriter-like feel and automatic syncing to the cloud, you can get writing again quickly. Find out more about the range of available devices here. A Treatment Plan for Writer’s Block Neuropsychology shows us that there’s scientific evidence for the existence of writer’s block – and it isn’t just excuses and/or laziness. Treating writer’s block with neuropsychology offers a range of techniques that can be used individually or combined into your own personal treatment plan. Experiment with the different techniques and find the ones that work best for you, so that you can combat the dreaded blank-page syndrome that writers fear.

Multiple Linear Regression Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Multiple Linear Regression - Assignment Example It penalizes the model for including too many parameters that do not contribute much in explaining the original variance. It is a modification of R2. 3. Multicollinearity is a statistical phenomenon in which two or more predictor variables in a multiple regression model are highly correlated resulting to inter-associations among independent variables. This means that one can be linearly predicted from the rest that have non-tribal degree of accuracy. Multicollinearity is a problem because it makes the data unreliable. Multicollinearity is measured using the variance inflation factor that assesses how much the variance of an estimated regression coefficient increases if the predictors are correlated, if not then the variance inflation factor becomes 1. e. From the residual vs. fitted graph, the residuals appear randomly around zero line. This indicates that the assumption of linearity is reasonable. The normal q-q plot shows that the points re lined up on the identity line and thus, the dependent and independent variables are comparable. Scale-location plot shows that there is a downward trend in residuals. Cook’s distance’s graph shows that observation 4, 15 and 25 are influential in the model. f. There are outliers in the variables Flux, East and South. Outliers in Flux are observation 19 and 25 which are ==40.6. Thus, we drop observations with outliers in East and South variables. Additionally, observation 4, 15 and 25 are considered to be influential in the dataset. e. The residual vs. fitted graph shows that residuals appear randomly around the zero line. This indicates that the assumption of linearity is reasonable. The normal q-q plot shows that the points re lined up on the identity line and thus, the dependent and independent variables are comparable. Scale-location plot shows that there is a downward trend in

English Legal System and Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

English Legal System and Skills - Essay Example Jury selection is one of the features that identify its credibility in determining guilt. A random approach to selection reduces potential bias due to conflict of interest among decision makers, unlike in a formal court process in which a presiding judge or magistrate can be predetermined or compromised. Jury selection from the entire population makes it difficult to predetermine the final list of jurors. Juror selection process also provides for exclusion of people with certain traits, which could threaten credibility. Individuals who are under community service sentences and those awaiting trial can be excluded and this eliminates their potential bias due to their condition. People with suspected mental incapacitation or disorder can also be excluded and this eliminates possible irrationality. A jury service can also be deferred if a member of the selected jury faces a technical schedule and this ensures stability of jurors during decision-making. In addition, a juror can be challe nged, as occurred in the case of R v Gough, or even an entire jury, as was in the case of R v Fraser, in order to eliminate threat of bias. A vetting process also follows jury and ensures suitability of each juror for the task.1 (123-130) Advantages of the jury trial also support significance. It involves the public and is therefore likely to gain support from the people than formal proceedings. The public can also easily associate with jury trial and accept its verdict, a factor that is also significant to the correctional objectives of the criminal justice system because convicts are likely to accept their verdicts. The law may also contradict fairness and jury ensures equity instead to strict adherence to the law. In the case of R v Ponting, in which the accused was guilty under law but whose action had good intentions, acquittal was justified because of political stake that could take advantage of the law to