The French support Essay Example for Free

The French support Essay The French support of the colonials during the American Revolution was essential to their ultimate success in defeating the British troops and securing their future as an independent nation. The cause of the American patriots was not seeing much success against the British for a good long while after the start of the war. This was caused, mainly, but the lack of trained troops, which the British had abundantly, and the British naval fleets and arms. On the other hand, the colonists had to recruit minutemen and establish militias in hopes of being able to defeat the British. One of the only hopes of the colonists was to seek support from the French government and military, who could then back them financially, and in terms of supplies and men, thus securing them a victory. The bad blood between the French and the English went back a long time. These two powerful countries were always in conflict and even from the beginning of the rush to claim land in the New World, they were in competition, each claiming parts of the lands that would now be Canada and the United States of America. When the French saw an opportunity to get back at the British and help defeat them, thus effectively kicking them out of the New World, they took it. They especially did so because they were impressed with Benjamin Franklin, who spent a great deal of time in Paris trying to drum up support for the colonists and their cause. The French saw the benefit of finally defeating their greatest enemy, and eliminating them from any future developments in America. The war would not have been won by the colonists if it were not for the French. The French provided financial backing, arms, supplies, and troops to help their efforts, and the French were essential to the victory of the Continental Army at Yorktown. Without France, the outcome of the Revolutionary War would have been very different, changing the course of history forever.

The Learning Sciences Design Committee Essay Example for Free

The Learning Sciences Design Committee Essay PROJECT DESCRIPTION The Learning Sciences Design Committee at a local college is researching different factors that affect the design of a new student study lounge. Before making recommendations, members will present brief reports. As a member of the committee, your research is about the role music can play in various campus environments. You fine-tune your report in Word. GETTING STARTED Download the following file from the SAM website: IL_Word2013_UD_P1a_FirstLastName_1.docx Open the file you just downloaded and save it with the name: IL_Word2013_UD_P1a_FirstLastName_2. docx Hint: If you do not see the .docx file extension in the Save file dialog box, do not type it. Word will add the file extension for you automatically. With the file IL_Word2013_UD_P1a_FirstLastName_2.docx still open, ensure that your first and last name is displayed in the footer. If the footer does not display your name, delete the file and download a new copy from the SAM website. PROJECT STEPS 1. Change the document margins to Moderate. 2. Change the Citation Bibliography Style to MLA Seventh Edition. 3. Add a header to the document using the Blank format. Insert the text Music Behavior, insert a space, then insert a page number using the Plain Number format (1st option in the Current Position gallery). 4. Move the insertion point before the word â€Å"Retailers† in the paragraph that begins â€Å"Retailers, health care professionals, and educational institutions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , then insert a continuous section break. 5. Format the section below the heading â€Å"How music affects behavior† into two columns. (Hint: The section containing the columns should end before the â€Å"Perception of Time Spent Shopping† heading at the top of the second page.) 6. At the top of the second column of text, move the insertion point after  the period in the sentence It is worth emphasizing that†¦could prove problematic., then insert the citation shown in Figure 1 below. Figure 1: Web Citation 7. Edit the citation to add the page number 2. 8. Move the insertion point after the period in the sentence â€Å"As the following table demonstratesin a variety of settings.†, then insert a footnote with the following text: 500 students surveyed. 9. Format the table beginning with â€Å"While cooking†¦Ã¢â‚¬  using the Grid Table 6 Colorful – Accent 6 table style. 10. Select the first column in the table and center-align the text. 11. Select the table and resize it using the AutoFit Window option. 12. On page two, move the insertion point to the blank line below the heading â€Å"Perception of Time Spent Shopping†. Insert a table with 3 columns and 5 rows. 13. Type the data from Table 1 below into the table you just created. Table 1: Perception of Time Spent Shopping 14. Format the table using the Grid Table 4 – Accent 6 table style. 15. Move the insertion point to the blank line below the table on page two and insert a page break to create a new page three. 16. Move the insertion point to the top of the new page three and insert a Bibliography using the built-in Works Cited style from the Bibliography gallery. 17. Check the Spelling Grammar in the document to identify and correct any spelling errors. (Hint: You should find and correct at least 1 spelling error.) Your document should look like the Final Figure on the following pages. Save your changes, close the document, and exit Word. Follow the directions on the SAM website to submit your completed project.

Media Technologies And Journalism Media Essay

Media Technologies And Journalism Media Essay In the second half of the twentieth century and early of the twenty-first, along with the advancement of new media technology, we have witnessed the dramatic transformation of journalism. There can be no denying that the technological revolution has exerted far reaching influences on news journalism and its production. In 2000, Pavlik (p.229) has asserted: â€Å" Journalism has always been shaped by technology†. Pavlik as well as many academics in the field of mass communication believe that the profound changing of journalism are technologically determined. However, there are some researchers who criticise the idea of technological determinism. They argue that technologies not only transformed journalism but also were shaped and operated in the news production process. As Cottle (1999,p.22) has stated: â€Å"news technologies of news production are in fact socially and culturally shaped and embedded within corporate and professional contexts and practices†. It could be argued that the relationship between technology and journalism is not simply a cause and effect relationship, in fact, they changed and determined each other. The aim of this essay is to examine the interaction relationship between technology and journalism, with a particular focus on how new media technologies transformed news journalism. This research paper will begin by consider the impact of technology on journalism, and then account for the way that technologies are operated and integrated in the news production process. In the second section, the proliferation of the internet and blogs will be taken as prime examples of technological advancement which has offered opportunities as well as challenges to journalists and news organisations. Finally, the assignment will discuss whether technological changes and the adoption of new technology have led to the improvement or deterioration of journalisms quality. 1. The interaction relationship between news media technologies and journalism For the purpose of this assignment, this section will briefly introduce the theory of technology determinism as well as critical arguments of modern social scientists. The impact of new media technologies on news journalism will be examined and references are made to the work of academic in this field. Furthermore, evidence is provided in order to account for the way technologies are shaped and integrated in news production process. 1.1. The impact of new media technologies on news journalism According to Pavlik (2000,p.229), journalism are transformed by technology in four broad areas: practices of journalists, news content, the organization of the newsroom, and the relationship between and among news organisations, journalists and their many publics. â€Å" Technological changes have had an impact above all on the immediacy and availability of journalism as it has proliferated as a mode of communication† (Conboy,2004,p.205). 1.2. Technologies are shaped and integrated on news production process With a critical argument, Cottle (1999) views technology as a â€Å"creature of our own making â€Å", in his words, â€Å"which inhabits, was born out of, remains dependent on, and is socialised and put to work within determinant social environment† (p.23). In his study of â€Å" A combination of political regulatory change and the arrival of the new media organizations and products has introduced considerable competition into the broadcast environment..this competition appears to be the immediate cause of organisational and technological change† (Ursell, 2001,p.194). New operations have adopted new technologies with different degrees of extent and intensity (Ursell). Consequences for journalist: demand for and pressure on journalistic staff have increased. 2. Technological changes and the quality of journalism 2.1. The internet and blogs: a nascent phenomenon Internet: how it changes the newswork -> journalist practice(Pavlik), mot-used new resources for finding imformation(Garrison), journalist easily interact with audiences Define blog Bloggers 2.2. Quality of journalism in era of new media technologies: deterioration or improvement Though there can be no denying that the appearance of the internet and blogs has changed news journalism in many ways, it is now essential to consider whether it is better or worse journalism. Thus, this question has been the subject of a great deal of research. Ursell (2001) in his study of Convergence: â€Å" I assert that convergence merely holds the promise of a better, more efficient, more democratic medium for journalism and the public in the twenty-first century† (Pavlik,2001,p.xiii) Multi-skilling: High-Speed: â€Å"Speed is in danger of becoming the ultimate aim of journalism. The post-telegraph compulsion to beat competitors to a story, accelerate by new technologies, can mean it becomes more important to be first than to provide an adequate assessment of context† (Conboy,2004,p.207) â€Å" The pace of breaking news drives the possibility of in-depth analysis further down the line† (Conboy, 2004,p.207) â€Å"All of this compromises the incredible speed and technological sophistication of the journalism produced as it is often lacking in analytical depth or political variety† (Conboy,2004,p.207) Journalists who are under the pressure of becoming multi-skilled and technically competent to produce multiple media production do not have much â€Å"opportunities for creative reflection or innovation†(Cottle,1999). To illustrate this point, Cottle(1999,p.41) has quoted a statement of one broadcast journalist: â€Å"We dont have time to be creative. Its not that the equipment will not let us be more creative as we used to be†. Pavlik (2001) states that, on the plus side, new media technologies has offered potential for improving quality of journalism as well as helped journalist do their jobs more effectively. In other words, journalists can use new technologies to create much more â€Å"engaging, navigable, contextualized† news productions which reflect everyday life more â€Å"accurately, fully, and dynamically†(Pavlik,2001,p.xvi). However, on the negative side, â€Å"We journalists are no longer the gate keepers in the market place of ideas. The doors have been flung wide open by the egalitarian nature of the Internet and when you look at the big picture you see chaos. You see a medium in its infancy, howling and kicking against the limitations of the world into which it was born. Conclusion To bring this paper to a close, I summarise the main points here: new media technologies have transformed news journalism and its production, at the same time are shaped and operated in news production process. This essay set out to examine the intertwining relationship between technology and journalism, consider it in both positive and negative side. In the first section, it produced some insights into how journalism is influenced by technology and answered the question of how technology are shaped and integrated in news production process. In an attempt to demonstrate this point, evidence was presented relating to the change in news-making activities of journalist in the era of the internet and blogs. Finally, the evidence presented in this paper suggested that technological changes have had diverse impact on the quality of journalism. In other words, technological innovations lead to improvement as well as deterioration of journalism performance and output.

Quantitative Research in Patient Safety Literature Review

Quantitative Research in Patient Safety Literature Review Recently, research has occupied a crucial place in nursing that is identified as â€Å"the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual or potential health problems† (American Nurses’ Association, 1980 p.9); thus, an appropriate understanding of research literature is a prerequisite for every individual who works in this area (Rees, 2003). Unfortunately, despite the fact that most of nurses acquire specific skills in research, only some of them manage to apply research data or research findings to practice (Bostrum Suter, 1993). This can be explained by the nurses inability to critique a research, evaluating its pros and cons (Krainovich-Miller et al., 2002). The aim of the present essay is to critically analyse two quantitative research literatures in patient safety. The first research is â€Å"Relationship between complaints and quality of care in New Zealand: a descriptive analysis of complainants and noncomplainants following adverse events† by M. Bi smark et al. (2006), while the second research is â€Å"Comparison of three methods for estimating rates of adverse events and rates of preventable adverse events in acute care hospitals† by P. Michel et al. (2004). Although many nursing studies have been conducted in the last decade (e.g. Johnson Lauver, 1989; Conlon Anderson, 1990; Norman et al., 1991; Brennan et al., 1995; Gross et al., 1995; Fieler et al., 1996; Bennet, 1999), they implicitly dealt with the issues of patient care; however, the studies discussed further directly relate to the quality of medical care in New Zealand and France. The research conducted by Bismark et al. (2006) evaluates the extent of injuries in the patients cured in public hospitals of New Zealand, or more precisely (as the title reveals), a correlation between patients’ complaints and quality of medical care. While the title is clue to the focus, the abstract gives more detailed information, identifying the major aspects of the research (objectives, design, setting, population, main outcome measures, results and conclusion) in a clear scientific style. However, the abstract does not indicate the research questions of the study; they are stated further in the research and are the following: 1) Do complaints track injuries, or are they prompted by more subjective concerns? 2) Are complaints the â€Å"tip of the iceberg’ in terms of quality of care problems and, if so, how representative are they of broader quality problems? (Bismark et al., 2006 p.17). Although the research by Michel et al. (2004) also refers to patient safety, neither the title, nor the abstract uncovers the theme in an explicit way. Actually, the theme is exposed further in the research; in particular, the study analyses rates of unintended injuries (defined by the authors as adverse events and preventable adverse events) in the patients cured in care hospitals of France. Similarly to the first research, the abstract in the second study briefly summarises the research and is divided into the same categories that uncover the essence of the investigation. In this regard, the abstract is an obvious strength of the analysis and it can serve as an example to other researchers who investigate various aspects of nursing. But the research does not specify the research questions either in the abstract or in the introduction section of the paper. Such a lack of specific questions certainly complicates the overall apprehension of the study. The authors could have proposed some research questions, such as 1) What are the major aspects of reliability, acceptability and effectiveness? Or 2) How rates of adverse events and rates of preventable adverse events can be properly assessed with each of three methods? These questions are of primary importance to the research, as adverse events and preventable adverse events can not be rightfully evaluated, if the major criteria of reliability and effectiveness are not properly discussed in the context of the research. However, the authors pay little attention to these aspects of the analysis. Despite the fact that the introduction section in both studies provides a valid explanation of the importance of the problem, neither of the two studies includes an overview of the previous research or specific reports. This neglect decreases the overall presentation and reduces the value of the presented data. However, the problems of statement are formulated in a concise way and reflect that the researchers narrowed the areas of research to the issue of adverse events in the clinical setting in order to get more accurate findings. In fact, this issue is especially relevant today when patient safety has become worse in many countries of the world. The justification for the chosen topic in the research by Bismark et al. (2006) is that the recent accident compensation system in New Zealand does not adequately examine patients’ complaints in all cases of adverse events. Pointing at the fact that â€Å"there is growing international interest in harnessing patient dissatisfaction and complaints to address problems with quality† (Bismark et al., 2006 p.17), the authors concurrently put crucial questions that inspire readers’ interest in the issue of patient safety from the very beginning. In the research of Michel et al. (2004) the underlying reason for initiating an investigation is that the limitations of the employed methods reduce the validity of the received findings in regard to patients’ injures within the hospital setting. However, the lack of appropriate background, theoretical frameworks, hypotheses and definite aims in the introduction section considerably limits the studies. This especially regards the non-inclusion of specific theories that usually back up the presented data. In this respect, both studies are theory-free; unlike theory-testing research and theory-generating research, this kind of research is less popular because it does not analyse any theoretical concepts that constitute the basis of practical nursing. On th e other hand, the studies of Michel et al. (2004) and Bismark et al. (2006) specifically focus on a practical problem-solving framework; that is, the present researches are aimed at identifying practical solutions to the discussed problems rather than discussing theoretical implications. The research of Michel et al. (2004) uses a quantitative research method that â€Å"emphasizes objectivity through statistical analysis† (Santy Kneale, 1998 p.77) and the quasi-experimental design that is considered to be more adequate and less biased than an experimental method, if an investigation is conducted within the clinical setting (Polit Hungler, 1995). Though objectivity is crucial for such kind of research, it would also be appropriate to combine quantitative and qualitative methods, that is, to combine objectivity and subjectivity (Phillips, 1990). The fact is that due to its quantitative method the study appears to be too analytical, too objectively-oriented; thus, there is a necessity to introduce some aspects of the subjective realm into the research. However, Parahoo (1997) supports another viewpoint, exposing the inadequacy of a qualitative method, especially in regard to a nursing research. The author points out that, applying to a quantitative method, rese archers are able to predict the final outcomes, while a qualitative method may generate unpredictable results. The data in the study are collected in care hospitals of Aquitaine with the help of three research techniques – a cross sectional method, a prospective method and a retrospective method. Such triangulation is aimed at â€Å"relat[ing] different sorts of data in such a way as to counteract various possible threats to the validity of analysis† (Hammersely Atkinson, 1983 p.199). In the present study triangulation corresponds with the terms of reference that provide appropriate relevance to the whole research (Shih, 1998). Identifying both advantages and disadvantages of all three methods in Box 2, the researchers contribute much to the reliability of the findings, despite the fact that they have not conducted a pilot study that, according to Carr (2003), intensifies the credibility of the employed research techniques. On the other hand, a pilot study is crucial for the investigations that utilise unchecked tools for research, as is the case with the present study, where the researchers conduct an evaluation of methodology. In this regard, a pilot study â€Å"helps to illuminate some of the problems of the research tool† (Santy and Kneale, 1998 p.80). The research of Bismark et al. (2006) is also quantitative with descriptive design. The baseline data are taken from the medical records of the New Zealand Quality of Healthcare Study (NZQHS) and the Commissioner’s complaints database. Further, multivariate and bivariate analyses are applied to the research to identify certain dissimilarities between complaints and non-complaints. Overall, the explanation of the research techniques and methods is a great strength of this study, as the authors provide a thorough description in regard to data collection and study design. Although the researchers do not define a hypothesis of the analysis, they, nevertheless, use dependent and independent variables to differentiate complainants from non-complainants. However, the limited space of both studies has not allowed the researchers to insert the samples of medical records and questionnaires that served as the basis for the research; thus, the methodology of both investigations can not be fully assessed in terms of the quality. Actually, the research of Bismark et al. (2006) and the research of Michel et al. (2004) employ primary sources (including official records) that explicitly relate to the subjects. But according to Burgess (1991), even primary sources should be critically assessed and â€Å"it is essential to locate them in context† (p.124). But neither the first nor the second study provides a critical evaluation of the utilised sources. In regard to ethical issues, they are not openly addressed in the studies; however, in the research of Bismark et al. (2006) there is a mentioning that the investigation was endorsed by the Wellington Ethics Committee. For Robinson (1996), such ethical approval is a necessary part of a nursing research, as any investigation deals with human beings who may experience certain difficulties during the research. On the other hand, due to its descriptive nature the present study does not necessarily need an informed consent or ethical considerations (Cutcliffe Ward, 2003), while the research of Michel et al. (2004) requires a discussion of certain ethical issues because of its quasi-experimental design. Some of these issues are patients’ confidentiality, defence of their rights and risk control (Pranulis, 1996). In regard to the latter factor, it is necessary for researchers to increase potential benefits and decrease potential risks, especially in such studies that involve a great number of participants, as is just the case with the research of Michel et al. (2004). Thus, it would have been proper for the researchers of the present study to discuss in detail subjects’ conditions and potential harm, particularly in view of the fact that nursing directly relates to patient safety within the clinical setting (DHHS, 1981). However, the ethical rights of samples are implicitly defended in both studies, as no personal details of participants are revealed. But the researchers provide no information of the ways the data were stored and protected before or during the investigation. Similarly, neither of the studies refers to informed consents, while this is a prerequisite for any nursing research (Alt-White, 1995; Berry et al., 1996). As for sampling, the study of Bismark et al. (2006) analyses two groups of patients: the first group includes people who made complaints to the Commissioner and the second group includes people â€Å"identified by the NZQHS as having suffered an adverse event who did not lodge a complaint† (Bismark et al., 2006 p.17). A two stage sampling process is initiated by NZQHS on the example of 6579 medical records. Although inclusion and exclusion criteria are not explicitly identified in the study, the researchers make it clear that they only choose the patients who suffer adverse events. In the process of analysis these patients are divided into two categories – complainants and non-complainants, though both groups are typical representatives of the larger population. In the research of Michel et al. (2004) the sampling includes 778 patients from medical, surgical and obstetric wards. This number of samples is appropriate for a descriptive study. Initially, the researchers chose 786 patients with the help of a two stage cluster stratified process, but excluded 8 persons â€Å"because they were still present on day 30, precluding the review of their medical records† (Michel et al., 2004 p.2). In this respect, the study does not clearly define inclusion and exclusion criteria, but some samples are excluded in the process of investigation. No obvious bias is found in regard to the samples; similar to the previous research, the samples belong to typical representatives of the larger group. In view of this fact, the sampling can be considered as fully reliable. In addition to authors’ comments, the results in the research of Bismark et al. (2006) are presented in figures, tables and boxes that are introduced as additional tools for clarification. This visual information reflects how the data are collected and measured (Figure 1 is especially accurate in revealing the cases of injured complainants and non-complainants). Although the authors do not specifically explain such a choice, they provide a detailed justification for the use of correlation tests that define dependent variables (a distinction between complainants and non-complainants) and independent variables (age, ethnicity, sex and other factors). Besides, the researchers weight the bivariate and multivariate analyses to acquire more accurate findings. The results in the study of Michel et al. (2004) also appear in both textual and graphic forms in order to enhance explanation. But the researchers do not attain the balance between figures and comments, putting too much emphas is on figures. Unlike the previous study, the authors do not use dependent and independent variables in their analysis; however, they employ paired X2 tests for the comparison of retrospective and prospective methods. Discussing their findings, Bismark et al. (2006) draw a parallel between the received results and the findings of the previous studies. Actually, many findings of the prior research are consistent with the present research (e.g. Burstin, et al., 1993; Studdert et al., 2000), while some findings contradict the earlier results (e.g. Tapper et al., 2004). To some extent, such a comparison justifies the lack of literature review at the beginning of the research and provides more validity to the overall outcomes. In general terms, the findings of Bismark et al. (2006) directly relate to the objectives of the study, gradually introducing the evidence that proves the authors’ initial suggestions. In particular, the researchers find out that 79% of all injures can be identified as preventable adverse events. In the case of the Commissioners analysis, 64% of the complaints are made by the patients who suffer adverse events, of which 51% are preventable adverse events. In regard to the NZQHS review, 315 cases of adverse events (out of 850 cases) are preventable, 124 cases are serious and 48 cases are serious and preventable. As for instigators of complaints, 41% of complaints are made by the patients, while 59% by their relatives or friends (13% spouse, 16% parent and 17% child). Evaluating the independent variables, the researchers reveal that the age of complainants is lower than the age of non-complainants; moreover, non-complainants mainly live in the regions with poor economic conditions. The findings in the research of Michel et al. (2004) also relate to the terms of reference, providing evidence that â€Å"the prospective method has several advantages over retrospective and cross sectional methods† (Michel et al., 2004 p.3). In particular, the prospective method better recognises preventable adverse events and is more trustworthy than two other methods. This is clearly seen in Venn diagrams that demonstrate the number of adverse events identified by each of three research methods. Overall, the findings in the present study are not properly discussed; however, the researchers discuss in detail the strengths and limitations of the research in the discussion section. For instance, as the authors reveal, reliability and effectiveness of adverse even ts rates are successfully estimated because the samples are assessed with the help of three methods. On the other hand, the researchers point at the possibility of bias that â€Å"may have been present due to the small number of hospitals and wards† (Michel et al., 2004 p.3) and because of the participation of the care teams in the prospective method. Besides, the reference list that the researchers utilised in the process of investigation might have errors that were not identified. Finally, the aspects of reliability, effectiveness and acceptability are not discussed in detail by the authors, though these are the major assessment criteria of the study. However, there are some obvious strengths of the research; unlike the studies that analyse adverse events either in surgery or medicine (e.g. Mantel et al., 1998; Waterstone et al., 2001), the present study examines various cases of adverse events in three areas – medicine, surgery and obstetrics. Similarly to this research, Bismark et al. (2006) also identify certain limitations of the study; in particular, the analysis of adverse event rates is rather confined, if medical record reviews serve as the basis for the research. The research also lacks definite ethnicity data for all complainants; thus, there is a â€Å"potential for measurement error† (Bismark et al., 2006 p.21). In addition, the authors do not provide any information as to the alternative research methods that can be used for the assessment of the relations between complains and quality of medical care. Drawing a parallel between the employed methods and the alternative methods, it will be possible to enhance the validity of the received findings. The conclusion in the research of Bismark et al. (2006) directly responds to the terms of reference; based on the received results, the conclusion suggests that elderly or economically poor patients rarely initiate complaints processes. The same regards the pati ents who belong to ethnic minorities (in this case – to Pacific ethnicity). The authors recommend to conduct a further study that will profoundly investigate the reasons for people’s refusal to make complaints in the cases of poor medical care. Moreover, the complaints greatly depend on the severity of injures and whether the event is preventable or unpreventable. In this respect, as the researchers conclude, â€Å"complaints offer a valuable portal for observing serious threats to patient safety and may facilitate efforts to improve quality† (Bismark et al., 2006 p.22). Unfortunately, no recommendations for practice are made at the end of the study, thus reducing the relevance of the received findings. On the other hand, as Santy and Kneale (1998) claim, â€Å"all research has some implications for practice even if the results have proven to be inconclusive† (p.82). In the research of Michel et al. (2004) the conclusion summarises the results that, in the authors’ words, â€Å"provide new insights into the epidemiology of adverse events† (p.4). Such a viewpoint is explained by the fact that the findings of the present study reveal the ways to intensify the implementation of prospective assessment in the clinical setting. However, the researchers only suggest the answers to the posed questions, avoiding any insisten ce on specific concepts or notions. Comparing three methods, the researchers recommend to use the prospective method for different purposes that implicitly or explicitly relate to the evaluation of adverse events rates. Finally, Michel et al. (2004) briefly discuss the prior knowledge on the topic and the knowledge acquired in the process of investigation. In regard to the prior knowledge, the assessment of adverse events was conducted in an analytical way that considerably limited the findings. In the present study the researchers receive more feasible results and identify that the causes of adverse events and risk reduction programmes can be successfully evaluated by the prospective method rather than by the retrospective or cross-sectional methods. However, further research is required, if the evidence received in this research is applied to practice (Barron Kenny, 1986; Scott Thompson, 2003). Overall, both researches are well-structured and are written in a scientifically concise style; however, as was stated above, the study of Michel et al. (2004) provides too much technical details, while analysing the results. Therefore, it is slightly difficult to read the research and, consequently, there is a chance that its findings may be ignored by a practitioner on the premise of misunderstanding. Although the research of Michel et al. (2004) is logically constructed, an unqualified person may fail to rightfully apprehend the presented data. On the contrary, the study of Bismark et al. (2006) is easy to understand because it lacks much unexplained jargon. Another strength of the research is the appropriate use of quotes in the discussion section; these quotes are directly related to the analysis and correspond with the ideas expressed by the authors, either refuting or confirming them. Employing this or that quote, the researchers provide a detailed interpretation of a certain concept; and for all that, the number of quotes is reasonable and they are rather short. On the contrary, Michel et al. (2004) do not utilise quotes in the discussion to support their arguments, though they use certain references. Despite the fact that the researchers do not explicitly recommend their studies to nurses, the overall findings can be especially relevant to nursing staff, as well as to the researchers who are involved in health care. Within a complex clinical setting nurses experience various difficulties because of the lack of appropriate practical knowledge (Treacy Hide, 1999; Polit et al., 2001). Thus, the studies of Michel et al. (2004) and Bismark et al. (2006) can inspire nurses’ interest in the ways of patient safety, as, despite their limitations and certain inadequacies, the studies pose vital questions that may increase the quality of medical care not only in France and New Zealand, but in other countries as well. Due to the fact that nowadays nursing staff is usually required to implement various aspects of research into practice (Christman Johnson, 1981; Burnard Morrison, 1990; Street, 1992; McSherry, 1997; Cormack, 2000; Rodgers, 2000; Hek et al., 2002; Cluett Bluff, 2004), the present studies are especially valuable, as they provide useful and valid information that extends the prior knowledge in patient safety. In further studies it will be crucial to discuss the received findings in the context of international implications and to pay more attention to preventable adverse events (Thomas et al., 2000). Moreover, it will be important to give some recommendations for nursing staff and those individuals who deal with patients’ complains (World Health Organisation, 1977; Gordon, 1988; Brink et al., 1989; Lindley Walker, 1993; Ferketich, Mercer, 1995; Northouse, 1995; Roseman Booker, 1995; Duffy et al., 1996; Madge et al., 1997; Vertanen, 2001). Bibliography Alt-White, A. C. (1995) Obtaining ‘informed’ consent from the elderly. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 17, 700-705. American Nurses Association (1980) Nursing: A Social Policy Statement. Kansas City, American Nurses Association. Baron, R.M., Kenny, D.A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173-1182. Bennet, J. A. (1999) Critique of research review of attitudes to HIV/AIDS. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 29 (3), 770-771. Berry, D. L., Dodd, M. J., Hinds, P. S., Ferrell, B. R. (1996) Informed consent: Process and clinical issues. Oncology Nursing Forum, 23, 507-512. Bismark, M. M., Brennan, T. A., Paterson, R. J., Davis, P.B., Studdert, D. M. (2006) Relationship between complaints and quality of care in New Zealand: a descriptive analysis of complainants and noncomplainants following adverse events. Quality and Safety in Health Care, 15, 17-22. Bostrum, J. Suter, W. N. (1993) Research utilisation: making the link with practice. Journal of Nursing Staff Development, 28-34. Brennan, P.F., Moore, S.M., Smyth, K.A. (1995).The effects of a special computer network on caregivers of persons with Alzheimers disease.Nursing Research, 44, 166-172. Brink, C.A., Sampselle, C.M., Wells, T.J. (1989). A digital test for pelvic muscle strength in older women with urinary incontinence.Nursing Research, 38, 196-199. Burgess, R. G. (1991) In the Field: An Introduction to Field Research. London, Routledge. Burnard, P. Morrison, P. (1990) Nursing Research in Action: Developing Basic Skills. London, Macmillan. Burstin, H. R., Johnson, W.G., Lipsitz, S. R. et al. (1993) Do the poor sue more? A case control study of malpractice claims and socioeconomic status. JAMA, 270, 1697-1701. Carr, J. (2003) Improving questionnaire response rates. Practice Nursing, 14 (4), 171-174. Christman, N. J. Johnson, J. E. (1981) The importance of research in nursing. In: Y. M. Williamson (ed.) Research Methodology and Its Application in Nursing. New York, Wiley. pp.3-24. Cluett, E. R. Bluff, R. (2004) Principles and Practice of Research in Midwifery. London, Bailliere Tindall. Conlon, M., Anderson, G. (1990). Three methods of random assignment: Comparison of balance achieved on potentially confounding variables. Nursing Research, 39, 376-379. Cormack, D. (2000). The Research Process in Nursing. Oxford, Blackwell Science. Cutcliffe, J. R. Ward, M. (2003) Critiquing Nursing Research. Bath, Bath Press. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) (January 26, 1981) Final regulations amending basic HHS policy for the protection of human research subjects. Federal Regulations, 46 (16). Duffy, M. E., Rossow, R., Hernandez, M. (1996).Correlates of health-promotion activities in employed Mexican American women.Nursing Research, 45, 18-24. Ferketich, S. L., Mercer, R. T. (1995).Paternal-infant attachment of experienced and inexperienced fathers during infancy. Nursing Research, 44, 31-37. Fieler, V. K., Wlasowicz, G. S., Mitchell, M. L., Jones, L.S., Johnson, J. E. (1996). Information preferences of patients undergoing radiation therapy. Oncology Nursing Forum, 23, 1603-1608. Gordon, D. R (1988) Tenacious assumptions in Western biomedicine. In: Lock M, Gordon D. R (eds) Biomedicine Examined. London, Kluwer Academic Press. pp. 19–56. Gross, D., Conrad, B., Fogg, L., Willis, L., Garvey, C. (1995). A longitudinal study of maternal depression and preschool childrens mental health. Nursing Research, 44, 96-101. Hammersley, M. Atkinson, P. (1983) Ethnography: Principles in Practice. London, Tavistock. Hek G., Judd, M., Moule, P. (2002) Making Sense of Research: An Introduction for Health and Social Care Practitioners. Sage Publications, London. Johnson, J. E. Lauver, D. R. (1989) Alternative explanations of coping with stressful experiences associated with physical illness. Advances in Nursing Science, 11 (2), 39-52. Krainovich-Miller, B., LoBiondo-Wood, G. Haber, J. (2002) Critical reading strategies: Overview of the research process. In: LoBiondo-Wood J. Haber (eds.), Nursing Research: Critical Appraisal, and Utilization. St Louis, MO, Mosby. pp.33-50. Lindley, P., Walker, S. N. (1993).Theoretical and methodological differentiation of moderation and mediation.Nursing Research, 42, 276-279. Madge P, McColl J, Paton J. (1997) Impact of a nurse-led home management training programme in children admitted to hospital with acute asthma: a randomised controlled study. Thorax, 52, 223–228. Mantel, G. D., Biuchmann, E., Rees, H., Pattinson, R. C. (1998) Severe acute maternal morbidity: a pilot study of a definition for a near-miss. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 105, 985-990. McSherry, R. (1997) What do registered nurses and midwives feel and know about research? Journal of Advanced Nursing, 25, 5, 985-998. Michel, P., Quenon, J. L., Sarasqueta, A.M., Scemama, O. (2004). Comparison of three methods for estimating rates of adverse events and rates of preventable adverse events in acute care hospitals. British Medical Journal, 328, 1-5. Norman, E., Gadaleta, D. Griffin, C. C. (1991) A evaluation of three blood pressure methods in a stabilized acute trauma population. Nursing Research, 40, 86-89. Northouse, L. L., Jeffs, M., Cracchiolo-Caraway, Lampman, L., Dorris, G. (1995). Emotional distress reported by women and husbands prior to a breast biopsy.Nursing Research, 44, 196-201. Parahoo, A. K. (1997) Nursing Research, Principles, Process, and Issues. London, MacMillan. Phillips, D. C. (1990). Subjectivity and objectivity: An objective inquiry. In: Eisner and Peshkin (Eds.) Qualitative inquiry in education: The continuing debate (pp. 19-37). New York, Teachers College Press. Polit, D. F. Hungler, B. P. (1995) Nursing Research Principles and Methods. Philadelphia, J. B. Lippincott. Polit, D. F., Beck, C. T. Hungler, B. P. (2001) Essentials of Nursing Research Methods, Appraisal and Utilization. Philadelphia, Lippincott. Pranulis, M. F. (1996) Protecting rights of human subjects. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 18, 474-478. Rees, C. (2003) Introduction to Research for Midwives. London, Books for Midwives. Robinson, J. (1996) It’s only a questionnaire: ethics in social science research. British Journal of Midwifery, 4, 41-46. Rodgers S (2000) A study of the utilisation of research in practice and the influence of education. Nurse Education Today, 20 (4), 279-287. Roseman, C., Booker, J. M. (1995). Workload and environmental factors in hospital medication errors. Nursing Research, 44, 226-230. Santy, J. Kneale, J. (1998) Critiquing quantitative research. Journal of Orthopaedic Nursing, 2, 77-83. Scott, T. J., Thompson D. R. (2003) Assessing the information needs of post-myocardial infarction patients: a systematic review. Patient Education and Counselling. 50 (2), 167-177. Shih, F. J. (1998) Triangulation in nursing research: issues of conceptual clarity and purpose. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 28 (3), 631-641. Street, A. F. (1992) Inside Nursing: A Critical Ethnography of Clinical Nursing Practice. 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Principal Component Analysis for Numerals

Principal Component Analysis for Numerals Recognition of Off-Line Handwritten Telugu Numerals Based On Principal Component Analysis Manubolu Sreenivasulu, Prasenjit Kumar Das Abstract India is a multi-lingual multi-language country but there is not much work towards off-line handwritten character recognition of Indian languages [1]. In this paper we have proposed principal component analysis (PCA) for feature extraction and used Probabilistic Neural Network (PNN) based model for classification and recognition of off-line handwritten numerals of telugu script. Principal component analysis is one of the important method for identifying patterns in data and expressing the data to highlight their similarities and differences. In high dimensional data it is difficult to identify patterns, where the luxury of graphical representation is not available, principal component analysis is a good method for analysing data. The performance of the Probabilistic Neural Network classifier was computed in terms of training performance and classification accuracies. Probabilistic Neural Network gives fast and accurate classification and is a promising model for classification of the characters [9]. Keywords   PCA, PNN, Classification and Recognition, Handwritten Characters I. INTRODUCTION Character recognition (CR) is the important area in image processing and pattern recognition fields. The various applications of character recognition are includes library automation, banks, defense organizations, reading aid for the blind, post offices, language processing and multi-media design. Hence the research in character recognition is very popular. To recognize Hand-Written Characters (HWC) is an easy task for humans, but for a computer it is an extremely difficult job. This is mainly due to the vast differences or the impreciseness associated with handwritten patterns written by different individuals. Machine recognition involves the ability of a computer to receive input from sources such as paper and other documents, photographs, touch screens and other devices, which is an ongoing research area. Handwritten character recognition (HWCR) can be divided into two categories, namely, Offline Handwritten Character recognition where the image is sensed â€Å"off-line† fr om a part of a document and â€Å"Online† Handwritten Character recognition where the movements of the pen/tip can be recorded â€Å"on-line† as used in the pen based computer screen systems. Off-line recognition usually requires imperfect pre-processing techniques prior to feature extraction and recognition stages [3]. Telugu is the most popular script in India. It is the official language of the southern Indian state, Andhra Pradesh. The Telugu script is closely related to the Kannada script. Telugu is a syllabic language. Similar to most languages of India, each symbol in Telugu script represents a complete syllable. Officially, there are 10 numerals, 18 vowels, 36 consonants, and three dual symbols [1]. There are five major stages in the HCR problem: Image pre-processing, segmentation, feature extraction, training and recognition and post processing. Several works had been done on feature extraction for character recognition. The feature extraction method includes Template matching, Identification of similarities and differences, Histograms, Zoning, Graph description etc. II. DATA COLLECTION AND PREPROCESSING Data collection for the experiment has been done from different individuals. Currently we are developing data set for Telugu. Earlier we had collected 250 Telugu numeral samples from 50 different writers. Writers were provided with a plain A4 sheet and each writer asked to write Telugu numerals from 0 to 9 at one time. Recently, we have again collected 150 Telugu numerals by 30 different writers. In this paper the data set size of 300 Telugu numerals is used. The database is totally unconstrained and has been created for validating the recognition system. The collected documents are scanned using the Canon-Lide scanner jet, which is usually a low noise and good quality image. The digitized images are stored as binary images in the BMP format. A sample of Telugu handwritten numerals from the data set is shown from figure 1. Figure 1: Handwritten Telugu Numeral Samples Pre-processing: Figure 2: Pre-processing Pre-processing includes the steps that are necessary to bring the input data into an acceptable form for feature extraction. The initial data is depending on the data acquisition type, is subjected to a number of preliminary processing stages. The pre-processing stage involves noise reduction, slant correction, size normalization and thinning [2]. For noise removal we used median filter. For better understanding the function of median filter, we added the salt and pepper noise artificially and removing it using median filter. In character classification/recognition correcting the skew (baseline deviation from the horizontal direction) and the slant (average near-vertical strokes deviation from the vertical direction) is an important pre-processing step. The slant and slope are introduced by writing styles. Both corrections can reduce handwritten word shape variability and help the later operations such as feature extraction, classification and recognition [4]. Normalization is required as the size of the numeral varies from person to person and even with the same person from time to time. Thinning provides a reduction in data size; it extracts the shape information of the characters. Thinning is the process of reducing the thickness of each line of pattern to just a single pixel [5]. Here, we have used the morphology based thinning algorithm for better symbol representation. Thus, the reduced pattern is known as the skeleton and is close to the medial axis, which preserves the topology of the image. Figure 5 shows the steps involved in our method as far as pre-processing is considered. III. FEATURE EXTRACTION USING PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS In this paper, the principal component analysis (PCA) is being used as an extraction algorithm of features. The PCA is a very successful techniques which has been utilized in image compression and recognition. The sole purpose of PCA is to decrease the big dimensions of data [9]. In this way we can identify patterns in data, and express the data in such a way as to present their differences and similarities. Because the patterns in data is hard to find in high dimension data, where the usefulness of graphical representation is not present, principal component analysis is a very good tool for analysing the data. The other advantages of PCA is that when you have found the patterns in data, and then you compress the data, i.e. by reducing the dimensions, with negligible loss of information [6]. Algorithm Step 1: Get input as pre-processed image   Step 2: Subtract the mean In order for the PCA to work correctly, it is needed for you to subtract the mean from each of the dimensions of data. The subtracted mean is the average in each dimension. Step 3: Calculate the covariance matrix The data is 2D, the covariance matrix will be 22.the definition for the covariance matrix for a set of data with n dimensional is: Cn x n = (ci,j, ci,j = cov(Dimi,Dimj)) Step 4: Compute eigenvectors and eigenvalues  of the covariance matrix Because the covariance matrix is square, we are able to calculate the eigenvalues and eigenvectors for this matrix. The eigenvectors and eigenvalues will give us useful information about our data. Step 5: Component choosing and creating a  feature vector In this step the notion of reduced dimensionality and data compression comes into it.When you look at the eigenvalues and eigenvectors from the previous section, you will be able to notice that the eigen values are quite not equal values. The fact is that the eigenvector with the highest eigenvalue is the main component of the data set. In fact the eigenvector with the larges eigenvalue was the one that pointed down the middle of the data. It is very important relationship between the dimensions of data. Generally, when the eigenvectors are found from the covariance matrix, the next step is to order the eigenvalue from highest to the lowest. This will give you the components in a very significant order. Now it is required to form a feature vector, that is just a name for a matrix of vectors. It is constructed by taking the eigenvectors that you want to keep from the eigenvectors list, and creating a matrix with those eigenvectors in the columns. Feature Vector = (eig1 eig2 eig3 .. eign) Step 6: Deriving the new data set It is the last step in principle component analysist. When we have choosed the components or the eigenvectors, that we want to keep in our data and create a feature vector, we would take the transpose of that vector and will multiply it on the left of the true data set, transposed. Final Data=Row Feature VectorXRow Data Adjust Here the Row Feature Vector is the matrix of the eigenvectors in the columns transposed so that the eigenvectors will be in the rows, with the most important eigenvector at the top, and the Row Data Adjust will be z wiullthe mean-adjusted data transposed, ie. data items will be in each column, with each row holding a dimension which is separate[6]. IV. CLASSIFICATION AND RECOGNITION USING PRABABILISTIC NEURAL NETWORK Probabilistic neural networks (PNN) can be utilized for problems of classification. PNN is adopted for it has many advantages. Its training speed is many times faster than a BP network. PNN can approach a Bayes optimal result under certain easily met conditions [7]. The most important advantage of PNN is that training is easy and instantaneous. Weights are not â€Å"trained† but assigned. Existing weights will never be alternated but only new vectors are inserted into weight matrices when training. So it can be used in real-time. Since the training and running procedure can be implemented by matrix manipulation, the speed of PNN is very fast. The network classifies input vector into a particular class since that class has the highest probability to be correct. In this research paper, the PNN is of three layers: the Radial Basis Layer, the Input layer and the Competitive Layer. Radial Basis Layer calculates vector distances between input vector and row weight vectors in weight matrix. Those distances were scaled by Radial Basis Function not in a linear fashion. Then the Competitive Layer will find the shortest distance among them, and will then find the training pattern which is near to the input pattern depending on their distance. The network structure is illustrated in Figure 3. The symbols and notations are adopted as used in the book Neural Network Design [9]. These symbols and notations are also used by MATLAB Neural Network Toolbox. Dimensions of arrays are marked under their names. Input Radial Basis Layer Competitive Layer Q x R P Q x 1 R x 1 n a d c Q x 1Q x 1 K x 1 K x 1 K x Q R Q x 1 Q K Figure 3: Network Structure 1) Input Layer: The input vector, denoted as p, is presented as the vertical bar in Figure 3. Its dimension is R Ãâ€" 1. 2) Radial Basis Layer: In Radial Basis Layer, the vector distances between input vector p and the weight vector made of each row of weight matrix W are calculated. Here, the vector distance is defined as the dot product between two vectors [10]. Assume the dimension of W is QÃâ€"R. The dot product between p and the i-th row of W produces the i-th element of the distance vector ||W−p||, whose dimension is QÃâ€"1, as shown in Figure 3. The minus symbol, â€Å"−† indicates that it is the distance between vectors. The transfer function in PNN has built into a distance criterion with respect to a center. In this paper, it is defined as radbas (n) = Each element of n is substituted into Eq. 1 and produces corresponding element of a, the output vector of Radial Basis Layer. The i-th element of a can be represented as ai = radbas(||wi-p||.*bi) Where Wi is the vector made of the i-th row of W and bi is the i-th element of bias vector b. 3) Some characteristics of Radial Basis Layer: The i-th element of a equals to 1 if the input p is identical to the ith row of input weight matrix W. A basis neuron which is radial along with a weight vector near to the input vector p will produce a value close to 1 and then its output weights in the competitive layer will pass their values to the competitive function. It is also possible that several elements of a are close to 1 since the input pattern is close to several training patterns. 4) Competitive Layer: There is no bias in Competitive layer. In Competitive Layer, the vector a is firstly multiplied with layer weight matrix M, producing an output vector d. The competitive function, denoted as C in Figure 3, produces 1 corresponding to the largest element of d, and 0’s elsewhere. The output vector of competitive function is denoted as c. The index of 1 in c is the number of numeral that the system can classify [9]. V. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS The data set was divided into two separate data sets, the training data set and the testing data set. The training data set was used to train the network, whereas the testing data set was used to verify the accuracy and the effectiveness of the trained network for the classification of characters. .The PNN was tested in more than 350 samples of telugu numerals and we have obtained an average recognition rate of 97%. Table 1 shows the performance of PNN. Number of Samples PNN 15 96.3% 50 96.8% 100 97.7% 125 97.6% Table 1: Recognition Rate in Percentage VI. CONCLUSION In this paper the PCA for feature extraction and the PNN for classification and recognition have been implemented. The performance of Probabilistic Neural Network classifier was calculated in the terms of classification accuracies and training performance. Probabilistic Neural Network gives fast and accurate classification and is a promising tool for classification of the characters. REFERENCES U. Pal1, T. Wakabayashi2, N. Sharma1 and F. Kimura2, â€Å"Handwritten Numeral Recognition of Six Popular Indian Scripts†, Manubolu Sreenivasulu, Prasenjit Kumar Das, Mr. Rishi Mathur, â€Å"Numeral Recognition of Four Scripts: Bengali-Assamese, Gujarati, Oriya, Nepali†, First International Conference on Innovative Advancements in Engineering and Technology (IAET), 2014. Panyam Narahari Sastry, Ramakrishnan Krishnan,â€Å"Isolated Telugu Palm Leaf Character Recognition Using Radon Transform – A Novel Approach†, 2012 World Congress on Information and Communication Technologies, 978-1-4673-4805-8/12/2012 IEEE. Jian-xiong Dong and Dominique Ponson and Adam KrzyËâ„ ¢zak and Ching Y.Suen,â€Å"Cursive word skew/slant corrections based on Radon transform†. Rafael C. Gonzalez, Richard E.woods and Steven L Eddins, â€Å" Digital Image Processing using MATLAB†, Pearson Education, Dorling Kindersley,South Asia,2004 Lindsay I Smith,â€Å"A tutorial on Principal Components Analysis†, February 26, 2002. D.F. Specht, â€Å"Probabilistic Neural Networks† Neural Networks, vol. 3, No.1, pp. 109-118, 1990. M. T. Hagan, H. B. Demut, and M. H. Beale, Neural Network Design, 2002. Mohd Fauzi Othman, Mohd Ariffanan Mohd Basri,â€Å"Probabilistic Neural Network For Brain Tumor Classification†, 2011 Second International Conference on Intelligent Systems, Modelling and Simulation.

Role Of Music In Sonnys Blues

Role Of Music In Sonnys Blues The story Sonnys Blues is written by James Baldwin in 1846 and raises the problem of the misconception between two brothers. Their conflict grounded on the problem of racial discrimination in the African-American society. Influenced by the oppression, both bothers developed different views on life, which served as a problem for their common understanding. The narrator has adjusted to the white society still feeling the pressure, but not willing to change it. On the contrary to his brother, Sonny tries to find the way out and to state himself a worthy person of approval and respect. Sonny tries to avoid his pain and sufferings with the immersion into Jazz music, resided to his race. Describing Sonnys lifeline from his brothers perspective, depicting a fair representation of Sonnys relationship with music, and evaluating the authors method for creating a specific frame of mind in readers, it will be possible to create a holistic picture of Sonnys struggle on the way to salvation. The knowledge of Sonnys life comes only through the narrator. The only one evident point in Sonnys character is his hope that he can become a musician. His close minded brother, who seems to be the strict father for Sonny, rather than his supporting brother, expresses his disapproval of Sonnys wish. Suffer the consequences of his criticism Sonny agrees to live with Isabels family, only because they have a piano at home. Even though everybody admits that Sonny was at that piano playing for his life (p.101), nobody really hears and understands him. When he realizes that his efforts to create something from his music failed and he could not meet the expectations of the family, sadness devours him and he runs away. Later in the story, the brother narrates that Sonny starts to use drugs. Next, police arrests him for it and send to prison. Sonny kicks his drug habit and returns to live with his brother. After so many years and events influenced his life, he still continues to develop himse lf as a musician. As a matter of a fact, music plays a very significant role throughout the whole story written by James Baldwin. Basically, it is possible to notice how Sonny is dedicated to music and to jazz in particular. Additionally, the role of music is irreplaceable in defining and describing the major characters, as well as the culture of Harlem as a whole. Seeing Sonnys eternal eagerness to music, it is reasonable to assume that music is the only drug for Sonny, his only way of expressing his hopes and dulling his pain, incomparable even to his drug addiction. Sonnys devotion to Jazz is even able to change the upstanding mind of his brother by the end of the story. Comparing to his brother, who is afraid of the disorder and cannot face pain and uncertainty of the way Sonny lives, Sonny has a radically different perception of the world. Due to Sonnys artistic nature, tenacity and willing to struggle, his brother finally begins to understand not only the value of jazz and blues music, but also himself and his relationship with Sonny. In the club he starts to appreciate Sonny in a way he never did, as a real musician (p.107). Rather than trying to make Sonny fit into his world, he is now in Sonnys world. Or, rather: his kingdom. Here it was not even a question that his veins bore royal blood (p.107). The name of the story is Sonnys Blues, which contradicts with the genre of music, which Sonny is dedicated to. Sonny finds his strengths and motivation in jazz music. Basically, this music genre is based on informal order and format, which gives the musicians a lot of space for genuine expression of their souls. On the other hand, the actual name of the story seems to reflect Sonnys story of life. As a fact, blues is a music genre, which mostly expresses melancholic feelings, as well as it is infused with deep sadness and tragedy. Consequently, by naming the story Sonnys Blues the author defines Sonnys life with a genre, which is full of grief and sorrow, disappointments and frustration. The method which the author uses to frame the flow of the story is very representative, and leads the readers to a specific atmosphere and directs them towards a specific frame of mind. Creating a complete representation of Sonnys struggle on the way to salvation, it was essential to unfold the major aspects of Sonnys story and to describe his relationships with music and its meaning in Sonnys life. Additionally, by analyzing the name of the story it was possible to assemble the right atmosphere the author was trying to create for the readers. Thus, the author has chosen music, for it is communal function to tell the stories of a community of people. Music evokes feelings in performers and in listeners, helping them to cure from the failure in their lives or to at least feel comfortable in the company of others who are similarly afflicted.

Analysis of Hannibal: Enemy of Rome by Leonard Cottrell Essay -- Hanni

Analysis of Hannibal: Enemy of Rome by Leonard Cottrell   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The author of Hannibal: Enemy of Rome, Mr. Leonard Cottrell, inspired by the book, The Histories of Polybius, translated by W. R. Paton. Mr. Cottrell, endeavored to recreate the journeys of Hannibal by traveling by car nearly the same route in 1959. Mr. Cottrell traveled by car the journey of Hannibal through northern Spain, the modern day Swiss Alps, and down into the Italian peninsula while constantly referring to Polybuis' writings. Mr. Cottrell describes Hannibal's motives, his journey, his battles to conquer the Roman Republic, his defeat, and his eventual withdrawal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mr. Cottrell describes Hannibal as an ambitious warrior from boyhood. He learned soldierly virtues and hatred for the Romans from his father at an early age. Hannibal was the son of Hamlicar, a distinguished leader and veteran of the first Punic War against Rome. Hannibal's motives derived from loyalty to his father, his lineage, and hate for the Roman Republic. Following the first Punic War, Sicily had been taken by Rome, Corsica and Sardina were lost, but Spain remained as a powerful Carthaginian settlement. By the efforts of his father, Hannibal was taken to an altar in Spain to witness the offerings; and laying his hands upon such, sweared an oath to prove himself to forever be an enemy of the Roman Empire.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hannibal proved to be an excellent leader. He had the support of both his troops and of the government above him. This was ...