Editing in Memoirs of a Geisha Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Editing in Memoirs of a Geisha - Essay Example This is especially well done in the sumo wrestling scene, where the viewer is able to watch the geisha, the Chairman, Nobu, and her mentor as they meet and discuss the match and life in the real world outside of the ring and the tea house. This focus on expression and verbal interplay continues throughout the film and enhances the final scenes when the Chairman and the geisha meet and finally express their devotion for one another. The editor frequently cuts back and forth to the vast sky and the large town, as seen from the rooftops. These scenes are used to convey motion and the growing of the geisha. Her initial journey from the country to the city is played out by cutting from her departure from the train station, to a view of a moving train as seen from a distance to her arrival at another station. She grows from child to woman when the editor cuts from the scene of her praying at the temple to the city in winter from an aerial view. When she first considers running away the edi tor cuts back and forth between her on the roof looking out at the city and the vast amount of rooftops that stretch out below her. The scenery plays almost as important a role, conveying unspoken emotions, as the characters do. Every scene is beautifully edited in a manner that makes the most of the characters’ facial and physical expressions, their interactions, and the world around them, making this an interesting and entertaining movie for the viewer. It is easy to get swept away and I was left wanting more.

The Importance of Innovation in Todays Changing Economy Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Innovation in Todays Changing Economy Essay In today’s cutthroat society, companies and organizations in various sectors s constantly need to improve their practices and strategies to cope with the changing times and the increasing competition. People—as individuals or in groups—always have to think about attracting new customers and keeping the old; fielding new methods while incorporating the best strategies from previous practices; and delivering quality outputs to thrive in world where things could change with the turn of a page or a click of a mouse.    Stagnation is detrimental to the health of companies and organizations because now, more than ever, thinking out of the box is crucial to make one stand out and deliver something substantial to an even more meticulous crowd. Steve McKie (2004) defined two types of innovation based on Bellon and Whittington’s description in Competing Through Innovation: Essential Strategies for Small and Medium-Sized Firms: â€Å"new-old† and â€Å"new-new†.   In new-old innovation, one uses his current resources then improves and extends them.   New-old innovation would include â€Å"business models, processes, products, and services† that one is presently employing in his business endeavors. On the other hand, new-new innovation deals with jumping from what one already has into a pool of something that is really new.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Innovation generally deals with providing a solution to a problem.   When people innovate, they make the most of current resources and utilize them to generate better resources and assets for the future.   When individuals and groups begin to become more successful and better off with their innovations, a domino effect of such would boost the entire economy.   Innovation is beneficial to both individuals and groups because currently available products and services may no longer be the answers to dilemmas in the future.   Innovation paves the way for a more stable future for it allows the generation of ideas, products, and services that would meet the needs and demands of a world where, as the clichà © goes, â€Å"change is the only constant thing†. Reference: McKie, Steve.   â€Å"Let Innovation Thrive.† Intelligent Enterprise Magazine. 2004. Intelligent Enterpise. 15 Feb. 2007 http://www.intelligententerprise.com/040101/ 701feat2_1.jhtml

Ethical Issues In Psychological Testing Psychology Essay

Ethical Issues In Psychological Testing Psychology Essay A major issue confronting a psychological researcher is ethics. Research ethics comprise many different topics, including test construction and psychometrics. Areas of concern within these areas include, but are not limited to, measurement bias; validity and reliability; errors and the use of negligence or deception; areas of limitations in the research, and recommendations. The scientist must provide enough information about the research to ensure the applicability of the results. However, the experimenter should also include information about the misuse of research and the need to consult multiple sources of information. The researcher must ensure that they are abiding by ethical process as results may have consequences that the experimenter cannot foresee, and failing to comply with these processes may lead to the scorn of the scientific community. Because of the daunting nature of this process, it is necessary for the researcher to work with fellow scientists to confirm their res earch is reputable. Keywords: ethics, errors, measurement bias, reliability, research, validity Ethical Issues in Psychological Testing Activity 9 Psychologists regularly conduct research where they have to ensure they are meeting ethical guidelines and professional standards. This may range from informed consent and confidentiality, to appropriate test use and proper testing protocol. Ethics plays a major role in how the scientific community perceives the work of a researcher. For example, a discovery where the researcher plagiarized the work of another, or was intentionally negligent in their research, would lead to their research being unaccepted by fellow scientists. Lesser examples of this include issues of a test not meeting the purposes of a research study. Therefore, ethics is an important element to legitimate research practices. Test construction is an important part of research ethics. The American Psychological Association (APA) (2010) published the manual Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. This provides a statement on test construction in Standard 9.05, which says, Psychologists who develop tests and other assessment techniques use appropriate psychometric procedures and current scientific or professional knowledge for test design, standardization, validation, reduction or elimination of bias, and recommendations for use (p. 13). Test construction in ethics refers to psychometrics and professional knowledge of research methods. Klein (2005) adds to the importance of research methods because the psychometric characteristics of the instrument itself are of primary importance in test use (p. 289). As noted in the standard, this broad area of study incorporates issues of validity and reliability, measurement bias, and recommendations for applying the research in different settings, as we ll as knowledge of the research study and misuses of the research. In measurement bias, the test shows unintentional preference towards people of a certain background. Klein (2005) notes, if the overall test scores or the differential selection rates of individuals from identifiable subgroups by themselvesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦behave differently across groups, then measurement bias is said to occur (p. 296). When this happens, the research results are not accurate because the test results show distortion to favor one group over another. One cannot make accurate policies from tests that have measurement bias. In addition, the Joint Committee on Testing Practices (JCTP) (2004), in Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education, mentions that differences relating to test scores from various groups must relate to the skills being assessed, not the difference in linguistic or cultural background (p. 4). Therefore, there can be differences in research results as long as they reflect the abilities of a group. One group may have a greater ability to perform a task th an another group. This is not measurement bias; on the contrary, it is a reflection of the realistic capabilities of the group. Researchers have to ensure their test is fair and unbiased against a minority. The JCTP (2004) provides further information related to test construction. Researchers must ensure they give information regarding what the test measures, what its recommended use is, and the measures strengths and limitations. There must be a sufficient amount of information for a policy maker to make decisions from the research, including being aware of how the research might be unhelpful. The validity and reliability of the test must meet its intended purposes (p. 4). Patten (2004) refers to validity as the extent that it measures what it is designed to measure and accurately performs the function(s) it is purported to perform (p. 59). Reliability refers to the test yielding consistent results (p. 71). There should be an indication regarding whether the test measures what the researcher intended, and how consistent it is in those measurements. Researchers must also provide recommendations for the interpretation of test results, including the possible misuse of research. Readers sh ould be aware that they should not rely on one research study when making decisions. There should also be procedures for setting performance standards or passing scores if another researcher was going to give the same test (JCTP, p. 8). In the research article, there should be an indication of what score a participant requires to pass a test, or what constitutes sufficient performance. Test construction also involves errors in research. The Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy (1995) notes, when an unintentional error promptly corrected, the scientific community accepts the mistake. However, when a scientist is negligent due to inattention, haste, or carelessness, the researcher can be admonished because this can lead to work that does not meet the standards demanded in science (p. 15). Deception in research also has huge consequences. Deception involves Making up data or results (fabrication), changing or misreporting data or results (falsification), and using the ideas or words of another person without giving appropriate credit (plagiarism) (p. 16). Therefore, to ensure ethics in research, scientists should ensure they are not using negligence or deception. I agree with the readings in this assignment because, in academic fields, researchers have to ensure they abide by ethical procedures. Science has its basis on the scientific method, which strives for honesty during the scientific process. In addition, many previous research studies have had far-reaching consequences that the researcher did not anticipate. Therefore, it is critical that scientists abide by research ethics. This appears to be a daunting task because of the many issues regarding ethical psychological testing. However, just as college students cannot plagiarize their assignment for a class because they are breaking the rules of ethics for academic integrity, researchers cannot use deception in research. This is violating research integrity. Researchers have to be open in their study because the scientific community will scrutinize their work to ensure it acts in accordance with ethical guidelines. The Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy (1995) mentions that research results [must] be accepted by other scientists (p. 3). In addition, because science is a social process where scientists review the work of others to guarantee it meets socially accepted standards in science, researchers strive for responsible scientific practice (p. 4). Research must meet the guidelines devised by other professionals in their academic field because of the nature of science. In this assignment, I learned about the importance of ethics in research and the consequences of failing to abide by them. There are many grey areas in research ethics, as indicated in the book On Being a Scientist: Responsible Conduct in Research. While doing research, the experimenter should make every effort to ensure that studies are valid, reliable, and lack measurement bias. The researcher must give recommendations for further use of the research and setting passing scores or performance standards. Because this appears to be a large task, beginning researchers should work closely with an advisor or faculty member to ensure they abide by ethical practices. This mentor can give practical advice on research ethics, as well as provide additional sources to consult regarding correct research disciplines.

Developmental Psychology Journal Articles Essay -- Papers

Developmental Psychology Journal Articles The five journal articles I examined were all from a journal titled Developmental Psychology, May 2000. The first journal article that I observed was "Sleep Patterns and Sleep Disruptions in School-Aged Children." This study assessed the sleep patterns, sleep disruptions, and sleepiness of school-age children. Sleep patterns of 140 children (72 boys and 68 girls; 2nd-, 4th-, and 6th-grade students) were evaluated with activity monitors (actigraphs). In addition, the children and their parents completed complementary sleep questionnaires and daily reports. The findings reflected significant age differences, indicating that older children have more delayed sleep onset times and increased reported daytime sleepiness. Girls were found to spend more time in sleep and to have an increased percentage of motionless sleep. Fragmented sleep was found in 18% of the children. No age differences were found in any of the sleep quality measures. Scores on objective sleep measures were associated with subjective reports of sleepiness. Family stress, parental age, and parental education were related to the child's sleep-wake measures. The next article I observed was "Shared Caregiving: Comparisons Between Home and Child-Care Settings." The experiences of 84 German toddlers (12-24 months old) who were either enrolled or not enrolled in child care were described with observational checklists from the time they woke up until they went to bed. The total amount of care experienced over the course of a weekday by 35 pairs of toddlers (1 member of each pair in child care, 1 member not) did not differ according to whether the toddlers spent time in child care. Although the child... ...h their mothers and their fathers on separate occasions in their families' homes. Parent-child pairs played for 8 minutes each with a feminine-stereotyped toy set (foods and plates) and a masculine-stereotyped toy set (track and cars). Levels of affiliation (engaging vs. distancing) and assertion (direct vs. non-direct) were rated on 7-point scales every 5 seconds from the videotapes for both parent and child. Overall, the play activity accounted for a large proportion of the variance in parents' and children's mean affiliation and assertion ratings. Some hypothesized gender-related differences in behavior were also observed. In addition, exploratory analyses revealed some differences between the different ethnic groups. The results highlight the importance of role modeling and activity settings in the socialization and social construction of gender.

Madoff case Essay

1. What is the ethical issue involved in the Madoff case? The Madoff case if filled with numerous ethical issues. The case is considered to be the largest scam in our nation’s history. The Madoff case is a great example of how someone who did not care about his profession, as well as the all the personal relationships he had cultivated over the years. Bernie Madoff was involved in a scheme called a Ponzi scheme. Madoff would take money from new investors to pay off the current investor’s dividends. Since Madoff promised unrealistic gains this was the only way to pay his investors. The Ponzi scheme was Names after Charles Ponzi who had tricked investors about a century before Madoff. To keep giving earlier investors their promised return, Madoff had to continually draw new people into the scheme. His family who claim they did not know about the scheme was also involved bringing in new clients to invest with Madoff. The SEC grew very suspicious after the market lows in 2008 and Madoff’s clients were still getting high return on investment. The SEC who had been investing Madoff exposed and charged Madoff of running a Ponzi scheme. Madoff like Ponzi had a personality that people trusted and handed over millions of dollars to invest. Madoff case was strange in nature since it went on for so long. This case really opened the eyes of many investors and made them take a more active role in their investments. 2. Do you believe that Bernie Madoff worked alone, or do you think he had help in creating and sustaining the Ponzi scheme? As intelligent as Bernie Madoff may have been he could not have pulled of the country’s largest Ponzi without some help. The return on investment that constantly beat market averages should have sent up red flags to people inside the company. People within the company such as internal auditors, accounts and other in the internal system should have been really suspicious of the finical reports. Were the people in the Madoff’s office asleep at the wheel? Or was something else not publicized happening behind the scenes? There were just too many intelligent people who worked with Madoff not to see the writing on the walls. Auditing books for a couple of months may not have sent up red flags but the fact the scheme went on for 30 years may say more people were involved. The size of the scheme and the amount of money involved makes it unbelievable and almost impossible that he could have perpetrated a crime by himself. 3. What should be done to help ensure that Ponzi schemes like this one do not happen in the future? The Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) is the government body in charge of investigating federal securities fraud. After cases like the Madoffs people always want more regulations but fail to come up with a plan everyone can agree on. More regulations may work but may not necessarily be the answer. The SEC has to help pass smarter legislation that well sends up red flags sooner so these schemes can be stopped. As much as the SEC can do, people are really the key to stopping these schemes before they start. It is up to everyone to stop financial crimes, from the internal auditor that may see fishy finical reports, to the everyday investor who may be getting better than average returns with their investment firms. Before the Madoff case people may not have been so concerned about their high returns and just keep collecting them. Since the highly publicized Madoff case will really make people think twice before they get caught up in a Ponzi scheme themselves. The old adage â€Å"if it is too good to be true it probably is† comes to mind when dealing with Ponzi schemes. Investors really have be smart and really know where their hard earned money is going. It will be just a matter of time before another â€Å"Bernie Madoff† comes and tries to scam people, however if the SEC and investors are on the same page scams may be stopped before they get started.

CHAPTER 11 POLITICS AND THE ECONOMY TER Essay

CHAPTER 11 POLITICS AND THE ECONOMY TER Essay CHAPTER 11 POLITICS AND THE ECONOMY TER Essay CHAPTER 11 POLITICS AND THE ECONOMY TERMS AND PEOPLE TO KNOW BARTER- The exchange of goods and services for other goods or services, without exchanging money. CAPITALISM- An economic system where individuals own the means of production, based on competition the owners determine production and set prices, and the pursuit of profit is the reason for distributing goods and services. CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION- Thorstein Veblen’s term for a change from the protestant ethic to an eagerness to show off wealth by the consumption of goods. CONVERGENCE THEORY- The view that as capitalist and socialist economic systems each adopt features of the other, a hybrid for economic system will emerge. CORPORATIONS- a company or group of people authorized to act as a single entity (legally a person) and recognized as such in law. CURRENCY- a system of money in general use in a particular country. DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM- A hybrid economic system in which the individual ownership of businesses is mixed with the state ownership of industries thought essential to the public welfare, such as the postal service and the delivery of medicine and utilities. E-CASH- electronic financial transactions conducted in cyberspace via computer networks. ECONOMY- A system of producing and distributing goods and services. GOLD STANDARD- the system by which the value of a currency was defined in terms of gold, for which the currency could be exchanged. The gold standard was generally abandoned in the Depression of the 1930s. GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT- the total value of goods produced and services provided in a country during one year. INFLATION- a general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money. LAISSEZ-FAIRE CAPITALISM- Unrestrained manufacture and trade (literally, â€Å"hands off† capitalism). MARKET FORCES- The law of supply and demand. MEDIUM OF EXCHANGE- An intermediary instrument used to facilitate the sale, purchase or trade of goods between parties. In modern economies the medium of exchange is currency. MONOPOLY- Complete control of the entire supply of goods or of a service in a certain area or market. SOCIALISM- An economic system characterized by the public ownership of the means of production, central planning, and the distribution of goods without a profit motive. SUBSISTENCE ECONOMY- A type of economy