Why A Property Should Be Protected Or Not Originality...

In China, there are two criteria in determining whether a property should be protected or not: originality and reproducibility. We must first understand the different nature of Chinese characters. Different calligraphers used different techniques and styles to produce great works of art in many different literary or artistic forms. Because of the more intricate nature of characters and the more number of strokes than in any other character system, Chinese character fonts are very unique for its complex structures. Advanced complexity left more space for artistic creations and variations, which is one of the beauties of the character system, to ancient calligraphers and also requires much â€Å"independent and original effort† for typographers that create new Chinese typeface. It is quite obvious that forgery was a tremendous problem in the past and is still is, and many calligraphers and collectors of calligraphy pieces tried to find ways to figure out original pieces and to f ind methods to show that they really created a piece (QiaoSharon). Common ways to detecting forgeries are: tracing, copying, imitating, hacking, altering, and fabricating (The Palace Museum). I believe that this is analogous to how typeface creators or those who have the right to certain typeface want their typeface to be protected under the Chinese judicial system because of the originality and reproducibility nature of the art. In an era of an overflow of information and easy access to technology, it is

American Apparel - Essay free essay sample

The fashion company has caught the public’s eye in many ways and caused an immense amount of controversy, American Apparel represent this controversy through their clothing and therefore attracts the youth of today who want to stand out and make a fashion statement. An article on Auto Straddle questioned, â€Å"Is American Apparel’s target market people who pretend to care, but don’t? † (www. Autostraddle. com, 2011) Advertising This particular advert caused many problems with the public as it is extremely controversial; people were beginning to talk about American Apparels sexual approach to advertising. Some older people believe this type of advertising is distasteful and disrespectful to women. Although, this negative opinion of American Apparel was still good publicity as the business became well known and very popular, it was the â€Å"hot† topic for everyone. Individuals were starting to know more and more about American Apparel and browse around the stores; young women were interested in the clothing, as they wanted to look â€Å"sexy† and eye catching like the models in the advertisements’. We will write a custom essay sample on American Apparel Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This form of sexual advertising is becoming so normal to us consumers because, it is all around us in magazines, television and on posters in fashion stores. Teenagers are currently choosing to dress in various products to boost their confidence and â€Å"fit in† with the models and celebrities promoting this way of sexual dressing. Sex is universal, it catches adult attention worldwide, but the way in which men and woman interpret such adverts is quite different. Men also developed an eye for American Apparel, as they liked the thought of their partner looking like the model in the advert. Agreeing with Taflinger’s statement, â€Å"The sexual connection is much easier to set up for men than for women†. (Taflinger, R. 1996, Taking Advantage You and Me, Babe: Sex and Advertising. ) Thus men have little criteria for sexual requirements; they concentrate on a woman’s body and once the woman appears young and healthy, she is desirable. As a result, it can be said that men are more concerned with looks then what the advertisement is actually saying. We believe in today’s society sex sells to male and female genders, particularly targeting teenagers and young adults. While sex is becoming more accepted to older people as it is currently advertised universally and furthermore, sex is starting to feature in the latest released movies and television commercials far more frequently. In our opinion, no one wants to look or feel undesirable and therefore individuals are opening their minds to the more appealing look of dressing now and again. This advertisement suggests that American Apparel accept and support the gay society. The fashion company is trying to expose an image of their brand supporting gay individuals and protesting for gay rights. As seen in the advert above, the young men’s t-shirts read â€Å"Legalize Gay† meaning American Apparel are campaigning for gay rights and that sexuality should be celebrated. This attracts the young gay generation since this approach to targeting a specific audience is exceptionally unique and formerly unseen; this is another example of American Apparels controversial side to advertising. I agree that controversy works as means of catching the attention of the public and as a result becomes widespread and sells. As a result of their â€Å"Legalize Gay† t-shirts, American Apparel obtained demands from customers globally requesting the company to expand their products in this segment. According to the American Apparel website, â€Å"American Apparel believes in freedom, expression and equality, things that are inherently condemned in the prohibition of gay marriage. † (American Apparel Inc. 011) American Apparels direct competitors of high street fashion Hamp;M and River Island too started campaigns similar to this such as, â€Å"Fashion against Aids† and â€Å"T for Trust†. This raises awareness for significant problems for young people, as well as raising funds for charitable causes. We approve on this attitude towards the gay society, as we feel every individual should be equal and treated with respect regardless their sexual orient. Grant ing whether American Apparel genuinely have the same views on this issue or not, they wisely saw a gap in the market for promoting gay rights. They entered the market and succeeded the gay society, in addition to customers solely interested in promoting gay rights and therefore achieved many loyal customers in this market segment. American Apparel is a sweatshop free company and strongly promotes fair labour. Founder and CEO of the business, Dov Charney states â€Å"we don’t exploit over-seas labour† proving good corporate logic as consumers are engrossed with clothing ethics making American Apparel exclusive and attractive. Charney also speaks out about the salary rates he pays his factory workers, as they earn 12. 0 U. S dollars per hour which is double the average hourly rate of California (currently at 6. 75 dollars). Furthermore, Charney offers all his employees additional benefits such as health care, massages, tutorial classes in computers and English and discounts on bus passes and lunches. Charneys objective is to create a positive working experience for all his workers and pleasant shopping experienc e for both his loyal and new customers, â€Å"You don’t get that feeling from a lot of businesses right now† he discusses this in a phone interview from his home in Los Angeles. Besides this, Dov Charney and his team at American Apparel march together in support of immigration reform. Charney firmly supports immigrants’ rights and protested for eleven years to date. He believes individuals, societies and businesses should express their feelings on immigration and fight for their rights. Since 2003, American Apparel has been carrying out a campaign to achieve immigration reform by producing advertisements and flyers promoting a change. Here is a link to American Apparel’s website where you can see many remarkable photographs captured during their eleventh year protesting. http://americanapparel. net/contact/legalizela/ We trust this verifies that American Apparel is a sweatshop free company and its authority treats all employees fairly. After studying about American Apparel we have learned that it is not just a company with high quality products and trend setting clothing but it too has morals and attitudes on certain issues that are represented in its clothing. Charneys big personality appears to make work enjoyable and entertaining for the factory workers and doesn’t exploit them in any way, as it goes against his beliefs similar to his views on many concerns. Dov Charney doesn’t rely on a logo to sell or advertise his clothing; he declares â€Å"no print on clothes†. Charney thrives to produce and sell the value, quality and fit of his clothing, as it is what’s truly important to make his brand stand out. He formally stated that you should achieve to â€Å"build a brand, not be a brand†. American Apparel maintains their quality standards of excellence and achieves numerous loyal customers as their products never succeed to disappoint. The message American Apparels sending out about their brand is high quality, no logo, good fit and affordable clothing along with sweatshop free and exploitation free of their employees. The high street fashion company want to make a change in the fashion industry and therefore want to make a unique impact from every angle. For example; advertising, public campaigns, symbol free clothing etc.

Verbal Aggression Essay Example For Students

Verbal Aggression Essay Verbal aggression is message behavior which attacks a person’s self-concept in order to deliver psychological pain.(Infante, 1995) Studies of verbal aggression have focused primarily on children and adolescents in educational and social settings. Very few studies were found to examine verbal aggression in adults in the workplace.(Ebbesen, Duncan, Konecni, 1974) The consequences of verbal aggression in the workplace can lead to social isolation, job related stress, health related problems, as well as problems in career advancement. It therefore should be considered important, for the individual and management, to identify and address the causes of verbal aggression. This program attempts to understand verbal aggression by 1) identifying the various functions of verbal aggression. We will write a custom essay on Verbal Aggression specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now 2) identifying the antecedent conditions of verbal aggression. 3) Avoiding the antecedent conditions of verbal aggression. Method Subject The subject, Shirley J., is a 49 year old African American female. Shirley J. has several advanced degrees and is employed as a school psychologist in a metropolitan school district. She is married with two adult children. The subject readily agreed that the target behavior, verbal aggression, is a problem as it interferes with her relationships with others. She was enthusiastic in her desire to reduce, if not eliminate, this behavior. It would seem that self-monitoring for verbal aggression and antecedent control would be valuable as it would allow for consistent avoidance of verbal aggression. As a school psychologist the subject was very familiar with the basic principles of applied behavioral analysis and frequently offered programmatic suggestions. A behavioral contract was developed jointly between the therapist and subject. The contract outlined the target behavior, success criteria, and individual responsibilities of the therapist and subject. (see Appendix A) Apparatus A basic checklist was used to document the frequency of verbal aggression on a daily basis. The checklist was designed to track only the occurrence of the behavior. It was felt by the therapist that the content of the verbally aggressive message would be too open for subjective interpretation and that no meaningful data would be gained from such documentation. In addition the subject made frequent comments of significant success or failure in avoiding verbal aggression for discussion with the therapist. The weekly discussions were used to evaluate the appropriateness of the procedures used and make any necessary adjustments to the program. Procedure For the first two weeks of the program no intervention was applied. Given that the subject self-reported that verbal aggression was a problem it was important to determine if the frequency of the behavior merited intervention. Therefore, the subject documented the daily frequency of verbal aggression. The results of the baseline period revealed a high rate of verbal aggression. (see Appendix B) Given the results of the baseline data as well as the demanding, often stressful, nature of the subjects job, it was mutually agreed that reducing verbal aggression would be the focus of the program. Verbal aggression was defined as cursing, yelling, and screaming at others. The agreed upon goals of the program was to decrease verbal aggression by 75% of baseline for four consecutive weeks. Treatment would consist of identifying and avoiding the antecedent conditions to verbal aggression. Avoidance of the antecedents is considered less restrictive, more proactive, and most effective. During the initial consultation it was determined that the antecedent conditions included, but was not limited to: work stress, time of day, verbal behavior of others (ie. tone of voice, inflection of voice and content of conversation, etc.), and non- verbal behavior of others (ie. facial expression, body posture, eye contact, etc.). In addition, the subject was required to self monitor for the following antecedents: clenched fists, tight jaw, rapid heart beat, and the emotions of anger, frustration and disappointment. Lastly, it was suggested by Infante (1995) that appropriate strategy must be taken to prevent verbal aggression from escalating. Successful avoidance of the antecedent conditions consisted of removing oneself from stressful situations, when possible, as well as not responding verbally when provoked. Weekly consultation revealed that verbal aggression was most often used to: 1) Escape demand situations. .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2 , .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2 .postImageUrl , .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2 , .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2:hover , .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2:visited , .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2:active { border:0!important; } .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2:active , .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2 .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3d274c5dfb4f8c663810612a96ee12c2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Lock harts Lament Paper Essay 2) Avoid demand situations. 3) Relieve job stress. The subject was to document the frequency of verbal aggression and record the circumstances of significant success or failure during the

Action Research Plan- Vocational transition in Special Education

Action Research Plan- Vocational transition in Special Education Free Online Research Papers Studies and research have supported the need for instruction in vocational classes in order to increase success in employment and transition goals (Okolo Sitlington, 1986). In addition, students with learning disabilities characteristically encounter a number obstacles in mastering goals which lead to post- secondary achievement (Fairweather Shaver,1990). To address these annual and multi-year goals, smaller, more specific benchmark goals must be established. Successful mastery of these vocational and transitional academic goals greatly increases the student’s success in the long-term goals. In recent years transition goals have become a major priority of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, OSERS (Will, 1984). One alternative to hands-on vocational classes is the introduction of vocational academic classes that provide instruction in the functional skills needed to be successful in a post- secondary environment. In order to provide instruction in these specific areas, time must be taken in the resource setting to address the specific learning needs of students with learning disabilities. Transition and vocational goals, which may range from remediation of academics for a student looking to transition to an educational setting to vocational goals for students transitioning to a work place setting, can be specifically addressed in the resource setting. The increase in time spent on direct instruction of these skills should increase the level of functioning in the areas of focus. Appropriately developed IEP goals should now, as mandated by law, address transition that also relate directly to the successful transition of the student to their post- secondary placement (United States Department of Education, 1987). This action research plan is designed to evaluate the direct effects of introduction of vocational academics classes in the resource setting to the mastery of benchmark and annual IEP goals. Related Literature Dr. Wagner and Dr. Blackorby refer to the National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students in order to track and argue that special education students in high schools without appropriate transition planning and programming are much less likely to successfully compete in the work force. They identified a number of ideas that may offer a better planning strategy for disabled students in transition planning. Included in these discussions were course offerings, the need for more vocational training, and the dual nature of taking more general education course. In addressing the last point it was found that one indicator of success was a greater number of general education course, but that in contrast, the higher number of regular education course a disabled student took, the higher the chances of receiving poor grades. This was identified as the primary reason students were dropping out. (Wagner Blackorby 1996) Dr. Cynthia Okolo and Dr. Patricia Sitlington identify the needs of students with learning disabilities as they are related to vocational training and the current trends in special and general education, which are not meeting those needs. They review pertinent studies about students with learning disabilities and their characteristics. They identify the skills needed in order to be successful in the vocational setting. They specifically address those needs that are characteristically lacking in this population. These areas of weakness addressed are academic as well as social skills (Okolo Sitlington, 1986). The current tends and practices in Special education as well as vocational education are reviewed and their strengths and weaknesses are addressed. Okolo and Sitlington recommend that special education practices and vocational practices that should be utilized and include six major areas of concentration and implementation: occupational awareness, exploration, and basic work experience; in-depth career/ vocational assessment; instruction in job-related academic skills; instruction in job-related interpersonal skills; support services to other disciplines in the vocational programming; and post-school placement and follow up (Okolo Sitlington, 1986). They also contend that with these guiding principles and ideas, special educators and vocational educators need to shift focus to the aforementioned areas to best address the weakness in this population’s vocational success. Esther Minskoff and Sherry DeMoss review and examine the characteristics of learning disabled students as they are related to the academic needs of vocational education programs and how the Trade-Related Academic Competencies (TRAC) program can be used to task analyze skills needed in vocational classes. They first contrast the characteristics often exhibited by students with Mild, Moderate, and Severe Learning Disabilities. The authors then identify the attributes of Special Education and Vocational program integrations that best benefit the students success. Finally they identify the TRAC model and its methodology. This includes identifying how the TRAC is used for standard vocational classes as well as giving guidelines for using the model to developing TRAC list for other classes (Minskoff DeMoss, 1993). A number of studies regarding transition identify the obstacles that students with a learning disability face as well as offer support for the need of vocational and academics working in conjunction to increase the student’s success. A 1989 study identified different factors related to the ability of students with and without identified handicaps to gain and remain employed after graduating from high school. (Hasazi, Johnson, Hasazi, Gordon, Hull, 1989). A sample of 133 students was chosen from nine Vermont school districts. The sample was comprised of 67 students with handicaps and 66 students without. These students graduated, dropped out, or left school due to age requirements without graduating. The year of exit from high school for these students was the 1984-1985 school year. The school districts were chosen based on demographic characteristics and included four rural and four urban schools. After identifying the students with handicaps, there were attempts made to contact and recruit these students. This resulted in the participation of 43 students in 1986 and 54 in 1987. Identified based on Vermont state definitions, this group included students labeled as learning disabled, emotionally disturbed, and mildly mentally retarded. The services provided to these students were mainly provided in the resource room. The students without handicaps were identified from students on a vocational track who had graduated, dropped out before graduation, or left prior to graduation due to age requirements. Every one of the 66 students in 1986 were located and participated and 61 of the students in 1987 were contacted and agreed to continue participation. The characteristics of demographics included community size (Rural, Urban, and Metro), Gender, Manner of Exit (Graduated, Left, Dropped), and Age at Exit (15-22). The collection of data included two procedures. There was an initial review of school records and telephone interviews of each student. In the event that a student could not be contacted, an informant was interviewed. Information gathered from the records review included program placement, year of exit, manner of exit, gender, and age at exit. Information gathered form the interview included vocational training since exit, current employment, employment history, use of social services, and living status. Employment history was made up of job descriptions and length of employment. Living status indicated where and with whom the student was currently residing. These areas of data were recorded and labeled for data analysis in the following means. Hourly wage was broken into full time ( > 37.5 hrs/ wk), part time (21-37 hrr/wk) , and unemployed. The study exempted those students who were unemployed from a number of the analyses. Those employed were divided up by amount of wages into three categories: less than $3.45 per hour (min wage), $3.46- $5.00 per hour, and greater than $5.00 per hour. The jobs were also then classified into skilled and unskilled labor. The fringe benefits were categorized into two groups, those who received none and those who received one or more fringe benefit. The date recorded which related to the means of obtaining the jobs were broken into tow groups: â€Å"self/family/friend network† and those that were assisted by a service or institution. Living status included the groups living independently and those living dependently (family and staff). The data collected was analyzed in two ways, parametrically or non-parametrically. This was determined by the nature of the data. There was consideration given to those statistics involving the students from both studies. These analyses were not shown to have any significant variance. It was noted that there were only 3 female students identified with learning disabilities disallowed for a â€Å"meaningful analysis of both gender and handicapping condition.† (Hasazi, S., Johnson, Hasazi, Gordon, Hull, 1989) The final data and analysis from this study indicated that students with handicaps had a higher rate of unemployment, fewer fringe benefits, earned lower wages, worked fewer hours, and held less skilled jobs than the similar students without handicaps (Hasazi, Johnson, Hasazi, Gordon, Hull, 1989). There was a smaller percentage gap between students who were and were not employed than those employed full time versus those employed part time. There was some positive correlation as well between those students who held jobs during high school obtaining a higher level of employment after high school regardless of whether they were identified as handicapped or not. There were also findings indicating that the students in both groups who had taken a vocational course in high school were significantly more likely to be employed following exit from high school. A 1990 study examined potential barriers to postsecondary education for students with disabilities. Preliminary results from the National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students were explained as they relate to students with disabilities participating in postsecondary education programs. Implications regarding policy and practices that may emerge were then discussed (Fairweather Shaver, 1990). The National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students (National Transition Study) is a study over a five-year span examining the progress of a sampling of students from special education programs following their exits from secondary education to early adulthood. The study was guided by the following research questions: What are the characteristics of special education students leaving high school? What level of participation in postsecondary programs is achieved by youth with disabilities? For students with disabilities, what relationships exist between student demographic characteristics and participation in post-secondary programs? A sampling of students in each of the eleven federally recognized handicapping conditions was selected. These conditions are learning disabled, emotionally disturbed/ behavioral disorder, mentally retarded, speech impaired, orthopedic ally impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, blind, deaf- blind, other health impaired, and multiple handicapped. A sample of 626 districts was selected from 13,180 school districts nation-wide, which served grades 7 and higher. These districts were â€Å"stratified by geographic region, enrollment, and community wealth† (Fairweather Shaver, 1990). The breakdown of this sample includes 450 districts originally selected, 25 schools specializing in blind and deaf education, and 176 districts supplemented due to difficulty in obtaining proper agreements. There were 303 schools that agreed to participate in the study. From these districts rosters were obtained of students aged 13 and older who were in grades 7 through 12 as well as 13 years and older in th e 1985-1986 school year. By dividing this group by handicapping a condition, a sample of 12, 648 special education students were selected. Of these, a list of 10,458 students was developed based on the ability to establish contact with the students. A smaller sample of 6,877 youth participated in the survey, which is a 65.8 percent response rate. The final criteria established were that the students were to have exited high school at the time of the interview and at least 17 years of age in their year of exit. The means by which they exited were established as graduating, dropping out, reaching an age limit, being expelled, or permanently withdrawing. This narrowed the sample to 1,639 youth. Out of this group, information was available for 1,242 respondents. These are the students making up the studies sample. Telephone interviews were conducted with the parents or guardians of the respondents in the fall of 1987. In order to establish a comparative group of non-disabled youth, results, the interview questions were similar to the High School and beyond survey of non-disabled youth from 1980. These items included demographic characteristics as well as participation and achievement in postsecondary programs. The weighted percentages for study variables were calculated, and two-tailed tests of differences between proportions were determined. There was also comparative data from the HSB examined regarding postsecondary participation of non-handicapped youth. For this comparison there was also a two-tailed test performed to look for differences between the groups The primary finding was that the National Transition Study was reported by informants as the HSB study was self reported. The final data and analysis from this study indicated that students with handicaps, socio-economically, are considerably more disadvantaged than their non-disabled peers. It was also found that â€Å"involvements in postsecondary education for youth with disabilities who exit high school is dramatically lower that for handicapped youths.† (Fairweather Shaver, 1990) In addition, non-disabled youths are three times more likely to go to a community college and ten times more likely to take classes at a 4-year university than their peers with disabilities. It is also noted that youth with disabilities are more likely to participate in a 2-year rather than 4- Year College. The study also indicates that youth with disabilities who graduate from high school are much less likely to become involved in postsecondary education but equally as likely to participate in a postsecondary vocational school. A 1981 study evaluated the vocational, social, and school adjustment of a group of learning disabled children over an extended time period. The subjects studied were 12 males and 9 females who had all received special education services for specific learning disabilities from the Laboratory School for Specific Learning Disabilities (LSSLD) at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee between the years of 1961-1969. These subjects had received services for at least a year, and a maximum of seven years with the average being 2.6 years of service. The follow up interview occurred from 10-19 years after they had first attended the program. Al subjects were white and from middle class families. They also all resided in a suburb of the greater Milwaukee area (Fafard Haubrich, 1981). From the Fall of 1978 through Fall 1979, the former students and their parents were interviewed by either of the authors in their homes. IN a majority the subjects and parents were interviewed together, but at times phone interviews were conducted. The survey was a 20-question interview that focused on four types of information; demographics, school adjustment, vocational adjustment, and social adjustment. Direct question format was used to elicit the maximum amount of information from the individuals and parents. Rewording and prompting were noted if a subject did not seem to fully understand the questioning. The questions about demographics were asked simultaneously to both subject and parents and then the questions about adjustment were given to them separately. The demographics were analyzed and divided into categories of: a. graduation, b. drivers license, c. residence, and, d. type of special services received in school. The three other areas studied, school adjustment, social adjustment, and vocational areas are all described in terms of the subject and parents perceptions. Demographically, applied to graduation, 12 students had completed a secondary program, 6 were in programs at the time, and three had dropped out. There were four also enrolled in college programs. Applicable to driver’s license, all twenty-three subjects were eligible for their license. 11 had attained them, 6 had not, and 4 were not eligible. Residential status in the demographics survey indicated that seventeen subjects lived at their parent’s home, while four were living independently from their parents. The final demographic, the amount of special services provided, were broken into the following categories. Four reported no further services. Ten reported they received regular education services with speech and language services. Six reported enrollment in a Learning Disabilities Resource program. Two more were enrolled in a program for the mentally retarded. One subject received services in a residential setting for students with learning disabilities. The subjects all reported academic and social activities as either successful or difficult. The major subject areas most frequently identified as successful were math science, and art. The areas most often identified as successful were English, math reading, and PE. It should be noted that there was a crossover in the area of math as successful and difficult. This was in part due to a large number of males reporting it as difficult and females reporting it as successful. For the area of vocational adjustment, subjects and parents reported on the areas of part time and full time employment, types of jobs, job training, and post-high school and career information. Social adjustment examined information from the surveys regarding: a. types of social activities, b. most and least preferred social activities, c. making friends, and d. setting of social activities. These areas were found to be tough to quantify as the answers were extremely varied. The authors first qualify the discussion of results due to the small sample size, limited demographics, and the aptitude the sample showed for continuing on in education with little continued educational support. Also the interview limitations due to the time elapsed may skew the results. After qualifying the statements it was noted that there was a large group, excluding the college bound that indicated a further need for service and support. The examination of school adjustment indicated that the areas of Language arts and reading were a continued area of need. More surprisingly was the support for a need to look that exclusion of learning disabled students from physical education programs. Vocationally, the lack of counseling and training in the specific areas stood out. This provides earlier studies that indicated these students were in need of further vocational education and training to be successful. There was a strong desire indicated to want to work, but there was a lower rate of employment if there were no specific vocational opportunities offered. This caused a great deal of identified stress for subjects and parents. There were a number of findings reported in the social adjustment area. There was a great deal of avoidance of these issues and discussion of social situations. Secondly, it was in this area that there was a differing opinion between parents and subjects. Parents expressed a concern for lack of interaction outside the family that was not identified by the subjects themselves. Rojewski examined the results from the 1988 National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS:88) to determine the differences in occupational aspirations and career choices between disabled and non disabled adolescents. Also a comparison was made of the differences in the same choice patterns and aspirations between males and females. Rojewski utilized the NELS:88 to identify trends and differences based on the student questionnaires and indications about the student’s choices and aspirations over 4 years of the study (Rojewski 1996). The National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students (National Transition Study) is a study over a five-year span examining the progress of a sampling of students from special education programs through their exits from secondary education. Rojewski compiled a sample from this database. A sampling of students were selected from the database of students from the NELS:88. A sample of 1,051 schools were chosen who had 8th grade students in 1988. Twenty-four students were chosen at random from each school. This provided a group of greater than 24,000 students. The students were then disregarded if they had not participated in the first follow up survey (10th grade). After this process, the students were divided into groups of student with learning disabilities and without learning disabilities. This resulted in the selection of 12,542 total students, 405 adolescents with learning disabilities and 12,137 non-disabled peers. The study identifies an inherent threat to the validity of the results. School-identified samples rather than research- identified samples may produce a bias. This may be due to the behaviors that most often are identified in learning disabled students and the lack of a consistent definition between schools for a student with a learning disability. After reviewing demographic, achievement scores, and adolescent personality markers, it was determined that the selection process was successful in identifying the learning disabled population. The areas reviewed in the survey were problems with academic skills and performance, analysis of self-concept and locus of control, and the measurement of occupational aspirations. The academic achievement was broken into math and reading scores. In reading and Math, there was a considerable difference in the cores with non-disabled students scoring higher on the assessment tool. In reading, disabled females scored higher than their disabled male counterparts while the opposite is true for the Math scores. In Math, the disabled males scored higher. In examining the survey regarding self-concept and locus of control, females with a learning disability held a lower self- concept than all other adolescents. In contrast to that non- disabled males held the highest self- concept scores. For locus of control, grade 8 and 10 males and females with disabilities were more external in their locus of control. The group who reported a higher internal locus of control were tenth grade females without a disability. Background information was collected from a student questionnaire. Te areas addressed were gender, race, and locale of the student, socioeconomic status, self-concept, and locus of control. The results regarding socioeconomic status were delineated into four quartiles and examined five different variables. These are family income, parents’ education level, and parent occupations. To assess achievement levels in reading and math, scores from standardized testing were reviewed. The areas of reading and math were the only areas addressed and were used for descriptive purposes only. Career aspirations and career-choices were examined using occupational questions on the surveys. The students were asked to choice jobs they expected to be doing at the age of 30. The categories presented at the base survey numbered 14. This was expanded to 17 in the follow up surveys in order to better specify areas of interest. The results collected were placed into groups according to high, moderate, and low levels of education, prestige, and status. The data included a general description of the aspirations, a determination that the gender and disability of the student plays on the aspiration, and the change between follow ups on the aspirations. It was determined that these results supported the idea that there are differences in the impact of disabilities, as well as gender, on career aspirations. More to point, female in the eighth grade are more likely you be indecisive about future occupations that any other adolescents. They also are least likely to aspire to moderate- prestige occupations. This is the opposite to the non-disabled females of that grade who aspire to high- prestige occupations. Eighth grade males, similarly aspire to high- prestige occupations with more than 50% of the disabled males in this grade aspiring to moderate- prestige jobs. This trend held true to the tenth grade follow up results. Indications in this study also showed a great deal of indecision for disabled students with a more decisive path for their non-disabled peers. This, and the level of their aspirations have a positive correlation. The study indicates the significant impact disabilities have on the level of career aspirations. The primary concerns about this trend are that the students are being required to make this choice as early as eighth grade and that this is the crucial period in their vocational development. Dr. Henrey Reiff and Dr. Sharon deFur, reviewed literature which examines historical information regarding transition policy and legislation, post-secondary outcomes currently in use, and transition planning services available to lend proof to their statement that these students can benefit greatly from better developed transition services. The author’s contention is that requirement for transition planning and services and the legislation now in place the support it allows for a greater probability of success for students with disabilities. Through study of legislative mandates the article outlines the requirements of special education in providing a concise transition plan to disabled students. In identifying desirable outcomes, the article provides a framework for developing transition services for a number of routes. Finally, this article outlines the need for comprehensive and in depth assessment of the students needs in developing the most appropriate transition plan ava ilable. In a related study, Dr. Jay Rojewski, reviewed and examined the major themes from Bandura’s 1982 explanation of how chance influences individual life paths. He contrasts these with the characteristics, personal and social, often attributed to persons with learning disabilities. Rojewski first provides an overview of theoretical perspectives of career behavior including psychological theories and sociological theories. The author contends that psychological theories under represent minority groups including individuals with disabilities. In addressing the role of chance in career development, Dr. Rojewski defines chance and provides evidence of its influences on career behavior. The author proposes that the following determinants, personal and social, raise the intensity of chance on the career development of youth with disabilities; social skills difficulties, planfulness, problem solving, locus of control, self-esteem/ self concept, severity of disability, peer group influenc es, parental influences, cultural influences and school/ teacher influences. Dr. Wagner and Dr. Blackorby refer to the National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students in order to track and argue that special education students in high schools without appropriate transition planning and programming are much less likely to successfully compete in the work force. They identified a number of ideas that may offer a better planning strategy for disabled students in transition planning. Included in these discussions were course offerings, the need for more vocational training, and the dual nature of taking more general education course. In addressing the last point it was found that one indicator of success was a greater number of general education course, but that in contrast, the higher number of regular education course a disabled student took, the higher the chances of receiving poor grades. This was identified as the primary reason students were dropping out. Research Question Can direct instruction in the academics of vocational training in a resource setting increase the level of mastery for transition and vocational goals for students with learning disabilities? Previous research supports the fact that students with learning disabilities are finding greater success in this area with increased time in vocational education classes. There is also ample proof that, due to the learning obstacles they face, these same students benefit a great deal from direct instruction in a resource setting. Based around these concepts, providing direct instruction in the academics of vocation in the resource setting should increase the level of mastery related to the IEP goals related to transition and vocation. To answer this question, quarterly progress monitoring in these areas must be assessed in relative terms. There is not just the question of full mastery, but improvement in relationship to where the student’s level of proficiency was to begin with. If the st udents improve in their ability to complete tasks and exhibit an increase in the skill set needed to successfully transition, their level of mastery has increased. Methods and Procedures Sample The sample should consist of students qualifying for a learning disability under Department of Defense guidelines in grades 9-12. These students are identified from the population receiving services at Fort Campbell High School. The criteria for qualifying for learning disabled include any students who are at or below the 10th percentile on a standard achievement test. These students can be identified from records review in their special education files. A review of records will identify prior mastery levels applicable to transition and vocation. There are 84 students receiving special education services in Fort Campbell High School. Forty six of these students currently are identified as having a learning disability. Due to the transient nature of this population, these numbers can fluctuate over time. To increase the scope of the study, Fort Knox also is included in the Department of Defense Schools System district. Procedure Prior to establishing IEP goals, an appropriate curriculum must be developed and implemented. This curriculum should encompass all aspect of vocational academics and include transferable skills training in the subject areas of Mathematics, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. There needs to be flexibility in the delivery of this direct instruction based on the level of proficiency in these areas exhibited by the students. Providing instruction in the resource setting will allow this curriculum to be delivered in a flexible setting with accommodations and modifications needed. This curriculum should be in place and accessible prior to the year and developed in conjunction with the school’s vocational department. These individuals should also be a part of the Site- Based Case Study Committee’s (SBCSC) development of the IEP goals. The study of the effects of introduction of vocational academic curriculum classes in the resource setting on transition and vocational goals should include the establishment and monitoring of appropriate IEP goals. These goals, derived by the SBCSC, should be appropriate to the post-secondary goals and career track of the individual students. These goals can be geared toward transition to an academic or vocational setting. Department of Defense Education Activity manual has established goals to address the areas of career and work skills in the secondary setting. These include but are not limited to: Employment: These student will demonstrate skills for getting along with others in the work place The student will demonstrate skills for getting along with supervisors. The student will develop awareness for the world of work. The student will demonstrate career and/ or employment skills. The student will understand the knowledge requirements of his/ her preferred occupation. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the job process. Post- Secondary The student will identify educational skills in the workplace. The student will demonstrate entrance requirements for appropriate post-secondary community programs. The student will organize a work site. The student will demonstrate knowledge of how to succeed in a post-secondary program. Academic goals related to a transition curriculum, related to core subject areas include but are not limited to the following: Language arts The student will apply written language skills in functional writing activities. Identify the five main parts of a business letter. Write a resume. Write functional notes, messages, shopping lists, task lists, directions, and assignments. Mathematics The student will make reasonable estimations. The student will demonstrate an understanding of money concepts. The student will understand the basics of graphs, statistics, and graphs. The student will understand time concepts. Reading The student will demonstrate an understanding of functional documents. The student will demonstrate an understanding of consumer information. The student will apply reading skills needed for independent employment. With these goals and any individualized IEP goals developed by the SBCSC, a curriculum encompassing the required academic skills should be developed from all available resources in the content areas. Academic setting may include but are not limited to college, trade schools, or other schooling options. Vocational settings may be a work place or vocational courses and work training programs. This should occur within the first 10 days of the school year. The vocational academics are to be delivered dependant upon the development of the student’s class schedule. Because Department of Defense Dependant Schools (DODDS) operate on a block schedule, implementation should be 90 minutes every other day or one class period. This will provide the student with an average of two and a half class periods a week of direct instruction in the area of vocational academics. This instruction ill be provided by the special education staff and any support staff assigned to that department. This class should be identified as direct special education provided in the resource setting by special education staff reflective on the service page of the IEP. Progress on transition and vocational goals should be checked and documented at each grade reporting period. DODDS special education policy provides for quarterly progress reports to be provided in each report card period as well as during the annual review of the IEP. Each nine week period, with the completion of the grading period, each case managing special education is charged with documenting progress on all IEP goals. For the purpose of consistency in this study, the special education teacher for the vocational academics class should closely evaluate the progress made by each student in the class. The progress is ranked on a five tier ranking system and assigned the following numerical values; 1. No Progress, 2. Little Progress, 3. Some (moderate) Progress, 4. Partially Mastered, and 5. Mastered. The completion of the study should occur with a review of the IEP transition/ vocational goals in a SBCSC meeting in the last two weeks of the school year. Upon completion and collection of the progress reports, each goal should be reviewed and the progress evaluated. In this process, the SBCSC should look at how much the student progressed, if the goals were mastered, if the goals remain appropriate, if the time allowed for mastery was appropriate, and whether r not the goals remain aligned with the student’s goals and aspirations. Time Schedule Implementation of the study should begin and end with a SBCSC of the IEP goals. The development of these goals will occur within the first ten schooldays, Aug6- 17. The vocational academics class will be provided by the special education department in 90 minute intervals every other day on the block schedule. The time of day will be dependant on the scheduling of all classes in the school day. Each 9-week instructional period will mark the data collection point with the evaluation and recording of the student’s progress. For the 2007-08 school year in the DODDS system these dates are 12/ 05/ 07, 12/ 21/ 07, 03/ 14/08, 05/ 09/08. A fifth progress report will occur dependant on the date of the student’s annual review of their IEP. The last data collection point will occur in conjunction with the final grading period on 12 /05/ 07. This will mark the completion of the data collection and at this time the data will be reviewed and analyzed to identify relative gains, losses in the level of goal mastery. Data Collection Data Collection will occur at five times throughout the school year. Four of these collection points will be at a 9 week interval and take place in conjunction with the monitoring and documentation of school- mandated quarterly progress reports. The dates for these collection points are October 5, December 21, March 14, and May 9. A fifth collection point will occur at the student’s annual IEP review. Because each student’s annual review occurs a different times of the year, this fifth collection point will be dependant on the individual IEP. The data collected will be in the form of the aforementioned numerical ranking from the special education teacher providing instruction in the vocational academic class. This ranking 1-5 is recorded on the IEP goals sheet in the student’s special education file. Because of the small size of this sample, these results may not be replicable in other environments. The rating scale, filled out by the special education provider w ill be compiled by the teacher conducting and monitoring the study. Data Analysis The data will be evaluated for value added and it’s relativity to the student’s previous levels of performance. Through a records review of progress on prior transition goals, each benchmark and annual goal will be reviewed and evaluated. On each goal, with implementation of the direct instruction in the resource setting, mastery of transition goals should see a marked increase. Mastery of these goals, using the established ranking system, should all receive a ranking of 3 or above. This will indicate that the student’s are making moderate progress on all transition/vocational goals. By applying a value added system, we are able to also see the amount of increase seen in each student in relationship to their individual starting points. References Fafard, M..B., Haubrich, P.A. (1981). Vocational and social adjustment of learning disabled young adults: A follow-up study. Learning Disabled Quarterly, Vol.4, (No. 2), 122-130. Retrieved June 29, 2007 from JSTOR at http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Fairweather, J.S., Shaver, D.M.. (1990). A troubled future?: Participation in postsecondary education by youth with disabilities. The Journal of Higher Education, Vol.61, (No. 3), 332-348. Retrieved June 13, 2007 from JSTOR at jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Hasazi, S., Johnson, R., Hasazi, J., Gordon, L., Hull, M. (1989). Employment of youth with and without handicaps following high school: outcomes and correlates. The Journal of Special Education, Vol.23, (No. 3), 243-255. Retrieved June 9, 2007 from JSTOR at http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Heller, T. , Miller, A.B. , Hsieh, K. (1999). Impact of a consumer-directed family support program on adults with developmental disabilities and their family caregivers. Family Relations, Vol.48, (No. 4), 419-427. Retrieved June 19, 2007 from JSTOR at http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Minskoff, E.H. DeMoss, S. (1993). Facilitating successful transition : Using the TRAC model to assess and develop academic skills needed for vocational competence. Learning Disability Quarterly, Vol.16, (No. 3), 161-170. Retrieved June 23, 2007 from JSTOR at http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Okolo, C. M. Sitlington, P. (Spring 1986). The role of special education in LD adolescents’ transition from school to workl. Learning Disability Quarterly, Vol.9, (No. 2), 141-155. Retrieved July 6, 2007 from JSTOR at http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Reiff, H., deFur, S. (Autumn, 1992). Transition for youth with learning disabilities: focus on developing independence. Learning Disability Quarterly, Vol.15, (No. 4), 237-249. Retrieved June 11, 2007 from JSTOR at http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Rojewski, J.W., (Spring 1996). Ocupational Aspirations and early career-choice patterns of adolescents with and without disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, Vol.19, (No. 2), 99-116. Retrieved July 3, 2007 from JSTOR at jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Rojewski, J.W. (Autumn, 1999). The role of chance in the career development of individuals with learning disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, Vol.22, (No. 4), 267-278. Retrieved June 13, 2007 from JSTOR at http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. U.S. Department of Education (1987). Ninth annual report to congress on the implementation of the education of the handicapped act. Washington, DC: Office of Special Education Programs, Division of Innovation and Development. Wagner, M.H.., Blackorby, J. (1996). Transition from high school to work or college: How special education students fare. The Future of Children, Vol.6, (No. 1), 103-120. Retrieved June 29, 2007 from JSTOR at http://0-www.jstor.org.library.acaweb.org/. Will, M. (1984). Bridges from school to working life. Washington, DC: Office of Special Education and Rehailitative Services. Research Papers on Action Research Plan- Vocational transition in Special EducationStandardized TestingThe Project Managment Office SystemInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesResearch Process Part OnePETSTEL analysis of IndiaBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Hockey GameAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaOpen Architechture a white paperLifes What Ifs

Multimedia website report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Multimedia website report - Essay Example ..................................................................................................3 2. Analysis and Requirements Phase.........................................................................................3 2.1. Types of requirements....................................................................................................3 2.2. User requirements...........................................................................................................3 2.3. Client requirements.........................................................................................................4 2.4. Technical requirements................................................................................................. 4 2.5. Survey and critique of similar websites..........................................................................5 2.6. Analysis of requirements.................................................................................................5 3. Desig n Phase..........................................................................................................................5 3.1. Web designs....................................................................................................................6 3.2. Web layouts.....................................................................................................................6 3.3. ... .............................8 3.6. Structural chart.................................................................................................................8 3.7. Categories of information................................................................................................8 3.8. Paper prototypes...............................................................................................................9 3.9. Formative evaluation of designs......................................................................................9 4. Implementation Phase.............................................................................................................9 4.1. Functions and features of the website and the justification.............................................9 4.2. Usability and accessibility...............................................................................................10 5. Evaluation Phase................................................... .................................................................11 5.1. User evaluation................................................................................................................11 5.2. Client evaluation..............................................................................................................11 5.3. Technical evaluation........................................................................................................11 5.4. Human Computer Interaction (HCI) evaluation..............................................................12 6. Conclusion..............................................................................................................................12 7.

LITERATURE REVIEW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

LITERATURE REVIEW - Essay Example † In the same context, the paper therefore seeks to establish the different ethical issues that may affect the running of a multinational company. This is important because the success of human resource management of any company is highly dependent on ethical issues put in place by the entire management board. According to Trevino and Nelson (2012, p.215), ethical issues regardless of the cultural situation are defined by primary and secondary stakeholders. The paper will therefore bring into view the different ethical issues as indicated by the Abraham’s Stakeholder model and try to figure out the strength of these ethical issues as would determine the success of human resource management and progressive development in a company operating multi-nationally. Stakeholders That Determine Company Ethics Business partners Partnership in a business can be a much polarised issue when unethical business actions are put in place by one organization. According to Pige (2002, p.4), a business will run effectively if the business partners perceive it as being beneficial to them. In this case, they are bound to support each other in their various capacities and the various business entities. For instance, if Western Airlines is a company that benefits the economy of a non-western nation like China, the business partners in China will support its operations there. However, if there is suspicion of market dominance by the Chinese partners, there is bound to be creation of unethical business acts to scare away the market from the Western Airlines. This creates a very complicated system in the management of the foreign company as unethical acts may require a lot of public relations to regain the diminishing glory (Phillips, 2011, p. 81). In this case, the issue of â€Å"who or what counts† come in and there is a high level misunderstanding. However, if these two companies have a sound business partnership, there will be a high level ethical business partners hip and ability to create good public relations to each other (Kardys, 2012, p. 2). Customers These are the modest reasons for the existence of any company. From a background perspective, Regelbrugge (1998, p.3) indicates that any business must do all it takes to create a high level market for its products. This is in line with expansion of the customers and rendering their needs to their satisfaction. Any unethical act that hurts the customers goes a long way in alienating a company from a market. Multinational companies in the same way face a very tricky situation in trying to maintain the same in the wake of the unethical issue. A recent article by Soni (2009, p.4) maintained the same idea by insisting that if company staffs mishandle a customer, it may go a long way in becoming unethical in the entire customer society. The business will therefore lose a high level customer base to its competitors who are always at standby to initiate these into their company products. Employees Ethics inside an organization has not been a recent issue. As indicated earlier, the motivation to work effectively is levelled towards the beneficial factors that can be realised at the end of the whole process. Employees always have competing goals. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, there is always a need to be happy and the need for satisfaction comes in. The management levels in all organizations however are never the same. Some are horizontal while

Holmes in the room Essay Example for Free

Holmes in the room Essay His ability to withdraw within himself and to detach himself is reinforced with his preference for German music; it is introspective and I want to introspect. This behaviour is shown yet again in Silver Blaze in his movement from day-dreaming and absorbed in his own thoughts to suppressed excitement. This essence of his character is also a strong reference to Victorian morality in the duality of human nature. Conan Doyles stories convey the sense of a double life led by many middle class men, in particular. Conan Doyle conveys Holmes as possessing a character that changes from the languid, dreamy, gentle sense of his inertia to his predatory qualities; Holmes the sleuth-hound, Holmes the relentless, keen-witted, ready criminal agent. The words swing of his nature and alternately further contribute to our impression of his dual nature. There is also a symbolic representation of a duality of human nature in the contrast between the shabby, faded, weedy side of the square and the fine stately side that backs the pawnbroker and represents commerce. The gap between rich and poor widened with the growth in industry during the Victorian era. The growth in wealth is shown in the metaphor of a tide and immense stream of increasing wealth. Dual nature is also clearly identified in Silver Blaze when Silas Brown is shown to have two personalities; never have I seen such a change as had been brought about in Silas Brown in that short time. In The Man with the Twisted Lip you will find the strongest representation of dual nature. At the beginning of the story Holmes disguises himself as a tall, thin old man so that not even Watson, his closest friend can recongise him. Conan Doyle describes the change in Holmes his form had filled out, his wrinkles were gone, the dull eyes had regained their fire. Doyles language in the paragraph conveys the duality of man and as the paragraph progresses, language marks Holmes transformation from very thin; very wrinkled, bent with age to his real self. Finally he regains his ingenious disguise to doddering, loose-lipped senility. But the strongest personification of the dual nature of man lies in Neville St. Clair who is the embodiment of Victorian double personality; one life by day and another by night. The first evidence of this lies in his two distinct writing styles of which he has a different style for when he wrote hurriedly. But the main reference to duality of nature appears near the end of the story when Holmes starts scrubbing off the beggar mans, Boones, face to reveal his true persona Neville St. Clair. The description of the face peeled off and exposing the refined man beneath shows the true extent of Victorian double nature. There is also a strong metaphor for the merging of the two sides of his character; the horrid scar which had seamed it across. In The Red-Headed League Holmess appearance is compared to that of a strange bird with a hawk like nose. This draws an image of an almost predatory figure in the readers mind. This image is further reinforced in The Red-Headed League with his quick firing of questions to Jabez Wilson. These questions reflect his razor sharp ability to extract information and also his quick-thinking mind. He is also described as a bird in The Man with the Twisted Lip when Conan Doyle draws attention to his strong set aquiline features. This description could also be in reference to the publication of Darwins On the Origin of the Species and the idea that human kind were descendants of animals, beasts. There is also a reminder of Darwins theory in The Speckled Band; I have heard, Mr Holmes, that you can see deeply into the manifold wickedness of the human heart. There was a huge fear in Victorian times that men possessed a bestial quality. This also conveys the Victorian double standard because Holmes works for the good of society, but possesses something that draws him towards evil. This is reinforced again in Silver Blaze when he is described as having menace in his eyes. In the Victorian age, a certain type of novel emerged from the largely romantic literary background, the Gothic novel, which was invented almost single-handedly by Horace Walpole who wrote The Castle of Otranto in 1764. It has been suggested, by the critic Ann B. Tracy, that the Gothic novel could be seen as a description of a fallen world. While Sherlock Holmes is certainly a hero in many senses, in that he solves crimes, repeatedly saves people from the forces of evil and restores moral values while he is at it, he could also certainly be seen as a Gothic hero. It is his strong power of perception that solves crimes, and it is his hunger for sensation that drives his crime-solving and his cocaine use. To succeed as a detective Holmes frequently must himself descend into Londons underworld, which further reinforces the theory of a fallen world. It could be said that in all of the Sherlock Holmes stories there is a Gothic element in the form of a mysterious, inexplicable situation. This could be definitely be seen in The Red-Headed League, but to really discover the more detailed elements that constitute the genre of a Gothic novel we can look no further than The Speckled Band, which is littered with references to a true Gothic novel. First of all there is the woman in distress, in this case taking the presence of Helen Stoner, who arrived in a considerable state of excitement. She is described as being in a pitiable state of agitation, her face all dawn and grey, with restless, frightened eyes, which certainly conforms to the Gothic element of women with highly wrought emotions. There is also a woman in high state of emotion present in Silver Blaze when Mrs. Strakers face was haggard, and stamped with the print of a recent horror. Also present in The Speckled Band which is an element of a Gothic story is the occurrence of a cruel, tyrannical male who threatens and harms a woman, which appears in the form of Dr Grimsby Roylott, whom Helen Stoner appears to be considerably afraid of when she tries to hide the marks on her arm; you have been cruelly used. Then there is the setting in a ruined building, Stoke Moran, which seems to be in a considerable state of disrepair; the building was of grey, lichen-blotched stone. windows were broken. a picture of ruin. There is also a sense of mystery and suspense as the question is posed whether or not Dr Roylott killed Helens sister. Also the fact that Helen Stoner has been effectively forced into living in her sisters room could be seen as a Gothic element, as could the eerie whistle which both the sisters heard in the dead of night. Conan Doyles literary masterpieces are been enjoyed by thousands for almost a century now and continue to capture the hearts of both young and old. So brilliant and absorbing are these stories that when Sherlock Holmes was killed in The Final Problem fans complained so forcefully that Conan Doyle was compelled to resurrect him again. Holmes fans even refer to the time in between his death and revivification as the Great Hiatus. The Guinness World Records has consistently listed him as the most portrayed movie character with over 70 actors playing the part in over 200 films. A rare manuscript of one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyles final Sherlock Holmes stories has recently been expected to fetch a whopping i 250,000 at auction. Overall there have been 56 short stories and 4 novels, written over a decade. These accounts are littered with references to Victorian England and can help people today to understand what life was like in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Kate Manson 10S Page 1 of 5 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Conan Doyle section.