Analysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown Essay

Someone influential isn’t only a powerful individual, but also someone who understands certain situations and is able to advise others what to do if one ever encounters something similar. Consequently, Nathaniel Hawthorne was the primary author who influenced me the most because I was able to connect and sympathize with the author. Also, when I attended the academic conference that I was so greatly invited to take a part in, I was able to understand and see the short story â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† in a new perspective. Besides understanding that the short story is about society wearing different faces, I was able to further comprehend that the short story might also be about assumptions. This triggered a thought which made me further connect with the authors writing. Thus, Hawthorne’s short story really spoke to me. In the beginning of the story when Young Goodman Brown makes an arrangement with the â€Å"traveler† to go into the woods so that he can s eek some answers, Goodman Brown sees â€Å"†¦a female figure on the path†¦who had taught him catechism in youth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hawthorne 82). This is a starting point for Goodman Brown as he begins to see that people may perceive themselves in a certain way when in reality that’s not how they really are. Goodman Brown starts realizing how a person changes faces and how they tend to show others the face that is convenient for them at that specific time. Something similar also happened to my mother and I. From a very young age, I was exposed to goingShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown 1474 Words   |  6 Pages The works of Nathaniel Hawthorne deal with dark themes and are considered to be the first works of gothic romanticism. While these stories do deal with strong dark elements, these works are also heavily inspired by Puritanism and the Puritan colony at Plymouth. To begin with, the short story â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† has strong themes of faith. The story is about a man by the name of Brown and his wife Faith. Brown walks into the forest against Faith’s wishes and meets an old man and the two walk deeperRead MoreAnalysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown 1102 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Young Goodman Brown† is a story written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1835. This was the period around the crazy incidents of the Salem Witch Trials. This piece is covered with topics that can be described as having alternative meanings. Through the symbolism in the story, the audience is able to make ties between the old relationships Goodman Brown had with the other townspeople. The series of event in the story bring him to believe that his entire life was a lie and no one was worthy of his trustRead MoreAnalysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown 1471 Words   |  6 Pages29 September 2015 Testing Faith In the allegorical short story Young Goodman Brown, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses suspense and mystery to keep the reader interested. Throughout the story, Hawthorne makes the reader wonder what all the witchcraft, mysticism, and the double-sided lifestyles of the characters really means. Young Goodman Brown may be suspenseful, but the reader also has to look at it from a symbolic point of view. Hawthorne shows that a strong faith can basically make or break a man orRead MoreAnalysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s `` Young Goodman Brown `` And `` The Yellow Wallpaper ``2005 Words   |  9 Pagesfor a change in their respective eras and cultures. In three particular short stories, namely Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†, â€Å"A New England Nun† by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, and lastly Charlotte Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, each individual author speaks out against the established norms of their time in search for moral change. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†, he addresses the value of the intense religious culture of that early American time period andRead MoreAnalysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown 1144 Words   |  5 PagesHawthorne s Ideal Woman In Nathaniel Hawthorne s short stories, Young Goodman Brown, The Minister s Black Veil, and The Birthmark, he provides us with female characters with very similar attributes, and they all have the same inhuman acceptance for the men they love. No matter what is thrown at these three unprecedented women they still show a extreme tolerance for their companions. While Goodman Brown, Mr. Hooper, and Aylmer struggle with their own appalling desires, their partners continueRead MoreAnalysis Of Nathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown 1136 Words   |  5 PagesMajok Lem Tim McNeil English 95s May 24 2016 Faith versus Evil Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of the short story â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†, he was an American writer in the 19th century. He was born in Salem village, and he died at the age of 60. His short story about a man named Young Goodman Brown, who lived in Salem village with his wife Faith. They have been married three months. Mr. Goodman Brown has left his wife for one travel night although his wife does not want him to go. He insists on leavingRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown1543 Words   |  7 PagesIn Nathaniel Hawthorne s short story of Young Goodman Brown, the author uses symbolism and allegories in order to showcase the Puritan faith as well as man s conflict between good and evil. This analysis will break down the techniques that the author uses to critique the puritan society and to show the difference between how people appear to be in society and the true colors that they are hidden inside of them. There has been a lot of great authors in our time, but none more interesting thanRead MoreYoung Goodman Brown from a Moral Standpoint1352 Words   |  6 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts. At the age of four, his father passed away from yellow fever, forcing his family to move in with his uncle. The positively influential Uncle Robert Manning pushed Hawthorne to succeed in school and insisted he go to college. Following his education at Bowdoin College, Hawthorne spent years in isolation mastering the art of writing. It was during those years when Hawthorne discovered that his ancestors were founders and Puritan leaders of the SalemRead MoreYoung Goodman Brown By Nathaniel Hawthorne1620 Words   |  7 Pages Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne’s work Young Goodman Brown reveals how hard it is in the revelation of the harsh realities of the society.  The society with is characterized by secrecy.   People hide behind the curtains of daily practices and a normal life despite the odd their practices. However, anxiety reveals the realities of people in the community that may come with great prices as for the Nathaniel Hawthorne’s main character Goodman Brown.  Viewing theRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne s Young Goodman Brown1492 Words   |  6 PagesIn Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story of Young Goodman Brown, the author uses symbolism and allegories in order to showcase the Puritan faith as well as man’s conflict between good and evil. This analysis will breakdown the techniques that the author uses to critique the puritan society, and to show the difference between how people appear to be in society and the true colors that they are hidden inside of them. There has been a lot of great authors in our time, but none more interesting than Nathaniel

Introduction To Autism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd ) - 931 Words

Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Autism have been recognized as in existence since the 1940s but only in recent years it has been recognised under the standardized psychiatric diagnostic classification schemes. It is not unusual for people with ASD to be at risk of displaying challenging behaviours which could lead to offending behaviours, however, on the other hand they can also be at lower risk as they find rules helpful in surviving in the social world. This paper will look at what is ASD, studies on ASD individuals and offending behaviours, explanations on the outcomes of the studies and conclusion on these findings. ASD ASD and Autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development (What Is Autism, n.d.). Prior to 2013, patients could be diagnosed under Autistic Disorder (AD), Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD). In 2013, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) merged all Autism Disorders under one umbrella termed ASD so that it will improve the diagnosis of ASD without limiting the sensitivity of the criteria or substantially changing the number of children being diagnosed. (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). People with autism have a lifelong developmental condition that not only affects the way they relate to their environment and interaction with others, but also non-verbal interactions may be misread. (Autism SpectrumShow MoreRelatedIs Autism A Developmental Disorder? Essay1619 Words   |  7 PagesExploring Autism in Children Rutgers University Atypical Adolescence and Development Professor. Stevie McKenna November 2nd, 2016 Autism Abstract Autism is a developmental disorder in which an individual has problems with communication and interaction. Autism Spectrum Disorder was adopted as a categorization in 2013 and begins in childhood and follows throughout the course of a child’s life and is actually a collection of developmental brain disorders. There isRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder And How It Affects Children1092 Words   |  5 Pagesinform Specific purpose: To inform my listeners about Autism spectrum disorder and how it affects children in society today. Central Idea: Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental disability that affects very many children in the United States today. Although there is no cure for autism, through early intervention, and proper therapies it can reduce the child’s ASD symptoms and improve their ability to grow and learn new skills. INTRODUCTION I. Attention Material A. Imagine living in a world whereRead MoreEssay about Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Theories of Vygotsky1423 Words   |  6 Pagesdecade has acknowledged the impacts of characteristics and life-functioning for individuals on the autism spectrum. Models of support or interventions strategies have been researched but little, or limited practical or resourced models appeared as accessible for families of older youth. The intention of this research paper was to investigate a specific activity group for youth on the autism spectrum. The group runs concurrently with a parent group and is funded through a respite funding provisionRead MoreTreatment Options Used for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder1440 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is known as a neurodevelopmental disorder that is capable of weakening communication, behavior and socialization. The term ASD includes three major subtypes which is Autism Spectrum Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Asperger’s Disorder. About 9.0 in 1000 children have ASD and certain types of autism might not be identified until three years of life. The probability of boys being diagnosed is higher compared to girls (Bravaccio et al. 2013)Read MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )1587 Words   |  7 Pages Topic: Autism Spectrum Disorder  (ASD) Purpose: My audience will learn the importance of recognizing early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder in children. Thesis: It is important to understand the early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder, and why early intervention is the best treatment. Introduction: Gain/maintain attention There is a television show I like to watch called â€Å"The Big Bang Theory, maybe some of you have seen it. This show focuses on the relationships between a group of friends, someRead MoreAutism Is A Matter Of Passionate National Debate1197 Words   |  5 Pages Introduction: †¢ In the past two decades or so, autism has changed from being a condition nobody had even heard about to widely recognized mental health condition. Due to widespread use of internet, social media and smartphones everybody knows something about autism. Just searching for autism in Google brings up more than 68 million results. Autism has become a matter of passionate national debate among different stake holders such as government, public health agencies, mental health associationsRead MoreVulnerable Populations: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder914 Words   |  4 PagesVulnerable Populations: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Introduction: Today, we are seeing a rising increase in the occurrence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. What once used to be a rare disorder is now commonly recognized in the medical field as well as in the community. Not only is autism a health issue in itself, but many health issues come along with the disorder. This paper will discuss the description of the population, the top health issues and their relevance, andRead MoreEffects Of Autism On Children With Autism Spectrum Diseases1073 Words   |  5 Pages Autism Spectrum disorder is described as a disorder that will disable people for communication and social interaction. They will have repetitive behaviors and also will have difficultly learning, reacting to things or paying attention. If there is an early intervention of this disorder treatment can be manageable. Scientist believe that genetic is the major cause of autism and there is a high chance of children to get autism if their sibling is already suffering from autism. Autism was discoveredRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )1441 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a hereditary neurodevelopmental disorder. Like many other psychological disorders, it is commonly misunderstood in popular culture. Many allude to it casually, often equating it with crippling social awkwardness and disability when it is in fact a spectrum disorder with many degrees of severity. It is somewhat of an enigma within the scientific community as well; there are many things we do not know about ASD and there is ongoing research to learn moreRead MoreVaccinations : A Science s Greatest Feats1400 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Vaccinations are considered to be one of science’s greatest feats. The World Health Organization estimates that immunization prevents 2 million deaths worldwide and according to Immunize BC, â€Å"[vaccinations] have saved more lives in Canada than any other medical intervention in the past 50 years†. Vaccinations work by transmitting a small amount of germs - or parts of a germ- into the patient. These germs cause the body to create antibodies in order to rid and protect the body of the

Ocean Dumping Key Issues Free Essays

Ocean Dumping: Key Issues Liz Gomez Ocean Dumping: Key Issues Marine debris is the official designation and referents to human created wastes that pollutes and are dumped deliberately or accidentally in lakes, waterways, seas and oceans. While certain debris naturally float on bodies of water (i. e. We will write a custom essay sample on Ocean Dumping: Key Issues or any similar topic only for you Order Now ogs and trees that got cut via natural events), certain communities, peoples and industries the world over deliberately dump debris and garbage in bodies of water without much thought into the effects of such acts in relation to threats to animals (fish, sea mammals, birds, reptiles) their habitats, coastal habitations and to human industries that depend on the bounty of the sea (i. e. fishing). Of late the greatest threat are the toxins released via the practice of ocean dumping which can destroy so easily fragile ocean habitats. Plastic and Styrofoam’s, being non-biodegradable cannot breakdown and affect ocean and water inhabitants in so many ways – accumulated debris prevents photolysis, a component in photosynthesis killing marine life. Ghost nets and accumulated plastic as well as unique debris like six-pack rings can entangle marine life and result to movement restriction which can lead to starvation, laceration, infection and eventually, death. Dugongs, dolphins, sharks, reptiles, sea turtles and all sorts of fish can easily get entangled with ghost nets. Plastic bags and plastic pellets – the broken down versions of plastics via weathering clog the digestive tract of marine animals and where they pool, prevent photolysis as well. It does not help that the smaller pellets, known as nurdles resemble fish eggs. Populations of fish and sea mammals often mistake them for fish eggs and their ingestion result to death. Ever since man started sailing, the ocean has become a dumping ground for debris and materials. Greenpeace estimates that annually, containers ships lose about 10,000 containers while at sea. Adding to marine debris is the runoff from landfills storm drains. The danger in the toxic contamination via ocean dumping can be seen in varied incidents in the Arctic Sea. In the 50’s Russia dumped highly radioactive materials in their own part of the Arctic – the Barents Karas Sea but the toxicity spread through the rich fishing grounds of the international and open waters of the sea that it affected and threatened fish populations and the industry of Arctic Sea Fishing. Of recent, the experience of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico showed how fragile marine biology is as species of marine life got heavily affected which in turn affected the fishing and tourism industries of the towns and cities around the gulf which destroyed livelihoods and way of life. Aside from the issues listed above, key concerns in relation to how ocean dumping affects human life are identified as follows (Burger, 2009) – 1) Occupational accidents, injuries, and exposures; ) Exposure of the public to hazardous or toxic materials washed up on beaches; 3) Human consumption of marine organisms that have been contaminated by ocean disposal. A further complication is the practice of legal dumping where countries (including the US) allow dumping of materials into the sea/ocean following certain situations and measures. Environmental organizations have since been advocating against such measures. To counteract them however, in the case of the US, the following measures have been put in place – †¢ Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Toxic Substances Control Act, †¢ Water Pollution Prevention and Control Act, †¢ Air Pollution Prevention and Control Act, Dangerous Cargo Act, †¢ Ports and Waterways Safety Act, †¢ Deep Water Ports Act, †¢ Ocean Dumping Act Of the above, the biggest act with a direct impact on ocean dumping is the last measure, the Ocean Dumping Act. Enacted in 1988, with additional amendments the EPA presents the highlights of the act today as follows (EPA, 2010) – †¢ TITLE I – OCEAN DUMPING BAN ACT OF 1988 (Amends the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act, commonly called the â€Å"Ocean Dumping Act†) Makes it unlawful for any person to dump, or transport for the purpose of dumping, sewage sludge or industrial waste into ocean waters after December 31, 1991; †¢ Prohibits, after the 270th day after enactment, any person from dumping, or transporting for the purpose of dumping, sewage sludge or industrial waste into ocean waters unless the person: (1) enters into a compliance or enforcement agreement (which includes a plan negotiated by the dumper, the State, and EPA for terminating dumping as well as a schedule which EPA believes will result in the termination of the dumping), and (2) obtains a permit issued by EPA under authority of sec. 02 of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA); †¢ Provides for the payment of special fees for dumping and any penalties incurred by a dumper to be deposited into certain funds for use in finding alternatives to ocean dumping. †¢ TITLE II – DESIGNATION OF AREAS FOR PRIORITY CONSIDERATION UNDER NATIONAL ESTUARY PROGRAM †¢ This title adds four new areas to the list of sites which EPA must give priority consideration when designating new estuaries for inclusion in the National Estuary Program: Massachusetts Bay; Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary Complex, Louisiana; I ndian River Lagoon, Florida; and Peconic Bay, New York. TITLE III – DUMPING OF MEDICAL WASTE †¢ Cited as the â€Å"United States Public Vessel Medical Waste Anti-Dumping Act of 1988†, this section prohibits, 6 months after enactment, disposal of potentially infectious medical waste into ocean waters by a â€Å"public vessel†. Two narrowly crafted exceptions to this prohibition relating to health and safety of the crew, or times of war or national emergency are set forth. This title also: defines â€Å"medical waste† for purposes of the Ocean Dumping Act; adds medical wastes to the list of materials the dumping of which is prohibited under the Ocean Dumping Act; increases the civil penalties for illegal dumping of medical wastes under the Ocean Dumping Act and includes a provision for forfeiture of the vessel; and provides increased criminal sanctions under the Ocean Dumping Act for illegal dumping of medical wastes; defines â€Å"medical waste† for purposes of the CWA using the same definition as for the MPRSA; and, incorporates the term â€Å"medical waste† into the list of pollutants for which the discharge is prohibited under sec. 301(f) of the CWA. †¢ TITLE IV – SHORE PROTECTION ACT OF 1988 †¢ This section prohibits the transportation of municipal or commercial waste within coastal waters by a vessel without a permit and number or other marking. The Secretary of Transportation will issue the permits. The application procedure is set forth. Grounds on which a permit may be denied are set forth. The federal Department of Transportation has discretion to deny permits, but must deny a permit if so requested by EPA. Other specifics as to this process are detailed. Opinion The advocacies of Greenpeace and agencies campaigning against ocean dumping are clear in their message. Ocean Dumping is not conducive to maintaining ecological balance and while for now it might be immediately beneficial to those legally allowed to dump waste in our oceans, in the end when the toxicity level reaches concentrations that are deadly, there will come a point where it some areas of our oceans and bodies of water will become ‘dead’ – marine life would not be supported and the toxicity from such concentrated pollution will easily affect other parts of struggling marine environments. Fishing and related industries will be affected and human life dependent on marine bounty will be deeply affected. To me, it seems that because of the vastness of the planet’s oceans and the lack of a universal enforcement body and law that can require countries and their citizens to ensure that all these rules are followed, it would seem that some of these advocacies and campaign fall into deaf earns. There are shorelines and coastlines the world over that are now full of debris, coral reefs have died, former healthy fishing habitats have now dried up. What I find most problematic is the ‘legal dumpings’ – if environmental protection of oceans is a priority surely dumpings that no doubt will increase ocean debris and contribute to water toxicity should not be tolerated. So far however in international waters, without the activity of advocates like Greenpeace, the negative effect of ocean dumping will most certainly not find its way into public concerns. A country can only police its own people and its shorelines. I believe that globalization has increased man’s activities in relation to manufacture travel and trade and pollution brought about by ocean dumping will no doubt have long term affects to the health and state of marine life all over the world. A universal measure to counteract this problem and the creation of an international agency empowered by the UN for example should be put in place to ensure that the problem does not escalate. I doubt this will happen anytime soon, however. The 1982 UN Convention on The Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982) which was enforced in 1994 is the closest but is limited for it only provides a ‘framework for the determination of the rights and obligations of states relating to the oceans’ only. While ‘Part XII contains provisions with regard to protection and preservation of the marine environment’ – they are still just non-working provisos that are having problems in terms of enforcement. Without an agency tasked to reinforce the provisos, the Law of the Sea remains ineffective. References: http://www. enotes. com/public-health-encyclopedia/ocean-dumping http://archive. greenpeace. org/odumping/ http://www1. american. edu/ted/arctic. htm http://www. epa. gov/history/topics/mprsa/02. htm http://www. pollutionissues. com/Na-Ph/Ocean-Dumping. html How to cite Ocean Dumping: Key Issues, Papers

Nursing Research Class Notes free essay sample

Nursing research is the process that underpins all the other things we have talked about. How was it determined that one particular way of carrying out nursing care was better than another way? How was it decided that a particular framework of understanding will explain certain behaviors better than another? When we discussed frameworks of understanding or conceptual models earlier in the course you learnt that there are various ways of viewing mental illness were discussed and the treatments were based upon eradicating or fixing the cause. This can be described as ways of knowing and ways of intervening. These beliefs came about as the result of research. That is asking, and trying to answer such questions as Why does this occur?, Does this treatment work better than that treatment?, How do we know?, Do more people improve if we do this rather than that?. Research is a way of gaining knowledge about concerns that psychiatric nurses have. What is the best way to help this client with this particular distress? Is there any evidence that suggests that this way of caring is better than that? Nursing research is relatively new in some ways but in other ways gathering-nursing knowledge has been going on since the early days of nursing. Women learned through watching and observing what treatments worked best. This is one particular kind of knowledge. Potter and Perry discuss this in Chapter 5 â€Å"Nurses Ways of Knowing†. Ethical, personal, esthetic knowledge was identified and scientific became one more way of knowing. In terms of nursing research we can return to Florence Nightingale who of course made the observation that there were more deaths closer to the open sewer than there were for men whose beds were further away. This is an excellent example of drawing a conclusion by making observations thereby developing new knowledge. Research itself is a way of developing knowledge but there are other ways of developing knowledge. They are differentially respected and acknowledged but each is a way of `knowing. When you take your research course in fourth year you will learn more about the various kinds of research. For now I just want to highlight the major ways of gathering knowledge. This is Chapter 5 in Potter and Perry and there is also reference to research in Stuart and Laraia under Evidenced Based Practice p 76-83. The opening section of the chapter in Potter and Perry gives a little background on the emergence of nursing practice and theory. Nursing science came into its own: no longer a discipline applying the knowledge of other disciplines but a unique body of knowledge. A good activity for you to consider doing is to go onto the Library website and click on journal holdings, once there search psychiatric nursing. Journals that publish the results of nursing research and in particular psychiatric nursing are a very important part of your reading and learning how to read a research article is an important skill to develop. We will discuss this further momentarily, for now I want now to review ways of gaining knowledge. 1. Tradition certain beliefs are accepted sometimes without too much enquiry. Its weve always done it that way. This may be good but sometimes it is appropriate to question these traditions. 2. Expert Authority: Asking an expert or authority is a very common way of gathering information. All of us ask for information from time to time but we also have to be somewhat cautious about confusing information and knowledge. But certainly we do seek out knowledge and assistance from others. There are, of course, some limitations since not all authorities are always right and like tradition, we do not always challenge this knowledge. 3. Experience A lot of what we know we have learned ourselves. Children certainly do this all the time. Sometimes through unfortunate experience like putting their little hand on a hot stove: Learning is also part of knowledge acquisition. But we also solve problems from experience. Like, if I turn off the alarm and dont get out of bed in the morning, I am late for work. So we learn not to do that. The ability to generalize and recognize patterns and make predictions is one of the hallmarks of the human mind and has been a large part of how our ancestors developed knowledge. It is always rains every time there are black clouds, then the next time you see black clouds, rain is predicted.. But there are limitations, first each persons experience may be too limited to generalize all the time. Maybe black clouds predicting rain only occurs in your part of the world for some environmental reason. Secondly your personal experiences may be colored by biases. 4. Investigating Ideas: Where would we be if no one pursued their ideas for instance, testing molds for their antibiotic value That the earth is not flat but round 5. Reasoning or Problem Solving Thinking through problems and finding solutions. There are two intellectual methods used in reasoning. Inductive reasoning is the process of drawing conclusions and generalizations from specific observation. For example a nurse may observe anxious behavior in children who are removed from their parents and conclude that separation is a stressful event.. Deductive reasoning. This is the process of developing specific predictions from general principles. For example, if you assume that separation anxiety occurs in children removed from their parents then you may predict that children, in your hospital will show signs of anxiety. So we have gone from a general assumption to a specific situation. So, induction is to make or develop a theory from actual observation or grounded in observation. Deduction is to have a hypothesis or a theory and then test it. These terms will become important when you are considering qualitative and quantitative research. Both of these reasoning systems are important for you to think about. They are both useful. But errors can also occur or faulty reasoning. However it may lead to the development of questions 6. The scientific method, which is considered the most objective and accurate way of developing knowledge. However, it, too, can certainly be questioned as you may discover but it is also considered one of the primary ways of developing knowledge. Beginning on p. 85 of Potter and Perry they describe the characteristics of research with a number of definitions you need to study. The sooner you grasp these concepts the better off you will be in future courses. To understand the research process and for your future endeavors I like to begin with the components of a research article in a journal. I have briefly described these below: Title: A succinct description of key elements of the study Running head: Usually a two to three word description of the key elements of the study, which runs at the top of each page. Abstract: A succinct paragraph describing key features of the study, the population studied, the variables manipulated; the findings and discussion point. Usually of 150 words or so. Literature Review: A summary of key research findings from other studies, which lead into your study. If you are studying in a new emerging field this may be short; if in a well established area it may be lengthy or, it might focus on one key area for instance of child development (i.e. there are numerous areas of child development-your study may be focused on cognitive development so it is not required to review all areas of child development within the literature review). The review should provide the reader with an understanding of the area, without missing key studies and without losing the audience with obscurely related information. The literature review should cover research related to your key variables of interest and should draw the reader into your hypotheses. Hypothesis: what you think the relationship between variables is. Depending on the level of research one might have an exploratory hypothesis or you may have predictive hypotheses suggesting the results are going to be in the direction of (one way or the other). This might be a good time to review any of the terms used thus far in Potter and Perry and especially look at table 6-2 which describes levels of research. It is difficult to keep a complex topic simple. Method: The method contains subsections. It usually begins with a description of the sample (who did you interview, who comprised your sample (children, parents, university students etc). One would also find how the sample was selected (was it randomized, was it a captured audience, was it every blonde haired blue eyed left handed boy) Detail is expected. The method section will also describe the research design and procedures. Both are essential for someone else who might say I don’t believe these results. I want to try and replicate the study. Which has been done with interesting results in many areas. Research designs are very complex and influence the type of statistical analysis that can be done. I refer you back to table 6-2 for a beginning understanding of this. Test in struments and their reliability and validity are also expected in the methodology section. Identification of independent and dependent variables would also be described here. The independent variable is that variable you are manipulating i.e. temperature of the room; the dependent variable are the observations you are making i.e. number of complaints of room temperature in a given interval of time. Results: This section will go through sample characteristics, main findings described pictorially sometimes in graphs or may be tables. Results are described matter of factly with little interpretation. Limitations of the study: these become important to the conclusions one can draw. For example if I were studying teen pregnancy and the needs of young mothers and my group ended up being older teens would this be representative of younger teens. Conclusions: This is where results can be interpreted and tied back to the literature review. Were findings supportive to the hypothesis or not and if not what might explain the findings. Implications for nursing practice: it would be found in nursing research studies, not often in other research. The application of nurs ing research is an important area for future discussion. As psychiatric nurses we must however be able to critique research. Sometimes it is conducted under ideal conditions where there is control over a number of variables and there may be difficulty applying it in the real world. That is perhaps why observations of a patients behavior may be better to understand their experience in the real world. Research is the use of a series of steps to gather objective knowledge and nursing research of course is the study of phenomenon of interest to nurses, which is often the patients response to illness and nursing interventions. The second point there is control but we have to understand what scientific research is attempting to state. It is the relationships between 2 variables. That is, if I do one thing will it influence another? So just to take a simple nursing example, we might theorize or predict that a patient who lies on their back for long periods will develop pressure sores. So if the patient is turned frequently and does not develop pressure sores we might conclude that turning is related to unbroken skin. Say, however, at the same time as turning the patients skin is gently massaged; now we cant tell if it is the turning or the massage that resulted in the unbroken and healthy skin. So this is what is meant by control of external factors. Sometimes you may hear this referred to as level of control over the variables of interest. If you are using the scientific method then you probably have a hypothesis you want to test and you would set up your experiment to either prove or disprove. This would be quantitative research. But if you are observing a phenomenon and want to study it in its natural state then you are more likely doing qualitative research. Qualitative research is particularly well suited to psychiatric nursing because it. involves gathering information about people’s experiences which we could use an instrument to assess which would give us a quantitative measure i.e., how traumatized were you 0-10. Asking a person to tell their story gives us significantly more information. Methods can be combined. The ethnographic qualitative research method tends to look at humans in their natural environment. This research always takes place in the field often over a long time. Collection and analysis of data takes place concurrently, as insights are gained new questions may emerge. Often the opinions of the people under study are sought which is very different from quantitative research where opinions and feelings are not considered valid. You will become m ore proficient at reading, understanding and critiquing research but there is no reason why you should not be locating and reading nursing research journals now. Research Principles and terms The practice of Psychiatric Nursing is guided by nursing knowledge. As a profession nursing has developed a unique body of knowledge, which guides the practice of nursing. There is a number of ways in which knowledge is developed and disseminated. They are listed in Potter Perry. Question: State 6 ways of acquiring knowledge. Polit and Hungler (1997) use these terms to describe the scientific research method: Disciplined Research. Research conducted within a disciplined format is the most sophisticated method of acquiring knowledge that humans have developed. Nursing research combines aspects of logical reasoning with other features to create systems of problem solving that, although fallible, tend to be more reliable than tradition, authority, personal experience, intuition, or inductive or deductive reasoning alone. (P.11) The scientific method does have its drawbacks however, it is conducted under ideal conditions and sometimes there may be difficulties in applying it to the real world. There are however two main categories of research Quantitative and Qualitative. Quantitative research follows the scientific model and has a series of clearly defined steps. Quantitative research Process Identify an issue Gather information†¨ State the hypothesis†¨ Review the literature†¨ Design the study†¨ Gather the data†¨ Evaluate the findings Qualitative Research Qualitative research differs from quantitative in that it is a less linear process. It more often involves gathering information about individuals by observing them in their natural environment or through interviews. This type of research takes place in the field rather than the laboratory. The information is rich and varied and subject to the interpretation of the researcher. This is one of its limitations. Nurse researchers can be involved in either quantitative or qualitative research, but most importantly, nursing research should be able to be applied to psychiatric nursing practice. Here is a list of some research projects of psychiatric nurses: Examples of research studies conducted by nurses in Psychiatric Nursing and Mental Health topics: Client expectation and perception of the nurseâ₠¬â„¢s role in relationship to client satisfaction. A comparative study of widows’ and widowers’ perceived social support during the first year of bereavement. The effects of cognitive-behavioral nursing intervention for depressed patients and their families. Factors affecting staff nurses’ use of limit setting with disruptive patients. Nurses’ attitudes toward the suicidal patient. Nursing interventions with long-term patients in regard to their physical appearance: An evaluation study. The nurse’s therapeutic use of touch as related to withdrawn patients. Observable signs of anxiety or distress during psychiatric interviews conducted by nurses. Patient and situational factors that affect nursing students’ like or dislike of caring for patients A study of alcoholic patients’ perception of the role of the nurse. A study of the confidence level of nurses in caring for patients with depression. A study of psychiatric patients’ knowledge about their prescribed medications. Question: What do you think would be a good research topic for psychiatric nurses? Some terms to Learn in Relation to Research