Rn vs Bsn

Care approaches and decision-making A compare and contrast of associate-degree level verses baccalaureate-degree level in nursing: Heidi Kruger Grand Canyon University: NRS-430 (NRS-430V-O103) Professional Dynamics Feb, 2013 Abstract As an ever-changing health care system continues to evolve our practice becomes more advanced. The healthcare system requires an expanded knowledge base and training in order to deliver safe, comprehensive care. As in-hospital patient stays shorten and patient care moves to a community setting, a greater number of specialized nurses are needed.Expected to wear new hats, nurses must attain a higher level of education if we are to adequately rise to new challenges and fill the new rolls of our profession. ADN vs BSN: What’s in the alphabet soup Established in the U. S. in 1909, baccalaureate programs provided a comprehensive education for anyone whom desired to become a nurse professional. Generally this education pathway consisted of fives years of formal education, with three years providing a concentration on the nursing practice.Included in this preparation where courses on public health and education. Later, the preparation was expanded to include courses such as evidence-based practice, clinical prevention, improved patient outcomes and other upper lever critical thinking courses. In the mid 1950’s the U. S. encountered a nursing shortage and the demand for nurses became great. Developed by Mildred Montag in 1952, the associate degree in nursing program (ADN) was developed to fill this demand for nurses during the World War II and post World War II era.This program was only two years in length and included a balance of general education and clinical nursing courses. Its purpose was to provide â€Å"technical† nurse. These ADN prepared nurses where to assist and work under the supervision of a professional nurse. (Creasia, 2011) As the years progressed and the nursing shortage resolved, the ADN program remai ned recognized and many prospective nurses chose the two year community college program to its now four year university counterpart as it as more cost effective and granted the same license upon successful completion of the state board exam. Impact on competent patient care Multiple studies indicate that BSN nurses are better prepared to provide health care. As BSN undergo a higher level of education, which include more critical thinking and a deeper understanding of subjects such as rick management. This education is essential in making quick life and death decisions. More over, inpatient stays are becoming shorter with more care being provided in outpatient settings.Less time in an inpatient setting means a decreased amount of time with which to provide effective, competent care and deliver comprehensive, retainable patient education (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2000) As more care is delivered in a community setting i. e. patients homes, it decreases the available support that a lower level ADN may need. For example, there may be more PRN drugs. A nurse would need to understand how these drugs work separately and how they interact with each other without the aid of pharmacy immediately on had.As â€Å"technical† nurses, they are trained more to do. If a patient shows signs of heart attach or respiratory distress, an ADN nurse may immediately give emergency medication. In contrast a BSN may ask. Are you ok? What medication have you taken? What are you feeling? What where you doing when this began? All while assessing non-verbal cues in order to determine the appropriate action to take. BSN prepared nurses are trained to think quickly before acting quickly. If fast critical thinking and a deeper knowledge of disease processes are not combined, it may prove deadly.Evidenced based Studies Multiple studies show that a higher level of education reflects in patient care. Research at the University of Pennsylvania revealed at one Magnet Hospi tal that surgical patients had 14 percent lower odds in death and 12 percent lower odds of failure to resituate within a thirty day period compared to there non-Magnet counterparts. A study in 2007 revealed that a 10 percent increase in BSN prepared nurses where associated with 9 fewer deaths for every 1,000 discharged patients (Rosseter, 2012). BSN prepares nurses have a more positive impact on patient outcomes.Achieve a broader scope of practice and are superior caregivers particularly in emergency situations. By taking advantage of a higher level of preparation, it allows a nurse to practice to his / her full potential. Conclusion Nurses continue to pioneer new fields. Taking on new tittles such as Case Manager, Infection Control, Risk Management and Legal Nurse Consultant, the role of Nursing is quickly moving from one of patient care to that of community educator and resource manager. We are expected to wear new hats on a daily basis.For this reason, nurses must attain a higher level of education than was accepted in the past. It becomes ever more apparent that an ADN (Associated Degree in Nursing) program is not sufficient to prepare nurses for these new rolls. Many of these new rolls require a specialized certification. A higher degree of academic achievement is required if we are to adequately keep up with the challenges of a ever changing health care system and meet the demands of an increasingly technologically sophisticated society. References Creasia, J. L & Friberg, E (2011).Conceptual Foundations: The bridge to professional nursing practice. St. Louis Missouri: Elsevier Mosby. Page 25-27. Retrieved from http://pageburstls. elsevier. com/#/books/978-0-323-06869-7 American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2000, October 24). Retrieved February 26, 2012 from http://www. aacn. nche. edu/publications/position/bacc-degree-prep Robert J. Rosseter (2012, October 24). Creating a More High Qualified Nursing Workforce. Retrieved February 25, 2012 from htt p://www. aacn. nche. edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/nursing-workforce

Guidelines for Writing the Three Major Parts

Guidelines for Writing the three major parts of the Literature Review (Introduction, Literature, and Discussion) follow. Directions Do not begin typing until you see the level heading – An Overview and Purpose in your template. The Guidelines are organized by LECTURES and INSTRUCTIONS. Lectures and related reading material are included to assist in developing each part of the Review. Where there is to be writing, there are specific Instructions as what is to be included under each heading. Instructions appear in a box. Each instruction is numbered. Respond to ALL NUMBERED INSTRUCTIONS.Introduction to the Literature Insert Your Brief Topic before the Colon: An Overview and Purpose Lecture Note: This section is revised with each new submission of a draft. The introductory section should describe the topic (problem area, guiding concept, theme or research question or problem) that is being reviewed. Aim for an â€Å"eye catching opening sentence†. Sometimes this is a drama tic expression of a number to catch the reader’s attention such as the prevalence of a disease, crime rate, school drop out rate, or sales volume. Be sure the topic is focused on the literature that will be reported.Briefly define the key concepts. Introduce these immediately. The topic should be sufficiently focused to permit an in-depth, substantial investigation, relevant to an area of advanced study/global leadership that guides a range of inquiry, results in an extensive search of scholarly literature, and generation of questions for further inquiry. The purpose of a literature review is presented in the introduction. Bourner (1996) reports the following Purposes – of a literature review – (reasons for a review of the literature) before embarking on a research project.These reasons include: †¢ to identify gaps in the literature †¢ to avoid reinventing the wheel (at the very least this will save time and it can stop you from making the same mistake s as others) †¢ to carry on from where others have already reached (reviewing the field allows you to build on the platform of existing knowledge and ideas) †¢ to identify other people working in the same fields (a researcher network is a valuable resource) †¢ to increase your breadth of knowledge of your subject area †¢ to identify seminal works in your area to provide the intellectual context for your own work, enabling you to position your project relative to other work †¢ to identify opposing views †¢ to put your work into perspective †¢ to demonstrate that you can access previous work in an area †¢ to identify information and ideas that may be relevant to your project †¢ to identify methods that could be relevant to your project Bourner, T. (1996). The research process: Four steps to success in T. Greenfield (Ed. ), Research methods: Guidance for postgraduates (pp. 7-11). London: Arnold. Retrieved 8-13-02 from Royal Melbourne Institu te of Technology RMIT University http://www. ib. rmit. edu. au/tutorials/literature/litrev. html As you attempt to define concepts (variables) and their relationships to other variables, if applicable, identify causal (independent) variables and effects (dependent variables). You may also identify other variables that can be contextual, intervening, or mediating (see Creswell, pp. 94-95 or other texts). After you introduce the topic area properly (instructions follow), you will develop a succinct one-sentence purpose of the review. Three examples of a concluding purpose statement in the overview are:Example 1: The purpose of this review is to critically analyze the theoretical and empirical literature on web-based instruction as an instructional method in distance education, with an emphasis on effectiveness studies that focus on instructional effectiveness, student learning outcomes, retention, student perceptions of this method of course delivery, and to identify areas of future s cholarly inquiry. In this example, the causal variable (independent) is â€Å"instructional method of web-based instruction† and the effects (dependent variable) are instructional effectiveness, student learning outcomes, retention, and student perceptions.Example 2: The purpose of this critical analysis of theoretical and empirical literature is to (a) examine historical and current literature to evaluate whether gender workplace bias exists; (b) explore the impact such a bias would have on women in the workplace, specifically women moving up the corporate ladder; and, (c) identify any theoretical or empirical gaps in the literature for the purpose of suggesting future areas of scholarly inquiry. In this example, the causal variable (independent) is â€Å"gender bias against women in the workplace† and the effect (dependent variable) is mobility up the corporate ladder.Example 3 (Review carefully): The purpose of this critical analysis of theoretical and empirical lit erature is explore the influence of organizational leadership and other factors on organizational performance, in for-profit and not-for profit service organizations, and to identify areas of future scholarly inquiry. In this example, the causal variables (independent) are â€Å"organizational leadership† and â€Å"other factors†, contextual (intervening or mediating) variables are the type of organization (product versus service) and profit/non-profit, and the effect (dependent variable) is organizational performance.Please note in developing your purpose statement, that the purpose statement begins with The purpose of †¦. and concludes with a statement related to identifying future areas of scholarly inquiry. 9 Instructions: Writing An Overview and Purpose (Follow precisely) *Review Blackboard Forum 5. Use your information and faculty comments for strengthening, as a guide to develop your Overview and Purpose (see items #1-9 below). *Draft 1 is due Week 3. Revie w Forum 6. You will get a great start if you develop this well. 1. Using the template: a. Develop a preliminary title for the Review and include on the title page.The title should include the main concepts and themes (and/or key theories) for this review. Remember this is a critical analysis of the literature NOT a research study!!!! In no area of this paper, should you refer to this Review of Literature as a research study!!!!!! b. For the Introduction to the Literature, insert a brief subtitle preceding the colon for the level heading: ___: Overview and Purpose. 2. Under the Overview and Purpose, introduce the paper with an â€Å"eye catching† opening sentence for the first paragraph. 3. After the â€Å"eye catching† opening sentence, briefly – describe the topic (problem area, guiding concept, theme).Get to the point – don’t let the reader guess what the review is about –a few sentences. 4. Next include brief definitions of each of the ma jor concepts and cite references for these definitions in appropriate APA format. BE BRIEF – this is not the literature but an introduction to it! Anything you present in the introduction is developed in depth in the Review of the Literature. 5. Next, very briefly, attempt to identify how the literature explains these variables and their relationships to other variables. Include as many as possible variables because this will help in constructing a literature map.The map will show relationships between the variables as you describe here. – Begin with the following: The causal variables (independent are) †¦ The effects (dependent/outcome variables are†¦ Contextual (intervening or mediating) variables that further impact the dependent or outcome variables are †¦. 6. Discuss how the topic area was identified and your reasons (point of view) for selecting the topic area to conduct your critical analysis of the literature. Review the Guidelines: How to Start – Select a Topic and Overview and Purpose, including purposes identified by Bourner (1996).Begin with the following: The topic area of ____ was selected because___. 7. Explain what you want to know about the topic. Review Hart, 1999, p. 14 (Questions the Review Can Answer). Begin with the following: Some questions to be answered through this critical analysis of the literature are:†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 8. Answer the following: Is the topic about the problems in a discipline or field of study, the processes in a discipline or field of study, or the practices in a discipline or field of study? Processes can refer to various epistemologic processes to develop knowledge (also See Hart, 1999, p. 4). Introduce this clearly so the reader knows what you are speaking about. Begin with the following: The problem area of †¦ is about†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9. Conclude the Overview and Purpose with a clearly formulated statement of purpose of the literature review. Use the examples in the guidelines , as a guide to develop this. Make this clear (see examples in the previous lecture note). Begin with the following and include the ending The purpose of this †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. , and to identify areas of future scholarly inquiry. Organization of the Review, Scope, and Library Research PlanOrganization of the Review Lecture Collect appropriate articles, read critically, identify concepts, theories, and themes, and think about the best way to present your topic. Write these concepts, theories, and themes down (see your Blackboard forum 5 submission and instructor response. Develop a Literature Map. This is a Content Map (Concept Map or Mind Map): All students will have a literature map that will guide the organization of the review and literature search. Build (draw) a visual picture of the concepts and their relationships, which results in a literature map.These evolve from your topic, key concepts, ideas, theme, and/or purpose. Donâ₠¬â„¢t introduce new information or concepts. It should first be introduced in the overview. The literature map is presented in-depth here. There are many methods to organize the review, which often change as you learn more about the topic. Concept Mapping – Representing information in diagram form where key words are linked by lines. These lines are then labeled to express the relationship between the terms. The resulting ‘map' shows links between key ideas and can then be read through to clarify relationships between key terms. . Definition and Purpose of a Literature Map. This map is a visual/graphic representation of concepts, ideas, and themes that serve to guide thinking. In this case, the purpose is to guide the search and organizational presentation of your review. This map serves to: i. Develop ideas for your review ii. Show relationships and interrelationships between the concepts, theories, and themes – and if so, what type of relationships iii. Assist in organizing old knowledge and integrating it with new knowledge iv. Guide your literature search plan/strategy v.Identify subtitles (subheadings) to organize your literature review so that you can communicate your ideas systematically. vi. A literature/content map is a creative, intuitive, and artistic endeavor to see how things fit – to generate alternatives. It is also analytical and critical, based on what you are finding in the literature. REVIEW THESE LINKS A simplified explanation of understanding of a Content map is described in the following URL – web link – http://users. edte. utwente. nl/lanzing/cm_home. htm b. Various types of Graphic or Visual Organizers (review this online.Click each box) (you need to have the syllabus downloaded and Internet connection on) |Chain of Events |Clustering |Compare/Contrast | |Continuum |Cycle |Family Tree | |Fishbone |Interaction Outline |Problem/Solution | |Spider |Storyboard |Venn Diagram | Source: http://www. sdco e. k12. ca. us/score/actbank/sorganiz. htm Other Web sites: Graphic or Visual Organizers Graphic or Visual Organizers: A good site review this online by clicking link. ttp://edservices. aea7. k12. ia. us/edtech/classroom/workshops/organizers. html http://www. cast. org/ncac/index. cfm? i=3015 http://www. veale. com. au/phd/files/Lit_Map. pdf Some diagrams of content maps are depicted in the following URL web link http://trochim. human. cornell. edu/research/epp2/epp2. htm#Table1 Free Mind Mapping Software (Smart Draw) http://www. smartdraw. com/specials/mindmapping. asp? id=13054 Readings on Mapping Ideas: See Hart, 1999, pp. 142-162 Blackboard’s Assignments Toolbar: See example of literature maps in Assignments – Weeks 1-8 Literature Review (Critical Analysis) 50%.Within this folder is information on PowerPoint Presentation and Student Examples. Most of the student examples include literature maps for RES 702 (RES600) students. Organizing the review of the literature by themes, theories, or major concepts and related concepts provides a â€Å"frame for the central topic† to organize. In this case, you may proceed inductively or deductively. http://trochim. human. cornell. edu/kb/dedind. htm Exercise in Deductive/Inductive thinking: http://www2. sjsu. edu/depts/itl/graphics/induc/ind-ded. html#3bFor example, a deductive approach might start with the broader view or concept(s) then move to the specific topic area. Example FOLLOWS: A literature map (Figure 1) is used to guide the library search for theoretical and empirical literature about distance learning. The map shows a deductive pattern of the major themes, using an â€Å"interaction line style† type of graphic organizer. Beginning with the broadest concept of distance education, web-based instruction interacts with student characteristics, which leads to evaluation of effectiveness of web-based instruction in distance education. . . Other concepts and their relationships to gui de the review are . . †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Other Organizational Methodologies for Reviews: While RES 702 students are asked to develop literature maps that serve to organize the review, with more scholarly experience and depending upon the topic, you could also present the Review using an â€Å"opposing view† or â€Å"methodological approach†. This is not expected now. c. The literature map generates an outline for the Review of the Literature Review â€Å"Why do an Outline, and Basic Outlining skills: http://www. und. du/instruct/wstevens/PROPOSALCLASS/PATRAS. html http://www. mnstate. edu/wasson/ed603/ed603lesson5. htm An outline provides a blueprint, skeleton, or a roadmap for the final written review. An outline is an organizational process that is a logical description of the important components of the literature review. It provides a visual and conceptual design for writing. 1. Identify the main points in the order they should be presented. 2. Differentiate each mai n heading into logical subheadings. 3. Use further subdivisions if necessary.IT IS STRONGLY SUGGESTED THAT YOU INCLUDE A SECTION ON MEASUREMENT OF YOUR MAJOR VARIABLES. REPORT SOME OF THE MAJOR METHODS, TOOLS, OR INSTRUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN USED IN PRIOR STUDIES TO MEASURE THE KEY CONCEPTS IN YOUR OUTLINE. Notice in the outline that follows, a sub-level heading is measurement of leadership and organizational performance. In the Review of the Literature section, you would then describe the tools whether qualitative or quantitative, and reliability, validity (quantitative tools), and trustworthiness of qualitative tools. Run a Proquest or Google search such as: â€Å"measurement leadership†.This saves you time in the QP and literature in the †dissertation† where you need to know how your variables have been studied and measured. It is best to have MORE detail in these themes. You can always change later. Example of an Outline: (Let us say that the following concepts are present in the literature map which could be Chain of Events, Clustering, or Interaction Outline. This is an example of an outline (quite detailed). It includes the major concepts that can be used for the literature search, and the outline is placed in the 2nd part of this Review (Review of the Literature) to organize how to present the literature.Leadership Classical, Progressive, Risk Leadership Theories Traits and Characteristics of Leaders; Leadership, Power and Influence; Gender and Equity Issues in Leadership Practice Cultural Issues and Leadership Developing Teams Leading Organizational Change Organizational Leadership Development; Strategic Leadership Leadership Measurement Organizational Performance Dimensions of Organizational Performance Organizational Climate Individual Performance Team Performance Supplier/Vendor Perspectives Customer Satisfaction Financial Performance Effectiveness Indicators Performance Driven Organizations Competency ModelingManaging Performance 360 Degree Feedback Collaborative Change Organizational Performance Measurement: Output (Activities) and Outcome (Results) Measures Factors Influencing Organizational Performance Leadership and Performance of Organizations Leadership Style and Team Performance Leadership Style and Organizational Outcomes Leadership Style and Vendor/Supplier and Customer Satisfaction Transformational Leadership, Organizational Culture, and Organizational Effectiveness 7 Instructions for Writing the Organization of the Review Do not present literature that you reviewed here. Just respond to questions 1-7. . After you design the literature map, begin with the statement: A literature map (Figure 1) is used to guide the library search for theoretical and empirical literature in this review about ___. 1. Next, describe the specific type of organizer that you used to design your map (for example, cluster, chain of events, cycle, etc). To do this, you need to review this syllabus on line, and click the diff erent URL links of examples of visual or graphic organizers (review preceding lecture which provides several types). 2. Identify the specific the concepts, theories, and themes that are in your literature map. 3.Next, briefly, describe the relationships between these concepts, theories and themes (such as what leads to what? Which are the causal, outcome and/or intervening variables? Are the concepts organized inductively or deductively? This all refers to the concepts, theories, and themes in your literature map. 4. Next explain that in addition to guiding the literature search, the literature map serves to identify themes, theories, and concepts that will organize the Literature Review. Present these theories, concepts, and themes in outline form, differentiating each main heading into logical subheadings. (Keep it simple). . Due for draft 1, go to the next major section (Review of the Literature) – insert these themes/concepts as level headings/sublevel headings in outline form. They serve to organize the Review of the Literature. Use appropriate APA (see p. 113 of APA) level headings. An example using APA level headings, is shown in the next major section of these guidelines. The concepts and themes for the example, uses the outline of themes previously discussed (leadership and organizational performance). 6. Insert the Figure 1, Literature Map at the end of this discussion of the Organization of the Review (before Scope and Context). . Make sure that you develop your literature map in a software application that can be copied and pasted into your Microsoft word document containing your paper. b. Make sure the map is an appropriate size and fits within the required paper margins. c. The Figure and #, and Title (Literature Map) belong at the bottom, centered: Figure 1 Literature Map Your goal is to have the map well-developed in draft 1 and finalized in (draft 2). It is expected that this map will change as you â€Å"tighten† and â€Å"organ ize your literature review in the next section† as well as well as in your qualifying paper.Refine this part with each new draft (and particularly as your literature map evolves). Scope and Context Lecture This section lets the reader know what is and is not included in your literature review (scope). The topic is described in such a way that an appropriate context for the review of the literature is established, in a meaningful, logical way. The key terms here are included/excluded. You can restate the theories, concepts and constructs that you will include and obvious theories, concepts and constructs you won’t include (Look at your problem and topic area).Identify what might be included in the search in terms of types of organizations (public/private; for-profit, not for profit; service/product; types of businesses, types of educational institutions); populations such as young versus old; gender; cultural groups; countries; or type of occupation. The major types of s cholarly literature to review are: empirical studies, review articles (critical analysis), theoretical articles/books, methodological articles, and case studies.These types of literature may be in the form of a book, hard copy journal articles, and electronic journal articles. The following are different types and forms of literature: Periodical Abstract in a primary source, Abstract in a secondary source, Periodical (hard copy), Periodical (electronic), Non-periodical (Book), Non-periodical (chapter in a book), Proceeding of meetings or symposia, Doctoral Dissertations (including abstracts), Unpublished work, Audio-Visuals, Newspaper, Government documents, and Electronic Media. Instructions for Writing the Scope and Context 1. As you write this, discuss what is and is not included. Regarding the topic or problem area, discuss what is and is not included in terms of concepts/theories, applications to different populations and settings. 1. Identify the forms (not types) of publicatio ns that are included. You don’t need to name specific articles, but identify the forms of literature to be included. 2. Identify the discipline(s) you are focusing in (e. g. , education, health, business, criminal justice, accounting, sociology)?Included specialized areas within these disciplines, such as: gender theories in sociology, accounting ethics, special education for specified populations, urban violence, etc. 3. Identify the scope in terms of the years (period of time) that your literature review covers and exclusions. 5. Discuss whether you are limiting your review to U. S. literature, and/or Global literature. For global literature, identify the â€Å"countries†. If seminal books are emphasized, include the titles. Refine this part with each new draft (and particularly as your literature expands).Library Research Plan and Strategy Lecture THIS IS THE PLAN, NOT THE REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE!! The review is presented in the second major section (Review of the Literature) Searching the Literature: A good review of the literature is dependent upon knowledge of the use of indexes and abstracts, the ability to conduct exhaustive bibliographic searches, and ability to organize the collected data meaningfully. Information literacy skills assist with information seeking and retrieval methods and scholarly communication. Recognize scholarly and peer reviewed journals (See Week 1 Lecture)The e-Learning tutorials about Lynn Library can assist research students with the development of literature reviews using electronic databases, abstracts, bibliographic software, Internet searching, Library catalogue searching, subject resources, off-campus searching, and research and writing skills. You need to complete the tutorials. Library Research Plan/Strategy: In reporting your library plan/strategy, identify concepts, themes (key words) or descriptors and search the relevant databases for research on your topic. Be consistent with the Literature map conce pts and themes.Focus your search on primary scholarly works including: empirical, theoretical, critical/analytic, or methodological inquiry. Recognize the differences between these types of scholarly inquiry. Review dissertation abstracts. Did you do a Lynn Library catalog search on the topic (at Lynn)? Did you search selected journals? Did you limit the search to peer-review journals? Did you limit the search to certain years? If you are having difficulty in your library search, you may make an appointment with the Reference Librarian who may assist in building effective search strategies.When visiting the Library, you should come prepared with your search words. Requesting Materials: It is suggested that you read the abstracts before requesting the materials from the Librarian, because certain abstracts may provide enough information to help you make a decision on the material’s relevance. Expect that you will obtain more literature than you will need to include in your lit erature review. Quantity, however, is not as important as selecting appropriate literature, that is of value and relevant.While many published review articles may have more than 100 cited references, due to time constraints in the course, the expectation is a minimum of 20 â€Å"relevant†, scholarly citations in the text of your paper. Do not go overboard. Quality and relevance is what counts. Don’t use references from â€Å"consulting firms† or firms that are â€Å"promoting† their products or services. Look for scholarly publications. Types and Forms of Literature: Minimum Requirements i. The preference is that you review a variety of types and forms of literature so that you many learn to: ii.Search for and evaluate different types and forms information iii. Integrate a variety of types information in the text of your paper iv. Recognize classic (seminal) works as well as current literature Give yourself time to read the material; do not make a library request for everything at once. Readings: Search Strategy worksheet: http://library. humboldt. edu/infoservices/sstrawrksht. htm http://www. noodletools. com/debbie/literacies/information/5locate/adviceengine. html http://www. lynn. du/clientuploads/Library/Graduatestudentsmanual. doc 11 Instructions for Writing the Library Research Plan and Strategy In a Review, a discussion of the plan or strategy you used to develop your literature search is presented. Don’t discuss what you â€Å"will† do, but rather â€Å"what you did†. 1. Identify the descriptors (concepts, themes, theories, phrases/key words) used to search the relevant databases for research on your topic. Include â€Å"themes† or groups of words used in the search plan. Add the terms â€Å"theory† or â€Å"research† to your themes when you are searching.You should uses many â€Å"themes† to limit the search. Example of a theme for a library search: â€Å"leadership organiza tional performance research†. Try to include several themes. 2. Report databases used in your library search. 3. Indicate which of the following types of primary scholarly works were reviewed: empirical, theoretical, critical/analytic, or methodological inquiry (aim to obtain all of these)? 4. Were secondary citations of references used in your paper? Explain Why? Review APA p. 247 to understand a secondary citation of a source. Remember that these need to be limited.In your dissertation, you need to mostly use primary sources of literature. Remember that if you report literature from secondary sources in your paper use (as cited in __). 5. Explain if you reviewed dissertation abstracts (yes/no). If so, on what topics, which abstracts? You should use these. 6. Explain if you did a Library catalog search on the topic (at Lynn or where? ) Yes/ or no 7. Provide the titles of the key journals reviewed. (Put these titles in Italics). 8. Indicated whether or not you limited the sear ch to peer-reviewed journals? . Indicate if you limited the search to certain years? If so, which years? 10. Refer the reader to the example of a library Search Print-out that you will place in Appendix A. 11. Report any problems encountered in your library search and how these problems were managed. Refine this part with each new draft. Interest, Significance, and Rationale for the Critical Analysis Lecture In this last part of the introduction to the literature review, you explain the importance and significance of the Review that will follow.As you read more, you will find more rationale as to why this review is important. Provide a transition sentence from this Introduction to the Review of the Literature. Then end with a statement that explains how the Review will conclude in the Discussion section. Example of concluding statement: As an emerging method of instructional delivery in higher education, and one that continually evolves with the growth in technology, it is important to understand its impact on learning, retention, instruction, and students.This critical analysis of the literature concludes with a summary and interpretation of theoretical, empirical, and methodological literature, conclusions, and recommendations for future scholarly inquiry into web-based instruction in distance education. 4 Instructions for Writing the Interest, Significance, and Rationale for the Critical Analysis 1. Discuss if the topic is of limited interest, regional, national, or perhaps of global interest? Explain why? You can include personal interest based on experience and potential applications. 2.Describe why it is worth studying (or examining)? 3. Indicate that the presentation of the Review of the Literature follows 4. Develop a concluding statement (see example above, in lecture) to the effect that a synopsis and interpretations, conclusions, and recommendations are presented at the end of the review in the discussion section. Refine this part with each new draf t. Review of the Literature About ___ (add your topic) Lecture This is the second major part of this critical analysis. This has a long lecture. Now is the time to write â€Å"your in-depth Literature Review†.You laid the foundations for this section in the Introduction to the Review, to organize your review according to those themes. Present the theoretical literature (theories, model, constructs, concepts) about those themes, and empirical literature (studies) regarding those themes, in a proper manner. Follow the instructions (see presenting theoretical literature, and presenting empirical literature) in this Review of the Literature section. If you present the literature appropriately in this body of the review, then you will have information to present in the Discussion of the Literature. If you don’t, this Review falls apart.Only literature presented in this Review of the Literature can be analyzed in the next section, Discussion of the Literature. You will save a stitch in time, if you follow instructions and learn how to present theories, and how to present studies, including the authors stated limitations and recommendations for future inquiry, in addition to your critique of those studies. †¢ General comments: The theoretical and empirical literature is summarized, analyzed, evaluated, and synthesized in a more in-depth â€Å"coherent† manner within organized headings and sublevel headings. Specifically, information ertaining to theoretical, empirical, methodological, critical review, and case studies about the topic is reported. As reported previously, expect that you will obtain more literature than you will need to include in your literature review. Quantity, however, is not as important as selecting appropriate literature to present, that is of value and relevant. While many published Review articles may have more than 100 cited references, due to time constraints in the course, the expectation is a minimum of 20 â€Å" relevant†, scholarly citations in the text of your paper. This will increase to 50 references in the qualifying paper.It certainly isn’t unusual to have over 100 references in a dissertation. Do not go overboard. Quality and relevance is what counts. Don’t use references from â€Å"consulting firms† or firms that are â€Å"promoting† their products or services. Look for scholarly publications. As you present literature in your â€Å"word† document, it is okay to talk to yourself. Make notes in the document to your self. You can use different font colors or highlights for these messages to yourself. o Perhaps you want to leave a message to yourself to review a particular article that you didn’t yet have the chance to review, or o you want to search another theme. Or you read an article, but didn’t have a chance yet to write about it – jot down notes o Use the word file as a tool where you keep all information in one place. You will find this technique very helpful in developing the qualifying paper, and in developing the your dissertation. The instructor does not mind (and in fact encourages you do to this, even in final copies0. Just make the messages â€Å"neat† – and not to distracting) Of utmost importance, is that you present your review appropriately. Practice doing it correctly immediately or you will be WASTING time (having to redo it later). Your review must be organized within the headings/sublevel headings. Insert the outline developed in the Introduction to the Review. Make sure that the outline is consistent with the organization of themes, concepts add theories in your literature map. †¢ It is ok if you reorganize or rename the themes, but make the changes if the Organization of the R (and literature map, in the prior section). You want the Introduction to the Review, Review of the Literature, and the Discussion section all to be â€Å"internally consistent† wi th one another. †¢ Instructions follow on how to present CRITICALLY present, theoretical and empirical literature.FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS. Quotations and Paraphrasing and Critical Analysis †¢ This is a literature review, and not your opinion. Almost all of what you say is referenced, except when you are introducing themes and concepts, and critiquing the theoretical or empirical literature (using appropriate criteria – which is explained later †¢ Reminder: Make sure that you adhere to ethical responsibilities of providing accurate information and communicate effectively. Include â€Å"quote marks† for information that is word for word from another literature source follow APA for (Author, year, p. x). For information that is paraphrased, reference the source as (Author, year). †¢ Whether you are referencing a quote or paraphrased information, NOTE THE LOCATION OF THE â€Å"PERIOD†. IT IS NOT BEFORE THE PARENTHESES BUT AFTER. †¢ Do not copy any material that is word for word or paraphrase without citing sources. †¢ Limit your quotations. We do not want a â€Å"summary† or â€Å"copy† of the literature. †¢ You cannot present a â€Å"string of quotes†. (Quote after quote after quote). IMPORTANT: If you paraphrase as you write (it must truly be paraphrasing), cite the (author(s), year. A good way to make sure that you paraphrase is to: †¢ Read material Move the material away from your eyesight †¢ Write out what you recall. †¢ Note: Paraphrasing is not changing the order of words. †¢ Review the Required Information Literacy Tutorial which discusses plagiarism. Review the following URLs about Plagiarism, Student Writing, Citing Sources, and Paraphrasing (IMPORTANT to Review) Plagiarism and Student Writing Paraphrasing, citing sources, use of quotations, plagiarism: http://www. ipl. org/div/aplus/linkciting. htm http://depts. washington. edu/psywc/handouts/pdf/plag1. pd f http://www. hamilton. du/academics/resource/wc/usingsources. html †¢ REFERENCE list and BIBLIOGRAPHY list o Add the complete bibliographic citation of the article you reviewed to your REFERENCE list in appropriate APA format. Don’t wait until the end when the report is due. This is often one of the worst problems, â€Å"trying to find references†. o REFERENCE list – This contains all literature â€Å"referenced in your paper. o BIBLIOGRAPHY list – This contains all literature reviewed, but NOT referenced in your paper. o If you review literature, but don’t reference it â€Å"immediately† in your paper, place it on your BIBLIOGRAPHY.If you eventually reference in your paper, all you need to do is to cut and paste from the BIBLIOGRAPHY list, to the REFERENCE list. o Literature reviewed is placed on either the REFERENCE or the BIBLIOGRAPHY list, NOT BOTH! Organization of the Review of the Literature †¢ There are no sublevel heading s given to you in the template. †¢ The concepts and themes in your literature map AND THE OUTLINE serve as the basis to organize this section. BE CONSISTENT. Insert for draft 1. o Use your literature map and evolving outline to organize these sublevel headings (subtitles) of the literature review.Remember that the concepts and themes in your literature map are theoretical in nature. Thus, in developing the Review, present the concepts and themes conceptually first followed by empirical studies that support or do not support the theoretical formulations. (see guidelines that follow for presenting theoretical and empirical literature) o Follow the organization that you described. If you alter the organization, concepts and themes in this part of the review, go back to the introduction and make the corresponding changes (in the introduction – organization, map, and outline). APA: Organize in a logical, meaningful and orderly manner. Use frequent APA level subheadings to con nect main ideas and topics covered in a logical sequence (see APA publication manual for examples, pp. 111-113). The main ideas are concepts and sub-concepts in your literature map. The template for this paper uses five levels of headings (depicted on APA p. 113). The rationale for five level headings is that you may continue with this Review as your qualifying paper and but more importantly, it may become part of the Second Chapter of a Dissertation (REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE). See p. 13 of APA First Idea, Theme, or Topic (Second Level APA heading, centered italics) First Subconcept or Theme Related to First Idea and Topic (Third Level APA, Left Italics) Related Subconcept or theme (Fourth Level APA, indent ? inch, italics, lower case, end with period). Related Subconcept or theme. Second Subconcept or Theme Related to First Idea and Topic (Third Level APA) Second Idea and Topic First Subconcept or Theme Related to Second Idea and Topic (Third Level APA) Second Subconcept or Theme R elated to Second Idea and Topic (Third Level APA) An example follows (next page)Example to organize the review: for the topic the influence of organizational leadership on organizational performance (organized with appropriate APA level headings), and which follow the topical outline presented in the organization of the review (see Introduction to the Literature). Note there are 4 major themes (centered, italics) to organize this review. †¢ In the presentation of the literature review, the first two themes (Leadership and Organizational Performance) would contain â€Å"rich† theory. Who developed the theories, when? how are the concepts in the theories defined?What are the propositions in the theories (statements of relationships), and have propositions in the theories been tested in empirical studies. (See presentation of theoretical literature – and internal and external criticism) †¢ The second two themes Factors Influencing Organizational Performance and Leadership and Performance of Organizations would primarily focus on empirical studies that test the propositions in theories. (See presentation of empirical literature Leadership Classical, Progressive, Risk Leadership Theories Traits and Characteristics of Leaders Leadership, Power and Influence Gender and Equity Issues in Leadership PracticeCultural Issues and Leadership Developing Teams Leading Organizational Change Organizational Leadership Development; Strategic Leadership Leadership Measurement Organizational Performance Dimensions of Organizational Performance Organizational climate. Individual performance. Team performance. Supplier/vendor perspectives. Customer satisfaction. Financial performance. Effectiveness indicators. Performance Driven Organizations Competency modeling. Managing performance. 360 degree feedback. Collaborative change. Organizational Performance Measurement Output (activities) measures in for-profit and not-for-profit organizations.Output (activities) measures in service and product organizations. Outcome (results) measures in for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. Outcome (results) measures in service and product organizations. Factors Influencing Organizational Performance Leadership and Performance of Organizations Leadership Style and Team Performance Leadership Style and Organizational Outcomes Leadership Style and Vendor/Supplier and Customer Satisfaction Transformational Leadership, Organizational culture, and Organizational effectiveness IMPORTANT: Presenting theoretical literature and empirical literature following these guidelines.THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST to understand and apply General Comments Literature reported in the Introduction of this critical analysis (should be very little), but ANY LITERATURE DISCUSSED IN THE INTRODUCTION must also be discussed here in the Review of the Literature – in depth, and linked with the appropriate concept (subtitle). †¢ Present clearly to let the reader know if you are presenting a theory about something (theoretical literature) or a study about something (empirical literature, empirical study, research study). When you don’t use the term â€Å"study about†, it is generally assumed that you are speaking of someone’s theory. The critical analysis review distinguishes between an author’s theorizing or suggesting (author’s interpretations) versus author’s research findings (testing theories). †¢ Always introduce the type of literature you are reporting such as: theoretical literature, empirical literature. For empirical literature, specify the type of study. This information is usually found in the abstract of the article. For empirical literature introduce as: i. Empirical – Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed ii. Empirical – Methodological iii. Empirical – Experimental, non-experimental; case study, historical, etc. v. Empirical – Descriptive, exploratory, predictive, expl anatory, Reporting Theoretical Literature (IMPORTANT) Kerlinger (1973) presented a helpful definition of a theory that has â€Å"withstood† time. A theory is a set of interrelated constructs (concepts, definitions and propositions) that present a systematic view of phenomena by specifying relations among the variables, with the purpose of explaining and predicting phenomena. Immanuel Kant provided this famous quote: â€Å"Experience without theory is blind but theory without experience is mere intellectual play† http://www. oop. uvic. ca/ArwrCoop/stuprepoverheads/1_Orientation/tsld003. htm Criteria that can be used to evaluate theories including theoretical frameworks, conceptual models or conceptual frameworks may be organized into internal and external criticism. a. Internal Criticism (of theories) 1. Semantics (Meaning – or definition – given to the elements such as concepts, constructs, variables): Semantics evaluates Clarity, Consistency, Corresponde nce between theoretical and operational definitions, and intersubjectivity (which is whether similar meanings are used by other scholars). . Syntax: (Logical Structure and Relationships Between the Elements) 1. What are the types of statements (propositions)? laws, postulates, theorems, principles, hypotheses, assumptions, empirical generalizations 2. What are the types of relationships: Time ordered, probabilities, conditional, causal, or concurrent? 3. What are the signs of the relationships? : position; inverse (negative) 4. Note: It is the propositions that are tested in theories, reformulated as hypotheses. 3.Method of Theory Development (What is the method used in theory building – 1. Induction (Grounded theory, codification, definitional reduction or prepositional reduction); Deduction; Synthesis; Logical empirical approach) 2. Patterns: Is there a schematic model depicting the relationships between the concepts? If not, can you diagram the pattern of relationships bet ween the key concepts? 3. Level of theory development: What kinds of outcomes are produced from the theory – (knowledge, principles, solutions, problems)? a.Conceptual framework (definitions only), model (shows relationships between the concepts), and/or a theory (well developed propositions, well linked together, with evidence of empirical support? ) b. Is it Descriptive, exploratory, explanatory, predictive, prescriptive b. External Criticism of a Theory 1. Social Significance: 1. Value to society; theory addresses essential issues in the discipline; 2. Lends itself to further research 3. Efficacy of the theory over another in achieving desired outcomes 2. Social Utility: 1.Pragmatic Adequacy: Is it useful? Does it contribute to understanding? Does it generate new knowledge, provide direction to in professional practice, research, education (pertinent to your topic)? 2. Scope: Is it narrow or broad? What is the degree of generality or abstractness and how does this affect i s usefulness (pertinent to your topic)? 3. Complexity/Parsimony: 1. Does it explanation and interrelated many variables? 2. Could a simpler theory achieve the same purpose (parsimonious)? 4. Discrimination: 1. Can the theory be applied to more than one discipline, or is it unique to one discipline? . If it is borrowed from another discipline, are boundary lines demarcated? (example –a variety of disciplines use systems theory) 5. Empirical Validity 1. Does empirical evidence support the theory? Cite some studies. (Is there congruence between theoretical claims and empirical evidence? ) 2. Do results indicate confirmation, verification, support corroboration, or disconfirmation, failure to support the theory? 6. Social Congruence: 1. Does the theory fit with reality? 2. Is it accepted by society? a.When you are reporting theoretical literature, select criteria from the internal and external critical approaches to adequately address your description. Present theories systematic ally: YOU MUST DO THIS FOR ALL THEORETICAL LITERATURE. 1. First provide a good description of what the author stated about the theory, model, framework, construct or concept. –Example: 1. Introduce the title of the book(s) or theoretical article(s) in your own words which describes the theory (not studies). Next: 2. Begin with the internal critical analysis: a.Report the major concepts and constructs and how these are defined by the author (Semantics) b. Present how the author relates the concepts to one another (Syntax). These are propositions. c. Does the author explain how was the theory developed: Induction (Grounded theory, codification, definitional reduction or prepositional reduction); Deduction; Synthesis; Logical empirical approach) d. Explain how patterns of relationships between the concepts are explained: Is there a schematic/visual model depicting the relationships between the concepts? . Secondly, report what the theorist (or other authors) stated about the Ext ernal critical review: Social Significance (important), Complexity/Parsimony-simple, Discrimination, Empirical Validity (important) and Social Congruence. It is extremely important that you indicate what the author said about empirical validity: Do they report empirical studies to support the theoretical explanations? When presenting classic or recent theories pertinent to your topic, you may certainly describe the theory, but also describe the work done to test those theories. 2.Finally, you may provide your critique comments to the above – ie what needs to be strengthened in the theory? Determine if you can succinctly identify key strengths and limitations, and perhaps areas that can be improved? Can you see the linkages between the theory, practice, and research? Does this help to understand a fairly common student question: â€Å"How do we use these models and theories in practice? † Provide a balanced appraisal and sufficient detail (particularly with major theori es) so that readers have enough information to draw their own conclusions.Reporting Empirical Studies (Critical! ) – Review the Instructions (you should be familiar with the information based on your critique – consult the worksheets for questions) Reporting methodological studies, you may follow the empirical approach. But focus on: the method being proposed – what method is being targeted? Is it a design? A different sampling approach? Is it a method to measure concepts? Introduce the study title (in your own words), the purpose, and present as above. Reporting Case studies may include use of prior data, or secondary analysis of data for a new study.It may also include a single subject or single organization if a case study. You may follow the above empirical approach is presenting– but be quite clear in presenting whether the authors are using someone else’s data or their own or a single subject or organizational design. Reporting Review Article s (Critical Analysis of the Literature, or Meta-analysis). First Describe what the author said: Introduce the title (in your own words). Describe the purpose of the review and its scope, including the library research plan used to obtain the literature.What sources of information were used (literature, observations)? Present the results, conclusions and future areas of inquiry needed (example: future studies) as reported by the author. Secondly, discuss your critique of the article. Note: Meta-Analyses conduct statistical analysis of other studies (analysis of analyses) General Pointers †¢ Important Note: It is so critical for you to get in the habit, very early on in this process, of presenting theoretical and empirical literature appropriately and systematically.If you do, you will find it easy to develop a nice state of the art of the literature, formulate interpretations, identify important gaps, develop conclusions, and generate recommendations for future study (which is p resented in the Discussion section of this report). That is your path toward successfully completing this course, moving on toward a successful qualifying paper (whether or not you stay with the topic), and understanding the dissertation. If you don’t present the literature systematically and appropriately, the review falls apart and can’t be completed. So, plan ahead, follow directions, and you will find your path to success!! Generally, related articles and research findings should be presented together (under the appropriate sublevel heading). o Report areas of agreement and disagreement. o Only a little space should be used to report minor studies. As possible, group together minor studies that have similar results, methodologies, strengths and/or weaknesses. †¢ Major empirical studies or seminal writings (theories). It is appropriate to present major studies or seminal writings individually in more detail. †¢ As you write, you will need to integrate and synthesize the results in some logical manner. You don’t need to report everything that you read! When reading and evaluating the research studies for possible inclusion in your review, determine the relevance, worth and significance of studies to your topic. †¢ While you initially identified some topic, theme, or point that you wanted to develop, you may find that a new or different theme is evolving not initially considered. This may be a reformulation of your topic. If you have questions if this arises, contact the instructor. †¢ The review should contain fairly recent work (post 1995, and preferably 2000+). While older information can be relevant, the review should aim to provide current knowledge (a â€Å"state of the art review†). Remember you need to have the â€Å"most recent literature† if it is to be â€Å"state of the art†. o You will find that there are classic studies or theoretical papers repetitively cited in the literature. These are the classic (or seminal) examples of literature in the field. While you would certainly want to refer to these in your review, it would be redundant–and probably irrelevant–for you to review them. It is generally permissible to use secondary sources for some Seminal Literature.Remember that if you do not read the original (primary source) article/theory, but rather you are reporting what someone else says, it is found in a secondary source (use appropriate APA referencing format, as cited in). There should be a limited number of secondary sources in your report. †¢ As you write the Review, you will see that you are generating ideas for the Discussion section- next part – (Interpretations, Conclusions and Recommendations). You can â€Å"jump† to the Discussion as you have further understanding the literature. Do it concurrently while writing this part. You will see that you are summarizing, analyzing, critiquing and relating each literature sourc es logically to a concept or theme related to the area of inquiry. You are finding a meaningful way to organize the review. You are organizing, integrating and synthesizing the literature and preparing to generate your discussion of conclusions and recommendations! †¢ A good review of the literature is more than simply a summary of the research. It is both a critical evaluation of the existing research and a synthesis of that work. You will need to synthesize the literature in some logical manner. This is a skill that develops with practice.As you write things down, review it to see if you are integrating, evaluating, and synthesizing. Are you identifying opposing views, contradictory findings, and gaps in the literature (what questions are being suggested)? Are you bringing clarity to the issues? These will be clearly presented in the Discussion of the analysis, so lay the foundation in this part of the review. †¢ You will see that you are summarizing, but also analyzing, critiquing and relating each literature sources logically to a concept or theme related to the area of inquiry. You are finding a meaningful way to organize the review.You are organizing, integrating and synthesizing the literature! 5 â€Å"big† Instructions on Writing the Review of the Literature About†¦ 1. Organization (APA and Level Headings for the Outline) a. Add the topic to the title of this section, Review of the Literature†¦About†¦ b. Organize the Review of the Literature according to your literature map and topical outline. Use APA level headings to organize the review in a logical, meaningful and orderly manner. c. Present related theoretical literature and research findings together. d. Organizing, integrating and synthesizing the literature needs to be highly evident! . The first draft (week 3), at the minimum should contain 1a and b above, and some literature presented as possible. Draft 2 should have this part of the paper nearly complete. 1. Co ntent and Quality of Theoretical Literature: IMPORTANT: Present the theoretical literature systematically and appropriately. Follow these steps responding to a-d a. Introduce the name or title of the theory, model, framework, construct. Do this for each major theory, construct, or concept in your topical outline (sublevel headings). b. Internal critical analysis (what the author(s) say): 1.For each theory, name the major concepts and constructs that organize the theory, and provide the definitions by the author (Semantics) 2. Present how the author relates the concepts to one another (Syntax). These are propositions. 3. Report if the author of the theory provides a schematic/visual model depicting the relationships between the concepts. 4. Optional: How does the author explain the way the theory developed: Induction (Grounded theory, codification, definitional reduction or prepositional reduction); Deduction; Synthesis; Logical empirical approach c.External critical analysis report what the theorist (or other authors) state about theory – Review Lecture notes on these items 1. Social Significance (importance) 2. Social Utility 3. Complexity/Parsimony 4. Discrimination 5. Empirical Validity (Do the author(s) report empirical studies to support the theoretical explanations) 6. Social Congruence d. Provide Your critique comments to the above: What needs to be strengthened in the theory? Determine if you can succinctly identify key strengths and limitations, and perhaps areas that can be improved?How are linkages between the theory, practice, and research described in the literature? Does this help to understand a fairly common student question: â€Å"How do we use these models and theories in practice? † Provide a balanced appraisal and sufficient detail (particularly with major theories) so that readers have enough information to draw their own conclusions about the quality of the theory. INSTRUCTIONS ALSO CONTINUED – NEXT PAGE Example Combi ning 2a, b, c and d (presenting theoretical literature):In 1984, Jones introduced his seminal theory of ______________ (based on his qualitative, phenomenological studies about___ (as cited in Smith, 2004). This theory identifies 3 major constructs ____________ defined as ___. The major propositions in this theory are ________ (as cited in Smith, 2004). In the last 20 years, the theory has been revised and adapted to ___ by ____. Several empirical studies by ___, led to refinement in the theory. Brown (2000) developed a schematic model depicting these direct and indirect relationships among concepts, which continues to be examined today (Smith, 2004).This theory is socially significant addressing essential issues about ___ in the discipline of ___, and is useful in explaining, predicting, and discriminating among those with ___ and those without ___. Thus it is a well-developed guide to ___. The theory has a good balance between simplicity and complexity, contributing to its usefuln ess. Studies by __ verify the propositions of __. The major proposition with conflicting results in empirical studies is ___. The theory has been adapted to ___ situations and __ populations. This is the predominant theory used to examine ____ with well-developed propositions and strong empirical support.Competing theories are ___ (cite reference). You would then present these competing theories next.. 3. Content and Quality of Empirical Literature: IMPORTANT: Presents the empirical literature (including scientific investigations, case studies, methodological studies, secondary analyses, meta-analyses) systematically and appropriately, following these guidelines!! :)) a. Introduce the study title (paraphrased – in your own words –and the â€Å"general† design (in one sentence) b. Explain the purpose of the study is †¦.And link with paraphrased research questions and hypotheses (these can be abbreviated or paraphrased – not word for word – be b rief) c. Discuss the quality of the literature review presented by the author and the theories and concepts (or propositions) tested (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed; and experimental, or not experimental design) d. Be explicit in reporting the specific research design for the qualitative, quantitative, or mixed study) and o Non-Experimental – descriptive, exploratory (cross-sectional, longitudinal, predictive, etc) o Type of Experimental including type of design. . Describe the sampling method (whether or not it was probability or non-probability sampling), the specific type of sampling, the sample size and characteristics of the sample. f. Present the methods of data collection (how were each of the variables are measured-instrumentation), and provide reports of reliability and validity of quantitative the tools/measures and trustworthiness of qualitative tools. This is very important, as you will begin to see how the concepts of interest, are measured. Be fairly explic it in describing these tools. Include the names of these data collection tools. g.Other procedures (data collection procedures and ethical considerations) h. Present the results – study findings (including hypotheses supported/not-supported), research questions answered? – Don’t restate these word for word – present in an abbreviated or paraphrased manner. i. Very important is to present the â€Å"author’s† (not your) Discussion. The discussion must include the author’s important: o Interpretations o Implications (applications for practice) o Conclusions o Limitations o Recommendations (of utmost importance, are the author’s recommendations for future areas of inquiry, example: future studies).Include this j. Discuss your critique of the article (Introduction, Literature/Theory, Methods, Results, Discussion). Select IMPORTANT POINTS. Based on your summarizing the article, you can now identify strengths and weakness, and areas n eeding improvement. You can do this as you describe the study or at the end of your description of the study. Provide a balanced appraisal and sufficient detail (particularly with major studies) so that readers have enough information to weigh the results and draw their own Remember that the â€Å"critical analysis of the literature† is not a mere summary (descriptive). onclusions. It is interpretative and evaluative of an area of inquiry of scholarly work. INSTRUCTIONS CONTINUED Example follows: USE YOUR CRITIQUE WORKSHEETS AS AN AID IN DEVELOPING THE PRESENTATION FOR EACH OF THE STUDIES. Example Presenting Empirical Literature – Combining 3a -j above: – Smith (2004) conducted a study about †¦.. He used a non-experimental, causal comparative, quantitative design, of __ (sample-population). Smith’s literature review was thorough, current and ___ in comparing and contrasting theories about ____.Empirical studies of ___ were examined, leading to the ma jor gap and conflict in the literature about_________. This resulted in Smith’s study testing the proposition of †¦.. developed in 1998 by Jones (as cited in Smith, 2004). A non-prob

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Ethical Issues With The Artificial Intelligence Of Computers - PowerPoint Presentation Example Considering the impacts of the intelligence of computers, it is important to give thought to the ethical issues that comes along with the use of this intelligence and the ethical standards to be checked with such creations. The impacts of these developments are based on the realization that further development of computer intelligence may not be just a technology or a tool that will serve to supplement the abilities of humans, but a radically improved technology. For instance, further development of computer intelligence may lead to undesired effects of the creation, including those discussed next. The computer intelligence may reach a level of outsmarting the abilities of humans – rendering the technological development of humans and their scientific research obsolete – as it could do better. This implies that technological development in every field may be speeded up by the development of an advanced computer artificial intelligence. Such a computer intelligence system could also lead to the development of further-advanced intelligences; the artificial intelligence bases can be copied or erased, they could become autonomous operators, and they may have or lack human psyches and motives (Dean, Allen & Yiannis, 1995). From a philosophical point of view, the goal of developing advanced artificial intelligence into computers leads to the creation of an independent, intelligent computer entity. However, there is the issue of how this creation can be classified – in terms of what it is and what it is to be accorded. For instance, such an artificially intelligent computer would be referred as ‘alive’, which raises the ethical issue as to whether such an entity would be recognized as alive, thus entitled to given rights. In this case, the issue is not supported – by any substantial evidence – regarding whether it

Database Systems Concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Database Systems Concepts - Essay Example An operating system should aim for two things: It should manage input and output devices, and it should control, supervise and empower (which each have separate sub-goals and are sometimes in conflict) users as well as administrators and people connected on the network to use the hardware to run software. Efficiency helps these goals because it reduces lag in input and output and because it reduces the overhead of the OS thus allowing people to run more programs and run them with less slowdown and issues. However, it is unquestionable that DOS would be far more efficient than Windows 7. Assume for a moment that a DOS-like text-only input with no or few visual input systems could run every element of modern software. Most consumers would still prefer not to spend their time mucking about in command prompts unless it's absolutely necessary. Similarly, Linux users often get better machine-specific functionality by compiling their own kernel, but for most users, â€Å"good enough† is better because an OS like Windows designed to run on the lowest common denominator takes more of their time. Very few people like to struggle with computers: They want to quickly install the OS and get to work on what they're doing. Their time is valuable either to them or to their organization, and so it's actually inefficient to waste their time with OS â€Å"efficiency†. User friendliness is one of the keys to the success of Macintosh. Many experienced PS users smart at Macs because they feel that they are being too constrained, but they are often lifetime computer users. Many people don't have the temperament or interest. â€Å"Efficiency† in the form of less graphical displays and overhead is wasteful for these customers because that overhead gives them a better, more pleasurable and more efficient experience. Power consumption is another area where OS overhead could be acceptable. Controlling for power does cost computational time, but it also saves customers money. On laptops in particular, having power management tools, which are an additional process running and thus introduce inefficiencies and bloat as well as risks of system failure in terms of power consumption software errors, are worth it because they allow users more time with their laptops. Allocational tools can also introduce temporary overhead, but if customers are intending to run dozens of programs, as most are, having smart allocation is an investment that pays off. In fact, many OS tools are basically investments with short-term inefficiencies that lead to long-term computational efficiency. Drivers with video cards, for example, clearly cost some degree of computational time and lead to bloat (and anyone who has struggled with failing drivers or Direct X compatibility issues knows that errors in these arenas can be catastrophic), but they allow the usage of additional RAM devoted to graphical elements which is necessary to run most modern games or modeling software. O ne of the more controversial elements of system overhead is security. In essence, many OS designs don't trust their end user to be safe. Firewalls with highly restrictive settings, anti-viruses that are hard to get rid of, built in anti-spyware, permissions management systems... these improve security, with some risk of exploitation (since every security measure can also be a security loophole), for the lowest common denominator user with little skill

The Operation Desert Storm and its Impacts on the Middle East Essay

The Operation Desert Storm and its Impacts on the Middle East - Essay Example The entire term of the war along with the operative measures inclusive of all the technology applied in the process together was titled ‘Operation Desert Storm’ and the central figure placed as the dearest target was the leader of the mightier side. Studies have all been on for finding the real picture of the war and its motives. However, the best known result of the toughest war was seemingly a discovery of diplomatic interventions to spearhead the shuffling of the history and socio-economic definitions of the ‘oil-rich regions in the middle-east’ (Bacevich 2009, p. 106). This essay is presented with an aim to focus on the realities of the most dreadful war of the recent past and critically evaluate the political and socio-economic changes the war has thereupon imposed on the Middle East region. The storm of the rich deserts in the middle-eastern Asia started all when the Iraqi quest for expansive imperialism set surveillance over the well-filled Kuwait for its wealth and the capture of its sovereignty (Hunsberger & Finn 1997, p. 62). The seemingly tiny nation was all meant a rich resource for crude oil and natural gases, and as a result, it was not surprising that it turned out to be Iraq’s soft target by the end of 1980s (Carlson 1992). However, as references say, a war can break out between countries when one of them eyes on the other for economic, political or security concerns which generally aims at claiming the supremacy over the target nation (Karsh 1990). As such, the war of the desert was a demolitionist approach of a mightier country over a seemingly unarmed country for indirectly seizing the economic liberty of its own supporters that eventually led to the violent demonstration of power and the political unity of countries that feared equal threats as the US from Iraq (US History, n.d.). The details of the war though cannot be described in a few lines, the outbreak and the expanse of this strike was the revelation o f unforeseen weapons and war tactics from all the parties involved in it. What all the history could mark eventually was the immediate ‘war-booting’ arrangements of political combinations and instantaneously changing diplomatic facets of the neighbors alongside the development of the war (Burr & Richelson 2001). In the best form of historic evaluation, it can be stated that it was a war that was centered on one man and the trials of the allies that tried to capture his kingdom - Iraq and its president Saddam Hussein. When one tries to see the Gulf War as a reflection of rivalry between two princely provinces, there ends the research for reasons or outcomes as the matter can be obviously related to egos (El-Najjar 2001). But the end of the Iraq-Kuwait war was literally the beginning of a political flu that ran its impacts through the nerves of all the parties that involved in the war. The oil-rich regions of the Middle East has always been the target of global business m onitors for their abundance in resources that substantiate the growth with the demand for their products is a sure hot cake in the trade (Tetreault, n.d.). All the studies on the importance of the wealth of this region in the world politics and economy have one thing in common to refer – wars are for gains, not for losses to allies. In addition to oil, even the miniscule sample of regional and religious issues of this region was capable of attracting the economic giants of the West (Gitlin 2009, pp.17-18). The wars in general is seen by some authors as the failure of administrative system that aimed at things beyond the public welfare of the subjects where the caretakers became aimless opportunists who ran in pursuit of their regal charms by calling for the assumed security of foreign might that resultantly led to endless political instabilities

Literature Review on Working Capital Management Essay

Literature Review on Working Capital Management - Essay Example This review is composed of only those studies which have been published and made available through books, journals, magazines and internet. There is no doubt that working capital management is an indispensible part of everyday financial management of a firm. It is commonly understood that working capital requirement is related with the day to day operations of a firm and if the firm finds shortage of working capital, the firm is likely to face liquidity problem, which in turn affect the credit worthiness and the business as a whole. On the other hand, if the working capital position is too high, it does not sound good. Rather, it is a problem of lack of proper management. In other words, too much of working capital will affect the profitability by unnecessarily blocking funds in the current assets. Therefore, finding a proper balance between shortage and excess working capital is the key element of working capital management. The firm's liquidity and profitability are judged in terms of the working capital position of the firm. Jin Mcmenamin, in his famous book 'Financial Management: An Introduction', remarks that worki ng capital is an important measure of liquidity and volume of working capital determines the risk level. The more the working capital, less is the chance of a firm's bills are not met for payment (Mcmenamin, 1999). There have been evidences on the failure of firms that have faced either shortage or excess working capital. The short term financial decisions have got little interest among academicians in the past. However, with modern scholarly and empirical studies, the literature of working capital has grown much than ever before. M. Grass observes that shortage of working capital and excess of working capital have caused many firms to fail and has affected many firm in meeting their short term obligations (Grass, 1972). L.J. Gitman also is of the same argument that working capital management, especially for small firms is the factor that decides success or failure (Gitman, 1982). However, that does not mean that working capital is the only factor that decides the success of otherwi se of a firm. As mentioned in the above paragraph, working capital should neither be excess nor inadequate. Both these conditions are dangerous to a firm. However, working capital shortage is found to be more devastating and therefore, its occurrence should be avoided at all times. An imbalanced working capital position can be expressed through another dimension. Shortage of working capital endangers the liquidity and excess working capital affects the profitability adversely. Studies have been undertaken to empirically prove the evils of these tow danger situations. K Smith, in his paper remarks that working capital is significant because it directly affects the firm's profitability (Smith, 1980). J. B. Sarkar and Saha S N, in a case study entitled 'Profitability Crisis and Working Capital Management in the Public Sector in India', observe that the profitability of the selected public sector undertakings in India is suffered owing to inefficient working capital management (Sarkar, 1987). In anoth er study by A. K. Mukherjee entitled 'Management of Working Capital in Public Enterprises' concludes that firm's liquidity and profitability are negatively correlated (Mukherjee, 1988). He further observes that firms should avoid too much of investment in current assets, if

Sport, Health and Exercise Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sport, Health and Exercise Psychology - Essay Example Performance on the field does not matter as much as it should. Informal performance appraisal by the team's owners and influencers detract from focusing on playing better as a team. I believe that the interventions which I initiated should be persisted with, and that the team management should be counseled to isolate the players from non-football aspects of each other's lives, and from the financial fortunes of the club as well. The recent misfortunes and desultory match performances of Hull United should not detract from the sterling achievements of reaching the Premier League of football. No team can aspire for this distinction without large measures of skills and talents. I have a decade of experience in sports psychology, though I am more accustomed to on-going assignments with younger people. I must confess to some trepidation at the prospect of a mere 2 months to effect dramatic changes in a team of professionals. This does not sit well with theories and best practices in sports psychology. ... both Hull United and I commit to an assignment without thorough discussions on realistic and feasible performance goals for myself as a sports psychologist. A Basic Approach I began preparations for the Hull United assignment by careful reflection on my past successes and failures in the profession over the past 10 years. It is easy for sports psychology to intrude in to fields of technical training for specific sports, and to attempt some general psychology, and even amateur psychiatry as well. There are situations in which such tangential efforts can pay dividends. Most contact sports, and even ones that are contests of wit and other mental skills, are seamless in terms of physical techniques and mental attributes. Football at the Premier League stage in particular, involves strategies which are combinations of techniques and mental strategies. All team games involve high degrees of inter-personal communication, which is both intense and largely non-verbal. Hence, separation of sports training and sports psychology is never easy, and may not even be desirable. The media, fans, and club management, exert such pressures on team members that a majority of professional sports people require psychiatric help in any case! There are social stigma attached to seeking this kind of professional help, and it can affect the stereotyped public image if it becomes known that a player is under psychiatric treatment. Therefore, sports psychologists and even coaches are forced in to situations which force them to perform some of the tasks of a psychiatrist. I decided to stay away from these traditional meanderings of sports psychology, at least for this Hull United assignment. A 50-day period would never be enough to build bridges with the coach and the players, to an extent

Using a Cell Phone While Driving Essay Example for Free

Using a Cell Phone While Driving Essay Have you ever used a cell phone while driving? Is it dangerous or not? Using a cell phone while driving is common, but widely considered dangerous. We can’t imagine our life without using a cell phone. It is a part of our daily activities. We use a cell phone to make calls, E-mails, text massages, surf the Internet, to listen music’s and many other daily activities. Many of these activities take place while a person is driving. So, it is not only becoming a part of our daily activities, but also putting our life at risk. In my point of view, using a cell phone while driving increases the risk of accident. Using a cell phone while driving distracts our mind. Distraction is an important risk factor of traffic injuries. Suppose, you are holding your phone on your ear, listening to the conversation, and managing your car all at once. Youre not paying attention; you could miss a turn or not see something coming out into the road. This can be incredibly dangerous. Using a cell phone while driving distracts your mind obviously. It can cause your eyes off the road, hands off the steering wheel and mind off the sudden situation that can lead a dangerous accident and consequent may be sport death. Moreover, if you are speaking on cell phone being on the road you can not notice all traffic signals, may reach too close to other vehicle and find it very hard to keep a regular speed. That’s why you must remove your cell phone from steering wheel and have to keep your eyes on the road. So, calling, talking or reading a message on cell phone while driving distract your mind that can lead an accident. Using a cell phone while driving decrease performance level of the driver, no matter how excellent you are at driving. Driving is a skill that requires full attention of mind to safely control the vehicle. A cell phone conversation reduces that skills and you may forget lane keeping and changing, traffic rules, signals and cannot control the speed of your vehicle. One of my friend said that, he was almost killed on his motorcycle while trying to avoid being hit by reckless driver who was engaged on cell phone. So, talking on a cellphone while driving reduces the  competency level of control the vehicle as well as increases the probability of accident. Moreover, if you texting message while driving, you require a lot of focus on writing because you are constructing sentences. Often while texting, your eyes will leave the road. This is very dangerous, as a result you can hit a pedestrian, another vehicle and other hazard in the road. Engaging on a cell phone while driving is very risky task. A cell phone can distract your mind and reduce your driving skills. It will grab your attention and can easily lead to an accident. There is no doubt, using a cell phone while driving put your life at risk as well as other.

Social Media Advertising Becoming Central To Marketing Media Essay

Social Media Advertising Becoming Central To Marketing Media Essay Social media today is simply online media that facilitates social interaction. There are numerous websites, channels and resources that allow advertisements to be distributed reaching millions of people worldwide. Sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube and Bebo all contain users that have identities or profiles that display demographic and social information about themselves. These users can create connections with one another by following one another or by becoming friends. This social media interaction and communication with one another has provided advertisers with a new opportunity to infiltrate and display their messages to a vast online audience. For example, Facebook has over 400 million members (Facebook 2010) and 50% of active users log on to Facebook in any given day. It also boasts over 80 million unique users each month and people spend over 500 billion minutes per month on Facebook. The reality is that social media delivers the Holy Grail for advertisers on th e Internet: a mass-concentrated audience reaches similar levels to television.  However, successful advertising to this environment is not necessarily straight forward and without problems. There are several concerns regarding some advertisements that invade privacy and publish users identities making the adverts intrusive on peoples online social lives. Furthermore there are cultural concerns related to social media advertising and these will be explored in greater detail later in this essay. Nevertheless, social media advertising is considered to be central to marketing, as the Internet has become a powerful platform for advertisers to reach mass audiences. Social media has become an integral part of modern society. Astonishingly, there are some social network sites with user bases larger than the populations of most world countries. It was therefore only a matter of time before advertisers began to permeate the online social media environment. These adverts could be based specifically on user demographics and interests and this focused selling point appealed to many advertisers. Social networking sites have developed over the past decade and are frequently changing to accommodate new advertising campaigns. However this social medium is still a relatively new environment for advertisers. Dating sites are often considered to be the first social networks, as they seemed to appear around the same time people first started going online. These sites allowed users to create profiles and to contact other users, often sharing photographs. Social media has come a long way since those days and social media advertising has developed into a platfor m that is becoming central to modern marketing campaigns. Nowadays there are social and user-generated sites for numerous different activities and purposes. Social shopping sites, social financial planning sites, sites for people to share their goals and ambitions aswell as sites to meet like minded people. Over the past decade, social media has developed and become an enormous influence on the lives of millions of people worldwide. Whether people need something as simple as a film review or seek answers to personal problems or major life decision, there are social sites out there to provide people with the information they require. Accompanying these sites, in dedicated web space (often within a page), advertisers have ideal opportunities to target new products based on specific user searches or necessities. Social media advertisements continue to evolve on a daily basis. With advertising on major social networks and social media sites making changes and improvements on an almost d aily basis, its sure to keep evolving over the coming years. Advertising is concerned to urge consumers to buy the commodities (or services) that will satisfy existing wants more adequately or that will satisfy new ones (Harris, Seldon 1962) As advertisers seek to promote their products based on popular culture and emotive desires, social media sites provide a perfect vehicle to access a wider range of consumer. Social media advertising is becoming more important to marketing campaigns as the levels of people reached online can often surpass peak television advertising viewership figures (Ord 2008). One way to advertise products on social media sites is to create dedicated pages or profiles where customers and potential customers can become friends or fans of the actual business or brand. These profile pages are like miniature Web pages within social medial sites and can include information about businesses such as locations, official websites, lists of services and how to contact the business directly. Furthermore businesses often include dynamic content, for instance, comments left by customers or fans, an RSS feed, an up-to-date blog and even special offers or sale details. Other adverts include Pay-per-click (PPC) ad s where advertisers pay their host only when their ad is clicked. However advertising on social media is not only about clicks or click rate, its about reaching a huge worldwide audience. Social media advertising is becoming so central to advertisers nowadays as this is a great way to reach mass audiences and in terms of audience size, there are several Super Bowls every day on Facebook, MySpace and YouTube. Click rates offer an indication to page views and social media sites have a large overlapping audience that hang around them all day, every day. Television would have a low click rate too if an ad campaign were measured over the course of a months worth of programs on the same network, assuming you could click the screen(Ord 2008). People also flick between social media adverts much like tuning in and out of TV adverts. Twitter grew more than 1500% in mid-2009 and Facebook has almost caught up with Google in web traffic (Sav 2010). In April 2010, the company Nielsen (audience measurement firm that tracks TV, internet, and radio usage worldwide) published results of a 6-month research campaign into usage patterns of users on Facebook. Nielsen found that Engagement ads (see figure 1.1) on average generated a 10% increase in ad recall, a 4% increase in brand awareness and a 2% increase in purchase intent among users who saw them compared with a control group with similar demographics or characteristics who didnt (Wauters 2010). Figure 1.1 Different Facebook adverts with varying levels of success (c/o Nielsen) According to Nielsen, the increase in recall rose to 16% when adverts displayed friends who were fans (Adverts with social context figure 1.1), and this jumped to 30% when these ads appeared in other friends newsfeeds (Organic advert impression figure 1.1). This is an example of how advertisements are being modified and adapted to generate maximum interest from the target audience. In spite of this, there also remains the belief that users will subconsciously continue to ignore attempts to intrude into private social media environments. Many critics maintain that advertising exists primarily to create demand among consumers. People have certain types of wants and needs, and they are perfectly capable of discovering for themselves what they are (Leiss, Botterill, Jhally, Kline, 2005) The consumer now appears to have the power of communication and the traditional business to consumer marketing model is replaced with consumer-to-consumer conversations over social media sites. The problem for advertisers nowadays is how to insert their own brands into those conversations. The Internet has become a powerful platform for advertisers to reach mass audiences via user-generated video too. According to data collected by comScore, online video views from U.K. users grew 37% in 12 months. The measurement firm estimates users streamed a total of 5.5 billion videos in February 2010, up from an estimated 4 billion in February 2009. This is another reason why social media advertisement is considered so important in modern marketing. Advertisers envisage short commercials with each video streamed, thus creating a platform for the Internet to compete with broadcast TV in delivering commercial views. Additionally on the advertising sub-page for YouTube, companies are provided useful tips and pointers to create a successful advertising campaign on the massive ad-sharing network. According to a Google spokesperson, there is tremendous scope for capturing the attention of an audience that surpasses Americas Super Bowl, the most watched TV event in that country each yea r. As Google owns YouTube it can feature in-video advertisements that appear at the bottom of certain videos (often popular videos with over 5000 hits). These adverts are not only content-specific but also location-specific aswell. This has great financial ramifications as online video advertising has risen 9% to $7.9 billion over a 12-month period (Skepys 2010). Furthermore search-based advertising through Google reached $11.4 billion, an annual rise of just under 6%. With well over 13 billion YouTube views in March 2010 alone (Skepys 2010), advertisers could well be reaping the rewards of these in-video promotions as a result of augmented online video views. This is another example of how social media advertising has become so important to marketing schemes today as the potential financial rewards are substantial. However the future success of social media advertisements is threatened by potential social and cultural problems that need to be properly addressed. A general concern with advertising on social networking sites is that people that use these sites are only interested in interaction with the people who they care about and their attention lies in communication with friends and family. People rarely pay attention to advertisements, as they are not relevant to what people are doing at that specific time. This is where Google ad-words are most successful, as people searching for products are inundated with places to buy that product as a result of optimised advertisement placement on Google. In contrast Facebooks average click through rate on their social advertisements is just 0.08% (Agishtein 2010), this means that for every 10,000 times an advert is shown, it will only be clicked 8 times. It can be assumed that social network users are ignoring these advertisements on mass. These social advertisements are publicised by demographics and target the specific user based on interests and information provided in their own profile. Despite this focused advertising, the products or services promoted are ultimately not related to the social activities people participate in during online social-networking sessions. Other social advertisements create additional ad messages based on purchases or interests that are viewable to the public and friends (see Organic ad impressions figure 1.1). However many people are uncomfortable with this as it violates users privacy and control which is critical for social network users to feel safe online. Consequently, advertising must be injected into online conversations. For advertisements to be successful, the users ideally should want to talk about and share advertising messages with their social network friends. If advertisers hijack those conversations by not respecting the users desire for privacy and control, the adverts will backfire. This is ultimately bad for the advertiser, the social network and the user. The question remains, how do advertisers insert their messages into the conversation between friends on social network sites and social environments? According to Seth Goldstein, co-founder and CEO of Social Media Networks (an ad consultancy firm focused on monetizing the social web), Social media is killing Internet advertisingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the problem is, a few years ago, people started to become more interested in each other and less interested in the ads. This view is supported by the relatively low click through rates on social networking sites like Facebook and e xplains usage patterns whereby users visit social network sites to primarily interact with friends and rarely pay attention to advertisements. There is a danger that social advertisements will follow similar patterns to Internet banner ads that show an even lower click through rate on social media sites of 0.04%(Corbin 2008). Banner ads fail because social network users are accustomed to seeing them, and ignoring them has become a reflex. Advertisers have therefore aimed to try new innovations and marketing schemes to try and generate greater interest in this enormous window for consumers. One such scheme is the integration of advertising within social network applications. Applications are becoming central to the social networking experience. The success of these can be measured directly in the number of downloads and monitored by how they are shared between friends and family. A recent example of advertisement integrated into an application was the BMW application intended for Facebook. The intention of this application was to promote BMWs new line the 1 Series and provide the user with an interactive, virtual joyride to various worldwide destinations. Furthermore, users could personalise their cars by changing colours and adding modifications. BMW aimed to create an online community with this application, centralised around the brand. This allowed Facebook members to interact with the product on an entirely opt-in basis (Corbin 2008). However, this opt-in element has become increasingly critical and has led to cultural problems relating to social media advertising. On November 6th 2009, Facebook launched a service called Beacon. This was an advertisement system that sent data from external websites to Facebook, and permitted targeted advertisements with greater accuracy whilst allowing users to share activities with friends and publish these activities on other friends newsfeeds. However, this system provoked major uproar when users started complaining that Beacon was violating their privacy. Since that incident, the ethical and cultural concerns have been heightened with concerns over profile-based ad targeting. CEO of Social Media Networks, Seth Goldstein states Beacon was a setback, not just for Facebook, but for the whole industry. Engagement with modern social advertising remains difficult to measure but the downloadable application installations are easily tallied up and also whether it has been passed along to friends or not. Additionally these profile-based adverts frequently portray media stereotypes. These stereotypes can be problemat ic and instigate cultural tensions. Often they reduce a wide range of differences in people to simplistic categorizations and transform assumptions about particular groups of people into realities. Ultimately this could perpetuate social prejudice and inequality. More often than not, the groups being stereotyped have little to say about how they are represented. Furthermore many people would deny that they are being influenced by advertisements and regard them at worst as lies, at best idiot triviality. People are considered to be sceptical of advertising however, they might find it more difficult to resist the more general social image or message presented with advertising campaigns located in social media channels. (Dyer 1982) Specific media stereotypes provide problems for advertisers using social media environments, however it is not just stereotypes where potential issues lie with advertising through this medium. There is a raised level of concern for parents as marketers look to interact with children through the aforementioned social networking sites, online-video sites and gaming sites. Advertising on Television is meticulously regulated with advertising standards, yet the Internet is so far avoiding such regulations making it easier to target children with brand positioning adverts (Finklehorn 2009). Furthermore there are anxieties that children and under-age audiences are engaging with advertising on social networks for alcohol brands. It is evident that new guidelines and regulations are required to protect children aswell as the publics privacy. New guidelines for advertising on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are being proposed in the UK. Under these new proposals the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) would control digital marketing to ensure that it is responsible, legal, honest and truthful (Bryant 2010). These new regulations are scheduled for implementation later in 2010 and a clear mandate of these new guidelines state that first and foremost consumers and children will be protected. Location will also become more important to social media and the future of social media advertising. According to Debra Willamson, eMarketer senior analyst, brand monitoring will increase sophistication so that companies can begin to understand the why of consumer chatter aswell as the who, what and when. It can also be expected that companies will strive to provide additional services in social channels that essentially aim to gather greater understanding of the market and grab the attention of mass media audiences. Social media interaction and communication with one another has provided advertisers with a new opportunity to infiltrate and display their messages to a vast online audience. There is some evidence to suggest that advertising plays a part in defining reality in a general or anthropological sense. It projects the goals and values that are consistent with and conductive to the consumer economy and socialises us into thinking that we can buy a way of life as well as goods. (Dyer 1982) The goals and desires that Dyer refers to here are achievable by purchasing the intended products and services advertised to users of social media sites. However some adverts use media stereotyping to target users and the relatively low click through rate of adverts on social networking sites suggests that these types of intrusive adverts are largely being ignored. This coupled with other privacy issues could potentially leave social media advertisements following in the same fateful path as Internet banner ads. However the enormous scope for mass audiences that could result in substantial financial reward is too great for advertisers to ignore. They consider social media advertising central to marketing as nowadays this is a great way to reach mass audiences and in terms of audience size as there are several Super Bowls every day on Facebook, MySpace and YouTube. With online-video streaming up 37% in the last year and an estimated 5 billion videos being streamed per month, there are multiple opportunities for products to be advertised based on video content and even location. With advertising regulations due to be published later this year, greater control can be seized over online social media advertisements. These guidelines will prevent children viewing inappropriate material and also protect peoples privacy being exploited by intrusive web systems monitoring page history and detailed consumer interests. There are still tremendous opportunities for social media advertising in the future, so long as advertisers adhere to these new guidelines and continue to persevere with new marketing schemes. The development of new initiatives, such as advertising in applications on social network sites in addition to the continued pursuit of subtle advertisements in consumer-to-consumer conversations, will see products reach a wider range of consumer and consequently result in substantial financial profits for advertisers on social media sites.