To What Extent Would It Be Fair to Say That Mass Media Had No Choice but to Report What the Government Wanted It to Report During the Falklands War?

Page 103 To what extent would it be fair to say that mass media had no choice but to report what the government wanted it to report during the Falklands war? Using evidence from sources 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d, it can be seen that there is indication which shows that the government did in fact control what was reported in the Falklands war. It can be seen that the government did make it difficult to report events from the war, which is presented in the fact that there was no photos in the first 55 days.com/government-regulation-on-media-in-america/">Government Regulation on Media in AmericaThis long delay in media involvement was controlled by the government, clearly expressing the influence they had. This idea is further backed up in source 3c, which compared the Falklands war (1982) to the ‘Crimean War’ (1853) while concerning the topic of media involvement. However, even though it is clear to say the government controlled the media involving the Falklands war, did it result in the mass media only reporting what the government wanted it to, or not?There is clear evidence which suggests that mass media had no choice but to report what the government wanted it to, but to what extent was this? As can be seen in source 3d, the government clearly, and to a heavy extent wanted to control what was reported in the media involving the Falklands war, this can be seen in ‘the remoteness of this war†¦ facilitated media management’. This suggests that the location enabled the government to easily control what was being portrayed in the media.This idea in source 3d is backed up through my own knowledge which proposes that the location made it difficult to report events of the war, as the geographical location and technological collimations disadvantaged reporters. It strongly suggests that the media had no choice but to report what the government wanted it to in the concluding sentence, which states ‘the British government†¦ practised de ception and media manipulation’. Also, it must be accounted that source 3d contains strong credibility. Written in 2009, it allows the writers to have a clear overview of the whole war.Also, being established historians, the writer would possess objectiveness, which results in a more reliable judgement. Using source 3c in conjunction with source 3d brings a strong extent to the idea mass media was controlled by the government. This is because source 3c, written by Julian Barnes explicitly suggests that the government hid the truth from the public, meaning they controlled what was seen in the media, this idea is seen frequently in source 3c. The live reporting of ITV, of the deportation of the British navy was ‘the last sunny, honest, unspun images’ seen in the public eye.Also, as seen in source 3c, information was frequently leaked from the government- whether good or bad. This can be supported by my own knowledge, which showed that the information of the reposit ion of south Georgia wasn’t received by the British audience suggests that both good and bad news was hidden from the public, or leaked via the government, still showing their involvement. However, it must be remembered, that the source was written in 2002, the 20th anniversary of the Falklands war, in The Guardian.The guardian is a left wing newspaper, meaning they will support the labour government. Seeing as Margaret Thatcher, the prime minister in office during the Falklands War was conservative, it would seem that he would be subjective towards the labour government, and be critical of the conservative role. Using source 3b along with 3d and 3c brings significant strength to the idea, that the government controlled the media. This can be seen in the idea only 16 reporters were taken on the Taskforce vessel to make it easier for the government to manipulate their reporting.However, the reporters are also described as ‘gung ho’ in source 3b, this would suggest they were involved in the spirit of war, and were reporting the war through a patriotic view, which wasn’t inflicted by the government, suggesting maybe the media wasn’t wholly controlled by the government. There is evidence which does in fact suggest that the Media could report what it wanted to during the Falklands war presented in the sources. In source 3a there is a slight disagreement to the fact that media could report what it wanted to.It can be seen that even though the original headlines of, ‘gotcha’ seem to show chauvinistic views, towards Argentine death, the headlines were then quickly changed to ‘Did 1200 Argies drown’? From my own knowledge I can add that the use of tabloid language, such as ‘Argies’ would have dehumanised the War, which would have been welcomed by the government, but not inflicted by them. This suggests that the Media did have a choice in what to report, but may have reported certain things to plea se the government.The idea that the Sun soon changed the original cover implies that the media was able to self-censor its own exuberance, contrasting the suggested governmental influence regarding the report of the War. Source 3b also suggests that the media could report what it wanted. This is shown in the way Patrick Bishop, a newspaper reporter from the Falklands War suggests how they weren’t influenced by any ‘stimulus from the military’. This implies that the reporters could infact report what they want.However, it does suggest in the source, that if a reporter wasn’t feeling ‘patriotic or positive’, the military would have to ‘lean on them’. I can add with my own knowledge that all media representatives were controlled by the armed forces that censored reports, and were keen for no negative broadcasting. This idea suggests that maybe there were some pressures faced by the reporters to report patriotic and celebrative views from the war. It must be remembered that the source has high credibility, as it was published in 1982 it has the positive of hindsight and can weight up information from the whole of the war.Also, being from the journalist Patrick Bishop, who was there at the time, he is more likely to be representative of the whole truth. In conclusion, to question how extensive the government was in regulating the reporting of the Falklwands war, it can be seen, by using the sources that the government had a high controllability involving the mass media coverage. This idea is commonly presented in the sources. However, it must be remembered, that in some circumstances the government had a limited control on what the mass media published about the Falklands War and what was reported from there.

Religion, Poverty and Wealth Essay

Describe how followers of this religion may put their ideas into practice. Helping others is a big part of being a Christian, because of the importance of the commandment â€Å"Love thy neighbour†. Since the 19th Century, Christians have been setting up homes for the poor and needy. However recently there has been an increase in awareness of poorer people, putting more pressure on people to help others. A very popular way of helping others is by setting up, and giving to charities. There are many different charities, both Christian and non-Christian, which offer a wide range of help. The Church of England Children’s Society helps to better the lives of underprivileged children; The Hospice Movement aims to help the dying spend their last days in a loving, caring environment; the L’Arche Community helps disabled people. Christian Aid is one of the most famous Christian charities. It was set up in Britain and Ireland at the end of the Second World War, with its main aims being to improve the quality of peoples lives, particularly those of refugees who were struggling to cope with the aftermath of World War II. It also funded Churches to help repair damage caused by the war. Gradually over time, the work of Christian Aid began to involve other countries around the world. It now has an income of approximately à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½40 million a year, and there are forty churches in the United Kingdom and Ireland who are a part of Christian Aid. Most of the money, which they make through door-to-door collections and donations from members of the public and various churches, is put towards development work to help people in the long term. Another famous charitable organisation is The Samaritans. The Samaritans was set up in 1953 when Chad Varah, a priest, was horrified to find out that three suicides took place every day in London. He believed that the best way to help someone who was contemplating committing suicide was to talk to them. So he set up a phone in his church and advertised that people could phone for helpful advice if they were feeling suicidal. Today The Samaritans speak to 2 250 000 people a year. Aside from charities, many Christians feel that they should give a small percentage of their wages to help the less fortunate. Sir John Templeton grew up in a poor family on a farm in Tennessee. He was educated at both Yale and Oxford University, after which he became a financial consultant in New York. Throughout his life he gave 10% of his earnings to help the poor (a process called ‘tithing’). Eventually he became very wealthy running a multimillion dollar investment company, where he successfully managed funds for over two million people worldwide. In 1972 he started the Templeton prize to be awarded for progress in religion, which is worth more money than the Nobel Peace Prize. Fifteen years later he was knighted for ‘services to philanthropy’. In 1992, he sold his investment company for a colossal $400 million. He still gives money to support projects around the world which further understanding of spirituality and the importance of the human character. George Macleod felt so strongly about helping others that, in 1938, he formed a Christian Community on Iona, an island off of Scotland. He found volunteers to learn building, stone masonry and carpentry skills and together they rebuilt Iona’s ruined abbey. After that he opened a centre to provide shelter for young people from across the world, and to allow them to live in a close community. The people of the community feel it is more important to live like this and share everything than to be rich and not live as closely. They take it in turns to cook, clean, garden and work away. When they are not working, they pray. This is very similar to the ideas expressed by Jesus according to the Bible. The first Christians followed Jesus’ teachings very closely. â€Å"All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.† Not only are there many passages in the Bible that tell Christians how to treat the poor, there are also some in the Old Testament. â€Å"Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. Give clothes to those who have nothing to wear.† Isaiah 58:6-8 Another example of how Christians helped the poor was the Liberation Theology movement. This started in the late 1960’s when the poorer inhabitants of South American countries decided that they didn’t want to be exploited any more. They made a decision to stand against the corrupt governments, with inspiration from the words of Jesus: â€Å"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me for he has appointed me to preach good news to the poor.† The Christian followers of Liberation Theology try to fight out against poverty, lack of human rights and the exploitation of certain peoples. Many Priests, especially Oscar Romero, involved in this endanger their lives by speaking out against their government. Romero knew he was in danger, but felt that it was his Christian duty to fight against oppression and injustice. He was shot dead in March 1980 whilst conducting mass. In South America, many people see him as a great martyr. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: â€Å"God blesses those who come to the aid of the poor and rebukes those who turn away from them.† All Christians feel it is their duty to God to help the poor and needy, and to be kind to those who need their kindness.

The Issue of Lying Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Issue of Lying - Essay Example In other words, they are the biggest liars in the world. However, those who are constantly trying to point out the exact nature of lying and the ethical assumptions thereof are likely to be close to getting the truth right. Jack Willer just reminds readers that this talk is everlasting and dealing with white lies leads to worse lies that spring up eventually. This cycle is also never-ending. People generate the flow of lies thinking they can shift everyone’s expectations for better. In this vein, Willer asks a partially rhetoric question, namely: â€Å"Am I able to ever speak the truth† (Willer 81)? Given that, it becomes vital for everyone making it not a conundrum anymore and willing to get rid of some ethical concerns haunting people down every single day. To say more, the fight between a man and his/her consciousness is constantly growing. One can assume it as a way toward humane and morale. However, it is better to say that the poem by Willer generates the deepest feeling in an honorable man able to state all pros and cons in his character. A simple re-evaluation of such an elementary truth of lying gives one a powerful drive to the right decision-making afterwards. Probably, some of the readers were able to pinpoint their personalities throughout the poem or make it pretty close to their understanding of where the error happened once. Nevertheless, the life goes on, and the open-minded people are the ones to get Willer’s message quite seriously. The article Lying by Tim C. Mazur constitutes the same issue raised by Jack Willer, but from the philosophical point of view. His comment on the issue starts from the obvious. Taking a host of examples on how people lie to benefit or do harm to someone, he... This paper describes the truth of lying can be reached through the personal sincere realization of and confession in what one is about to achieve by means of lying. To make it plain, personal goals lead people to the possibility of lying under some definite circumstances and in order to keep oneself in safety from doing harm to anybody or to oneself, to be precise. On the basis of reason, lying is wrong as it â€Å"opposes the virtue of honesty†. This report shows a strong points of Mazur claims to reconsider the universal opinion on the â€Å"bad side† of lies and its healing or rationally correct effect as well. Frankly speaking, just an assumption on the many-faceted nature of lies was not enough for the author who tries to re-establish a sound-minded vision of this concept through the philosophical observation, so to speak. To conclude, the paper has illustrated that the problem of lying is a universal one. Jack Willer and Tim C. Mazur have identified sticking points in why people are tempted to lie every now and then. This is why lying is definitely ethically wrong, but it can be said right depending on a concrete situation and the philosophical treatment people choose to explain it. All in all, a witty person should evaluate the situation in detail so as to see whether or not the lies would benefit to the overall happiness of the society on the whole. The change starts from an ordinary man mirrored on the identities of others.

Year 8 - Portfolio Task - FILM REVIEW Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Year 8 - Portfolio Task - FILM - Movie Review Example ino, Fulgencio Capule, Diane Venora, Claire Danes, and Leonardo DiCaprio to feature leading characters like Romeo, Juliet, Ted Montague, Caroline Montague, Tybalt Capulet, Brian Dennehy and Christina Pickles. These were carefully selected actors who suit the characters they represent. Apart from possessing all the character traits of their respective characters, these actors perfectly fit the physical features of the characters as they were presented in the play. By perfectly playing their roles, the film becomes lively and a real depiction of a love story as it was intended by Shakespeare. The organization of the film was quite good. With everything going as planned, the director succeeded in delivering the theme of love which was the main focus of the film. Each of the scenes of the play was staged in the appropriate context in which it ought to have been. By constantly tracing the dialogue between characters like Romeo and Juliet, it becomes much easier to know the film’s main theme. The action of these protagonists is representational and can be relied upon to explain the theme of love. All these were comically presented so as to make the film appealing and entertaining to the audience. In terms of cinematography, I would like say that it was a product of quality production. As a love story, the film would not be interesting if it does not incorporate the elements of music, sound track and lighting. These are cinematographic techniques that could not be left out in the film. Their inclusion gave the film its real meaning and the picture it deserves. For instance, the use of sound tracks likes "To You I Bestow," "Pretty Piece of Flesh," "Little Star," and "Pretty Piece of Flesh" in different scenes of the film made it to manipulate the audience’s mood. Because of this, the film became a real love story. Their choice was a good one because they could help in depicting a happy and sad moment in the film. In conclusion, Romeo and Juliet is an educating,

Women's Suffrage campaigns Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Women's Suffrage campaigns - Research Paper Example This was following a long and difficult struggle against federal governments as well as the state. Previously, women never took part in general elections simply for the reason that they were women (Macbain-Stephens, 4). This paper discusses Women's Suffrage/the right to vote. Introduction Women's suffrage refers to women’s right to hold public office and to vote. The women's suffrage movement comprises of reformers’ every organized activity to add constitutional amendments and laws guaranteeing women the right to vote or to transform laws that hindered women from voting (Lewis, 1). Between early 1800s and civil war, which took place between the years 1861 and 1865, the US had a growing middle class, including families wherein while the women stayed at home taking care of their children, men held positions of lawyers, managers, business owners, among others. During this time, stereotypical ideas regarding women as well as men’s roles emerged from the culture of me n going into the world of work. People held the argument that since women were pure of heart in addition to being physically weak, only men could cope with the harsh events of the world of rough work. Another belief was that women should seldom leave home – they were expected to develop the aspects of submissiveness, purity, piety, and domesticity, maintaining the values of morality and stability in the home. They were also expected to create a getaway from the competitive world of business for their men (Macbain-Stephens, 6). Women were denied the right to own property, vote, obtain a divorce, speak in public, or serve on juries (Adams, 4). Macbain-Stephens further explains that long before and during the Progressive movement, a period of great reform (1900-1920) during which great transformations in economic, political and social ideas were occurring in the US, women had been fighting for their voting rights (they tried for more than 80 years without succeeding). In the year 1776 for example, a woman by the name Abigail Adams expressed strong views regarding her desire to take a more prominent role in the decision-making process pertaining the way in which the government was run as well as share a voice in the election of individuals who ran it. Abigail was the second US president’s wife and she wrote John Adams, her husband, a letter voicing her reaction to the proclamation that ‘all men are created equal’ after she had read a draft of the constitution that the second Continental Congress had written. In the letter, she requested her husband to ‘remember the ladies’ and be more favorable and to generous them than his ancestors. She promised that if her husband would not give particular attention and care to the ladies, they were determined to provoke a rebellion, and that they would not hold themselves bound by any laws in which they had no voice or representation (Adams, 4 & Thelizlibrary.org, 1-3). Abigail cauti oned against according all the power to men during the formation of a new government. According to her, the constitutional freedoms and rights were also supposed to be applicable to women too. However, Abigail’s letter did not change anything. She still held the belief that one day, women would come together to secure equal rights for themselves. By early 19th century, a period during which there was the discussion of new ideas as well as the changing of the old ideas, many people shared Abigail opinion. Equally, both men and women such as Frances Wright started protesting against the discrimination against women. a writer and editor to a newspaper known as the ‘free Enquirer’, Wright became an inspiration to many women and they

Critical examination of the genre of my story Essay

Critical examination of the genre of my story - Essay Example fer to take interest in golf, baseball and other sports that seemed to have audiences that would be interested in reading literature composed about these sports. Compared to any other kinds of sport, boxing often calls for muse in the writers and journalists and other news reports, this is not an issue to surprise many (Kimball 2011, 25). Places or systems that have risks, often have drama, many boxers end up putting their lives at risk compared to athletes, golfers and some other sports. Within an evening, boxers often have rolled dice with their health as well as marketability and their sense of identity. If it happens that one is not lucky enough in the ring, then one can be forced to stay of action for even a week or a month, having to recover. For this reason, one has to be effectively prepared in order to be the best in the game. Boxing can therefore be described as a bad and risky game, which can at times be crazy (Boddy 2009, 23). In fact, various incidences have been reported of people who died while in the boxing ring. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the sport has been attracting few interested writers on it. This paper examines the aspect of literature and boxing, showing how the sport has slowly been attracting few people interested in writing about it in the many kinds of existing literature. In essence, boxing and literature are not expected to go together. This is because, these two fields are very contrasting in the way they approach their goals and objectives. On one hand, we have a field that has the main goal of refining people’s consciousness, enabling them to understand how various systems operate in the social, economic and political angles. On the other hand, we have another system that seems to clobber an individual into unconsciousness as swift and artful as possible. One that gives more injuries and causes harm to the other is declared the winner and celebrated. However, it is interesting to note that of the writing that is

Definition of the words Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Definition of the words - Assignment Example The Painting is part of Church in Convent of Santa Maria in Milan (Ladwein, 13). It has an historic precedence to the times of Jesus Christ, exactly on the evening where Jesus along with his followers shared a dinner. Stage: Stage is that part of the theater where the actors perform their roles. Stage can be arranged and organized in multiple ways, with curtain covering the backend unit. Stage is mounted part of theater that is visible from all angles of the theater. Semiotics: Semiotics/ Semiology is a theory, and philosophy related to the study of signs and signals. In art it is the deciphering of the message from the silent image that may not be clearly evident and comprehendible to the ordinary observation. It is the study of art and architecture in form of the signals and signs interpretation. Fresco: A specialized form of painting that is performed over the fresh plaster. It is associated with the mural form of painting. Water colors are used over the wet plaster which later on dries up to hold their shape and design. Perspective: A technique in drawing and design, in which multiple parallel lines are shown to converge. It embodies the 2-D image on a 2-D frame . Linear and aerial perspectives are two predominant patterns used in this regard. The pioneers of this art are Leon Baptista Alberti and Filippo

The Brief Outline for Ancient Greece History Essay

The Brief Outline for Ancient Greece History - Essay Example These periods are the Early, Middle, Late and Final Neolithic periods. The Early Neolithic (EN) period was characterized by three new features that set it apart from the period it followed. Those characteristics included; 1) the appearance of domestic sheep and goats 2) the appearance of gardens of wheat, barley and lentil 3) and the appearance of polished stone tools and a substantial increase in grinding stones. It is also known as the period of time when pottery first made its appearance in ancient Greece. The pottery and pottery fragments that have been discovered from that era seem to show that the pottery was not used for cooking or cleaning (holding water) but was instead used as status systems on display. This period is also marked as the time when ritual burials first are evidenced. In fact, an infant's burial from that era is the first one discovered with any "wealth" at all buried at the same time. The wealth included a half a pottery jar and a small footed vessel. The Middle Neolithic (MN) does not differ much from the EN except that the pottery being made has now been glazed and there is evidence that the potters have learned how to 'fire' the pottery at higher temperatures and at larger quantities. In the Final Neolithic (FN) period once again (... The Middle Neolithic (MN) does not differ much from the EN except that the pottery being made has now been glazed and there is evidence that the potters have learned how to 'fire' the pottery at higher temperatures and at larger quantities. Wild grape plants appear in the Late Neolithic (LN) period and potters have now discovered how to change their glaze from an iron-based one to a manganese-based product. In the Final Neolithic (FN) period once again (as compared to the MN period) shows burials of adults and infants and like the MN the adults are not as extravagant as the infants appear to be. Many experts believe that the FN is just an extension of the LN. (Ancient n.d.). The next major period of time in ancient Greece is known as the Early Bronze Age (2900 -2000). This period of time is known as when metallurgy was introduced, especially tools, ceremonial objects and weapons that were constructed of bronze. The Bronze Age civilization is known by different titles throughout Greece but the most common was the Early Minoan period named after the king Minos. There are a number of difficulties associated with the establishing the differences in the Early Minoan period compared to the Neolithic period which immediately preceded it. Many of the artefacts from this era were excavated in the early 1900's and the techniques at that time were not as advanced as what they are now. Many of the artefacts were mishandled or not recorded in an orderly way. One of the aspects that the Early Minoan is known for the introduction of the jug shape of pottery and for plenty of painted wares. The Minoan period which followed next actually began about 1700 BC in Crete. Here the Minoan’s established a culture and city that was very advanced and very efficient.  Ã‚  

The Process of Change in Relationships and the Balance in Power Essay

The Process of Change in Relationships and the Balance in Power - Essay Example The period between 1890 to 1991 represents landmark events responsible for a change in relationship across different countries. Certainly, these changes affected the balance in power from different perspectives as discussed in the paper which follows. Pearl Harbour, ‘the worst naval disaster in American history’1, was a key turning point in American and world history, which produced a profound shift from ‘isolationism to internationalism’2 in US foreign policy. Pearl Harbour was attacked by the Japanese navy in December 1941. It was important because it caused the American public to make a major shift and to change their minds about U.S. intervention in World War II, and this shift in public opinion accounted for much in determining the course of America foreign relations. Opinion polls in 1939 showed a staggering 99% of American people opposed American involvement in a foreign war.3 In 1940 the polls showed that 80% of them continued to oppose any involvement in military conflicts.4 After Pearl Habour this opposition changed. Senator Nye5 showed the aggression of the nation in his speech: As Senator Vandenberg7, noted in his memories: ‘That day ended isolationism for any realist.’ Arguably, America had been willingly entangled in world economic affairs, but had stayed clear of military interventions.. The United States were involved in economic expansion, German reparations, naval and land disarmaments, the creation of a new treaty system for ‘the Far East’. Many historians argue that Roosevelt was an internationalist because of his early ‘Good Neigbour Policy’ and he had doubts about intervention even before Pearl Harbor, but his policies and actions were limited by oppposing public opinion. The evidence of that is that he kept some of his actions hidden from scrutiny for example, the secret talks between British and American planners.

Engagement Letters Essay Example for Free

Engagement Letters Essay Engagement letters are a great tool to enhance and clarify expectations between CPA’s and their clients. When engagement letters are used consistently, they can help build client relationships. CPA’s can also use them as a marketing tool, letting the client know what services they are being offered, and identifying supplemental services that may be beneficial to them. Such as discussing in the engagement letter for a tax client that tax planning services could be offered with a new signed engagement letter. Professional Standards While the AICPA does not require engagement letters, the standards do discuss establishing an understanding with the client, and it is preferable that this communication be written. Protection from Legal Liability Engagement letters can be a good basis of defense in the event of a malpractice claim. Also, if the intended users are identified in the engagement letter, it can limit those who can sue the CPA for use of the work product in some states. Our firm does not happen to be consistent with getting signed engagement letters before services are performed. Recently, we did some valuation services for one of our larger clients that was quite intensive and took a good deal of time. The client received the information and then the bill. He called and told the CPA that was working with him that he did not ask for the valuation services to be done that he was just asking about such services. This is interesting, since the client forwarded the information necessary to complete the services. However, such confusion could have been avoided had a signed engagement letter been in place for the valuation services. I also really like the idea of using them as a marketing tool. Engagement Letters: Why Use One? Retrieved from http://www. proaccess1. com/downloads/CPA_Engagement_Letters_Why. pdf What is audit risk? Audit risk equals inherent risk times control risk multiplied by detection risk. Inherent and control risk cannot be controlled by the auditor as they are a function of the client and its internal control environment. Detection risk is however a function of the effectiveness of the audit procedures performed. Misstatements that make it through the client’s controls and through the audit would be considered the audit risk.

Carbonic Anhydrase: Structure, Mechanisms and Functions

Carbonic Anhydrase: Structure, Mechanisms and Functions INTRODUCTION Carbonic anhydrase, abbreviated as CA, is the first identified zinc containing enzyme, (CA; carbonate hydro-lyase, EC 4.2.1.1) It is an enzyme that catalyzes the reversible hydration and dehydration of carbon dioxide to form carbonic acid, bicarbonate ions and protons. Being one of the fastest enzyme known, it is believed that one molecule of CA can process one million molecules of carbon dioxide  per second. The basic molecular structure of CA includes specific amino acid threonine 199, glutamate 106, histidine 64 and histidine residues namely His 93, His 95, and His 118. The mode of regulation of CA is being inhibited by various medically prescribed substances that act as non competitive inhibitors, an example is Acetazolamide. CA plays a major key role in the fluid balance and regulatory of pH in different parts of the body thus, Mutation of this enzyme may lead to several diseases.(1) CARBONIC ANYHYDRASE THE START: Breathing, a fundamental function in life The air that we breathe in has some valuable oxygen, an important molecule wherein it helps the breakdown of fats and sugars in our cells. From the blood, oxygen diffuses then binds with the hemoglobin to be transported in the cells of our body. A by product of sugar and fat breakdown in cells is called Carbon dioxide CO2). It is a key metabolite in all living organism and it needs to be removed from our body. Carbon dioxide is diffuse out of the cells and transported in the blood in different ways to get to the lungs. CA is transported in numerous forms, mainly as bicarbonate, HCO3-. Bicarbonate is a CO2- with an attached OH group. When the HCO3- reaches the lungs, it is transformed back to a CO2, so it can be exhaled from the body. The conversion of bicarbonate to carbon dioxide facilitates its transport into the cell; while the conversion of carbon dioxide to bicarbonate assists trap the carbon dioxide in the cell. This interconversion of carbon dioxide and bicarbonate develop at a slow physiological pH hence organism tend to produces an enzyme to hasten the process. This enzyme responsible for the speed up interconversion, which can be found in the red blood cells, is called carbonic anhydrase. Although the interconversion of bicarbonate to carbon dioxide can happen without the enzyme, CA can great increase the rate of the conversions up to a millions of fold. (2) STRUCTURE The CA molecule in general has ellipsoidal shape with the estimated dimension 4.1 x 4.1 x 4.7 nm. The active site is situated in a cavity having an approximately conical shape. The cavity is assessed 1.5 m wide at the way in and about 1.6 nm deep attaining almost the center of the molecule. The zinc ion is next to the peak of the cone and liganded into 3 imidazole groups. Taken as a whole, the CA is composed of 10-stranded anti-parallel beta-sheet enclosed with various elements of other secondary structure. The 6 alpha-helices and 10-beta sheets make up the secondary structure of carbonic anhydrase. The basic function of CA is basically to regulate the oxygen and carbon dioxide content of the blood that is needed in a human body. As the function suggests, the chemical structure of CA extremely lies with the presence of zinc that lies deep within its active site. Its common amino acid composition includes threonine, glutamate and histidine. The specificity of these 3 amino acids (threonine 199, glutamate 106, and histidine 64) plays a critical role in relation to the presence of zinc by charging it with a hydroxyl ion. The zinc cation is associated with three histidine residue protein backbone namely: His93, His95, and His118. As stated, zinc plays a major role in the reaction of CA. The zinc present in the active side of CA is being bound to water to be able to dissociate it into a proton and hydroxyl ion. The hydroxyl ion is being stabilized by the positively charged zinc, in this way; the hydroxyl ion is being prepared to attack the carbon dioxide inside the RBC. A closer look with CA can be seen in the figure below where the amino acid chains in the active site together with the zinc are evident. The role of the zinc basically includes the command of directional transfer of the bound hydroxyl to the carbon dioxide to be able to form bicarbonate ion. From the figure, it shows that the intermediate structure where the bicarbonate ion is still attached to the enzyme. The alanine replicated the side chain for amino acid 199 in this arrangement. Histidine 64 swings in the direction of and away from the zinc ion in every cycle of enzyme action although it is helping the zinc to recharge with a novel hydroxyl ion. The two locations of this residue, revealed in the bottom right figure, symbolize its movement throughout the action of enzyme. Almost immediately as the zinc is reloaded with an original water molecule together with the release of bicarbonate ion, the enzyme is set for another action on some new carbon dioxide molecule. (3) MECHANISM OF CATALYSIS The rate of catalysis of the CA is exceedingly pH dependent. It means that, the higher the pH, the catalysis is faster and as the pH reduces, the speed of the reaction falls down. The mean pH of this transition is near pH 7. (5) Figure 2.0 shows the mechanism of CA catalysis. A zinc atom which is generally bound to four or more ligands differs in CA. In CA, three locations are engaged by the imidazole rings of three histidine residues and an additional site is occupied by a water molecule. Thus the geometry form of the active site is tetrahedral. The zinc atom plays an important role in the mechanism of CA catalysis because it is responsible for the release of a proton H+ from a water molecule, which then generates a nucleophilic hydroxide ion. Then carbon dioxide substrate attaches to the enzymes active site and is situated to react with the hydroxide ion. The zinc-bound OH-  attacks the carbon of CO2  therefore converting it into a bicarbonate ion. This occurs since the zinc ion has the +2 charge, which attracts the oxygen of water. It then deprotonates the water, thus, converting it into a better nucleophile so that the newly converted hydroxyl ion can attack the carbon dioxide. After the nucleophilic attack of zinc bound OH-, addition of water molecule displaces the bicarbonate ion from the metal ion. The CA is then ready for another cycle of catalysis. (7) KINETICS OF REACTIONS CA inhibitors are class of pharmaceuticals that control the activity of carbonic anhydrase. It is inhibited by two classes of compounds, a metal complex forming anions and others are isosteres and sulfonamides. Inhibitors ionize upon binding with the enzyme to give way an NH- group that relocates the zinc hydroxide ions and shares a hydrogen bond. There are roughly 25 clinically used CA inhibitors as a drugs. It is mainly established as antiglaucoma drugs, diuretics, hypotensive agents, anticonvulsants, anticancer agents, antiepileptics, with additional use in the management of duodenal and gastric ulcers, osteoporosis and neurological disorder. (8) Acetazolamide Methazolamide Dorzolamide Topiramate Figure 3. Illustrations of some CA inhibitors (9) Figure 3.0 shows some CA inhibitors like Acetozolamide which acts as a mild diuretic. It cures glaucoma, altitude sickness, and some benign intracranial hypertension. Methazolamide treats glaucoma present in dogs which is called Open-angle glaucoma. While Topiramate which is a weak inhibitor, alleviate epilepsy, lennox gastuat syndrome and migraine headaches. And another CA inhibitor is the, Dorzolamide or sulphonamide which treat ocular hypertension or open-angele glaucoma. (10) CA activator regulates the proton transfer processes between the active site and the solvent system. It also binds at the entrance of the enzyme of the active site. One of the strong activator of CA is Histidine. Some amines and amino acids like l-Trp (tryptophan), l-Phe (Phenylalanine),  d-DOPA (D- 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine),  l-Tyr (Tyrosine), 4-amino-l-Phe also works as activators of CA. These CA activators are potentially target for drug development that can be useful as a derivative for the enhancement of synaptic efficacy which can be able to treat various conditions like, depression, alzheimers disease, ageing, spatial learning and memory therapy enhancer. (11) MODE OF REGULATION: Acetazolamide Inhibitor In case of excessive contents of CA in blood and peripheral areas of the lungs, proper regulation and inhibition is needed. Acetazolamide is a non competitive inhibitor that is effective in giving control with the catalytic reaction of the enzyme. This chemical complex substance is medically used o treat different conditions of moderate up to severe metabolic or respiratory alkalosis. Alkalosis may happen if excess CA is being reacted with the bicarbonate and carbon dioxide ions in the RBC, causing extreme absorption of bicarbonate thus giving the erythrocyte more basicity rather than having enough and sufficient pH level. Acetazolamide action is explained by interfering with bicarbonate (HCO3-) reabsorption in the kidneys, thereby giving enough acidity in the RBC, and further results to alkalinizing the urine. The action of inhibition results further to decreased synthesis of aqueous humor of the eye and causes the lowering of intraocular pressure. The interaction of Acetazolamide with CA does not occur with the active site, only close or remote to the active site. The net effect of this inhibitor basically changes the shape of CA that obviously leads to the inability of the substrate to bind properly, results to no catalytic reaction. (12) CARBONIC ANHYDRASE IN HEALTH AND DISEASE: Carbonic Anhydrase is found in numerous places in the body, including in the cerebro-spinal fluid, cytosol of some cells and mainly in the red blood cells. Since CA generates and utilizes protons and bicarbonate ions, it plays a major key role in the fluid balance and regulatory of pH in different parts of the body. Absence or mutation of the CA enzyme may lead to several diseases.  Also, CA inhibitor contributes to several treatments of diseases. One of the linked diseases of CA is the Osteopetrosis with cerebral calcification and renal acidosis. It is a syndrome deficient with CA in the body commonly called as Marble brain disease. This happens because sulfonamide inhibitor of CA can produce metabolic acidosis and have shown that CA inhibitors blocks the parathyroid hormone-induced the release of calcium bone which causes bone resorption. And since CA is present in the brain and CA inhibitors inhibits the production of cerebral spinal fluid, mutation of CA lead to cerebral calcification. Other disease associated with the deficiency of specific type of CAIII is the Myastenia gravis. It is an autoimmune neuromuscular disorder that results to a weak muscle of a person. Defects in CA IV can cause retinitis pigmentosa, a degeneration of retinal photoreceptor, which a patient experiences night vision blindness and loss of midperipheral visual. (13) Glaucoma, a condition wherein a build up of fluid in the eyes occurs and this presses the optic nerve that caused damage, is treated with the use of CA inhibitors like acetazolamide, brinzolamide, dorzolamide, and methazolamide. These inhibitors lessen the amount of fluid in the eye rapidly by 40% to 60% thus lowering the pressure inside the eye of a person with glaucoma. It now lessens the risk of optic nerve damage which promote vision loss. But prolong use of this drug affects the same enzyme in the tissue and may lead to kidney and liver damage The CA also plays an important role in the secretion of acid through the catalyzed hydration of excreted CO2 in the stomach lining which is mainly responsible in digestion of food. It helps to make pancreatic juice alkaline and our saliva neutral. In summary, CA performs different role and functions at their specific locations. (14)

England :: essays research papers

History of England The Ice Age ended about 8000 BC, during which the Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons lived in Great Britain. Because of the melting ice the water level rose and the English Channel was created, making Great Britain an island. The Middle Stone Age passed in this new forest and swamp, followed by the New Stone Age when the practice of farming began. During this period a lot of new people came to Britain. By 2500 BC the Beaker people had moved there. They were named after their pottery, and noted for their bronze tools and huge stone monuments, like Stonehenge. These Monuments prove they had an excellent economic organization as well as their technical skill and ability. Around 1000 BC the Celts took over the British Isles, they also took over most of western Europe. Because of their iron plows, iron weapons, and horse-drawn chariots, they were able to take over the inhabitants of the islands. Their priests dominated their society. King Alfred became king of Wessex in one of England's darkest hours. The Danes, viking forces that had raided the English coasts in the 8th century, planned to take over England. All that stood in their way were Wessex and Alfred. After Alfred's victory at Edington in 878 AD he made the Danish king Guthrum accept baptism and a division of England took place. The two parts were Wessex and Danelaw. By creating a navy, reorganizing the militia, allowing warriors to switch between farming and fighting, and building forts, Alfred was able to take over London and begin to take over tthe Danish. The battel to take over the Danish was completed by Alfred's son, Edward the Elder, and by his grandson Athelstan. Athelstan won a battle at Brunanburth in 937 AD and most of the rest of the century was peaceful. Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury was able to restore the Church. The conquest of the Danelaw meant the creation of unified government for all of England. Despite this the Danish invasions came again during Ethelred II's reign. In 1154 Henry II took the throne. During his reign he strengthened the government, developed the common law, created the grand jury, and attempted to reduce the jurisdiction of church courts. He was opposed by Thomas Becket, his former chancellor, who King Henry had made archbishop. His anger at Becket led to his murder. His empire included half of France and lordship over Ireland and Scotland.

fidel castro :: essays research papers

Fidel Castro was born on August 13, 1926. He attended Catholic schools before graduating from the University of Havana with a degree in law. Castro was a member of the Ortodoxo Party, a social-democrat party, and strongly criticized the government of Fulgencio Batista. On the 26th of July in 1953, Fidel Castro launched an attack on the Moncada army barracks. It failed, and most involved were killed or captured. Fidel was captured and given a trial, which he used to make his famous speech, "History Will Absolve Me". Sentenced to 15 years, he was pardoned after just two. He then went into exile in Mexico, where he trained and assembled the 26th of July Movement. He gained support from Che Guevara and others before leaving aboard the Granma to invade Cuba in 1956. Returning to Cuba, the revolutionaries hid in the Sierra Maestra mountains, gaining support among the peasants. Eventually, Batista was forced to flee in 1959 and Castro took over. Many Cubans left when it became clear that the Revolution was a Marxist one. Economic antagonism from the United States caused Castro to nationalize all American property. The United States Government tried various schemes to assassinate Fidel Castro and continues to economically isolate Cuba. The CIA even tried to invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs to remove Fidel Castro from power, but the Cubans successfully fought it off. As a result, Castro became closely aligned with the Soviet Union. The Soviets bought large amounts of sugar and supplied Cuba with economic and military assistance. This money fueled many of Castro's social programs, such as his war on illiteracy and free universal health care. Unfortunately, aligning Cuba with the USSR only led to more friction between Cuba and the United States.

Adversity and What We Gain From It :: Personal Narratives Sports Medicine Essays

Adversity and What We Gain From It In all parts of life there are periods of adversity that we must face, the real challenge however, is what and how we gain from conquering those trials. There have been many times that I have been faced with adversity, it has happened in all aspects of my life at one time or another. Whether it is dealing with the ups and downs of hockey or balancing the pressure that comes with an elite hockey schedule and high school, there are always obstacles. Some of these challenges can bring about positive effects that influence the path of one’s life. In one such experience of mine, the amount of adversity was not near as great as the positive out come that came from my experience. It happened when I was thirteen, I suffered a hockey injury that helped me to realize the area I wanted to study and hopefully have career in. The time it took me to rehabilitate my shoulder was a time of great learning for me but it also came with a great deal of adversity. It was an injury that sidelined me for weeks while at the same time pushed me on my way to a new work ethic and a new enthusiasm for learning. When I was in grade seven, I was playing my second year of peewee hockey and playing for my junior high school team as well. The junior high league allowed checking and the peewee league did not. Because of this I was not accustomed to the new aspect of hockey brought on by checking. I was injured in an intense game against our rival junior high, which was filled with plenty of checking. I was on the receiving end of a brutal check from behind which is something not permitted in any league, the player that hit me received a penalty and a game expulsion. I tried to continue playing but it was no use, I was barely able to raise my arm. I ended up in the hospital where the doctor informed me that I had severely dislocated my left shoulder and would have to miss up to three weeks of play. I had never been forced to miss hockey because of an injury before and it was the worst news I had ever heard. The time I missed from hockey was one of the most difficult periods I had been through up t o that point.

Passing: Black People and Hold Clare Essay

People as the victim of inequality and social restriction (â€Å"Passing†_Nella Larsen) The novel â€Å"Passing† was written in 1929 and become one of the most famous novels of Nella Larsen. Like other novels which were also written about â€Å"passing†, â€Å"Passing† of Nella Larsen reflects the tough life of African-American in the 19th century, when they were struggling with racism to have the equal rights. Clare Kendry and Irene Redfield in â€Å"Passing† both were born Negroes but with light skin so that they could be â€Å"passing†. However, these two women have different choices in their life, which lead to the tragedy when they meet each other after twelve years. The novel ends with Clare’s death without revealing to the readers who kills her, which encourages the readers to think of the uncertain end of â€Å"Passing† by logically interpreting evidence throughout of the novel. By that way, Nella Larsen might want her readers to be open-minded to understand how people become the victim of inequality and social restriction in term of race and gender. Ending her novel in uncertainty, Nella Larsen makes her readers curious about who is responsible for Clare’s death. The two possible things might happen are whether Clare commits suicide or Irene pushes her out of the window. Clare has her reasons to commit suicide since her husband finds out that she was born a Negro. For him, all Negroes are â€Å"black scrimy devils† and â€Å"always robbing and killing people† (70). These prejudices exist not only in Jack’s mind but also among many white people. These cruel prejudices and discrimination had threatened Clare’s marriage for a long time before her death. Clare might be always ready for the day that the truth about her race would take everything from her. When Irene asked her whether she thought of how she could do if her husband finds out about her race, she just said yes with a smile. And at the moment Clare stands near the window, â€Å"she seemed unaware of danger or uncaring. There was even a faint smile on her full, red lips, and in her shining eyes† (209). When Clare takes a risk by joining the Negroes community, she might prepare for that day, for her death. However, there are also evidences for the possibility that Irene kills Clare. First, she has the motivation. In Irene’s mind, Clare is one who â€Å"not only that she wanted to have her cake and eat it too, but that she wanted to nibble at the cakes of other folk as well† (88). Before seeing Clare, Irene’s life keeps going on under her control: a family with a doctor husband and two kids, living in Negroes community†¦ But Clare comes and raises the fear inside Irene that Clare and Brian, Irene’s husband, might have an affair. Although Irene doesn’t have any clear proofs for what she suspect, but she can feel it through the changing in attitude of Brian: â€Å"For a minute, Irene hesitated, then turned her head, though she knew what it was the held Hugh’s gaze. Clare, who had suddenly clouded all her days. Brian, the father of Ted and Junior†¦then she saw him smile, and the smile made his face all eager, and shining. †(169-170). Secondly, the readers can realize how the presence of Clare makes Irene suffers: â€Å"It hurt. It hurt like hell†¦She was very tired of Clare Kendry. She wanted to be free of her. †(174-179). The readers also has reason to suspect Irene since she already think of how to get rid of Clare before Clare’s death: â€Å"If Clare should die†¦To think, yes, to wish that†¦the thought stayed with her. She could not get rid of it†(187). In the party, before Clare falls out from the window, Irene is the one who open it despite of the cold outside. The image of Irene â€Å"watching the tiny spark drop slowly to the white ground† makes the readers relates to the falling down of Clare after that (207). At the moment that Clare stands at the window, Irene â€Å"laid a hand on Clare’s bare arm. One thought possessed her. She couldn’t have Clare Kendry cast aside by Bellew. She couldn’t have her free†(209). And watching Clare falls out from the window, â€Å"Irene wasn’t sorry. She was amazed†(210). Irene’s thought and attitude towards Clare at the moment she falls out from the window proved that Irene, whether responsible for Clare’s death or not, wants Clare to die. Therefore, the readers can suspect that Irene is the one who push Clare out of the window, leading to Clare’s death. Despite of many clues support for the possibility that Irene kills Clare, the author doesn’t want an obvious end for her novel. She keeps questioning her readers about how much they could trust what they see. Throughout the novel, Nella Larsen expresses her attitude in ridicule of white people’s blindness when they discriminate black people without knowing who they really are. Jack, a racist, marries a Negro woman because he believes in what he sees. Many people witness Clare’s death but nobody could be sure about what they saw. They even suspect Jack since he is the only white people there. By ending the novel in uncertainty, Nella Larsen questions her readers about how they interpret and understand who or what pushes people to death. If there is no racism, Clare would not commit suicide, and Jack wouldn’t be suspected just because he is white. Therefore, the most suspicious person would be Irene. If Irene doesn’t have any pressure about keeping her life as it must be according to social norms, she wouldn’t have motivation to kill Clare since she doesn’t love Brian: â€Å"She couldn’t now be sure that she had ever truly known love. Not even for Brian†¦ she still intended to hold fast to the outer shell of her marriage, to keep her life fixed, certain† (201). The image of Irene put her hand on Clare’s bare arms before Clare falling out of the window symbolize for the struggling inside Irene. Irene plays the role of one who could help Clare come back to her community, but she also puts Clare in risk by not telling Clare about Jack seeing Irene with a black woman. Before Clare died, Irene must be the one hold Clare back, but she is also suspicious for killing Irene. The truth isn’t always revealed in what we see, but also in how we interpret what we know about it, which depends much on our attitude toward it. Nella Larsen let her readers have their own way to think of this uncertain end in order to question their beliefs and their values. This uncertain end of â€Å"Passing† also like the uncertainty of people’s life under various pressures comes from social restriction such as race and gender. Clare’s death symbolize for people as the victim of inequality and social restriction.

Home school vs Public school Essay

More parents are choosing to home school their child or children rather than enrolling their children in a public school system. The parent’s make their decision based upon the school district that they live in. Some public schools do not have up to date materials. There are certain public schools that have a more difficult curriculum, which challenges students academically. Parents want what is best for their children’s education, public or homeschooled. Public-schools give children a chance to make lifelong friends and homeschooling is more hands on learning.  One of the most important things to a parent is their child’s learning environment. Homeschooling his or her child or children will give the parent the opportunity to control his or her learning environment. By doing so parents are ensuring that nothing tragic would happen. Homeschooling is a parent who teaches his or her child or children. The parent is going to give positive feed back to their child or children. There are fewer home schooled students in a classroom than there are in a public classroom. Homeschooling has more positive influences. They do not have bullies or feel pressure from trying to fit in certain groups in school or the clothes and shoes they wear. By not acquiring those things homeschooled students have a relaxed learning environment that has the advantage o f the teacher’s attention. There are many negative influences in a public-school system. A student who attends public-school can be harassed or bullied because of the clothes or shoes a student wears. Also, students can be harassed because of by their nationality, features or their grades. In public school there is always that one student that is very popular and dresses in the new fashions, but has the worst grades and makes jokes about student’s shoes or the way they  dress. There are students who are have seen and done things that a normal child has not, which makes these students a product of their environment. These are students who have a different childhood than most children. The things they see daily like fighting, hearing gun shots, and murders daily. These students will take things into their own hands if they are confronted by a person. The learning environment in public school is unsafe. In the past decade there has been a school shooting because students were teased, bullied, students ju st did not like them. Those shootings have had a major impact on parents who choose to have their child or children in public school. It is very important for a student to develop socially in fact, students who attend public school develop better socially than home schooled students. Public-schools have interaction with different levels of students or faculty each day of the school year. By learning how to talk to different levels of students or faculty will help students choose friends. In public schools you have a variety of friends like students that have attended the same schools through their child hood. There are new students that find his or her niche, which makes the transition to a new school easy for them. Having friends that are coworkers is something a public-school student would achieve before a homeschooled student. Homeschooled students do not have any interaction with other students during school unless they have siblings who are being home schooled. The only person a homeschooled student has to interact with is their siblings and their teacher, which is their parent. Being homeschooled a student would have to find kids in their neighborhood to be friends with. That is a hard thing to do because of the fact the other kids in their neighborhood attend public school, and have friends with the same interest that they play with five days a week that builds loyalty between the friends. Nevertheless, the teaching curriculum in public school is accredited meaning the school meets the states requirements. When a student attends and accredited school it is easier for the student to transfer credits. Teaching in a public-school where everyone has to learn at the same pace sometimes hurts students. However, it also helps some students pass a test because of the test scores the teacher would grade on curve. This allows some students to achieve a passing grade. Public school students will  not have a problem with the transition from high school to college. When attending public school all students learn at the same pace. Since public school students interact with different levels of students and faculty, they feel more comfortable when attending college. Home schooling is not and accredited curriculum meaning that the curriculum that the parent is teaching was not approved by the state where they live. Furthermore, a parent cannot teach a subject better than a licensed teacher unless the parent is a licensed teacher. Employment plays a vital role for single parents sending their child or children to public school allows him or her to obtain a job and provide for their family. Single parents would not be able to home school their child or children. Simply, because they would question how will the bills get paid and get the materials needed for homeschooling. A duel parent home may choose to have their child or children attend public schools so both parents can have jobs to his or her financial needs. It also allows the student to make their own decisions while they are away from their parent or parents. They have more responsibility and pressure on them to do their school work, get help if needed, and turn in assignments in by the due date. In order to home school a child or children there must be two parents in the household. One parent must obtain a job and the other teaches their child or children. Certain rooms in the house may become the classroom. Someone would lose their room or the kitchen table would become covered with piles of paper and books. Home schooling will allow the parent to be around their child or children 24 hours a day. They will not get a break from each other and this can cause trust issues between the child or children and parent. As the child or children gets older they are going to want some type of freedom. Suffocating them can push them away from the parent or it can make the child or children be socially challenged not being able to control his or her selves when they are not around their parents. Home school students would struggle in the real world because their parent or parents have controlled everything around his or her child or children. In conclusion public school students have a responsibility to do their work and make their own decisions, by doing so it will prepare them for real life  situations. For example, attending college the instructor is not going to spoon feed the students. It will be up to the students to get help if needed and complete assignments by the due date. Public schooled students will adapt to their environment easily. Also there are more free programs, school memories like prom, sporting events, and having childhood friends from different neighborhoods through you school years. All these things are something a home schooled student will not have the chance to achieve.

Foreign and Local Literature Essay

This particular chapter presents the review of Foreign and Local Literature and Studies relevant to the present study. Related Literature Foreign Literature According to the book entitled â€Å"Call Center 100 Success Secrets† in December 6, 2007 authored by Gerard Blokdijk. The 100 Success Secrets is not about the ins and outs of the call center. Instead, it answers the top 100 questions that we are asked and those we come across in forums, our consultancy and education programs. It tells you exactly how to deal with those questions, with tips that have never before been offered in print. This book is also not about a call centers best practice and standards details. Instead it introduces everything you want to know to be successful with and in a call center. Well this book gives emphasis about the topics. The Difference Between an Advanced Call Center and A Large Call Center What Does an Appointment Setter Call Center Part Time Employee Do? Taking a Closer Look at Customer Service Offices in Call Centers The Voice of your Product or Service Get the information you need through A Data Entry Call Center Call Center Jobs Taking Chances on a Call Center Career Conquering Challenges of Call Center/Customer Service Managers Manage the Telemarketing of Products through Call Center The Qualities of an Effective Call Center Financial Services Representative Qualities of a Call Center Representative Call Center here at your Service Call Center Supervisor Manager for High Tech Companies in Austin, Texas The Need to Train a Call Center Agent Tips on How to Provide Excellent Customer Service towards an Exciting Call Center Career Call Center: An Answer To All Your Queries Standard Requirements for A Call Center Agent Applicant What is the Nature of the Job of Call Center Agents? How the Call Center Airline Industry Works The Life of A Call Center Analyst The Call Center and its Customer Service Why Choose Call Center Careers? The Call Center Conference Call Center Consultants: A Hassle Free Solution To Manage Call Center Call Center Consulting For Your Company Call Center And Customer Service: One And The Same Customer Service And Call  Center Jobs: The responsibilities Of Order Desk Supervisors That Can Lead You To Great Opportunities The Many Career Options Open To An Experienced Call Center Customer Service Rep Call Center Customer Service: Supervisor and Manager Positions The Responsibilities Of Call Center Director How Call Center Employment Keeps BPO Companies Grounded in Reality Why You Need A Call Center Furniture Call Center Jobs: How To Find One? What You Need To Know About Call Center Management The Different Types of Call Center Management Jobs The Main Responsibilities Of Call Center Managers The Operation in a Call Center Call Center Operations Manager The Operators in a Call Center Call Center Or Customer Service: What It Can Do To Your Company The Facts About Call Center Outsourcing Call Center Pricing Is Affordable The On-the-Job Duties of A Call Center Rep Call Center Representative: Frontline In Customer Service Why Call Center Sales Training is Important for New Hires The Services In a Call Center Call Center Software: A Great Tool For Call Center Management Offshore Outsourcing the Call Center Solution for Western Companies Why Call Center Solutions Are Important to Everyone Your Challenge: Being A Supervisor In A Call Center Why You Need Call Center Support The Qualities of a Call Center Vice President How to Prepare for Call Center Work at Home The Many Advantages of Establishing a Call Center Work from Home Call Center Career: Clerical, Typing And Word Processing Skills A Must! Client Services, Call Center And Customer Service: A Great Solution To Meet Consumer Needs When Is A Collection Call Center Customer Service Representative Necessary? The difference of our thesis with this book is our thesis mainly focus on the questions to be answer such Why the undergraduate people was able to get a job while the fresh graduate was havin g a problem? Why Call Centers always get sick easily, headache, fever, stress and etc? How to adapt this kind of environment? Why lot of people are resigning after a couple of the months? , also the result of our study will be serving as a guide of other people who would like to enter this kind of industry. According to the article entitled â€Å"Making the Right Calls† in March 09, 2006 authored by Tom Rieger . If a representative meets all the quality requirements but does not help the customers , the representative and the company is considered fail. Providing great customer service in a call  center is challenging. The action never stops, and managers are inundated with data. Everything a call center employee or team does is measured and monitored, from call quality to handle time to schedule adherence to unit cost. Reports are constantly sent out, and feedback sessions are frequent. Ultimately, success in a call center comes down to how well each customer service representative engages each customer. Despite continuous reporting, feedback, and monitoring, and regardless of the reams of data, many call centers struggle to improve their levels of performance, and organizational barriers often prevent improvement. By conducting a series of formal audits in nine different call centers in four different industries, Tom Rieger had identified four barriers that can substantially undermine local efforts to improve employee and customer engagement in call centers. Those are the following , No time to coach , No time to learn , Confusing the process with the result , Poor alignment and communication with other departments . Well this journal mainly focus with the barriers that can substantially undermine local efforts to improve employee and customer engagement in call centers such as team leaders have limited time to invest in their teams, such as coaching CSRs on how to create customer engagement or working to improve employee engagement. And training is useless if centers don’t give CSRs time to apply their new learning on the job. Most call centers, though, don’t allocate any time to help CSRs stay informed about changes; even when centers make time, they don’t help managers or CSRs sort to the highest priority changes. Yet CSRs are held accountable for implementing these changes, even though they often get in trouble for logging off the phones or checking e-mail to find out about them. The most important part of a customer service representative’s job is providing good customer service. But few centers enable customers to rate their experience; fewer still track the customer experience at the individual CSR level. More often, a CSR’s customer service performance is subjectively determined by someone other than his customers, using a checklist of phrases and behaviors that may not have anything to do with providing good customer service. Ultimately, â€Å"what you grade† determines â€Å"what you get.† If a CSR meets all his quality requirements but does not help the customer, the CSR and the company have failed. Too often, call center managers’ goals are unrelated to the goals of  the internal groups they support; similarly, the internal groups’ goals can be unrelated to what happens in the call center or to the customers who call. As a result, promises made at one customer touchpoint may not be fulfilled at another. It also gives emphasis that few companies use their customer service centers to channel customer opinions back to the organization. Instead, too many companies use their call centers to push multiple and often conflicting initiatives at their customers. In our thesis focus on why the undergraduates was able to get a job while the fresh graduate was having a problem? Why Call Centers always get sick easily, headache, fever, stress and etc? How to adapt with this kind of environment? Why lot of people are resigning after a couple of the months? , also th e result of our study will be serving as a guide of other people who would like to enter this kind of industry.

A Review of Qualitative Research on Teenage Smoking Habits

A Review of Qualitative Research on Teenage Smoking Habits Grand Canyon University: NRS-433V-O103 Introduction to Nursing Research September 20, 2012 Introduction The purpose of this document is to summarize the contents of the research article, explain the research methods implemented, and offer insight on how the findings contribute to nursing practice. Second, there will be an explanation of ethical considerations associated with the conduct of nursing research. Finally, the source document, â€Å"What Determines Teenagers' Smoking Behaviour? : A Qualitative Study† will be attached for review. SummaryThe articles purpose was to study smoking behavior among Malaysian teens. The specific areas of interest included: smoking initiation, cigarette consumption, intention to stop smoking, and attempts to stop smoking. The first stage of teen smoking behavior begins with casual experimentation and is followed by the maintenance phase when everyday ritual smoking is present. The fut ure dependence on smoking can be predicted by the individual’s actions during experimentation with cigarettes. Curiosity, peer pressure, and parental smoking were all reported reasons that teens decided to try cigarettes.In children less than thirteen year old, it was concluded that parental smoking played the largest role in behavior choices. This finding suggests that children are modeling the parents’ smoking behavior. However, older teens in secondary school reported peer pressure to be the reason for choices regarding cigarettes. Seventy-four percent of the participants reported that they smoked less than five cigarettes daily. This same portion or participants admitted that they smoked because they experienced physical symptoms of nicotine withdraw when they didn’t smoke daily.Consumption of cigarettes in this group was reported as a social activity among friends but mostly in secluded areas, to avoid getting caught. Most all adolescents that were active i n this study reported that they had intended to quit smoking in the future. The majority of participants had no clear plan on how they were going to stop and most had admitted to several failed attempts to stop smoking without help. Aspects to consider: relationships, athletic involvement, health concerns, lack of finances, and parental concern are all reasons that would cause a teen smoker to consider quitting.The participants that were able to stop smoking had a plan and picked a specific quit date. Methods of Study This information was collected and processed through a qualitative study. Specifically, it involved twenty-six teens from three public schools. Twenty-thee members of this sample group were smokers while three of the members had stopped smoking. Information was gathered through three focus group interviews, three in-depth interviews over twenty months, and questionnaires.The questions were asked in a non-formal conversational manner with important points or answers rec orded on a document designed to evaluate and sort information (site). The Social Cognitive Theory was used to organize collection of information and analysis. This theoretical framework was chosen based on the need for an explanation of teen smoking related to individuals, heath behaviors, and environments. The expectation is that Social Cognitive Theory would offer more insight on how these three elements would interact with each other simultaneously.Contribution to Nursing Smoking tobacco continues to be one of the top causes of preventable causes for death in America. There are 430,000 deaths, one point five million years of potential life lost, and fifty billion of lost medical debt related to tobacco use (Hollis, J. , Pollen, N,†¦ 2005). Nurses that identify younger clients at risk for tobacco can contribute to decline in morbidity related to smoking and assist in the decrease of medical debt. â€Å"The younger that youth are when they start using tobacco, the more likely they'll be addicted (CDC, 20012). The study offers insight to nursing practice for specific tailoring of a care plan for teens who smoke, parents who smoke, and how to target the education for quitting. The areas that affected teen’s interest in quitting included: athletic improvement, parents disapproval, health concerns, and lack of finances. Nurses can use the information from this study to reinforce the health promotion and benefits of being a non-smoker. The recognition of how parents affect smoking behaviors will aid the nurse in preparing education that is directed at the entire family to deter childhood and teen smoking.The contribution to patient care can be seen with health promotion assessment use. The conclusions were clear about teens needing a plan to quit after they reached the maintenance phase of smoking. This result alerts nurses to assess smoking in younger adolescence and offer assistance with smoking cessation. Ethical Issues First, The Research and Ethi c Committee of University Kebangsaan Malaysia gave approval before the study was started. Second, The Ministry of Education Malaysia offered authorization for interviews in the school system for children who were not involved in some type of major examination.Third, all of the teens along with parents provided a written and signed consent for participation. The confidentiality of current smoking status was kept intact and privacy was maintained. Lastly, at the conclusions of each interview the teens were offered smoking cession counseling at a doctor’s clinic. To ensure reliability of the study, several schools were used and different types of data collection utilized. There was self-reflexivity in minimizing opinions of the researchers. Validation was offered by minimal prompting, statement clarification, and rephrasing of questions. ConclusionThe study identified factors like nicotine addiction, personal, and environmental issues that influence of smoking behaviors in teens . These areas should be of great priority when developing smoking cessation programs for teens. The Social Cognitive Theory utilized in this study is an aid that helps nurses to understand smoking behaviors in teens and how to address barriers to break those influential factors. Since this study was done in one region of Malaysia, it may not apply to all areas outside of it. This was a very small study that cannot be applied to all cultures, geographic locations, and race.A better perspective would have been attained by selecting a wider group with random geographic location and equal gender participation. The male to female ratio for the study was unequal and this causes a shift in the standard deviation when scrutinizing the study from a statistical view. Having unequal gender numbers could cause a type I or II error which makes the information not entirely reliable (Grove, S. , 2012). References Center for Disease Control. (2012, January). We can make the next generation tobacco- free. Retrieved from http://www. cdc. gov/Features/YouthTobaccoUse/ Grove, Susan K. (2012).Statistics for Health Care Research: A Practical Workbook [1] (VitalSource Bookshelf), Retrieved from http://pageburstls. elsevier. com/books/978-1- 4160-0226-0/outline/11 Hollis, J. , Polen, M. , Whitlock, E. , Lichtenstein, E. , Mullooly, J. , Velicer, W. , & Redding, C. (2005). Teen Reach: outcomes from a randomized, controlled trial of a tobacco reduction program for teens seen in primary medical care. Pediatrics, 115(4 Part 1), 981-989. Tohid, H. , Ishak, N. d. , Muhammad, N. , Hassan, H. , & Omar, K. (2011). What determines teenagers’ smoking behavior? : A qualitative study. International Medical Journal, 18(3), 194-198. 194PSYCHIATRY Article Ititernational Medical Joumal. Vol. 18, No. 3, pp. 194 – 198 , September 2011 What Determines Teenagers' Smoking Behaviour? : A Qualitative Study Hizlinda Tohid†, Noriah Mohd. Ishak^', Noor Azimah Muhammad†, Hasliza Abu Has san^', Farah Naaz Momtaz Ahmad†, Khairani Omar'* ABSTRACT Objective: The study aimed to explore smoking behaviour among Malaysian teenagers that were related to their smoking initiation, cigarette consumption, quit intention, and quit attempts. Methods: It was a qualitative study that used multiple case study design, involving 26 teenagers (23 smokers and three former smokers) from three public schools.Data was collected via questionnaires, three focus group interviews and three in-depth interviews over 20 months, A standardised semi-structured interview protocol was utilised. Results: Among the participants, 74% of them started smoking after the age of 12 years old. The majority (20/23) of the teenage smokers admitted to smoking every day and 74% of them smoked not more than 5 cigarettes a day. All of the smokers had the intention to quit but only 22 out of the 23 teenage smokers had attempted quitting. Sixty percent of these teenagers had more than three quit attempts.In gen eral, this study captured the complexity of the teenagers' smoking behaviour that could be influenced by multiple factors, including behavioural (e,g, nicotine addiction), personal (e,g, conception of smoking and quitting, curiosity, sensation seeking, knowledge about smoking cessation, stress, maintaining athletic performance, and finance,) and environmental (e,g, socialisation, peer pressure, parental smoking, parental disapproval, and boy- or girlfriend aversion) factors. Conclusions: This study described the complex and multidimensional nature of teenage smoking behaviour.The findings also correspondingly matched the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), therefore suggesting the theory's suitability in elucidating smoking behaviour among the Malaysian teenagers, KEY WORDS smoking, teenagers, smoking initiation, cigarette consumption, quit smoking INTRODUCTION Adolescence is a crucial time in which a relatively dependent child transforms into a relatively independent adult. During this transitional period, many teenagers often experiment risky behaviours as a proclamation of their autonomy.This risky behaviour includes cigarette smoking, using illicit drugs and cirinking alcohol. (Epps, Manley, & Glynn, 1995; Kulig, & American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Substance Abuse, 2005) Experimenting with cigarette smoking is an initial stage of teenagers' smoking behaviour before it becomes established. (Nichter, Vuckovic, Quintero, & Ritenbaugh, 1997; Seguire, & Chalmers, 2000; Curry, Mermelstein, & Sporer, 2009) This smoking initiation predicts their long-term tobacco use and heavier levels of dependence. (Breslau, & Peterson, 1996; Escobedo, Marcus,Holtzman, & Giovino, 1993; Chen, & Millar, 1998) Their experimenting behaviour may be influenced by various factors including curiosity, peer pressure, parental smoking, sensation seeking, social norms for smoking, and misconception of smoking (e. g. belief that smoking provides benefits, such as coping, sense of belon ging, style, relaxation, and coolness). (Dijk, de Nooijer, Heinrich, & de Vries, 2007; Naing et at. , 2004; Khairani, Norazua, & Zaiton, 2004; Vuckovic, Polen, & Hollis, 2003; Nichter, Vuckovic, Quintero, & Ritenbaugh, 1997) These factors could cause teenagers to continue smoking.Teenage smoking maintenance is also influenced by nicotine addiction. It has been shown to be substantially significant among teenagers even with low cigarette consumption. (The National Health and Morbidity Survey, 2009; Hammond et al. , 2008; Khairani, Norazua, & Zaiton, 2004; Naing et al. , 2004; DiFranza et at. , 2007; Balch et al. , 2004; Amos, Wiltshire, Haw, & McNeill, 2006) This may be due to a very rapid loss of autonomy over tobacco even with minimal exposure to nicotine in adolescents, as demonstrated by the DANDY study. (DiFranza et al. , 2007; DiFranza et al. , 2002)Consequently, majority of teenage smokers struggle to quit smoking. (Balch et at. , 2004; McVea, Miller, Creswell, McEntarrfer, & Coleman, 2009; Amos, Wiltshire, Haw, & MeNeill, 2006; Seguire, & Chalmers, 2000) Thus, smoking behaviour among teenagers is a complex phenomenon, since it is influenced by multiple factors. This complexity requires great understanding of the behaviour from those who are involved in the care of these teenagers. This comprehension would certainly help the care providers to curb teenage smoking, which is a dangerous, addictive and destructive behaviour. US Department of Health and Human Services, 2004) Therefore, many studies have Received on Augtist 28, 2010 and accepted on November 29, 2010 1) Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lutnpur, Malaysia 2) Pusat PERMATApintar Negara, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Bangl, 43600 Selangor, Malaysia 3) Setapak Health Clinic, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Correspondence to: Hizlinda Tohid (e-mails; [email  protected] com) 2011 Japan International Cultural Exchange Foundation & Japan Health Sciences UniversityTobitJ H, et al. 195 Table 1. Participants' gender, status of smoking and types of interviews TYPES OF SCHOOL MALE GENDER FcEeM. . AALIEE SMOKERS STATUS OF SMOKING NON SMOKERS FOCUS GROUP INTERVIEW TYPES OF INTERVIEWS IN DEPTH INTERVIEW SCHOOL 1 URBAN 9 3 9 3 1 3 SCHOOL 2 SEMI-URBAN 7 7 1 SCHOOL 3 RURAL 7 7 1 TOTAL 3 23 3 23 3 3 3 been carried out to examine the phenomenon of teenage smoking. In Malaysia, majority of such studies were quantitative studies. (Naing et al. , 2004; Hoi, & Hong, 2000; Khairani, Norazua, & Zaiton, 2004; Zulkifli, Rogayah, Razian, & Nyi Nyi, 2001)Nevertheless, studies that qualitatively describe Malaysian teenagers' smoking behaviour are still lacking. This deficiency may affect our understanding of the matter in great depth and holistically. Thus, this study aimed to explore smoking behaviour among Malaysian teenagers related to their smoking initiation, cigarette consumption, quit intention, and quit attempts. This information could provide us with better conception about their smoking behaviour, and subse-‘ quently eould help us to identify areas for improvement. METHODSThis study used a multiple case study design, involving 26 teenagers (23 smokers and three former smokers) from three public schools (urban, semi-urban and rural). Data was collected via selfadministered questionnaires, focus group interviews (FGI) and indepth interviews (IDI) over a period of 20 months, between 2008 until 2010. Theoretical framework This study utilised the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) to guide the researchers in data collection and analysis. The SCT was also used for ‘analytieal generalisation' in which findings of the study were mapped against the theory.It was chosen as the study's theoretical framework due to its appropriateness and comprehensiveness in capturing a complex phenomenon of eigarette smoking that is influenced by multiple factors. (Baranowski, Perry, & Parc el, 2002) The SCT describes how individuals, environments and health behaviour interact with each other simultaneously (reciprocal determinism). (Baranowski, Perry, & Pareel, 2002) Study population Twenty six teenagers (23 boys and three girls, as shown in Table I) were selected via purposive and snowballing sampling, based on predetermined criteria.The teenage smokers and former smokers were sampled because their experience in cigarette smoking and smoking cessation was crucial for this study. These teenagers were 16 years old Malays, recruited from three different (urban, semiurban and rural) public schools from 2 states in Malaysia. Recruitment of teenagers Teenagers were recruited with the assistance from school counsellors from eaeh sehool. An agreement for no disciplinary action against teenagers who were willing to participate in this study was made with the counsellors prior to the recruitment.The students' smoking status was also eoneealed from other school staff to avoid s tigmatisation. Twelve teenagers who were selected from one of the schools were introdueed to the main researcher during an informal meeting for study briefing (refer to Table 1). The teenagers were invited to participate and were given parental packages, which comprised of an acknowledgement letter to parents, the study's information sheet, and a parental consent form. Subsequently, dates for tbe FGI and IDI were set. The completed parental eonsents forms were eolleeted prior the interviews by the school counsellor.The other 14 teenagers (7 students from each remaining school, as shown in Table 1) were reeruited by sehools' counsellors, who had training in qualitative research and were well informed about the study. Similar method of obtaining eonsent from their parents was carried out by these counsellors. Data collection Three in-depth interviews and three focus-group interviews were carried out (refer to Table 1). Prior to the interviews, all participants were given a brief overv iew of the study and the process of the interviews. Written eonsents from eaeh partieipant were also obtained.They were then required to answer a brief self-administered questionnaire on their socio-demography, smoking status and smoking behaviour (age of initiation, cigarette consumption, quit intention and quit attempts). The interviews were conducted in Malay language and eaeh interview lasted less than two hours. A semi-structured interview protocol was used to guide interviewers in questioning the participants. Anti-smoking posters and pamphlets were also used to facilitate discussion. Data analysis During eaeh interview, the conversation was recorded using digital voice recorders.The voice recording was subsequently transeribed into text by using Microsoft Office Word 2007. The transcribed text was reviewed against the audio-recordings for several times until the accuracy of the transcripts was ensured. Any uncertainty during the transcription, assistance from other researeher s was sought to ascertain its accuracy and reliability. (Yin, 2003; Yin, 1994) The transcribed text was then imported into NVIVO 7. The main researcher then analysed the data to identify themes and categories (‘thematie analysis') that would explain patterns of pereeption related to teenagers' smoking behaviour.In order to ensure high reliability of the eoding proeess, tbe coded data was eross-checked by two experts in adolescence health. Kappa was calculated by using the Cohen kappa formula to determine the reliability index, which was maintained above 0. 8. The process of transcription and analysis was repeated for every interview and ‘cross-case conclusion' was drawn between the analyses of eases. Findings of the study were also mapped against the SCT for ‘analytical generalisation'. Ettiical issues, reliability and validity Approval from the Research and Ethic Committee of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia was obtained prior to the study.Authorisation for intervie wing teenagers from the schools was also acquired from the Ministry of Education Malaysia that limited interviewing students who were not sitting for any major examination (i. e. exeept students aged 15 and 17 years old). Apart from these, all of these teenagers and their parents were required to provide written eonsents for their participation. The confidentiality of the participants, e. g. obscuring teenagers' status of smoking from the knowledge of their parents and other sehool staffs, was also guaranteed throughout the study.Finally, medical responsibility of the main researcher in preventing smoking-related illnesses, as she was also a medieal doctor, was realised by offering teenagers consultation for smoking eessation at her clinic. This was done at the end of each interview to prevent any biased answers from the partieipants. Validity and reliability of the study were ensured via a number of methods, ineluding; (1) triangulation of sourees of data (teenagers from three diff erent sehools), as well as methods of data collection 196 What Determines Teenagers' Smokitig Behaviour? Table 2. Smoking behaviour of the teenagers who smokedTEENAGERS WHO SMOKED (N = 23) AGE OF INITIATION (YEARS) NUMBER OF CIGARRETTES SMOKED/DAY STAGE OF CHANGE NUMBER OF QUIT ATTEMPTS FGD(n = 21) IDl(n = 2) TOTAL < 12 5 1 6 > 13 16 1 17 20 2 1 3 PRE COMTEMPLATION 5 1 7 CONTEMPLATION 4 4 PLANNING II 12 0 1 1 1-3 7 1 8 S4 13 1 14 (questionnaire, three FGI and three IDI), (2) self reflexivity in minimising biases that the researchers may bring into the study due to our previous involvement in managing problematic teenagers and chronic smokers, (3) ‘procedural validity' via rephrasing of questions, elarifying of statement and minimal prompting as ecessary,(Fliek, 2009) and (4) inter-coder agreement or reliability index of above 0. 8. RESULTS Twenty three boys and three girls were interviewed (referred to Table 1), in which two of the boys and one of the girls were former smokers . The remaining 23 teenagers were smokers at the time of the interviews. These teenagers' smoking behaviour (age of smoking initiation, cigarette consumption, intention to quit and history of quit attempts) is summarised in Table 2. Age and reasons of smoking initiation Six of the 23 (26%) teenage smokers in this study started smoking during primary school (before the age of 13).The youngest age of smoking initiation was 10 years old. Nevertheless, 74% of these teenage smokers started smoking when they were in the secondary school. Most of the teenagers admitted that curiosity [â€Å"Felt curious to try (smoking)†], sensation seeking [â€Å"Just for fun†], parental modelling of smoking [â€Å"Sinee my father smokes†¦ I always watch him smoking. When he smokes, it looks pleasurable†¦ gratifying†], peer pressure [â€Å"Peer influence†], and misconception of smoking [â€Å"Style (because of smoking). Siyle†] were common factors for them to e xperiment with smoking.The teenagers who started smoking before the age of 13 claimed that curiosity and smoking modelling by parents were their main reasons for experimenting with smoking. This is contrary to those who started smoking at the age of 13 years or older. These teenagers admitted that peer pressure was the major factor for them to start smoking. Cigarette consumption Majority (20/23) of the teenage smokers in this study admitted to smoking every day and 74% of these teenagers smoked not more than 5 cigarettes a day.The teenagers believed that their daily smoking behaviour was mainly due to nicotine addiction in which they described substantial physical (e. g. tiredness, lethargy, flu-like symptoms) and psychological (e. g. slow thinking, depressed, craving) withdrawal symptoms that they experienced during smoking abstinence [â€Å"My brain feels slow†; â€Å"(If I stop smoking) I feel restless. â€Å"]. The daily smokers also admitted to smoking when they were with their friends. They claimed this behaviour could be due to a number of reasons: a) sharing the cost of cigarettes with their friends, thus tend to smoke together, as explained by a teenager: Between 14 of us. we shared RMI per person, we can get 2 big boxes of cigarettes. † b) socialisation, as one teenager noted: â€Å"When we hang around (with friends), we smoke, sis† c) peer pressure, as a teenager claimed: â€Å"When we see our friends smoked, the desire to smoke is too intense. † d) sense of belonging, for example: â€Å"We all belong to a gang who shared our cigarettes together† However, three of the current smokers admitted to smoking only once a week. They stated that they particularly smoked during stressful period [â€Å"Especially when I am doing something. When it's hard then I'll smoke. ]. A few of the teenagers reported that the national anti-tobacco policy, as well as the school regulations had restricted their smoking behaviour. These teenagers admitted to commonly smoke in secluded areas outside of public view, such as in school toilets and stairways of shopping malls. The restrictive environment for public smoking was believed to influence tbeir cigarette consumption. Intention to quit All teenage smokers in this study had the intention to quit smoking. However, 7 of them (30%) did not plan to quit within the next 6 months (in the pre-contemplation stage).Twelve of them (52%) were in the planning stage, but none had set their quit dates. The smokers diselosed that a number of factors could influence tbeir desire to quit, which included: a) impaired athletic performance, as one of the teenagers claimed: â€Å"When (I) sprint†¦ I will hecome breathless† b) boy- or girlfriend aversion, for example: â€Å"Maybe (I get the desire to stop smoking) from my girlfriend. If she said â€Å"If you do not stop smoking, we should break-up†. Huh. (I feel like to quit smoking)† c) parental disapprova l, as noted by one boy: If mother scolded me for smoking, until she cried.. I would feel ? ike I want to quit, but it was temporary only. Afterwards.. I continue smoking† d) concern about health, shown by one of the teenagers' excerpt: â€Å"Smoking can make me feel breathless, sis (that's why I feel like to quit)† e) finaneial problems, as a teenager stated: â€Å"(I) think about my parents, sis. My mother and my father are not wealthy, (when I) think about that, it could (trigger my desire to quit)† Similar motivating factors were also reported by former smokers in this study prior to their successful smoking cessation.Nevertheless, these former smokers admitted that only personalised motivating factors could render them to quit successfully. Their personalised motivators were parental disapproval [â€Å"(Parental disapproval) effective, it's effective. I've stopped smoking. â€Å"], maintaining athletic performance [â€Å"(I) stopped smoking (for athletic p erformance). I got selected (to play football for my district) afterwards†]. and saving money /†/ stopped (smoking) to save money to buy a motorbike†]. Previous quit attempts Almost all (22/23) teenage smokers in this study had attempted smoking cessation prior to the interviews.The teenagers deseribed that quitting was very difficult because of withdrawal symptoms that they experienced during the quit attempts [â€Å"(If I stop smoking) I feel restless†]. Sixty percent of the teenage smokers had actually attempted to quit four times or more. All of the teenagers claimed that they never reeeived any professional helps when they made their attempts to quit in the past. Majority of them declared that they sought their friends' advice on how to quit and among the common methods that they had tried were drinking a lot of water, chewing gums and taking sweets, as one of the teenagers said:Tohid H. et al. 197 â€Å"Usuatty (I) asked my friends how to quit. They a dvised me to drink a tot of minerat water. † DISCUSSION In Malaysia, the mean age of smoking initiation among teenage smokers is between 12-14 years old, (The National Health and Morbidity Survey, 2009; Hammond et at. , 2008; Khairani, Norazua, & Zaiton, 2004; Naing et at. , 2004) whieh is concurrent with the findings of this study. The common reasons for smoking initiation, such as curiosity, peer pressure, and parental smoking, reported by tbe participants in tbis study were similar to otber studies. (Naing et at. 2004; Kbairani, Norazua, & Zaiton, 2004) This study also suggested that curiosity and parental modelling of smoking bebaviour could be teenagers' main reasons for experimenting smoking at younger age (less tban 13 years old). In contrary, peer pressure was found to be a major factor for teenagers wbo started smoking at seeondary sehools. However, the significance of tbese associations should be confirmed by future quantitative studies. Cigarette consumption reporte d by teenagers in this study was found to be lesser tban tbose of Malaysian adults, who averagely smoke between 11 to 14 cigarettes per day. World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, 2010) Tbis may be due to a number of factors as suggested by tbese teenagers, such as; (a) insufficient fund to purchase cigarettes, (b) ‘occasional' smoking, and (c) restrictive environment for smoking. Nevertheless, underreporting of smoking behaviour by these teenagers may also explain the lower estimated number of cigarettes smoked by them. Tbis is because teenagers have a tendency to report socially desirable behaviour and attitudes. (Hammond et at. , 2008; Klein, Havens, & Carlson, 2005)Insufficient fund to purebase cigarettes were described by some of the teenagers in this study, who claimed that they had to share their pocket money with their peers to buy cigarettes. Tbis is to ensure their continuous supply of cigarettes and to develop bonding among tbe peer s. (Vuckovic, Polen, & Hollis, 2003; Amos, Wiltsbire, Haw, & McNeill, 2006; Niehter, Vuckovic, Quintero, & Ritenbaugh, 1997; Seguire, & Cbalmers, 2000) Tbis practice in turn increases tbe level of acceptance by peers and promote sense of belonging tbat is pertinent to teenagers' psychosocial development. Mermelstein, 2003; Vuckovic, Polen, & Hollis, 2003; McVea, Miller, Creswell, McEntarrfer, & Coleman, 2009; Nicbter, Vuckovic, Quintero, & Ritenbaugh, 1997; Seguire, c& Chalmers, 2000) However, some teenagers in this study, who had no financial constraint because they had personal income (e. g. from part-time job or significant allowance from parents), admitted to smoke only wben socialising and facing adversities (e. g. relation problems, inability to cope witb academic or part-time job). (Vuekovic, Polen, & Hollis, 2003; Balch et at. , 2004; Amos, Wiltshire, Haw, & McNeill, 2006; Hoi, 8L Hong, 2000;Khairani, Norazua, & Zaiton, 2004; Niehter, Vuckovic, Quintero, & Ritenbaugh, 1997; Seguire, & Chalmers, 2000) These teenagers can be defined as occasional smokers, whose smoking was apparently influenced by peer pressure and tbeir inability to control themselves over smoking or to cope with stress. (Vuckovic, Polen, & Hollis, 2003; Seguire, & Chalmers, 2000; Patten et al. , 2003; Niehter, Vuckovic, Quintero, & Ritenbaugh, 1997; Mermelstein, 2003; McVea, Miller, Creswell, McEntarrfer, & Coleman, 2009; Khairani, Norazua, & Zaiton, 2004; Balch et at. , 2004; Amos, Wiltshire, Haw, & McNeill, 2006; Hoi, & Hong, 2000) Teenagers' smoking in esponse to hardship shows that smoking is their way of coping since it calms them through nicotine effects on the central nervous system. (Niebter, Vuckovic, Quintero, & Ritenbaugh, 1997; Curry, Mermelstein, & Sporer, 2009) In addition, smoking creates a social space in which they can calm down and relieve tension. (Niehter, Vuckovic, Quintero, & Ritenbaugh, 1997; Curry, Mermelstein, & Sporer, 2009) Apart from financial constraint and occasional smoking, restrietive environment for public smoking was also found to be responsible for tbe partieipants' low cigarette consumption in this study.Therefore, these teenagers commonly smoked in secluded areas outside of public view, sucb as scbool toilets and stairways of shopping malls. These findings are consistent with a number of other studies that have found restrictive environment to be effective in reducing teenage smoking. (Wakefield ct at. , 2000; Lipperman-Kreda, & Grube, 2009; Crawford, Balcb, Mermelstein, & Tobacco Control Network Writing Group, 2002) Majority of teenage smokers bave intention to quit. (Khairani, Norazua, & Zaiton, 2004; Krishnan M, 2003; Mermelstein, 2003; Naing ct at. 2004; The National Health and Morbidity Survey, 2009) Tbis was also found by tbis study, in wbich almost all teenagers who smoked eonsidered to quit smoking sometime in the future. They admitted that a number of factors could trigger tbeir quit intention, wbich include; (a) ath letic performance, (b) boy- or girlfriend aversion, (c) parental disapproval, (d) concern about bealtb, and (e) money saving. Tbese faetors were similarly found to motivate teenagers to eease smoking by previous studies. (Vuckovic, Polen, & Hollis, 2003; Mermelstein, 2003; McVea, Miller, Creswell,McEntarrfer, & Coleman, 2009; Balcb ct al. , 2004) However, tbe teenagers reported tbat these extrinsie motivations were insufficient to keep them from total smoking abstinence. Nevertbeless, excerpts made by tbe former smokers in this study suggested that teenagers would only stop smoking when they are desperate to change due to compelling personal reasons. This finding is supported by McVea et al who found only 'emotionally compelling and inescapable quit reasons' were the most motivating reasons for teenagers to stop smoking. (McVea, Miller, Creswell, McEntarrfer, & Coleman, 2009)Even though majority of tbe teenagers in this study had intention to quit smoking, they did not have any quit ting plans, not even setting their quit dates. These findings are similar to those reported by Mermestein. (Mermelstein, 2003) It is possible tbat the teenagers were; (a) not ready to quit (Balch ct al. , 2004) (e. g. some of the teenagers in the eurrent study would only quit when they experience major life transition, such as after graduation and tnarriage), (b) ambivalent about quitting (MeVea, Miller, Creswell, McEntarrfer, & Coleman, 2009; Patten et al. 2003) (e. g. a number of teenagers repetitively answered, â€Å"I am not sure† when they were asked about tbeir plan to quit smoking), and (c) very confident that they could control themselves over smoking (Niehter, Vuckovic, Quintero, & Ritenbaugb, 1997; Amos, Wiltshire, Haw, & McNeill, 2006) (e. g. a teenager assertively admitted that he could stop stroking on his own without relying on helps from other). The later seems to be related to teenagers' belief tbat ‘quitting is just a matter of will power'. (Amos, Wilts bire, Haw, & McNeill, 2006; Balcb el at. 2004) After all, these teenagers' ehanees for successful quit attempts would be reduced if they did not have strategic quitting plans. Multiple unsuccessful quit attempts were also reported by many teenagers in tbis study, in which the findings were concurrent with other studies. (World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, 2010; The National Health and Morbidity Survey, 2009; Klein, Havens, & Carlson, 2005; Balch ct at. , 2004) This could be due to several reasons which can be summarised into three categories; (1) nicotine addiction,(Amos,Wiltsbire, Haw, & McNeill, 2006; Balch et al. , 2004; DiFranza et at. , 2007; DiFranza ct at. , 2007) (2) factors related to environment and situation which could promote teenage smoking (e. g. strong peer pressure, poor support from friends, smoking tnodelling by family members, stress etc, as higbligbted by tbe current study), (Balch et at. , 2004; Crawford, Balch, Mermelstein , & Tobacco Control Network Writing Group, 2002; McVea, Miller, Creswell, McEntarrfer, & Coleman, 2009; Nicbter, Vuckovic, Quintero, & Ritenbaugb, 1997) and (3) personal factors (e. g. oor risk assessment, poor knowledge, poor self efficacy and control, mi,sconception about smoking and quitting, strong belief in unassisted quit attempts etc, as found by this study) (Niehter, Vuckovic, Quintero, & Ritenbaugb, 1997; Balcb ct at. , 2004). These tbree categories appear to matcb tbe model of the Social Cognitive Theory. Overall, this study provides beneficial information for future development of interventions of smoking cessation for teenagers. Nevertheless, appropriate eontext which is similar to tbose of this study should be taken into consideration before applying such information since this is a ease study.Interviewing only teenagers aged 16 years old also limits the findings of this study. This is because teenagers at different stages of adolescence (early, middle and late) may bav e different developmental characteristics which may influence their pereeption and attitude towards cigarette smoking. Teenagers from different stages of adolescence should then be included in future studies as differences in tbeir perception, attitude and bebaviour could be explored. CONCLUSION This study bad captured tbe complexity of tbe teenagers' smoking bebaviour that could be influenced by multiple factors.Tbese faetors included behavioural (e. g. nicotine addiction), personal and environmental factors matched the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). These 198 What Determines Teenagers' Smoking Behaviour? multiple factors should be considered in developing interventions for smoking cessation suited for teenagers. The corresponding mapping of the findings against the SCT also supports the use of the SCT in helping us to comprehensively understand teenage smoking behaviour and to overcome the influential factors. FUNDING This work was funded by the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia UKM- GUP-TKS-07-12-097 and FF-127-2008). DECLARATION OF INTERESTS All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interests. 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