How to Come Up With Great College Essay Ideas

How to Come Up With Great College Essay Ideas SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Writing the college application essay is a tough gig. You’ve got to be charming, personal, memorable, and insightfulall in under two pages! But I’m going to tell you a secret: half of a great personal essay is a great topic idea. Ifyou’re passionate about what you’re writing, and if you’re truly documenting something meaningful and serious about yourself and your life, then that passion and meaning will come alive on the page and in the mind of your reader. So how do you come up with an essay idea? The best way is to brainstorm your way to an event from your life that reveals a core truth about you. In this article, I will help you do just that. Keep reading to find 35 jumping off points that touch on every possible memory you could harness, as well as advice on how to use your brainstorming session to fully realize your idea for an essay topic. What Makes an Essay Topic Great? What does your application tell admissions officers about you? Mostly it's just numbers and facts: your name, your high school, your grades and SAT scores. These stats would be enough if colleges were looking to build a robot army, but they aren't. So how do they get to see a slice of the real you? How can they get a feel for the personality, character, and feelings that make you the person that you are? It's through your college essay.The essay is a way to introduce yourself to collegesin a way that displays your maturity. This is important because admissions officers want to make sure that you will thrive in the independence of college life and work. This is why finding a great college essay topic is so hugely important: because it will allow you to demonstrate the maturity level admissions teams are looking for. This is best expressed through the ability to have insight about what has made you into you, through the ability to share some vulnerabilities or defining experiences, and through the ability to be a creative thinker and problem solver. In other words, a great topic is an event from your past that you can narrate, draw conclusions from, explain the effect of. Most importantly, you should be able todescribe how it haschanged you from the kind of person you were to the better person that you are now. If you can do all that,you are well ahead of the essay game. How Do You Know If Your College Essay Topic Is Great? Eric Maloof, the Director of International Admission atTrinity UniversityinSan Antonio, Texas hasa great checklist for figuring out whether you're on the right track with your essay topic. He says, if you can answer "yes" to these two questions, then you've got the makings of a great essay: Is the topic of my essay important to me? Am I the only person who could have written this essay? So how do you translate this checklist into essay topic action items? Make it personal.Write about something personal, deeply felt, and authentic to the real you (but which isnot an overshare). Take a narrow slice of your life: one event, one influential person, one meaningful experience – and then you expand out from that slice into a broader explanation of yourself. Always think about your reader. In this case, your reader is an admission officer who is slogging through hundreds of college essays. You don’t want to bore that person, and you don’t want to offend that person. Instead, you want to come across as likable and memorable. Put the reader in the experience with you by making your narrow slice of life feel alive. This means that your writing needs to be chock-full of specific details, sensory descriptions, words that describe emotions, and maybe even dialog.This is why it’s very important to make the essay topic personal and deeply felt. Readers can tell when a writer isn’t really connected to whatever he is writing about. And the reverse is true as well:deep emotionshows through your writing. Writing with deep emotion: because you can't just stick smileys all over your college essay. Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now: Coming Up With Great College Essay Ideas Some people know right off the bat that theyhave to write about that one specific defining moment of their lives. But if you're reading this, chances are you aren't one of these people. Don't worry - I wasn't one of them either! What this means is that you - like me - will have to put in a little work to come up with the perfect idea by first doing some brainstorming. I've come up with about 35 different brainstorming jumping off points that ask questions about your life and your experiences. The idea hereis to jog your memory about the key life events that have shaped you and affected you deeply. I recommend you spend at least two minutes on each question, coming up with and writing down at least one answer - or as many answers as you can think of. Seriously - time yourself. Two minutes is longer than you think! I would also recommend doing this over several sittings to get your maximum memory retrieval going - even if it takes a couple of days, it'll be worth it. Then, we will use this list of experiences and thoughtsto narrow your choices down to the one topic idea that you will use for your college essay. Brainstorming Technique 1: Think About Defining Moments in Your Life What is your happiest memory? Why? What was good about it? Who and what was around you then? What did it mean to you? What is your saddest memory? Would you change the thing that happened or did you learn something crucial from the experience? What is the most important decision you’ve had to make? What was hard about the choice? What was easy? Were the consequences of your decision what you had imagined before making it? Did you plan and game out your choices, or did you follow gut instinct? What decision did you not have any say in, but would have wanted to? Why were you powerless to participate in this decision? How did the choice made affect you? What do you think would have happened if a different choice had been made? What the most dangerous or scary thing that you’ve lived through? What was threatened? What were the stakes? How did you survive/overcome it? How did you cope emotionally with the fallout? When did you first feel like you were no longer a child? Who and what was around you then? What had you just done or seen? What was the difference between your childhood self and your more adult self? What are you most proud of about yourself? Is it a talent or skill? A personality trait or quality? An accomplishment? Why is this the thing that makes you proud? Kevin was inordinatelyproud of his full and luxuriant head of feathers. He hatedbeing called a bald eagle, always posting on his Facebook that the "bald" is short for "piebald," or multicolored. Brainstorming Technique 2: Remember Influential People Which of your parents (or parental figures) are you most like in personality and character? Which of their traits do you see in yourself? Which do you not? Do you wish you were more like this parent or less? Which of your grandparents, great-grandparents, or other older relatives has had the most influence on your life? Is it a positive influence, where you want to follow in their footsteps in some way? A negative influence, where you want to avoid becoming like them in some way? How is the world they come from like your world? How is it different? Which teacher has challenged you the most? What has that challenge been? How did you respond? What is something that someone once said to you that has stuck with you? When and where did they say it? Why do you think it’s lodged in your memory? Which of your friends would you trade places with for a day? Why? If you could intern for a week or a month with anyone – living or dead, historical or fictional – who would it be? What would you want that person to teach you? How did you first encounter this person or character? How do you think this person would react to you? Of the people you know personally, whose life is harder than yours? What makes it that way – their external circumstances? Their inner state? Have you ever tried to help this person? If yes, did it work? If no, how would you help them if you could? Of the people you know personally, whose life is easier than yours? Are you jealous? Why or why not? Svetlana was always jealous of climbers whose mountaineering careers weren't limited to flowers and small shrubbery. Brainstorming Technique 3: Recreate Important Times or Places When is the last time you felt so immersed in what you were doing that you lost all track of time or anything else from the outside world? What were you doing? Why do you think this activity got you into this near-zen state? Where do you most often tend to daydream? Why do you think this place has this effect on you? Do you seek it out? Avoid it? Why? What is the best time of day? The worst? Why? What is your favorite corner of, or space in, the place where you live? What do you like about it? When do you go there, and what do you use it for? What is your least favorite corner of, or space in, the place where you live? Why do you dislike it? What do you associate it with? If you had to repeat a day over and over, like the movie Groundhog Day, what day would it be? If you'd pick a day from your life that has already happened, why would you want to be stuck it in? To relive something great? To fix mistakes? If you'd pick a day that hasn't yet occurred, what would the day you were stuck in be like? If you could go back in time to give yourself advice, when would you go back to? What advice would you give? Why? What effect would you want your advice to have? For Matilda, the main challenge of time travel was packing. Just how do you fit one of those giant Elizabethan ruffle collars into a carry-on? Brainstorming Technique 4: Answer Thought-Provoking Questions If you could take a Mulligan and do over one thing in your life, what would it be? Would you change what you did the first time around? Why? Or, if you could take another crack at doing something again, what would you pick? Something positive – having another shot at repeating a good experience? Something negative – getting the chance to try another tactic to avoid a bad experience? Which piece of yourself could you never change while remaining the same person? Your race? Ethnicity? Intellect? Height? Freckles? Loyalty? Sense of humor? Why is that the thing that you’d cling to as the thing that makes you who you are? Which of your beliefs, ideas, or tastes puts you in the minority? Why do you think/believe/like this thing when no one else seems to? What are you most frightened of? What are you not frightened enough of? Why? What is your most treasured possession? What would you grab before running out of the house during a fire? What is this object’s story and why is it so valuable to you? What skill or talent that you don’t have now would you most like to have? Is it an extension of something you already do? Something you’ve never had the guts to try doing? Something you plan on learning in the future? Which traditions that you grew up with will you pass on? Which will you ignore? Why? Finnigan couldn't wait to introduce his future children to his family's birthday tradition - lemons. Brainstorming Technique 5: Find a Trait or Characteristic and Trace It Back What are three adjectives you’d use to describe yourself? Why these three? Which of these is the one you’re most proud of? Least proud of? When did you last exhibit this trait? What were you doing? How would your best friend describe you? What about your parents? How are the adjectives they’d come up with different from the ones you’d use? When have they seenthis quality or trait inyou? What everyday thing are you the world’s greatest at? Who taught you how to do it? What memories do you have associated with this activity? Which aspects of it have you perfected? Imagine that it’s the future and that you’ve become well known. What will you become famous for? Is it for something creative or a performance? For the way you will have helped others? For your business accomplishments? For your athletic prowess? When you make a speech about this fame, whom willyou thank for putting you where you are? What do you most like about yourself? This is different from the thing you’re most proud of – this is the thing that you know about yourself that makes you smile. Can you describe a time when this thing was useful or effective in some way? Thinking about her punk crewcut always made Esme smile. That hair was made to rock. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. How to TurnYour Brainstorming List Into an Essay Topic Now that you have a cornucopia of daydreams, memories, thoughts, and ambitions, it's time to thin the herd, prune the dead branches, and whatever other mixed metaphors about separating the wheat from the chaff you can think of. So how do you narrow down your many ideas into one? Use the magic power of time. One of the best things you can do with your stack of college essaytopics is to forget about them. Put them away for a couple of days so that you create a little mental space. When you come back to everything you wrote after a day or two, you will get the chance to read it with fresh eyes. Let the cream rise to the top. When you rereadyour topics after having let them sit, do two things: Cross out any ideas that don't speak to you in some way. If something doesn't ring true, if it doesn't spark your interest, or if it doesn't connect with an emotion, then consider reject it. Circle or highlight any topics that pop out at you. If it feels engaging, if you get excited at the prospect of talking about it, if it resonates with afeeling, then put it at the top of the idea pile. Rinse and repeat. Go through the process of letting a few days pass and then rereading your ideas at least one more time. This time, don't bother looking at the topics you've already rejected. Instead, concentrate on those you highlighted earlier and maybe some of the ones that were neither circled nor thrown away. Trust your gut instinct (but verify). Now that you've gone through and culled your ideas several times based on whether or not they really truly appeal to you, you should have a list of your top choices - all the ones you've circled or highlighted along the way. Now is the moment of truth. Imagine yourself telling the story of each of these experiences to someone who wants to get to know you. Rank your possible topics in order of how excited you are to share this story. Really listen to your intuition here. If you're squeamish, shy, unexcited, or otherwise not happy at the thought of having to tell someone about the experience, it will make a terrible essay topic. Develop your top two to four choices to see which is best.Unless you feel very strongly about one of your top choices, the only way to really know which of your best ideas is the perfect one is to try actually making theminto essays. For each one, go through the steps listed in the next section of the article under "Find Your Idea's Narrative." Then, use your best judgment (and maybe that of your parents, teachers, or school counselor) to figure out which one to draft into your personal statement. Handing out trophies toyour top three ideas is entirely optional. How to Make Your Idea Into a College Essay Now, let's talk about what to do in order to flesh out your topic concept into a great college essay. First, I'll give you some pointers on expanding your idea into an essay-worthy story, and then talk a bit about how to draft and polish your personal statement. Find Your Topic'sNarrative All great college essays have the same foundation as good short stories or enjoyable movies – an involving story. Let's go throughwhat features make for a story that you don’t want to put down: A compelling character with an arc. Think about the experience that you want to write about. What were you like before it happened? What did you learn, feel, or think about during it? What happened afterwards? What do you now know about yourself that you didn’t before? Sensory details that create a â€Å"you are there!† experience for the reader. When you’re writing about your experience, focus on trying to really make the situation come alive. Where were you? Who else was there? What did it look like? What did it sound like? Were there memorable textures, smells, tastes? Does it compare to anything else? When you’re writing about the people you interacted with, give them a small snippet of dialog to say so the reader can â€Å"hear† that person’s voice. When you are writing about yourself, make sure to include words that explain the emotions you are feeling at different parts of the story. An insightful ending. Your essay should end with an uplifting, personal, and interesting revelation about the kind of person you are today, and how the story you have just described has made and shaped you. Draft and Revise The key to great writing is rewriting. So work out a draft, and then put it aside and give yourself a few days to forget what you’ve written.When you come back to look at it again look for places where you slow down your reading, where something seems out of place or awkward. Can you fix this by changing around the order of your essay? By explaining further? By adding details?Experiment. Get advice. Colleges expect your essay to be your work, but most recommend having someone else cast a fresh eye over it. A good way to get a teacher or a parent involved is to ask them whether your story is clear and specific, and whether your insight about yourself flows logically from the story you tell. Execute flawlessly. Dot every i, cross every t, delicately place every comma where it needs to go. Grammar mistakes, misspellings, and awkward sentence structure don’t just make your writing look bad – they take the reader out of the story you’re telling. And that makes you memorable, but in a bad way. Hint: writing that's flawless definitely did not wake up like this. The Bottom Line Your college essay topicneeds to come from the fact that essays are a way for colleges to get to know the real you, ayou that is separate from your grades and scores. A great way to come up with topics is to wholeheartedly dive into abrainstorming exercise. The more ideas about your life that tumble out of your memory and onto the page, the better chance you have of finding the perfect college essay topic. Answer mybrainstorming questions without editing yourselfat first. Instead, simply write down as many things that pop into your head as you can – even if you end up going off topic. After you've generated a list of possible topics, leave it alone for a few days and then come back to pick out the ones that seem the most promising. Flesh out your top few ideas into full-blown narratives, to understand which reveals the most interesting thing about you as a person. Don’t shy away from asking for help. At each stage of the writing process get a parent or teacher to look over what you’re working on, not to do your work for you but to hopefully gently steer you in a better direction if you’re running into trouble. What’s Next? Ready to start working on your essay? Check outour explanation of the point of the personal essay and the role it plays on your applications. For more detailed advice on writing a great college essay, readour guide to the Common Application essay prompts and get advice onhow to pick the Common App prompt that’s right for you. Thinking of taking the SAT again before submitting your applications? We have put together the ultimate guide to studying for the SAT to give you the ins and outs ofthe best ways to study. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

How to Write a Novel Using The Three-Act Structure

How to Write a Novel Using The Three-Act Structure How to Write a Novel Using The Three Act Structure The three-act structure is perhaps the most common technique in the English-speaking world for plotting stories - widely used by screenwriters and novelists. It digs deep into the popular notion that a story must have a beginning, middle, and end, and goes even further, defining specific plot events that must take place at each stageIn this post, we dissect the three acts and each of their plot points - using three-act structure examples from popular culture to illustrate each point.Let’s begin! In three, two, one... How to write a novel using the ever-popular three-act structure. What is the three-act structure?How to Outline a Novel: an Author's Guide (with Template) Read post The three-act structure is just one way to think about a story, so writers shouldn’t feel limited. The benefit of using the three-act structure is that it will help ensure that every scene starts and end with a clear purpose and direction. Even if you don't start outlining your novel with it, if you find yourself struck by pacing issues, it's often useful to fit your story into the three-act structure to see why that might be.Have you written a novel using the three-act structure? Leave any questions or thoughts on this popular plotting method in the comments below!

Executive Summary of Cyber Crime Task Force Plan Research Paper

Executive Summary of Cyber Crime Task Force Plan - Research Paper Example St. Luis just like any other organization has in the last decade faced huge challenges that relate to its online data. The changing trends incorporate defenses which counter several web crimes. These also include various changes in the development of high level software interfaces that are capable of defining notable developments in commercial web servers. Cyber security is a process that is carried out to protect computer systems from attacks, including protecting data from unauthorized access, use, transfer, disclosure or modification and this could either be intentional or accidental. Cyber attack takes several forms, notably from an internal network, public systems but the research done by Rogers, (2001) indicate that major cybercrimes are related to the use of internet. The scope of cyber crime is wide and businesses are repeatedly faced by attacks, making them victims of various kinds of security threats. In many countries, cyber crime has been criminalized and though computers are widely used to commit cyber crimes, governments have a responsibility to protect individuals and property against cyber threats, Gordon et al, (2006). According to Babu et al, (2004) unauthorized access to authenticated information has more than doubled in the last decade, estimates stating that from 2004 to 2011, break-ins have risen by over 150%. The greatest cyber crime threats that St. Louis County is currently facing Various research statistics indicate that St. Louis County reported huge capital losses which are attributed to attack on its major databases and subsequently leading to mass loss of data. Ideally, the changing provisions which are significantly based on application of IT platforms also explain that structural formation hugely contributes to cybercrimes. Ideally, IT platform also extinguishes transactions and processes that are adequately managed through a set of interfaces which are based on aided technologies that theoretically exhibit changing trends within the societal perspectives. The application of cyber crime prevention framework according to Rapaille (2007 is indicatively based on set of cultured codes that broadly classify the operational characteristics of the technological inference associated with web crime technologies. The analytical application is measured using a series of forecasts and merged technologies (Weil, 2008) which are based on diverse business values. The external factors through which cyber crime functionalities are measured explain three consequential architectural frameworks of the web crime technology. Derivatives of distributive building blocks/models that exhibit low level deployment perspectives User projections and implementation forecasts as a system model establishment base. (O’Reilly, 2005) Web redesign aspirations with sustainable business model establishments. The user profiles and software management developments that are based on elastic business models create the terminological relevance of the technology Which three types of cyber crime will be the top priorities for the task f The technological implementation of cyber crime control technology and its mainstream global relevance has been managed by changing trends within the competitive global markets (David, 2008). This is illustrated by the operational compatibility of its systemic units with enhanced technological preference among its

Risk management process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Risk management process - Essay Example This paper gives a critical analysis of a diagrammatic representation of the steps of risk management. This is achieved in conjunction with a detailed evaluation of the journal article â€Å"Understanding Risk Management in Small 7 Steps† (Mazareanu, 2011). Figure 1 below presents the 6 major steps in risk management. Nonetheless the article â€Å"Understanding Risk Management in Small 7 Steps† breaks down the steps of risk management process into seven small steps. It is however notable that the journal article describes the major areas in risk management sufficiently in scope (Mazareanu, 2011). In accordance to Fig 1 above, the process of risk management begins with the assessment of risk. Mazareanu (2011), in the journal article, describes this stage as the assessment of vulnerabilities. Nonetheless this translates to the same meaning. Therefore the risk management process begins with the assessment of both internal and external factors which makes individuals or organizations vulnerable to risk. In the assessment of risk, it is necessary to consider the assets that are at stake and the level of vulnerability that they are exposed to incase of a disaster, accident or failure (Burnaby & Hass, 2009). The diagram shows that after the assessment of risk, the process of risk management is followed by the development of goals and objectives of the management process. These goals and objectives acts as a roadmap against which the processes of risk management are measured (LAbbate, 2008). Fig 1 illustrates various considerations in the design of objectives and goals of the risk management process. Firstly, policy issues must be considered because they have a direct effect on the implementation of the risk management processes and project. Secondly, the standards for cleanup are designed. These are the guidelines which limit the extent to which risks are

Models Of Forensic Psychology Case Study Social Work Essay

Models Of Forensic Psychology Case Study Social Work Essay Andrew is fifteen. He has been accused of sexually assaulting his younger sister and may be charged with this in the near future. Some of his family have a history of mental disorder and he has a history of learning and behavioural difficulties, as a result of which he has been attending a residential special school. He does not acknowledge the accusations against him and is reluctant to discuss them. INFORMATION FROM INTERVIEW Andrew presents as a tall, slim-built youth who is restlessly anxious, looking away for most of the interview, and repeatedly yawning in an exaggerated manner to indicate how little he wants to be involved in the discussion. Despite this he is essentially polite in manner and answers all questions, at least in some measure. His apparent level of intelligence puts him in the mild range of impairment, and he is also very sensitive to anything that he thinks puts him at a disadvantage or makes him look thick. He has some social skills, although these are not always used and sometimes he appears socially disinhibited. He has a reasonable vocabulary and powers of speech. There are no behavioural stereotypies (repetitive apparently purposeless movements) and no perseverative behaviour (continuance of behaviours after their original purpose has been served). However, his powers of concentration are limited and he is easily distracted from discussion. His attention is focused on his perceived likelihood that he will automatically go to prison, regardless of whether he is charged or not. He hopes that a combination of his medical history and denial of the allegations will be enough to get him through any legal processes. Andrew says he hasnt been charged with anything because I aint done nowt. Nevertheless he is able to say that sexual assault means trying to make somebody do something have sex, how to make babies and that penetration means putting a finger up someone up (the) clitoris of women. He has already been officially asked on one occasion about for whats going on now basically but can describe no details and says that he aint bothered because I havent done it. CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES Andrew has his own room at his special school and has made one or two friends. The activity that he enjoys most, and gets most from, is studying motor vehicles and he has developed an ambition to become a mechanic. He comes home for some weekends and for holiday periods. At present he feels he hasnt got a life anymore. This is both because of the possible pending charges and because he feels people are dropping dead around me. A close friend (female) of his died recently, and his life has not felt the same since his father died unexpectedly the day before his birthday four ago, and his paternal grandmother died about a year afterwards. He would like to become a motor mechanic, but thinks this will not be possible, unless he can get training in prison, because of his possible court case. PERSONAL AND FAMILY HISTORY He is the youngest member of his family, although his own list of his siblings and half-siblings is slightly different to that provided by his family. His father died from a heart attack and his mother has a lot of problems with her health. He was excluded from his first school for throwing a brick at a teacher or something like that they were doing my head in all the time. MEDICAL HISTORY He has been diagnosed as having ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), and says that this is why he is at boarding school. He says that he used to get all mad and hate people and take it out on them but that this has improved more recently. Two years ago he tried to hang himself with two belts because he just felt like it I couldnt be bothered living anymore I did it for fun I thought it was funny. He also tried to cut his wrist, and still has a faint scar from this. He continues to have periodic thoughts about a quick premature death as a way of not having to put up with living anymore. Although these thoughts reflect a depressed view of life there is no indication that he currently has a depressive illness. He has previously taken the antihyperactivity drug Ritalin, but has now discontinued this and describes it as doing my head in. SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT HISTORY He first became sexually aware at a very young age, as a result of being given information either by one of his sisters or a friend. His father told him not to have sex until he was older so as to avoid having children. His strongest sexual experience so far has been with a girlfriend who he described as the nicest person you could meet even though my sister called her a smackhead'. He denies the allegations about his sister and describes them as all lies. Questions What identifiable risks, giving your reasons, does Andrew present a) in the short term and b) in the longer term? Rank them once in their order of certainty, and again in their order of importance. Construct an interview strategy to help investigating police officers further question Andrew about the allegations regarding his sister, explaining your rationale. Case Study 2 Mr D Case Study Read the following case study carefully. Using your knowledge of risk assessment, mental disorders and offending behaviour and interview and treatment strategies answer the following questions: Describe the type(s) of mental disorder Mr D may be suffering from Consider whether those disorders are likely to contribute to the risk he poses of future violence Identify those risks that Mr D poses to himself and others Consider whether you would discharge Mr D from hospital at this time and give your reasons why (Point 5 is optional) Highlight what challenges Mr D may pose in treatment and how you might overcome them. Background Early Childhood Mr D was born to a 16 year old mother and conceived following a one night stand. Mr D recalled an unsettled childhood due to his mother handing over his care to her parents. Mr D described how he liked living with his grandparents, however he also described how his grandfather frequently used alcohol and his grandmother was strict and did not allow him to socialise with other children. Behavioural problems were noted from the age of 4. Throughout this time period Mr D began having severe tantrums which involved hitting and kicking and Mr D was referred to the Childrens Hospital at the age of 8. This followed a severe attack levied against his grandfather involving a knife. Throughout the interview process Mr D remained closed about his relationship with his grandfather. Later reports indicate he was sexually abused by his grandfather but Mr D refuses to discuss this subject. Mr D was taken into care at the age of 8, where again he reported an unsettled period of time characterised by isolation and bullying. Mr D was able to live with a foster family whom he described as supportive for the next two years and it is of note that there were no behavioural difficulties noted for Mr D within this time period. Mr D appeared to settled with this family and their two sons, which allowed him to form secure attachments with this family. Unfortunately the family needed to emigrate to South Africa, and although he was asked to go with them, Mr D chose to remain close to his grandparents. Mr D spent the next five years in Childrens homes, interspersed by foster placements which broke down. Mr D returned to live with his grandparents following this period. Previous reports indicate conflicting points of view about this time period, some indicating that Mr D had more positive relationships with his grandparents and mother at this time, but with others highlighting that his grandparents did not really speak to him. Education and employment Mr D attended approximately five different schools as he was moved due to his living situation changing. Mr D recalled an unsettled period of time at school as he was bullied. He also described himself as hyper, I would scream and shout a lot and recalled finding lessons boring. Records indicate that Mr D began refusing school at the age of 4 and has a significant history of truancy throughout his education. Mr D left school with no qualifications but school reports describe him as exceptionally bright. Mr D has never been in formal employment. After leaving school he was unemployed for 2 years as he reported he could not find a job that interested him and he was having difficulties with his mental health. Following this, Mr D has been detained due to the conviction for his index offence. Substance and alcohol misuse Mr D reports a substantial history of cannabis use and a history of binge drinking. Psychiatric History Mr D first came into contact with mental health services at the age of 8 when he was admitted to the Childrens Hospital for 6 weeks following a violent attack on his grandfather. An ECG and neurological examination at the time were found to be normal, however Mr Ds mother recalled a black patch being found. Following this Mr D was referred to an Adolescent Unit at the age of 14 due to behaviour problems such as refusing to attend school and standing naked in the window. Later that year, Mr D was admitted to the hospital and was described by the doctor as an isolated and withdrawn individual, having no self confidence who responded with aggressive outbursts when frustrated. Mr D self-harmed by cutting his arms with a piece of glass. After being convicted of two incidents of indecent exposure at the age of 17, Mr D received outpatient treatment initially, but following another charge for indecent exposure Mr D was admitted as an inpatient. At this point he was talking about injuring people before they had the chance to injure him. On the 9th April 1987 Mr D was again charged with indecent exposure and was remanded under section 35 of the Mental Health Act (1983). During his assessment there, it was noted that he was hearing voices telling him to commit acts of violence. No specific diagnosis was made at this time, although a condition of residence and psychiatric treatment was made. Following his 18th birthday he was moved to Arnold Lodge Hospital. Whilst there it is reported that Mr Ds mental health appeared to deteriorate and violence towards others increased. At the age of 20 Mr D was transferred to a Hostel in Liverpool as it was thought that he would benefit from integration with other people, however three months after this he was discharged after assaulting another resident. Mr D managed to live in the community on his own for approximately two and a half years before he committed his index offence. At this point he was remanded to HMP Hull for approximately 2 months. Mr D attempted to hang himself during his first night in custody. He was then transferred to Wathwood hospital due to him exhibiting paranoid ideation and experiencing auditory hallucinations commanding him to harm a female prison officer. Whilst at Wathwood Hospital, initially Mr Ds presentation seemed to improve to the point that he was granted conditional discharge by a Mental Health Review Tribunal, however at this point Mr Ds fixation with a female member of staff began to cause concern. Mr D began exposing himself to female members of staff and his mental health deteriorated. Mr Ds presentation continued to decline over the next two years in terms of incidents of violence, aggression and sexually inappropriate. His mental health also fluctuated with episodes of paranoid ideation, delusions, thoughts of harming himself and incidents of aggression. Forensic History Mr D has three previous convictions for offences of indecent exposure. There are seven previous convictions for driving offences (e.g. driving whilst under the influence, reckless driving, driving without a license, insurance and MOT) and 4 convictions of acquisitive offending (2 offences of shoplifting and2 burglary offences). Mr D has no other convictions for violent offences apart from the index offence, however there has been other violence evident in Mr Drivers past when he has been a patient in hospital. Index Offence Mr D was convicted of the murder of his neighbour. The offence occurred in the context of ongoing difficulties Mr D was experiencing with his neighbours in terms of loud music they were playing in the early hours of the morning. Mr D had raised this problem with his neighbours and it is reported that they responded to this in a less than positive way. Mr D then tried to involve the council to alleviate the problem, however this appeared to have had no effect. On the day of the index offence, the victim was taking his rubbish out and Mr D approached him from behind and struck him once in the back with a 5 inch bladed knife. Mr D immediately ran away from the scene and made his way to the Family and Community Services Department with whom he was in regular contact and the police were contacted and Mr D was subsequently arrested. The victim had removed the weapon himself and in the meantime had made his way to nearby premises to seek assistance. He later died of his injuries in hospital . Mr Ds account of the offence is that he had been living next to neighbours who were noisy. He said he had lived next to them for about six months and I kept knocking, asking them to turn it down, they just said it was their house. When asked how many times this had occurred Mr D said, probably approached them about 5 or 6 times. Mr D stated that he didnt phone the police at all, but that he did phone the housing association. He said that nothing happened as a result of this and the music continued. On the last occasion that Mr D asked for the music to be turned down before he committed the index offence Mr Driver stated he started threatening me and said Im not turning the music down and was arguing. I cant remember what was being said, but I just kept asking him to turn it down. He was shouting and I think I hit him first, we had a scuffle and the police were called. The Police told me to get in touch with the housing association. Following this incident Mr D said that a few weeks passed and the music continued. Mr D stated that he had been going out shopping he had been carrying the same knife that he eventually stabbed the victim with. On the day of the index offence, Mr D reported being woken at 9am by music being played. He stated, I felt really stressed and angry. I got up, got dressed, I was standing in my kitchen and could hear it (the music) and I saw him going to the bin. Id come to the end of how I was feeling and looking for a way out. Mr D stated, I got a knife and stabbed him in the lower back. When asked what might have happened to resolve the situation had the index offence not occurred Mr D said, If I hadnt seen him, I probably would have gone on carrying the knife and gone round to his house. In terms of why Mr D felt he committed the offence, he stated, I couldnt stand them playing loud music. Mr D went onto say Yes I regret it, its led to me being kept in hospital. There is nothing else I could have done. He deserved it because he wouldnt turn down his music. Assessments Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale -3rd edition (WAIS III) This assessment examines general cognitive abilities, specifically thinking and reasoning skills. It explores non-verbal reasoning skills, spatial processing skills, visual-motor integration, attention to detail and acquired knowledge such as verbal reasoning and comprehension. Mr D presented with a full scale IQ of 130. International Personality Disorder Examination Mr D was assessed for personality disorder using the International Personality Disorder Examination (IPDE: Loranger; 1999). The IPDE is a semi-structured clinical interview developed to assess personality disorders defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) and the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10; World Health Organisation, 1992). Mr Ds current presentation indicates that definite diagnoses of Antisocial and Narcissistic personality disorders are warranted. The Antisocial features most relevant in Mr D include a lack of concern for the feelings of others, reckless behaviour, consistent irresponsibility, disregard for rules and punishment, low tolerance to frustration leading to acts of aggression and violence, and a proneness to rationalise and blame others for his own behaviour. The Narcissistic features which Mr D presents with include a grandiose sense of self-im portance, a belief that he should be treated differently, an overinflated sense of self-entitlement, arrogance in his behaviour and attitudes, a persistent pattern of taking advantage of others to achieve his own ends and an unwillingness to recognise or identify with the feelings of others. Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R The Hare Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R, Hare 1991, 2003) is a rigorous psychological assessment, widely regarded as the standard measure of psychopathy in research, clinical and forensic settings. It measures different aspects of a persons emotional experience, the way they relate to others, how they go about getting what they want and their behaviour. High levels of psychopathic traits as measured by the PCL-R are associated with high rates of re-offending and future violence (however a low PCL-R score alone does not imply low risk) and can impact on responsivity to therapeutic intervention. Mr D presented with moderate levels of psychopathic traits which fell just below the diagnostic cut off for psychopathic disorder. Items that he scored on include failure to accept responsibility for his actions, irresponsibility, lack of remorse, callous disregard for others, grandiose sense of self worth, manipulation and early childhood problems. Presentation in interview Mr D presented as a difficult and challenging patient to interview. He was dismissive at times, questioning my experience, qualifications and competence. He stated that psychology was not a proper science and would prefer to talk to the proper doctor i.e. the psychiatrist. Mr D appeared to have some knowledge of psychiatry and psychology and used technical terms throughout. He appeared to have little insight into his mental disorder stating that he does need to take medication and that everyone is like him. Mr D stated he does not under stand why anyone would think he poses a risk to people and that he should be discharged from hospital immediately. Case Study 3 Ms W Case Study Read the following case study carefully. Using your knowledge of risk assessment, mental disorders and offending behaviour and interview and treatment strategies answer the following questions: Describe the type(s) of mental disorder Ms W may be suffering from Consider whether those disorders are likely to contribute to the risk she poses of future violence Consider what techniques/strategies/considerations you would use when interviewing Ms W Highlight what further areas of work you may wish to undertake with Ms W (concentrating on what areas of her presentation you would like to explore/assess further and why) Background Early childhood Ms W was the eldest child of three, the other two children being boys. Ms W recalled an unhappy childhood due to the sexual abuse she experienced from her father (for which he received a conviction) and then the emotional detachment that was apparent between her mother and herself. Social services records support Ms Ws account of her early childhood. In addition to being sexually abused by her father, Ms W also reported being sexually abused by an uncle and a next door neighbour. Ms W also reported that the relationship between her mother and father was a turbulent one and although she did not witness any physical violence, she did hear arguments which resulted in her repeatedly banging his head against the wall through the stress this caused. Ms Ws behaviour became uncontrollable both within school and the community, in terms of fighting at school and committing petty crime such as shoplifting. Whilst still living with her parents, at the age of 14, Ms W became involved in a relationship with a man who was much older than her, in his 60s. This further contributed to the deterioration between Ms W and her parents, and her parents subsequently placed her in care. Ms W remained in care until the age of 17, and upon leaving she was given support from social services and moved into independent housing in which she was happy on her own. Education and employment Ms W reported that her school performance was average; teachers would not have found her a management problem, but that she did get distracted easily. Whilst at school she was subject to bullying from peers and this resulted in her engaging in fights outside of school. Ms W left school with no formal qualifications. Ms W obtained employment as soon as she left school and worked as a packer, a cleaner and in a pet shop. All of the employment she engaged in was in a short period after school, with her last job being held at the age of 20. Ms W reported that the last job she had needed to leave because her mental health was causing her difficulties and she needed to attend various appointments. Following this period of employment, Ms W was unemployed for the next 16 years due to mental health, drug and alcohol difficulties. Ms W claimed incapacity benefits and before coming into custody she reported having an income of approximately  £800 per month. Substance and alcohol misuse Ms W reported that she began drinking at the age of 14 or 15 as she would visit pubs with her partner at the time. She suggested that she became a heavy drinker at age 20 and that she needed alcohol every day as otherwise she would suffer with withdrawal symptoms. Ms W would consume approximately 12 cans of Stella a day or 2 bottles of 2 litre Cider. Ms Ws drinking caused her health problems in the form of liver failure and pancreatitis. Ms W was under the influence of alcohol when committing the index offence and this followed a period where she had tried to go through a detoxification process without medical support. It is of note that Ms W reported hearing voices whilst she completed this home detoxification process. In terms of drug use, Ms W remembered beginning to use substances at around the age of 18. She reports using acid tabs, microdots, magic mushrooms, speed, heroin (smoking) and cannabis. She also reported that she would take prescription medication if the opportunity arose. Ms W recalls that she would use whenever she had the money to do so and that she would frequently take drugs and drink at the same time. She estimated that she would spend approximately  £14 per day, but that this would depend on what funds she had available at the time. In the early 1990s Ms W was diagnosed with drug induced psychosis. Psychiatric history Ms W first recalled being in contact with psychiatric services in her 20s. She was first seen by a psychiatrist due to the hallucinations she was experiencing and she voluntarily stayed in hospital for a few months. Ms W had spent time in group mental health homes and has had support from psychiatrists, CPNs and social workers. Ms W had attempted to commit suicide on a number of occasions through taking overdoses. She was diagnosed with depression in her late 20s and has been on a number of anti depressant drugs which she combined with drink and non prescription drugs. Whilst in custody Ms W was taking antidepressants, anxiolytics and anti psychotics. The latter were prescribed due to Ms W experiencing hallucinations and also mood instability. Ms W had most recently been diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder with features of depersonalisation and derealisation. Forensic history Ms W had three previous convictions. Two were received in 1989 which were both fraud offences, and then the third in 1990 for burglary and theft of a non dwelling. Ms W cannot recall specific details regarding the situations. Ms W had no other convictions for violent offending, apart from the index offence, but there has been other violence present in Ms Ws past especially within interpersonal relationships. Index offence The offence occurred in the shared home of Ms W and her partner. Two weeks before the index offence occurred, police had been called to the home after Ms W had taken an overdose of her partners medication. When Ms Ws partner had attempted to summon help, Ms W threatened her with a knife to try and prevent this. On the 10th June 2006 when the offence occurred, it was alleged that Ms W had been drinking cider from the early hours of the morning. Ms W insists that she was so drunk that she has no recall of the stabbing which then occurred and all that she remembered was seeing the blood on her partners stomach. After stabbing her partner in the stomach she then threatened to cut her throat with the knife. The stab wounds caused a near fatal injury. The victim was able to summons help by activating the emergency pull cord for the accommodations warden. Assessments Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale -3rd edition (WAIS III) This assessment examines general cognitive abilities, specifically thinking and reasoning skills. It explores non-verbal reasoning skills, spatial processing skills, visual-motor integration, attention to detail and acquired knowledge such as verbal reasoning and comprehension. Ms W presented with a full scale IQ of 75. The assessment showed that Ms W processes information more effectively when presented visually rather than verbally and that she struggles to concentrate for long periods of time. International Personality Disorder Examination Screening Questionnaire (IPDE-SQ) This assessment is a screening questionnaire which indicates whether there are certain personality traits which need further investigation using the full International Personality Disorder Examination assessment. The IPDE-SQ indicated the possible presence of paranoid, schizotypal, emotionally unstable, avoidant and dependent personality disorders but this should not be considered as a formal diagnosis. Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory III (MCMI-III) This assessment is used to evaluate elements of personality and also pathological syndromes within psychiatric populations. On this occasion the MCMI- III was used to provide a more comprehensive picture of Ms Ws personality and presentation in combination with the outcome of the IPDE-SQ. This measure was not used to diagnose personality disorder but to contribute to the understanding of Ms Ws presentation. The Millon highlighted that Ms W presented with anxiety, drug dependence and post traumatic stress disorder and may possible present with thought disorder and major depression. Presentation in interview Ms W presented as a shy, pleasant individual with very low confidence and who suffered with anxiety. It was evident that she was lacking in confidence in terms of speaking to people and being sure of her own opinions. She had also seemed to struggle in terms of her level of concentration. Over the course of the sessions Ms Ws mood could be quite volatile, changing from happy to depressed in the period of a couple of hours. Ms W consistently spoke of thoughts of self harm throughout the sessions and when feeling depressed would project these feelings onto others as having caused them. Ms W also presented at times as quite paranoid in terms of thinking that people were talking about her. Ms W also disclosed that she was experiencing visual hallucinations particularly when she felt stressed.

Environmental and Consumer Influences Analysis Essay

People should not be locked into the use of one or two categories of products, therefore companies have to expand their brands to fit into the lives of consumers. People are unique and so are the preferences of their needs and wants. A basic product such as laundry detergent that so many consumers use on a continuing basis can be affected solely by the consumer. There are many factors that influence consumer purchases, psychological and social being the main facts. Everything from motives, perception and attitudes contribute to the influence consumer behavior toward the products. I want to explore three external factor traits and the effects they have on a social, ecological and cultural consumer plain. Cultural The factors that influence consumer behavior toward laundry detergent purchases are personal and from family among other. It is almost guaranteed that whatever detergent that was used in the house during their childhood will be the detergent they buy in their adult age. Ironically they can choose from more than 80 different laundry detergents in the United States. Personality also can have an impact on choice, however which brand they decide to purchase is what they will purchase on a consistent basis, is generally a recognizable order and regularity to cultural behavior. When dealing with consumers from two different cultural backgrounds are married then they have to make a compromise. This in turn creates a new cultural purchasing desire for the next generation. From the perspective side of it when growing up the thought and idea of laundry soap does not appeal to you. All you know is that your clothes are clean and they smell good. As you  get older your perspective changes and you take notice of the brand use and how effectively it works. Once out on your own you either, stay with the product you grew up with or you make a change. It is your attitude toward the long history of the product you use, more importantly you trust in your parent’s judgment as to why they chose the product they used so therefore you use it without really noticing. Tide and Gain has a great way of advertising toward good wholesome family values. This in itself is why they both are the top leading brands in sales. These two products among others have also learned from extensive studies to not only tap into the social aspect of the customer, but to also look into the social aspect relevant to the environment. Detergents now reach out and advise to the environmental side of a new social group. In other words being more environmental friendly, this along with the psychological need helps to create the feeling of doing more for the environmental needs of the world and still holding true to family values. Consumers feel empowered when they go to the store to purchase the detergent for his or her family. Each consumer has buying power and that power determins which brand is worth the money he or she has earned. Manufactures know and understand this hence why they try to market toward the emotional, historical or strongest social grouping to keep that market interested in staying loyal to that brand. Social As consumers we are either pressured or constantly being influenced as to what, when and how we should spend our money. Marketers have learned to advertise on most if not all social media, plus word of mouth. Detergent fits into social marketing with young people cause most of the time clothes are washed in a Laundromat or dorm type atmosphere. When at first the consumer was influenced by cultural and family. Being with his peers can create a different reason for purchasing detergent. If a particular brand is still testing on animals or still using harmful chemicals for the environment, the consumer through social understanding might make a different choice in the detergent they use. Price perception plays a part in the choice also. Consumers want to know that there hard earned money is being spent on fair and reasonable products. Marketers take this into effect when advertising. A consumer’s attitude toward something that might be overpriced and did not work will not be apt t o make the same purchase  again. This experience affects expectations, and interest. When conversation comes up as to what detergent you use a negative experience will result in notifying shoes within their social group as to why not to use product so and so. I know it seems far fetch that the younger generation sits around and talks about laundry detergent. However in the middle class families do talk about things like this. This external factor affects consumer behavior in many ways, considering that America is actively changing. Society has undergone a constant change in response to the development of new technology. Laundry detergent has changed its formula to meet the needs of a socially environmentally aware society, and so has new washing machines. Ecological The ecological factors that affect consumer behavior are physical and social surroundings. The physical surroundings of the consumer at the time of purchase can affect the brand purchase if the store does not offer the brand of choice. Then the consumer can choose another brand that they feel is close enough to the brand they normally purchase. This is why most stores now carry a store brand that is located close to the leading brand. Pricing plays a part also, with prices increasing and the economy still trying to make its way back into good standings. It no longer seems reasonable to pay high prices for a product when you get a similar product that does the exact same thing but at a lesser price. Then we look again at the environment effects of the way we shop. We now have more environmental friendly detergents, being able to use cold water rather than hot water. We also have less chemicals and better machines to efficiently get more out of the laundry detergent we use. Conclusion The factors that influence us as consumer to purchase the products we do connects to our psychological and social being. Our motives, perception and attitudes contribute to the influence of goods we consume. Marketers study our behavior toward products to see what mostly influence us to spend the way we spend. It is our external factor is that have the most effects. How we engage in our social environment draws from our cultural background, this also gives way to our ecological consumption of goods. References Household Care. (2012). Retrieved from Proctor and Gamble: http://www.pg.com/en_US/brands/household_care/index.shtml Laundry Products: Laundry Detergents. (2012, March 12). Retrieved from The United States Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/projects/formulat/formpart.htm#101 Psychological Factors. (2012). Retrieved from Medical onditions: http://medconditions.net/psychological-factor.html Bagozzi, R. P., Gurhan-Canli, Z., & Priester, J. R. (2002). The Social Psychology of Consumer Behaviour. Philadelphia: Pearson. Cherry, K. (n.d.). What Is Personality? Retrieved from About.com Psychology: http://psychology.about.com/od/overviewofpersonality/a/persondef.htm Cherry, K. (n.d.). What Is Social Psychology? Retrieved from About.com Psychology: http://psychology.about.com/od/socialpsychology/f/socialpsych.htm Chapter 5: Perception and Individual Decision Making. (n.d.). Retrieved from California State University, Sacraimento: http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/sablynskic/Ch5OBE150.htm Schiffman, L. G., & Kanuk, L. L. (2010). Consumer Behavior. Upper Saddle River. NJ: Pearson.

Clarissa Harlow, American Red Cross, Educator And Nurse

Clarissa Harlow â€Å"Clara† Barton was founder of American Red Cross, educator and nurse. She was born in Oxford, Massachusetts on December 25, 1821. She spent much of her time helping others, such as tending to her brother after he was involved in an accident. At the age of 15 she became a schoolteacher and later went to open a free public school in New Jersey. She later became a clerk in the U.S. Patent Office in 1854 but lost the job two years later when the Democrats won the presidency. Throughout her life she was a teacher and helped people whenever the opportunity appeared. From 1861-1865 the Civil War had taken place in the United States. Many men went and fought to protect the rights that they believed in. Thousands were killed and millions more were injured due to the fighting. Many women volunteered and signed up as nurses to help the injured men and try to save their lives. Their duty as nurses was not to only help those that were sick or injured but keep the others healthy enough to fight. Clarissa Barton was one of those women who signed up as a nurse during the Civil War. At first she collected and distributed supplies and meals for the Union Army. She quickly got tired of just taking care of supplies and meals so she went to the front lines to help the injured men. Clarissa was on the frontlines to clean wounds, meet basic needs, and comfort the soldiers in death. Some battles Clarissa saw combat in were at Fredericksburg, Virginia and Antietam. â€Å"When tending to