Introduction On What Procrastination Is English Language Essay

Introduction On What Procrastination Is English Language Essay Procrastination is behaviour of delaying doing a task that can be done earlier but chooses to do it last minute. This behaviour problem exists in almost every aspect in our daily lives, be it in academic, financial or even in health management. Ryan, M. (2007) stated that the habit of procrastination can reach such chronic levels that it can have negative effects on their life. Moreover, take financial management as an example. Spendthrift habit or inability to manage finances properly can pose a problem. Common problems done by procrastinators are delaying payments, such as for house rental, cars and so forth. If the procrastinator does not solve this problem earlier, it might leads to bigger problems, for example, the doer may jump into an easiest solution which is to loan from unauthorized money lender. In terms of health issue, some individuals who are sick tend to overlook their heath condition and take action for it in last minute, which then might be too late for them as their health worsened. This particular case is one of procrastination behaviour problems. Apart from that, as we know academic procrastination problem is prevalence for undergraduate students. Some students who are less motivated tend to procrastinate academic tasks to the very last minute. For example they procrastinate doing class assignment, group project, studying for exam, writing academic paper or thesis. Sometimes, this type of students may finish the tasks just so they do not fail in the subject. Fear of failure, low self-efficacy and low self-competence are some of the reasons of procrastination stated by (Schraw et al., 2007; Senecal et al., 1995) extracted from (Williams, G. J., Stark, K. S., Foster, E. E. 2008). 1.1 Background of Study Though procrastination phenomenon has big impacts on our lives, little research has been done on it. Milgram (1992) has done the first historical analysis on the subject matter and argued that procrastination rises from advance societies who require various commitments and deadlines. Ferrari et al. (1995) in their book stated that this particular behaviour has already existed long ago, but it is only been related to negative connotations in line with the introduction of the industrial revolution. In the beginning, procrastination was never related to any negative interpretation as it is viewed neutrally by the society. However, from the earlier researches done, procrastination can be then interpreted as one of behaviour problem. In addition, the word procrastination comes from the Latin pro, meaning forward, forth, or in favor of, and crastinus, meaning of tomorrow (http://tinyurl.com/procrastinus). There are various dictionary definitions of procrastination. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (Fourth Edition) defines procrastination as to put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness; to postpone or delay needlessly, to postpone doing something, especially as a regular practice (Encarta World Dictionary) and to keep delaying something that must be done, often because it is unpleasant or boring (Cambridge International Dictionary of English). Nowadays, many researchers have been conducted on procrastination. Most of the literature involves university students. A procrastinator is a person who is aware that he or she has a task or an assignment to do. He or she is trying and planning to start working on the task, but continues to delay doing so. A person who has this habit is normally doing less important or not important tasks rather than the more important task. A procrastinator wastes too much time on something which gives him or her pleasure such as playing computer games or reading an update in his or her social networking website. Mostly, procrastinators keep themselves ready to work but end up avoiding the task (Noran, 2000). According to the Solomon and Rothblum (1984) demonstrated that 49% of students procrastinate in academic tasks such as writing term papers, studying for an exam and keeping up with weekly reading assignments. The habit of delaying tasks result in bad consequences, of which Tulik (2008) describes a few consequences. Firstly is fatigue in which a procrastinator keeps postponing his or her tasks and thus become mentally fatigue when the sense of accomplishment is not achieved. Fatigue lowers self-confidence and it can lead to other illnesses such as depression and sleeplessness. Secondly people who procrastinate cannot show their true potential in their studies or work. According to Tulik (2008), procrastination is linked to all kinds of negative effects; thus people who have potential and talent but procrastinate cannot show their talent or potential because they think it is just hopeless and useless to try out anything. The last consequence stated by Tulik, is that the habit of procra stinating makes an easy task very difficult, as a result of postponing the task to a point where in the end the task increases proportion and becomes very difficult to handle. Beswick, Rothblum and Mann (1998) state that the consequences of habitual procrastination are likely to be anxiety, despair and depression as the person fails to complete tasks or perform them unsatisfactorily. Procrastination also puts a procrastinator in a situation of conflict and indecision. Beswick, Rothblum and Mann suggested that procrastination also results in poor work because it was done rushed or partly uncompleted. Due to procrastination, a procrastinator wastes his or her time (by postponing his or her task), thinking that the task can be accomplished later, but lastly ends up with nothing started and missing the deadlines (Hobbs, 2008). Based on all the consequences above, it can be concluded that the habit of delaying or avoiding a task results in lower productivity, wasting time, depression, an xiety, fatigue, lower self-confidence, lower morale, and lower motivation. In Malaysia, the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia has defined several objectives for its universities and students. Some of the objectives are to produce competent graduates to fulfill national and international manpower needs with 75% of the graduates employed in their relevant fields within six months of their graduation, and to ensure that at least three of the countrys universities are continuously listed as among the best 100 universities in the world and one of the said universities is listed as among the worlds top fifty universities. Achieving these objectives, depend on the students and the university as well, and a possible major obstacle towards this is procrastination among the students. 1.2 Problem Statement At the Faculty of Education UiTM, there are plenty of academic tasks which required constant attention such as studying for exams, academic assignments, class projects, final academic project, and meeting lecturer. Thus, procrastination behaviour might be a major impediment for the students to complete the assigned tasks. Some of the possible reasons underlying this problem are that the students are too occupied with the involvement in outdoor activities, such as sports, camping and school related activity. Based on previous research, researchers have conveyed that the habit of delaying a task results in bad consequences and disadvantages. Besides that, procrastination occurs in every way in our life. Procrastination cuts down productivity, wastes time, results in low quality work, and also interrupts the emotional side of a person (Tulik, 2008). Apart from that, Klassen, Krawchuk and Rajani, 2008, state In an academic setting, poor performance, missing deadlines, low test grade and low CGPA are always related to disadvantages procrastination behaviour among people who does not manage well. There are various reasons which drive a student to procrastinate. The reason perhaps comes from the student himself or herself, influenced by other students or his/her surrounding environment around them (Noran, 2000). People including friends, close relationship, family and others can effected person to procrastinate behaviour. Furthermore, this study will investigate and defined academic task which students frequently procrastinate, areas of procrastinate and possible reasons for the habit of procrastinating among students. This research was conducted to find the possible reason that effect of the procrastination on the academic tasks among Physical and Health education students at UiTM, Campus Section 17, Shah Alam. 1.3 Significance of Study This research was carried out to identify an academic task that has the highest frequency of procrastination among the students, to investigate the frequency of procrastination on academic tasks and to identify the possible reasons of procrastination behaviour among students. The results from this research will benefit the students in which they can understand their procrastination problems and will then find solution for it whether on study skills or behavioural self-control. The benefit to the counsellors is that they can plan better solutions for procrastinators when they know how to distinguish the degree to which the procrastinators is anxious/or depressed. As for the lecturers, this research may help them to know that some procrastinators do find meeting them for educational purposes is not easy, so the result from this research may give the lectures an overview to approach the matter. 1.4 Research Objectives 1.4.1 To identify the frequency of procrastination on academic tasks among undergraduate Physical and Health students. 1.4.2 To identify an academic task that has the highest frequency of procrastination among the students. 1.4.3 To identify the possible reasons for procrastination behaviour. 1.5 Research Questions The purpose of this study will be achieved by investigating the following research questions: 1.5.1 What is the frequency of procrastination on academic tasks among undergraduate Physical and Health students? 1.5.2 What types of academic task are most preferable by students to procrastinate? 1.5.3 What are the reasons for procrastination behaviour? 1.6 Limitation of Study The limitation of this research is it only focuses on Physical and Health education students which are study only done to 60 students at Faculty of Education, UiTM, Campus Section 17, Shah Alam. Thus, the result on procrastination behaviour cannot be generalized to all other populations. However, this research cannot be used to define the pattern of academic procrastination among undergraduate students for the limited number of respondents. Longer time and larger scope of respondents are needed to conduct overall study in Malaysian universities. In addition, it because of time constraints, researcher only used questionnaire. To get more accurate data, more inclusive study method procedure must be used, for example interview, and record observation should be implemented. 1.7 Definition of Term 1.7.1 Procrastination to delay doing something that you ought to do, usually because you do not want to do it, Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (2003), to keep delaying something that must be done, often because it is unpleasant or boring (Cambridge International Dictionary of English). In this study, procrastination means any behaviour relating to delaying in completing any tasks. 1.7.2 Students One who is enrolled or attends classes at a school, college or university (http://www.answers.com). In this study, it refers to anyone who is enrolling in physical and health education students at Faculty of Education, UiTM. 1.7.3 Procrastinators A procrastinator is someone who knows that she or he should do and do not do it. According to (Noran, 2000), the procrastinator will work on less important obligation, rather than fulfilling the more important obligation, or (s)he may use his or her time wastefully in some minor activity or pleasure. In most cases, procrastinators keep themselves ready to work, but end up avoiding the activity. In this study, it refers to one who delays in completing any academic task including reading for exam, assignment or thesis. 1.7.4 Academic Procrastination An irrational tendency to delay in the beginning and/or completion of an academic task (Senecal, Julien, Guay, 2003) (p. 135). Students may have the intention to perform an academic activity within the desired or expected time frame, yet failing to motivate themselves to do so (Ferrari, 1998; Lay, 1986, 1995). In this study, it refers to delaying any academic task or failing to complete assigned task within given time.

Facebook Essay Writing Service Essay

Introduction Facebook is a social is a social network service which was founded by Mark Zuckerberg in February 2004. This is the most commonly used website with over 600million active users according to the report given in January 2011. This is considered to have created a very strong network of communication with its capability to connect people across the world. The services have both negative and positive effects to the individuals, families and societies since it is accessed by all the people irrespective of the age and experience. The study below concerns the major effects and consequences of this network service to the society at large. Effects or consequences of Facebook on the society Humans are social beings thus there is need for them top keep connected or have a good network to socialize with each other. According to the results of the study on Compete.com done in January 2009, Facebook was ranked to be the most used social network and it has more benefits than just communicating but also provision of essential information in communication. It is the best and the most powerful tool for collaboration and interaction between people or friends. Considering from the sociological perspective Facebook sites are considered to improve social capital which is particularly essential in striking up a conversation or enabling people to access information from the internet. A study carried out in Michigan State University found that the services are beneficial especially for eth individuals with low self esteem and less self satisfaction. From the psychological perspective, the site enables the individuals to meet and share with the others with common interests hence share the experiences and get motivated or gain knowledge to handle life issues (Goldman, 2008 p. 7). Facebook makes up a cheaper way of keeping up with friends by reinforcing the existing ones or expansion of the network by enabling the creation of new  ones. Each individual member has a profile page on which he or she invites all the people to be their friends. They post ideas on their walls to be shared amongst the friends and those of their friends and also have a chance of accessing what their friends have to share thus more and diverse information and knowledge is shared. It also serves to strengthen the bonds especially between the individuals who do not have enough physical contact or have not enough time for direct interaction. This is possible by providing individual information as well as views and opinions thus the others may be able to learn more concerning the individuals. There is a lot to be done thus people do not have enough time to visit or interact with their friends, Facebook offers the opportunity for the individuals to interact and share views and opinions even as they carry on other duties. It is a good chance for the individuals to gather information concerning people of interest like professionals thus they may be able to approach them on official duties by knowing their personalities. People acquire more and diverse information from all corners of the world, for example the cultures of the other communities and how various individuals across the world handle life challenges. It is a good and effective medium of communication since so long as the facilities are available the account holders access the sites on daily basis either on computers or through the mobile phone hand sets (Matthew, 2008 p. 345-365). Other than the benefits these social services also have disadvantages on the society. Excess usage of these social sites is resulting to the increase in the societal crime rates especially those relating to immorality or sexual abuse. There is no age description of the individuals who are qualified to hold accounts on the Facebook thus the young children, the teenagers and the adults all share the information that is posted on the profiles. The young people access and put in practice ideas which are far much below their standards. Some of these may be pornographic materials which may abuse the young children. Excessively exposing of the information concerning people for example, their occupation is having effects on the societal crime rates for instance the robbery and carjacking because the criminals will be able to identify the individuals of their focus and monitor their movement  depending on the information that they provide (Martà ­nez, 2009 p. 73-82). Although these networks are considered as an effective links for the distance relationships by connecting the individuals, it also has negative effects on the relationships. This is resulting to wrong decisions because the individuals may be influenced to be engaged in bad relationships. Most of the people who use these websites do not express their original characters but mostly try to show the best. Some of these relationships may not last because the parties are forced to separate when they learn the true characters of the others. The individuals also blame each other for being unfaithful through by accessing the information that they share with the others. Most of the people especially the young people are not able to balance the time that they spend on these sites and on the other activities. Many of the employers are complaining of their employees not producing the best or as expected as they spend most of the time chatting or sharing ideas with their online friends. This is found to be one of the factors causing the financial instability in the society as many of the people do not concentrate on the economic activities. The learning institutions are also not left out especially the colleges and other higher learning institutions. The performance of these institutions are declining since the students spend most of their time on these social networking thus they have no time for their assignments and studies. These students are forced to either dump the assignment or examination tests if they are not well prepared or have not revised. After they are through with the training they are not able to maintain a good relationship with their employers since they do not concentrate in their workplaces or may not have acquired enough skills to perform their duties as expected (Sonvilla-Weiss, 2010 p. 102-112). The more time the individuals spend on the social networking sites, the huge the content of their privacy they expose to the public as they post their ideas, feelings and interests online. The society seems to be becoming more open without any privacy thus some people are becoming unappreciated in the societies when the personalities discovered of them are unexpected. This is  also affecting the social relationships between the casual friends, children and the adults or parents because some of the information exposed shows the individuals to be lacking good moral behavior especially if the information they share is more intimate thus their parents or friends are likely to mistake them. This site is seen as a face value of the society we live in although a times it communicate false information (Gutwirth, 2010 p. 127). The cultures of the societies are highly changing due to the influence of the Facebook. This is because people are forced to change and adapt the styles of living acquired from the information that they share with the rest of the people from across the world. Some of these cultures for instance the language change is not acceptable in most of the communities. For example, the language used by the children to address the adults in certain communities may not be accepted in others and are likely to cause disagreements. This is reflected by the gap between the older and the young generations in the societies since the older people consider the young ones to be misled by the current events in the society thus are reluctant to interact with them (Matthew, 2008 p. 276-281). The social networking is considered to be having effects to all the life factors including political, social and economic. By interacting with the others the local leaders have an opportunity to share and copy the leadership styles which may or may not be accepted in the societies although a times they have positive impacts. It also have both negative and positive impacts in the economic sector since people wastes a lot of time on them than they do on the economic boosting activities. They may also provide ideas on new activities of economic development through sharing with the others. Conclusion Facebook is a social networking site which is the most popular and widely used to connect across the world. It has both negative and positive impacts to the society through influencing all the life aspects like political, social and economic. The leaders have an opportunity to share with the other  leaders across the world thus they improve their leadership skills. Although some of the people waste a lot of time on the sites other than carrying out the economic activities, sometime they benefit by acquiring new ideas on economic activities.

Motherhood and Womanhood as Illustrated in Tillie Olsen’s Essay

Tillie Olsen’s â€Å"I Stand Here Ironing,† is a short story presented in monologue form which reverberates a mother’s angst over motherhood and the stereotypical images attached by society to the female gender (particularly to womanhood and motherhood), which as a result becomes an image that the reflected takes on. The mother, whose identity was not divulged, illustrates the character’s universal relevance in terms of the images that she creates in the minds of the readers that as one listens to the mother’s reflections one may find herself entangled in the same situation and, perhaps, even share the same sentiments with the protagonist, even if the reader comes from a different time and place. The whole monologue translates the metaphorical â€Å"ironing-out† or straightening what she perceives as the â€Å"wrinkled† part of her personality of and the world around the main character using imageries that seem to conceal what is really happening within the individual’s reality. Her recollections of the past suggests one of the definitive behaviors women, regardless of time and space, have performed (sometimes with resentment but most of the times willingly— perhaps since the outside perceived pressure is insurmountable or they just want to maintain their sanity despite of the challenges): inability to translate into assertive words and actions what they really feel at the time when these should have been their refuge to their predicament. Hence, resentment is contained in a vacuum until such time when the ‘self’ could no longer contain the pressure she begins to vent out her emotions to other persons, things or events. Thus we hear the protagonist, in the end saying, â€Å"â€Å"My wisdom came too late. She has much to her and probably little will come of it. She is a child of her age, of depression, of war, of fear† (par 50). Realization dawned on her at a time least expected – when relationships (between mother and daughter) seemed to be â€Å"on the rocks,† when years that could have been considered most precious to the mother as well as to the mother have already past, and when everything else (the frailty [physically and emotionally]) of both characters (mother and daughter) could have been restored. Imagery colors the mothers’ world long before reality sets in. â€Å"She was a beautiful baby †¦ You do not guess how new and uneasy her tenancy in her now — loveliness (par 4); I was nineteen. It was the pre-relief, pre-WPA world of the depression (par 8): you spoke of her rare gift for comedy on the stage that [aroused] laughter out of the audience so dear they applaud and applaud and do not want to let her go (par 17). Even the convalescent home where Emily was forced to stay after her mother could not keep her any longer is described in the mother’s monologue as a place that resembles a saintly sanctuary: â€Å"Oh it is a handsome place, green lawns and tall trees and fluted flower beds. High up on the balconies of each cottage the children stand, the girls in their red bows and white dresses, the boys in white suits and giant red ties (par 26); she is more than this dress on the ironing board, helpless before the iron (par 51), which illustrates the paradox in the main character’s and her daughter’s life – the iron represents her as the mother who tries to straighten out the wrinkles (seemingly problematic condition in her daughter’s life as well as in her personality, which are represented by the dress being ironed out [before it was beautiful and served as a covering for the body, figuratively a conceals the characters’ soul and real identities]); both and the board and the iron served may be perceived as the outside pressures [the mother, represented by the iron being pressed by significant other’s stereotypical conception on motherhood and womanhood and the board, may be perceived as the sturdy socio-cultural norms that unavoidably shapes others’ perception of the main characters’ roles and identities. In all of these situations, reality (which is generally described as depressing) are presented alternately with the pleasant imageries creating an impression of concealing what is in existence like the mask that the mother has, perhaps put on for a long time before she finally had the courage to accept the natural order of things. The mother in the story, while ironing, â€Å"attempts to understand or â€Å"iron out† her ambivalent feelings towards her nineteen year-old daughter Emily, the oldest among her five children, and who is described as having a troubled childhood. Her monologue moves between the present and the past, starting from Emily’s birth during the â€Å"Depression† era of the 1930’s when the she was herself was just nineteen years old. With the monologue, the mother painfully recollects how she neglected Emily because of circumstances beyond her control. Throughout the mother’s monologue, the intended recipient of the message remained unnamed, although there was a particular mention of a social worker in the story (par. 30) and one hears the third person at the beginning of the mother’s monologue, â€Å"She’s a youngster who needs help and whom I’m deeply interested in helping. † In the monologue, the mother reveals her responsibility and guilt in motherhood. As the finishes her monologue, one could feel how she is caught between feeling responsible for her daughter’s unhappy childhood and recognizing her powerlessness and lack of alternatives. Nonetheless she realizes her own identity is separate from her daughter: even though she is part of her daughter yet separate from her, hence her daughter has a life of her own. In the end the mother ends her monologue: She is a child of her age, of depression, of war, of fear. Let her be. So all that is in her will not bloom — but in how many does it? There is still enough left to live by. Only help her to know-help make it so there is cause for her to know — that she is more than this dress on the ironing board, helpless before the iron (par 51). In much the same way, the person having a mind of her own, may choose to follow or reject how her significant other’s (in this case, the mother) upbringing (so Emily is described as, â€Å"She kept too much in herself, her life was such she had to keep too much in herself) (par 50). † Such behavior is explained in a study conducted by Robert Karen (1990) in which he stressed there are traits that are learned— that whether a person trusts others or not, whether one anticipates love or rejection, whether one will feel good about himself as a person depends on how much an individual learns from his significant others: These are not inherited traits, they are learned; and although subject to change, they are initially determined by the sensitivity and reliability of the care you received in your first years (in Karen 15). Because of the pressing process the characters have learned to adjust to imposing situations (how they react [whether positively or negatively] depends on how they perceive the process). Both characters’ personalities were subjected to the pressing forces of society and each person’s reactions to these pressures. The â€Å"ironing† process ended up straightening â€Å"wrinkled† dress (problematic characters); the change did not take place out of the individuals’ efforts but because they were forced by outside empowering factors. Without these outside forces, these characters might have remained â€Å"wrinkled† nonetheless. Hence both the process of â€Å"ironing out† has become both a necessity and a luxury (since there could be different modes of â€Å"ironing out† (others could be less tiring and takes only a while). Works Cited: Karen, Robert. (February 1990) â€Å"Becoming Attached,† Atlantic Monthly. Retrieved April 09, 2009 from http://www. psychology. sunysb. edu/attachment/online/karen. pdf Olsen, Tillie. â€Å"I Stand Here Ironing†

Criminal Justice Racial Disparity and Discrimination and...

Criminal law is based on the principle of actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea. The principle is to the extent that a man is not guilty of his acts, actus in the absence of a guilty conscience, mens rea (Gardner, 2009). To this end, criminal law justice provides that the person alleging the commission of a crime must proof beyond reasonable doubt that the accused person(s) possessed mens rea, if the court is to hold a criminal liability against the accused. In the case of People of the State of California v. Orenthal James Simpson (1995) or what has come to be famously known as the O.J. Simpson Trial is a classical illustration of how highly the U.S. criminal justice regards the beyond reasonable doubt principle. The United States of†¦show more content†¦Further the existence of these disparities varies. They may exist due to differing levels of criminal activities, may also be contributed by having the law enforcement department laying emphasis on particular communities, can also be caused by legislature that gives rise to such notions as well as decision making by criminal justice practitioners who have a wide range of discretion in regards to the justice process at one or more stages in the system. In criminal law, illegitimate or unwarranted racial disparity is resulted when there is dissimilar treatment of people who are under similar situation where the dissimilar treatment is based on race. Such treatment is in most cases caused by biasness though can in some be influenced by factors that are sparsely related to race. Another cause is unguarded, individual or institution level decisions that are race-based. Structural racism has also been adduced mostly where there is evidence of longstanding difference in the treatment of individuals who are deemed to a highly correlated race characteristic. On the other hand, discrimination has also been witnessed with the criminal justice system. This is where factors like race, sex, or even religion may be used to determine how one is to be treated under law. It has been accounted that in the United States, such discrimination has been seen to exist from the initial stages of criminal justice. This is based on the realization that inShow MoreRelatedMinorities and Justice Essay1793 Words   |  8 PagesMinorities and Justice Television shows such as Dateline, 60 Minutes and 20/20 have often aired segments on discrimination within the justice system through hidden cameras recording police behavior towards minorities, interviews with minorities falsely accused or mistreated, and by referring to capital punishment statistics seemingly biased especially towards blacks. The Justice Files has produced several biographies on minorities who were subjected to some atrocity by the American justice systemRead MoreBeing Against Death Penalty Essay1104 Words   |  5 PagesBeing Against the Death Penalty Supporters of the death penalty often thinks that taking a life for a life is being instrumental in justice. However, several studies and research have shown that taking the life of another human being through capital punishment only continues a cycle of violence. Furthermore, other research has shown that flaws in our justice system has led to innocent being prosecuted, guilty being set free, and additional biases being present during death row cases. There is noRead MoreThe Motivation Of Criminals Defined More Than One Common Denominator Essay2497 Words   |  10 Pages The motivation of criminals encompasses more than one common denominator, however, the degree of culpability and causation are within close proximity of one another. People every day engage in illicit acts for a myriad of reasons that run the gamut from white-collar crimes such as embezzling large sums of money to retail thefts. Gang related and drug-crimes that result in violence have plagued metropolitan ar eas throughout American. There is never any justification for taking someone’s life