1) The purpose of this study is to observe health trends to effectively respond to the changing patterns of the people’s physical condition in the community (Channel News Asia [CNA], 2012). 2) Survey methods are advantageous as they are generally useful in describing the features of a huge population, there is not another method that could provide such a general form of observation (Colorado State University [CSU], 2012). Survey methods are advantageous as it allows flexibility during the early stages choosing how the questions will be asked, by face-to-face interview, telephone, written survey, oral survey or by any electrical ways (CSU, 2012). Survey methods are advantageous as they use uniformly questions which make measurements much more accurate by ensuring standard definitions on the applicants (CSU, 2012). Survey methods are disadvantageous as they are rigidity. They need the first study design, the apparatus and the application of the apparatus to remain the same during the whole duration of data collecting (CSU, 2012). Survey methods are disadvantageous as they rely heavily on standardization which causes the researcher to only make questions that are common enough so that its negligibly appropriate for all respondents and maybe causing many respondents to miss out on what is most suitable for them (CSU, 2012). Survey methods are disadvantageous as some respondents might have difficulty remembering some information or to be even honest about a provocative question (CSU, 2012). 3) The benefits of this study are that it can help to observe health trends much more effectively (CNA, 2012). It also helps to keep watch and understand the different patterns in important physical conditions and physical conditions behaviour (CNA, 2012). The benefits of this study also helps researchers to quickly understand how health issues like obesity and smoking are growing in Singapore and recognise which part of the population has the biggest problems in these issues (CNA, 2012). The benefits of this study will also help to quickly produce and put health promotion programmes which will assist Singaporeans in living a lively and healthy life (CNA, 2012). The benefits of this study will also help researchers to monitor how well Singaporeans are doing in their attempts to make progress in their health and permit a much quicker response to alternating patterns of health and physical weaknesses in Singapore (CNA, 2012). Yes, I agree with these benefits. They help assist researchers greatly as it shows how Singapore health conditions are doing. 4) The practical challenges of this study are that it requires people to actively join on their own free will and getting more than 3,000 participants would be a challenge (CNA, 2012). The practical challenges of this study are that complications will arise as it is a first time for the school to conduct such a survey (CNA, 2012). The practical challenges of this study is that it will provide estimates health conditions and how healthy lifestyles are being lived in Singapore during the years when the National Health Survey is not being done (CNA, 2012). The practical challenges of this study are that during the interviewing of the participants taking part in the survey, they might not be honest to some questions that are sensitive or controversial (CNA, 2012). The practical challenges of this study also includes the question of how effective will this study be, whether it might even be of any help to the researchers on researching Singapore’s health trends (CNA, 2012). Yes I agree with the practical challenges of this study. The practical challenges will undermine the researchers to assess how health trends are in Singapore and whether the survey might be even successful. 5) This article is about a study on Singapore health trends, how researchers hope to understand health trends and effectively respond to the health conditions faced by the community (CNA, 2012). The method being used for this study is a survey method in which interviews will be done to ask participants on their daily lifestyle habits (CNA, 2012). This article also talks about how researchers hope to understand how health problems are affecting Singaporeans (CNA, 2012). 6) Yes, a research like this should be conducted as it greatly helps researchers to understand the health issues Singapore face and the health condition Singapore is in and allows quicker responses to health issues that arises. Researching helps one to assess and understand the level of healthcare that is needed and what is the state of healthcare at the moment. Researching also helps to understand the health trends such as obesity and smoking and what causes such health trends. Population segments that display a huge amount of such health trends, health campaigns and health programs can be implemented in that certain segment to help encourage a healthy lifestyle and make the harmful effects of such health issues be more known and swiftly too all made possible by researching the health status, health issues of Singapore. When such a research is conducted, a great amount of knowledge can be learned from Singaporeans lifestyles, sleep quality and allows researchers to understand the cause of some illnesses. Researching is extremely useful in identifying health problems and solving health issues, without researching, doctors would have to use their best guesses for medical aid and they were often wrong (Community Connect to Research [CCR], 2012). If research was never done, diseases that could have been treated would cause people to be disabled or even cause premature death (CCR, 2012). New techniques to treat diseases old and new, new medicines, and new methods to stop illnesses in people from developing all comes from researching (CCR, 2012). Blood pressure medicines, inoculations to prevent spreadable illnesses, organ transplant surgeries, and chemotherapy are all results from researching (CCR, 2012). Research can also help to improve current medical treatments (CCR, 2012). 7) I think I have applied a fair amount of knowledge of critical thinking into the reading of this article. I have identified the author’s position in the article as i skimmed the passage and took note what impressed me the most trying to capture the author’s position (Cottrell, 2011). The author’s position is that doing this research will help monitor health trends closer and have up-to-date information about Singaporeans’ health. The conclusion of the article from what I have learned from critical thinking is a deduction that summarizes the points and the best interpretation of what the article is trying to say (Cottrell, 2011). The conclusion is that the results will allow researchers to observe how well Singaporeans are doing in their attempts to improve their health and allow a much quicker response to patterns in health in the community. I have also identified that this article is not an argument and that it is a description type of article as it gives a thorough description of the issue being talked about and that it has no point of view (Cottrell, 2011).

References
Colorado State University (n.d.). Advantages and Disadvantages of the Survey Method. Retrieved 2012 August 27 from http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/research/survey/com2d1.cfm
Channel News Asia (2012, June 25). Nus to conduct Singapore Health 2012 survey Retrieved 2012 August 28 from http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1209696/1/.html
Community Connect to Research (2012, August 23). Why is health research important? Retrieved 2012 August 29 from http://www.connecttoresearch.org/understanding_research/why_is_health_research_impo rtant
Cottrell, S. (2011). Critical thinking skills: developing effective analysis and argument (2nd Ed.). UK: Palgrave Macmillan.