Understanding Parenthetical Elements

Understanding Parenthetical Elements A parenthetical element is a word or group of words that interrupts the flow of a sentence and adds additional (but nonessential) information to that sentence. This element can be long or short, and it can appear at the beginning, the middle, or the end of a clause or sentence. John, the second batter in the lineup, is a fast runner.Mildred is an excellent cook, as a matter of fact.Just this once, you should try mustard on your peanut butter sandwiches.The dog, after guarding the chewed-up toy for more than an hour, finally got tired of waiting for me to play with him. Types of Words or Word Groups that Can Be Parenthetical Elements: Appositives Example: The book, a 758 page monster, was required for my history class. Relative clauses Example: My professor, who eats lunch every day promptly at noon, was not available for discussion. Prepositional phrases Example: The turkey, after moments of deliberation, ate the bug. Phrases as examples Example:  Foods that are hot or spicy, e.g. jalapenos or hot wings, make my eyes water. You might think of the parenthetical element as a sudden thought that pops into your head as you are making a statement. Because it provides additional or supporting information to a complete sentence, the main part of the sentence should be able to stand alone without the words stated in the parenthetical element. The name parenthetical might cause confusion because it resembles the word parentheses. In fact, some parenthetical elements are so strong (they can be quite jolting) that they require parenthesis. The previous sentence provides an example! Here are a few more: My sister (the one standing on the chair) is trying to get your attention. The strawberry tart (the one with the bite taken out of it) belongs to me. Yesterday (the longest day of my life) I got my first speeding ticket. Punctuation for Parenthetical Elements The examples above show that parenthetical elements are usually set off by some form of punctuation in order to avoid confusion. The type of punctuation used actually depends on the degree of interruption caused by the interrupter. Commas are used when the interruption is least emphatic. If the sentence containing the parenthetical element flows pretty smoothly, then commas are a good choice: My friend, who doesn’t like to wear socks, is trying to give me his tennis shoes. Parentheses are used (as stated above) when the interrupting thought represents a bigger diversion from the original message or thought. Pizza is my favorite food (the brick oven kind is best).I think Ill go home now (the walk will do me good)  before I fall asleep on the job. But there is one more form of punctuation that you may use if you use an interrupting parenthetical element that really jolts the reader from the main thought. Dashes  are used for the most emphatic interruptions. Use dashes to set off a parenthetical element for a more dramatic effect.   My birthday party- what a surprise!- was a lot of fun. The frog- the one who jumped on the window and made me jump a mile- is now under my chair. I bit my lip- ouch!- to keep from speaking my mind.

Exactly What to Expect From AP Language Multiple Choice

Exactly What to Expect From AP Language Multiple Choice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Perhaps because the free-response section of the AP Language and Composition exam is worth more than the multiple-choice section, some teachers spend much more time preparing you for free-response than multiple-choice. While it's great to be prepared for the essays, this might leave you feeling like a lost and confused lamb when it comes to the AP English Language and Composition multiple choice section. But never fear, the guide is here! This guide will give a brief overview of the AP Language and Composition multiple-choice section, the eight question types you can expect to see on the test, three preparation strategies, a slate of AP practice question resources, and finally some tips for success on test day. The Multiple-Choice Section: An Overview Section I of the AP English Language and Composition test is the multiple-choice section. This section will have 52-55 questions testing you on how well you can read and understand nonfiction passages for their use of rhetoric. On the exam, you will be presented with four to five nonfiction passages. You will receive a bit of orienting information at the beginning of this passage, for example "this essay originally appeared in a major national newspaper in the 1980s." Each passage will have about 10-15 questions associated with it. The AP Lang multiple choice section is worth 45% of your total exam score. You will receive one point to your raw score for every question you answer correctly. However, as on other AP exams, your raw score will be converted to a scaled score from 1-5. But what's actually on the multiple-choice section? The next section explores what kinds of questions you can expect to actually be asked on the exam. The 8 Types of Multiple-Choice Questions There are eight kinds of multiple choice questions on the AP Language exam. In this section, I'll go over each type, provide an example question, and walk you through answering it. All of the example questions come from the "Course and Exam Description." You can find the original passages these questions are referring to there as well. Type 1: Reading Comprehension As you might expect, reading comprehension questions are about testing if you understood the passage on a concrete level: what does this particular sentence mean in a literal sense? And so on. You can usually identify them from phrases like "according to" and "refers." To succeed on these kinds of questions, your best strategy is to go back and re-read the part of the passage the question is asking about. Do so carefully, and when you then answer the question, focus on what the passage is actually saying outright. Don't infer on reading comprehension questions! Example: Let's go back and look at Lines 23-26 to answer this question: "But ‘books are not about schedules,' author Stephanie Nolen argues; rather, they are ‘about submerging yourself...about getting consumed.'" To return to the question, what is her "primary criticism of book clubs," then? Well, she says, "books are not about schedules." So, they shouldn't have to be a scheduled-in obligation. The only answer that choice that resembles what she actually says in the passage is that the problem with books clubs is that they (A), "are too programmed." Type 2: Implication This question style moves beyond basic, concrete reading comprehension into the realm of implication. Implication is what the author seems to say without actually coming out and saying it directly. However, even though the answer may not be written out clearly in the passage, the question will still have a clear correct answer based on textual evidence. You can identify implication questions from phrases like "best supported," "implies," "suggests," and "inferred." As for reading comprehension questions (and indeed, all multiple-choice questions on the AP) turn and look back at the relevant part of the passage before you answer. Then ask yourself: Which interpretation put forth by the answer choices does the passage *most* support? Example: First, we need to find where in the passage names for hurricanes and tornadoes are discussed. We can find this in lines 14-17: "A tornado, although more violent than a much longer lasting hurricane, has a life measured in minutes, and weathercasters watch it snuff out as it was born: unnamed." What answers about why tornadoes are unnamed and hurricanes are named are at all supported by this line? Choice (A), "there are too many of them," is clearly incorrect as the line says nothing about the frequency of either weather event. Choice (B) says, "their destruction is not as great as that of hurricanes." This is a trap! You may know based on your own knowledge that hurricanes generally incur much greater damages overall than tornadoes, but the passage doesn't say that. You have to choose an implication that is actually supported by the passage, and the passage doesn't say which causes more destruction. Choice (C) says "they last too short of a time." The passage does say that hurricanes are "much longer lasting" and that the life of a tornado is "measured in minutes." This could be a reasonable answer, but let's make sure it's the best one before we select it. Choice (D) says "they move too erratically to be plotted" and Choice (E) says tornadoes "can appear in any area of the world." It doesn't matter if either of those statements is true since the question asks what the passage implies, and the passage does not discuss either their movements or where they appear. Thus, (C) is the answer most supported by the passage. It's a trap! Don't be fooled. Type 3: Overall Passage and Author Questions Overall passage and author questions want you to identify key, overarching elements of the passage or author's views, like the purpose of the text, the author's audience, the author's attitude toward the subject, and so on. These questions are identifiable because they won't refer back to a specific place in the text but will instead ask general questions that apply to the entire excerpt. These questions can be a little more difficult to answer than those where you can look to a specific place in the text to answer your questions. You'll really need to have an overall impression of the passage based on its overarching details. It might be helpful to jot down a couple overall impressions of the excerpt right after you read it, to refer back to when faced with overall passage questions. Example: This passage is about the rise of book clubs. The first paragraph gives examples to demonstrate that book clubs have become a popular phenomenon. The second discusses book club backlash and some book club guides. The third paragraph asserts that book clubs are positive and sharing literary experiences is a good thing. Which of the answers fits with the passage? Answer (A) can be eliminated right away because there is no personal narrative. Answer (B) can also be eliminated because the passage begins with an example about Oprah, not any "empirical" (numbers-based) data. Answer (C) can be eliminated because the passage never introduces any questions related to the practice of book clubs. Choice (D) could be good- the first two paragraphs give mostly description, and the third and final paragraph gives an evaluation. Choice (E) doesn't fit because there is no initial condemnation of "the practice" (i.e. of book clubs). So (D) is the correct answer. Type 4: Relationships Between Parts of the Text Another question type will require you to identify or describe a relationship between two specific parts of the text. This could be paragraphs or shorter line segments, or a specific part of the passage compared to the rest of the passage or the passage as a whole. My advice for answering these questions is similar to my advice for most questions- go back and read the parts of the passage in question! You may want to jot down an overarching impression of what each part of the text is accomplishing or saying as you do, which should help you compare them and identify the relationship. Example: Because this passage is only two paragraphs long, this question is essentially asking us about the relationship between the first and second halves of the passage. What is the main idea of each of the sections? Well, the first paragraph describes essentially what makes a strong writer. The second paragraph establishes that Carlyle is "such a writer" and then discusses some of his works and why they are important. When we look at the answer choices, what matches up best with our main idea descriptions? Clearly (A), which describes how the first paragraph describes the strengths of a writer (which we know Carlyle has based on the topic sentence of the second paragraph), and the second describes Carlyle's "legacy." What kind of relationship do the parts of the text have? Type 5: Interpretation of Imagery/Figurative Language This type of question is concerned with the underlying meaning or implication of imagery or figurative language used in the excerpt. What is the author trying to accomplish with this particular phrase or this metaphor? Again, it is critical that you go back and read the part of the passage that the question refers to, or you will be completely lost on these questions (more so than on most others). You may want to re-read a few lines before and after as well so you can get a sense of the imagery in context. Example: For this to make sense, we need the entire sentence the "acorns" appear in: "It is an idle question to ask if his books will be read a century hence: if they were all burnt as the grandest of Suttees on his funeral pile, it would only be like cutting down an oak after its acorns have sown a forest." What could this mean? Well, acorns come from oak trees and make more oak trees. So this must refer to something that comes from Carlyle and is somehow a replication of him or his works. The best choices if we think about that, then, would be (A) his children, or (C) the ideas in his books. However, since the passage doesn't mention anything about his children that would be an irrelevant detail and can't be what the acorns represent. So the answer must be (C). Type 6: Purpose of Part of the Text These questions will ask you to choose the answer that best states the purpose that a given part of the text serves in the piece. What is the author hoping to accomplish with this specific example/sentence/device? These questions can usually be identified because they will ask specifically about purpose or function of a specific moment. To address these questions, you will need to, of course, re-read the part of the text in question. Think about what point the author is trying to make in that specific moment, and how that would serve their larger argument. All parts of a given text will serve the larger argument if they are well-constructed, so if it seems like an interpretation of the text presented in the answer choices doesn't work with the main argument, eliminate it. Example: These lines read, "You may meet a man whose wisdom seems unimpeachable, since you find him entirely in agreement with yourself; but this oracular man of unexceptionable opinions has a green eye, a wiry hands, and altogether, a Wesen, or demeanor, that makes the world look blank to you, and whose unexceptionable opinions become a bore; while another man who deals in what you cannot but think ‘dangerous paradoxes,' warms your heart by the pressure of his hand, and looks out on the world with so clear and loving an eye, that nature seems to reflect the light of his glance upon your own feeling." This sentence is really overwhelming, so let's try to break it down and re-write it in a simpler way. "You might meet a man who seems wise because he agrees with you, but this man might eventually become a bore; while a different man who presents challenging ideas may warm your heart and eventually convince you." This fits into the larger argument because Carlyle is the writer who presents challenging ideas, and this piece is in praise of Carlyle and his legacy. Let's go through the answers and see which choice fits best. Choice (A) describes a contrast between a writer who reinforces reader viewpoints and one who challenges them. This sounds like it could be right- let's keep it. Choice (B) describes an analogy between kinds of people and types of writing they prefer. There's no analogy in these lines, so we can eliminate (B). Choice (C) says that these lines challenge the idea that writers modify their ideas to appeal to readers. But since this passage overall refers to Carlyle's legacy and doesn't give any indication that he modifies his views to appeal to readers, so we can eliminate it. Choice (D) doesn't even refer to writers, and Choice (E) doesn't work because the lines say nothing about good and evil. So (A) is the best answer choice. Good and evil? Aren't all these questions evil? Type 7: Rhetorical Strategy For these questions, you'll need to identify the specific rhetorical strategy used by the author in the specific place in the passage. Essentially, you'll be identifying the particular argumentative "move" that the author is deploying to try to convince the audience of their position. Example: The passage identified in the question says: "The character of his influence is best seen in the fact that many of the men who have the least agreement with his opinions are those to whom the reading of Sartor Resartus was an epoch in the history of their minds. The extent of his influence may be best seen in the fact that ideas which were startling novelties when he first wrote them are now become common-places. And we think few men will be found to say that this influence on the whole has not been for good. There are plenty who question the justice of Carlyle's estimates of past men and past times, plenty who quarrel with the exaggerations of the Latter-Day Pamphlets, and who are as far as possible from looking for an amendment of things from a Carlylian theocracy with the ‘greatest man', as a Joshua who is to smite the wicked (and the stupid) till the going down of the sun. But for any large nature, those points of difference are quite incidental. It is not a theorist, but a s a great and beautiful human nature, that Carlyle influences us." So which of the rhetorical strategies in the answer choices makes the most sense? Choice (A) says the author berates Carlyle's opponents. This doesn't seem accurate- while she mentions those who disagree with him, she doesn't berate or insult them. Choice (B) says she acknowledges but discredits other arguments. While, again, she acknowledges that there are those who disagree with Carlyle, she doesn't really mention their specific arguments or discredit them. Choice (C) suggests she claims most people don't recognize Carlyle's genius. This can't be right; she says "few men will be found to say that this influence on the whole has not been for good" and describes how many of his ideas are now "commonplace." Choice (D) says she cites facts. She doesn't- she gives examples of his works and describes reactions. Thus, choice (E), which says she gives examples that reflect his influence, is correct. This is the best choice as the passage repeatedly emphasizes that even those who don't agree with him are affected by his thoughts. Type 8: Style and Effect The last question type asks you about stylistic moments in the text and the effect created by those stylistic choices. Essentially, what does the author accomplish by making that particular stylistic choice? To address these questions, re-read the sentence or moment in question with an eye for how it sounds and feels. Don't just think about what it says- what does it evoke? Example: The sentence says, "‘Oh God, that I were a writer!' She cried. ‘Surely a writer could not string words together about Henry Irving's Hamlet and say nothing, nothing.'" The stylistic choice in question is the italicization of "nothing, nothing." We may notice that this mirrors the italicization of "writer." Italics generally indicate emphasis- so what's the effect of emphasizing "writer" and "nothing, nothing"? Be careful here, because it might be tempting to choose (B) - indicate a sarcastic tone. This kind of emphasis is often used to communicate sarcasm. However, that doesn't fit with the rest of the passage, or the fact that she "dropped her pen in despair" just before. The best choice is (A), that it emphasizes her frustration. With the eight question types addressed, we can move on to more general strategies to prepare to take the multiple choice section of AP Language and Composition. You are the general of your own AP preparation army! How to Prepare There are several key strategies you can use to prepare yourself to rock the multiple-choice section of the AP Language and Composition exam. #1: Read and Engage With Nonfiction A key prep strategy is to read nonfiction of all different types, particularly nonfiction that argues a position or advances an agenda of some kind. When you read, you should work on identifying and understanding how the author makes use of rhetorical strategies and techniques. Ask yourself: What is the author's argument? What evidence do they use to support their position? What is the nature of their evidence- anecdotes, statistics, illustrative examples? What rhetorical techniques and strategies do they use to build their argument? Are they making particular kinds of appeals? Is their argument strong? If yes, what makes it strong? If no, what makes it weak? Constantly considering these questions as you read will help you learn to analyze passages quickly and informally, which is an essential skill for answering multiple-choice questions focused on rhetorical analysis. #2: Learn Rhetorical Terms and Strategies In order to analyze works, of course, you need to know rhetorical terms and strategies. You will undoubtedly learn many techniques and strategies from your teacher, and you should definitely review those before the exam. You can also check out my essential list of 55 AP English Language terms you need to know. Make sure you aren't just memorizing the terms and the definitions, but that you can actually identify all of the techniques at work in the things you read! #3: Practice Answering Multiple-Choice Questions To succeed on the multiple-choice section, you need to practice answering multiple-choice questions! This will help you get familiar with the feel of the multiple-choice section and identify any gaps in your understanding. The next section will suggest tons of sources for practice multiple-choice questions. A whole pile of practice questions! Practice Question Resources There are a variety of practice test resources you can use to hone your multiple choice skills. The best multiple-choice practice resources come from the College Board. This is because they write the AP exam, so their practice questions are the most like real AP multiple-choice questions. Unfortunately, there are not as many official resources for the AP Language and Composition exam as there are for some other tests. However, once you run out of official College Board practice questions, there are still some unofficial resources that you can use for multiple choice practice. In this section I'll go over both. Official Multiple-Choice Resources The College Board offers both complete released exams and sample multiple-choice questions. Complete Released Exams Complete official exams are a great resource if you can find them, because they will have complete multiple-choice sections for you to practice with. Unfortunately, the College Board has not released any official previous exams for AP Language and Composition, as they have for many other tests. You may, though, still be able to find complete official exams from past years by Googling "AP Language complete released exam" or similar variations on that. You might also ask your AP teacher if there are copies of old AP exams you can use for practice. They often have access to past exams and may be able to loan them to you. Sample Questions From the "AP Course and Exam Description" The AP Course and Exam description for AP Language and Composition includes 50 sample multiple-choice questions. This is actually only two questions short of a complete multiple choice section, so this a pretty sizable collection of questions to add to your practice bank. Better get a safe so you can put it in the bank! Unofficial Multiple-Choice Practice Resources There are tons of sites out there offering free multiple-choice practice questions and quizzes for the AP Language and Composition exam. But they aren't all created equal! In this section I'll highlight just several of these resources that are most worth your time. For an even more comprehensive list, see my list of all practice tests available for AP Lang and Comp. College Countdown Complete AP Language Practice Test This site has a complete unofficial practice test. You can ignore the essays for the purposes of multiple choice practice. The wording of questions on the multiple-choice section aren't exactly the same as on a real AP exam, but the tasks are very similar and the passages are well-selected. This is a great source for sample multiple choice questions once you run out of College Board official options. McGraw-Hill AP Practice Quiz McGraw-Hill, an academic book publisher, offers this free 25-question multiple-choice "diagnostic quiz." It has difficult, well-written multiple-choice questions that really look and feel like real AP questions. The passages do open in another window, which is slightly awkward and annoying, but the questions are so good that it's worth it! The quiz is supposed to be 25 questions, but you could theoretically get more than 25 questions from this resource since every time you open a new test window you get a subset randomly selected questions from a question pool. Albert English Language Practice Albert has a decent number of small multiple-choice quizzes that offer practice questions analyzing the rhetoric of various notable nonfiction passages. The style of the questions is a little more informal and to the point than genuine AP questions published by the College Board, but they are still good practice for answering multiple-choice questions about rhetorical techniques deployed in a passage. So when you've exhausted your other resources this is still a solid multiple-choice practice question source. In order to answer questions, you need to sign up for a free account. It then costs "credits" to answer questions. You can both buy additional credits and earn credits for answering questions correctly, so if you are good at answering questions, you can use this service for free pretty much indefinitely! Otherwise I don't really advise buying credits since there are frankly better paid resources available (like review books). Review Books Most review books also have practice multiple-choice questions designed to mimic College Board questions and are a good resource when you've used all of your official and unofficial free questions. However, not all review books are of equal quality, and some have questions that are downright poor quality. Be sure to look at reviews and flip through the book to check out its questions and how they compare to College Board questions before buying if you can. As a starting place, Barron's and the Princeton Review are usually reliable review book sources. You might need a nap after you do all of these questions. Test Day Tips Here are four key strategies to help you succeed on the multiple choice section on test day. Interact With the Text When you are initially reading a passage, do some preliminary marking up! Underline things that seem particularly significant, like a thesis statement or major shift in the text. Make notes of motifs or confusing sentences. These marks will help you familiarize yourself with the text and navigate it when you come back to answer the questions. Identify Main Ideas Once you finish reading a passage through, quickly jot down the main idea/argument of the piece, the author's purpose, and the intended audience. This will help you answer overarching passage questions. Additionally, preemptively identifying these points before addressing the questions should help make many of them more clear and help you keep the passage framed in your mind as you work through questions. Always Re-read Never rely on your memory when the question is about a specific place in the text: always go back and read the line in question. If the answer still isn't clear once you've consulted the text, read a little bit around the specified line for more context and clarity. Eliminate Off-Topic Answers An easy trick to eliminating wrong answers for many questions is to simply identify answer choices that are clearly off-topic. At a first pass these might not be obvious, since they may use a word or phrase from the passage and will sound stylistically similar to the other choices. But a closer look will reveal that the answer has nothing to do with the paragraph or passage topic! Here's an example: The sentence says, "‘Oh God, that I were a writer!' She cried. ‘Surely a writer could not string words together about Henry Irving's Hamlet and say nothing, nothing.'" We might see the words "writing" in answers (C) and (D) and think they are on topic- after all, Ellen Terry wishes she "were a writer." However, the very point of the sentence is that she is not a writer. So does it make sense for the effect to have to do with writing parts for actors or how to succeed at writing? No! Those answers are completely off-topic. A highly professional and profound production of Hamlet. Key Takeaways The multiple-choice section of AP Lang and Comp has 52-55 questions and is worth 45% of your exam grade. There are eight types of questions you can expect to see on the AP Language and Composition multiple choice exam: Reading comprehension Implication Overall passage and author questions Relationship between parts of the text Interpretation of imagery/figurative language Purpose of part of the text Rhetorical strategy Style and effect The multiple-choice section of the AP Language and Composition exam can be challenging for students who are more used to literary close-reading than rhetorical analysis. However, you can learn to succeed! Here's how to prepare: Read and engage thoughtfully with nonfiction so you can identify essential rhetorical elements quickly and thoroughly. Learn rhetorical terms and strategies and both how to identify them in other works and how to use them in your own writing. Practice for the multiple-choice section! There are a number of resources, both official and unofficial, where you can get practice AP language and composition multiple-choice practice questions. There are some official resources from the College Board and some unofficial free online resources, though you should always be careful to thoroughly investigate unofficial material for quality. Once it's time for test day, here are four strategies to succeed on the multiple-choice section: Interact with the passages as you read them for the first time. Identify the main ideas- the author's purpose, argument, and audience- right after the first time you read the passage. Always go back and re-read the part of the passage in question- don't rely on memory! Watch out for answer choices that are clearly off-topic and eliminate them! Ready like a freshly baked muffin! What's Next? If you need more help with AP Language and Composition, we have a total list of practice tests and a complete guide to the exam. In addition to our guide to AP Lang terms, we also have several more detailed articles about specific literary devices that might prove helpful. We recommend reading through our posts on point of view, tone words, personification, and the literary elements you'll find in every story. For analyzing poetry and poetic prose, we have specific articles on assonance and iambic pentameter, with explanations and examples of each. Taking other APs? See six tips for acing your AP exams, our five-step AP prep plan, and our guide to finding the best AP practice tests. Wondering if you can retake AP exams? We have the answer! 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:

Article critique Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critique - Article Example states where same-sex marriage is prohibited. Research Objective The authors aimed to examine the impact of pro-gay marriage policies, enacted in 2003 in Massachusetts, on health care use and expenditures among gays and bisexuals. They postulated that if same-sex marriage policies can reduce health problems among gays, bisexuals, and lesbians, then such policies may have implications on the health care use and expenditures of sexual minority men. It was clear that the authors were only interested in examining the effect of pro-gay marriage policies on the health care use and expenditures among gay and bisexual men. Theory/Framework Although the theoretical framework was not explicitly presented, it is apparent that the study was anchored on the notion that same-sex marriage policies could improve the physical and mental health conditions of gays, bisexuals, and lesbians. They postulated that same-sex marriage policies reduce structural forms of discrimination against gays, bisexuals, and lesbians, resulting in the reduction of health care use by such groups of individuals. Methods The authors employed quasi-natural experiment method to examine the impact of the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts on the health care use and expenditures among sexual minority men. This research design lacks random assignment of participants to comparison groups. Similar to a true experiment, a quasi-experiment has a control group and a treatment group, but the members of these groups are not explicitly or randomly chosen by researchers. Rather, these groups naturally arise from an exogenous event. Through random selection, research participants have an equal chance of being assigned to either control group or treatment group. Thus, the resulting groups are statistically identical at baseline, on both observed and unobserved characteristics. Any changes in such characteristics can be attributed to the intervention made. However, this is not the case for quasi-experi ments. Since the control and treatment groups are not randomly selected, the quasi-experiment method faces threats to internal validity. That is, a causal link between the treatment and outcomes may not clearly establish. Independent and Dependent Variables The independent variable is the same-sex marriage policies while the dependent variable is the health care use and costs. The factors measured were sexual orientation, partnership status, and health care use and costs. However, the measures or instruments used were not properly referenced and their reliability was not even mentioned. Study Design The authors employed a quasi-experiment design, which has threats to internal validity because the participants were not randomly selected to be assigned in either control group or treatment group. Hence, the participants’ groups in the study may not statistically comparable at baseline. Consequently, any changes in the observed and unobserved characteristics of the participants m ay not absolutely be attributed to same-sex marriage policies. Quasi-experiments can be utilized in studies where many variables are involved because this research design can control extraneous variables and may infer cause-and-effect relationships. However, if there are differences between the control and t

The Development of Barrier to Entry in B2B Markets. The Case of Dissertation

The Development of Barrier to Entry in B2B Markets. The Case of Russian Underground Construction Industry - Dissertation Example Concerning this, a qualitative research was initiated employing personal interviews among management executives from ten tunnelling / underground construction companies, both local and foreign, within Sochi, St Petersburg and Moscow cities. These cities have been chosen as they are the ones experiencing strong growth in underground construction within Russia at the moment and therefore tend to have considerable number of tunnelling businesses. The researcher generally generated participants on the basis of proximity, ease-of-access, and willingness to participate under the principle of non-probability sampling. Environmental sustainability is found to be the most prominent advantage of underground construction. ... ion, and difficulty in starting the mining process, but critical analysis and detailed planning are important to ward off the probable difficulties associated with underground construction. Production management and introduction of new technologies and investment in latest equipment and machines were found crucial on the part of construction companies to ensure competitive edge over their competitors. Barriers to underground construction industry include the need to outsource high capital, employ advanced technologies and secure government licences. These make it harder for new, particularly small entrants to penetrate into the industry knowing that the large companies have wider chance to explore advertising, and acquire equipment, wages, and research and development. Responding to the changes associated with the existence of these barriers was found as important move among companies in underground construction industry. These changes primarily include sophistication of construction techniques, appropriate use of planning, implementation, evaluation and control. Russian government was found not a remarkable barrier to potential entrants, but the set standards by the government authorities could front probable risk factors prior to successful entry. Due to shortage of skilled workers in the underground construction industry, there is a necessity to outsource human resource, and employ foreign partners, but one substantial move to ensure productivity and competitive edge is to allow manpower to undergo refresher courses and advanced trainings to keep them abreast of the new technologies and processes employed in the industry. Underground construction companies also found that innovation and invention are also important considerations to stay at the level of competitive

Promote Good Practice in Handling Information Essay Example for Free

Promote Good Practice in Handling Information Essay 1. Identify legislation and codes of practice that relate to handling information in health and social care. 2. Summarise the main points of legal requirements and codes of practice for handling information in health and social care. I have found 4 legislations that support handling information in health and social care. 1.Data Protection Act 2.Freedom of Information Act 3.Care Standards 4.Human Rights Act. Article 8 states of the Human rights act states 1. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence. 2. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. This means that an individuals wish to protect his or her privacy must be balanced against the needs of the relevant public authority to obtain or use specified information. Outcome 2:- Be able to implement good practice in handling information. 1.Describe features of manual and electronic information storage systems that help maintain security. *Ensuraing cupboards that contain personal informatio are locked at all times. *Creating passwords on computers and locking them when inactive. *Only giving out minimal information over the telephone unless im absolutely sure that i am speaking to the next of kin or a GP. *Checking other professionals IDs on entering the building. *Ensuring each person signs in and out of the building so i know where they are are in the event of a fire. 2. Demonstrate practices that ensure seciruity when storing and accessing information. *Locking the file cupboard after use with a set of keys that only a senior members of staff and nurses have. This is good practice that ensures security. Also locking the drug trolleys through all rounds. 3. Maintain records that are up to date complete accurate and legible. *On all entries of paperwork weather it be in care plans, daily updates or food and fluid charts, it is vital that they must state a date, time and signature in black ink. All information must be clear, consice be truthful and to the point. Outcome 3 Be able to support others to handle information. *I can do this by reminding my collegues of how impotant it is to lock cupboards immediately after use which store personal records and inforamtion, each person has there own folder with theyre information in. Making sure all stickers off blister packs and medicines are destroyed before disposal is also just as important. 2. Informing new members of staff and demonstrating completion of paperwork such as food and fluid charts for example makes people aware of the importance and security for the residents. I always tell my colleagues to ask if they are unsure and i will do my best to help and if i cannot help i will find some who can help and also learn from it myself.

socrates :: essays research papers

Socrates Paper   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The duty between a citizen and the law and vice versa has been a challenging question that many individuals have been trying to answer for centuries. Throughout history many philosophers, historians, writers etc. have tried and to some extent in their best opinion come up with an answer. Plato, who through Socratic dialogues of the human soul provides a window for understanding the nature of the state, made one such attempt.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In his famous dialogue, the Apology, which is a defense of the charges made on Socrates, he compares himself to a gadfly, â€Å"†¦. as upon a great noble horse which was somewhat sluggish because of its size and needed to be stirred up by a kind of gadfly.† (Apology 30e) In this passage the Athenian state is the lazy horse, which is liable to drift into a deep sleep, but through his influence- irritating as it may be to some- it can be wakened into a state with productive and virtuous action. As the reader can see that the citizen also has to help the State by teaching individuals what is right and wrong. If either the State or the citizens do not do their job then it is the duty of the other to make aware of them and wake them up from this temporary sleep.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the trial of the Socrates where he was found guilty and sentenced to death comes another great work of Plato, the Crito, where Socrates friend Crito has come to the prison cell to persuade him to run away and not drink the poison. In this dialogue Socrates provides two very good analogies on the relationship between the State and the citizens.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first one is that there is a â€Å"social contract† between the citizens and the Law. This contract has been validated since the birth of an individual. Socrates claims that by running away and not facing the verdict of the court Socrates is to breach the contract He further goes on to explain that he has been happy with the Athenian way of life up till now and breaking the contract now would make him an outlaw who would not be welcome in any other civilized state for the rest of his life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of many moral views philosophers hold is to obey your parents as they have given birth to you and raised you. socrates :: essays research papers Socrates Paper   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The duty between a citizen and the law and vice versa has been a challenging question that many individuals have been trying to answer for centuries. Throughout history many philosophers, historians, writers etc. have tried and to some extent in their best opinion come up with an answer. Plato, who through Socratic dialogues of the human soul provides a window for understanding the nature of the state, made one such attempt.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In his famous dialogue, the Apology, which is a defense of the charges made on Socrates, he compares himself to a gadfly, â€Å"†¦. as upon a great noble horse which was somewhat sluggish because of its size and needed to be stirred up by a kind of gadfly.† (Apology 30e) In this passage the Athenian state is the lazy horse, which is liable to drift into a deep sleep, but through his influence- irritating as it may be to some- it can be wakened into a state with productive and virtuous action. As the reader can see that the citizen also has to help the State by teaching individuals what is right and wrong. If either the State or the citizens do not do their job then it is the duty of the other to make aware of them and wake them up from this temporary sleep.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the trial of the Socrates where he was found guilty and sentenced to death comes another great work of Plato, the Crito, where Socrates friend Crito has come to the prison cell to persuade him to run away and not drink the poison. In this dialogue Socrates provides two very good analogies on the relationship between the State and the citizens.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first one is that there is a â€Å"social contract† between the citizens and the Law. This contract has been validated since the birth of an individual. Socrates claims that by running away and not facing the verdict of the court Socrates is to breach the contract He further goes on to explain that he has been happy with the Athenian way of life up till now and breaking the contract now would make him an outlaw who would not be welcome in any other civilized state for the rest of his life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of many moral views philosophers hold is to obey your parents as they have given birth to you and raised you.

Dramatic Monologue Essay

Black, black, black, that is all I can see. My cold, legs froze as I attempted to walk forward through the icy mist of the darkness. The darkness didn’t frighten me, my eyes focused on the beam of light that reflected of the tips of my shoes. To take my mind off the thought of being alone, I closed my eyes, and thought of what I could be here for. I continued to close my eyes but the idea of being alone made it hard to concentrate. The air around me felt lifeless, I clenched my fist, to give me the feeling as if someone else was here with here with me. I could only hear the accelerated speed at which my heart was beating. I have never felt like this since I was in high school, when I tried out for the school cross country team. My legs became stiffer than they were before. I bit my tongue and drew back a breath; relieving myself of the pain I could feel riding up the sides of my legs. The pain then became too much for myself to handle, I bit my tongue harder and harder as the pain got worse. Suddenly the pain was gone and the feeling of relief over whelmed me. I sat on the floor, the beam sat beside me; it seemed the light was my only source of comfort in dark. My memory of home, the place I once was, is hazy but kept me from losing touch with reality. The thoughts of Catherine waiting for me after work and Beatrice preparing dinner on the stove warmed my heart. But not all my memories were like this, they were once filled with fear and disappointment. Back home, in Sicily, I once had dreams of coming to America and living the American dream, which the people of my village used to speak of. But being the oldest it was hard to be positive, and living in house for 3 with a family of 8 didn’t help either. My village was poor because of the war so it made it harder for people to find work. While my father worked during the day, as a fisherman, I and the other children played in fields behind my house. The feelings I experienced playing in the fields were nothing like feelings I felt at home. I laid on my back, head pumping as though I had been trying to study last minute for a test. The gash on my chest, which was oddly shaped like an ear, was stinging under the pressure of my shirt. I tried to remember what I had thought about before the pain kicked in. The dream of me dying felt so real†¦. there was me on the floor surrounded by people I knew †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ I thought harder†¦. there people from around the block, and some I have never seen before†¦.. and the warm voice†¦. the voice of Beatrice stood out from the rest. I thought harder and tried to remember what was going on †¦.. all I could remember was the sound of people screaming my name and a pool of blood, that was spread from the bottom of my stairs to the side of the pavement. I was then clear of what I was here for. I stood up, tore the picture of Katie I had around my neck and tossed it into the light. The light then vanished and it became completely dark. It was her †¦ Katie†¦ she is the reason why I’m here. It was wrong, the feelings I felt for her that is the reason I’m here. I was supposed to look after her not fall in love with her. The jealousy I felt when I saw her with Rodolfo drove me to become this way it was the thought of her being taken away from me really got to me. But I can’t put the blame on him. It was me. All me. I laid back on my back, closed my eyes and laid completely still. If I was to wake and find myself in the pits of hell I wouldn’t be surprised. But if I were to wake up, wrapped in the arms of my love, I would take my own life then and there. So that my family could live on happy and not have to worry about how I could screw up their lives. This is the gift I give to you, my family a life to live without the thought of me.

Developing Appropriate Teaching Strategies Essay

Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) is a tool that teachers use to create active learning experiences in culturally diverse classrooms. Some issues that teachers may encounter are communication problems where some children in the classroom use English as their second language, keep some children engaged in learning, and having difficulties getting some families involved in the children’s education (Goldstein, 2012). These cultural challenges will be addressed using the sociological perspective conflict theory and Piaget’s preoperational stage development to offer more insight on how to manage these challenges. We will then discuss on a teacher can increase the child’s cognitive advancement and academic success. Identifying the challenges Teachers may encounter communication problems with some of the students who do not speak English as their first language. This could cause the child to have low self-esteem because he does not understand the instructions or is unable to read the material. The teacher can partner pupils with other students who speak the language and interpret for the child until the child can grasp the understanding on his own, also having the material or instruction in the child language will ensure the uses the material and learns from it. A child that is not given the material in his language can result in the child quitting school, or become underachiever, or not doing the work therefore not learning. By having the material in the child’s language and utilizing the child culture the child will gain respect for the school and his teachers. He will want to show that he understands the assignment and will become a well balances member of society. Some children may be loose interest in learning because the teacher was  delivering information to the students instead teaching needs to be active and involve not only transmission of knowledge, but also transactional relationship between learning of the student and the teacher (Bojczyk, Shriner, & Shriner, 2012). Disengaged student are distracted, passive, do not try hard, give up easily in face of a challenge, express negative emotions, fail to plan or monitor their work and withdraw. When they are in class their attention wonders. When students engage in the classroom, the teacher’s behavior plays a very important role in the initiation and regulation of engagement (Kana`iaupuni, Ledward, & Jensen, 2010). To understand student engagement, we can look at teachers’ in structural style, classroom management, and interpersonal style with students. Teachers’ instructional style should provide autonomy support not controlling the child and provision of structure not allowing children to be disruptive (New York University Steinhart School, 2008). When teachers focus on students autonomous motives to guide their learning and activity; these instruction acts support students engagement by presenting interesting and relevant learning activities, providing challenges, highlighting meaningful educational goals, and supporting students to choose to endorse classroom behaviors (Goldstein, 2012). Furthermore, when teachers can offer structure by expressing their expectations and focusing on students’ learning activity with easy to understand directions and guidance, these types of instructional acts reinforces students’ engagement by keeping the students interest on the project, developing their behavior and advoiding. Teachers provided structure that creates a positive classroom environment promoting effective teaching and learning by giving directions and providing information National Association for the Education of Young Children, n.d.). The third and final challenge that teachers face in the diverse classroom is parent participation these can result from cultural differences, not knowing how to get involved and job-related issues. The school administrators, teachers and parents can participate in joint planning, goal setting, and definition of roles, needs sensing, and setting school standards with a written policy (Plevyak, 2003). Teachers can encourage parent involvement by sending letters home inviting parents to visit to classroom and have parent- teacher day where they communicate and plan their child’s educational goals. The school administrators can have an  in-service day for training their teachers in communicating with parents that may have difficulty understanding English and the importance of participating with their child’s educational needs. Children that have their parents’ involvement in their education will enhance their child’s intrinsic motivation by offering them cho ices and the opportunity for self-direction by setting their own educational goals (Bojczyk, Shriner, & Shriner, 2012). Social Perspectives in the diverse classroom and inequality The conflict theory stresses that education reinforces inequality in society because our educational system is linked to social class (Theatrical Perspectives on Education, n.d.). The challenges faced by teachers in a culturally diverse classroom is communication issues, keeping children interesting in learning and getting parents involved in their children’s education. The conflict theory suggests that these students will be left behind because they will not be given the same status as a white child. Minorities may have issues with speaking English and communication, their parents do not speak English, and the child can lose interest in learning and develop low-esteem because their teacher’s behavior or lack of cultural awareness. Schools cause the minority students and poor white children to be placed on a lower track than that of middle and upper class white children. Some school place their student on a track which will determine the value of their education, these common tracks are college bound, vocational (job ready) or general. My brothers and I was placed on the general track because my family was considered poor and my mother was Cherokee. I can relate to the social perspective from the conflict theory of inequality. Children that are placed on the general track often have lower self-esteems, lose interest in learning, and their parents often is not involved in their education because they work, or have also been placed on the lower track leaving them a negative view of education. Conflict theory defines a social structure susceptible to to constant change. Here teachers can change the way schools place students on a track some leading to college and other heading for jobs not careers which is really unfair. Teaching strategies that engage all students and resist stereotyping are DAP or Culturally Responsive Classroom Management (CRCM), these approaches use students cultures, social experiences, prior awareness, and learning styles  so that all children are enabled to be successful in their educational goals (Teaching Tolerance, n.d.). The power to change the conflict theory into teacher developing appropriate teaching strategies rest with teachers, administrators, students, and parents or society by adjusting the way we view others. With DAP teachers can engage the students in learning by giving them a challenge in the classroom that will force them to work harder but is not so far advanced that the students will not be able to perform. This could help students that have lost interest in learning. They can also get parents involved in their child’s education by have parent/teacher conferences where the teacher explains to the parent the role and importance in their child’s education. Piaget’s Theory of Preoperational Stage of Cognitive Development Jean Piaget’s was interested in how children think; younger children they think differently from older children and adults (Furth & Wachs, 1975). Piaget theorized that babies’ motor skills control behavior throughout the life. Paget’s theory has four stages of cognitive development are sensorimotor, per-operational stage, concrete operational stage, and formal operational stage. In the pre-operational stage child’s behavior is established with the use of symbols, language uses mature, and memory and imagination are developed, but thinking is done in a purely illogical way. Egocentric thinking dominates this stage. Preschools are often modeled after Piaget’s theory, which stands provide part of the function for constructivist learning (Furth & Wachs, 1975). Exploratory learning and symbolic play support the emerging interest of the child. Parents and teachers should challenge the child’s capacities, considering the child’s age and should not make thing over complicated (Bojczyk, Shriner, & Shriner, 1012). Teachers should use a wide variety of concrete experiences to help the child learn such as working in groups so that the child a get experience seeing from another’s perspective such fieldstrips, play games to force the child to develop her self-regulation skills, and thought processes are being developed. At the end of this stage children start to replace imaginative thoughts with realistic ideas of the world. The challenges that teacher face in the classroom is communication, lack of interest, and parent involvement. Teachers can help students that are  experience issues communication skills with reading aloud and then asking questions about the story as well as playtime, sharing, taking part in their cognitive. Techers can ensure that children remain attentive by giving the child just the right amount of challenges when learn new thing. As far as parents being more involved in their child education teachers and students can discuss their role in the child education ad PTA meetings. Conclusion Preschoolers with developmental delays in cognition and language are in the preoperational stage according to Piaget’s stages of cognitive development. Parents can be involved in the child education by attending school functions such as PTA meetings, parent/teacher conference that will allow the parent to help set their child educational goals, and allowing the parent to overcome their negative view of reduction. Teachers can challenge their students by giving them assignments that cause them to work harder, and not be too difficult that the child fails and gives up. In addition, the challenge of communication that some children may have because English is their second language is by reading aloud and asking each child what the book was about. References Bojczyk, K. E., Shriner, B. M., & Shriner, M. (2012). Supporting Children’s Socialization: A Developmental Approach. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Retrieved from Ashford Edu Furth, H. G. & Wachs, H. (1975). Thinking Goes to School: Piaget’s Theory in Practice. Cary, NC: Oxford University Press, Inc. Retrieved from ebrary http://site.ebrary.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/lib/ashford/reader.action?docID=10103507 Goldstein, L. (2008). â€Å"Teaching the Standards in Developmentally Appropriate Practice; Strategies for Incorporating the Sociopolitical Dimension of DAP in Early Childhood Teaching.† Early Childhood Education Journal 36(3), 253-260. Doi: 10.1007/s10643-008-0268-x Retrieved from EBSCOhost http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=8713255e-4978-4509-a75c-c3e4affbd6a1%40sessionmgr114&vid=2&hid=103 Goldstein, D. (2012). An Interview with Lisa Delpit on Educating ‘Other Peoples Children.’ The Na tion. Retrieved from

Who Caused the Korean Conflict essays

Who Caused the Korean Conflict essays Following the end of World War II, Korea was divided into North and South Korea with the border at the 38th parallel. Not only were the two sectors split geographically, but the governments regimes were diametrically different as well. It was a conflict between the communist regime in the North and the nationalist leadership in the South that would ultimately lead to the Korean War. In Paul Lashmars article published in New Statesman and Society, he wrote, Japanese occupation of Korea ended with its defeat in the Second World War. The victorious Russians and Americans divided Korea at the 38th parallel. In 1948, both super powers withdrew. In the South, the Americans had installed Syngman Rhee, a long-standing, aggressive national leader. For the North, Stalin chose Kim II Sung, a former captain in the Soviet Red Army, to lead the communist regime (Lashmar, p. 24). It must be kept in mind, however, that it was not just internal conflict which led to the war. It was, in fact, the culmination of several different foreign leaders' actions. In this paper I will discuss the causes of the Korean War, including a discussion of some of the background regarding the foreign influences and the main players in the conflict. North Korean leader Kim II Sung became the driving force behind the Korean War, along with Soviet and Chinese leaders. Some historians believe it was actually Stalin, the leader of Russia at the time, who was the mastermind behind plotting the war. As Lashmar wrote, traditionalists believed the war was Stalins prelude to world domination, and the North Koreas leader, Kim II Sung, was Stalins puppet, ordered to start the war to confront the west (Lashmar, p. 24). On the other hand, as is always the case in American history, there are those that hold the opposing point of view. These scholars believe that the war was started from inside Korea by the respec...

Writing About History Is Writing Toward Truth

Writing About History Is Writing Toward Truth Writing About History Is Writing Toward Truth Writing About History Is Writing Toward Truth By Mark Nichol The latest chapter in the depressing saga of Sarah Palin’s losing battle with chronic foot-in-mouth disease illustrates a point writers and editors should take careful notes about, because it’s going to be on the test. It has to do with history and repeating, but not with history repeating itself. It has to do with repeating accounts of historical events. Palin was in the news again last week because she recently made some confused statements about Paul Revere’s legendary ride, implying that one purpose of the mission was to warn the British military occupation that colonial militiamen were prepared to oppose their advance through Massachusetts to arrest rebel ringleaders and confiscate munitions. So, where’s the writing tip amid the historical histrionics? First, I readily concede that Palin is not an entirely reliable source of American history. But, in her defense, she actually got it partly right, and her detractors are also mistaken in some respects. Here’s the background: The legend of Paul Revere we all know from history class and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is just that a legend. His ride is historical, but the details, as they’ve been handed down to us, are a bit muddled: Paul Revere was not a lone hero galloping off in the moonlight to rouse unprepared farmers and villagers to repel a surprise British advance. He was just a minor part of a long-prepared, well-organized network of planners, couriers, and militiamen who had rehearsed for the eventuality of the military maneuver, which they knew was inevitable. It was Longfellow’s poem that elevated a fairly trivial historical figure into an icon of the American Revolution. The most egregious issue in the latest Palin controversy is that one of her supporters attempted to revise Wikipedia’s Paul Revere page to deflect criticism of her. The intent was to support her by introducing a comment suggesting that it would have been odd for Revere to cry out, â€Å"The British are coming!† when those who responded to his call identified themselves by that term of nationality. A Wikipedia monitor rejected the change, but the truth is that it’s a valid point: Revere’s warning likely referred to â€Å"the regulars,† not â€Å"the British,† to announce the impending arrival of regular British army units. The British colonists in America were just that: British subjects. Many of them were disgruntled British subjects, but on the eve of the battles of Lexington and Concord, in April 1775, most of them remained loyal to the British crown and wanted not independence, but redress of grievances. Furthermore, British army scouts captured Revere before he accomplished his entire mission. It is at this point that he reportedly informed his captors of the stout defense they could expect if the army unit marched inland; one purpose of this challenge was evidently to try to divert them from the vicinity of the farmhouse where rebel leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock were in hiding. If this is true, then Sarah Palin’s comments are essentially accurate. On this point this post hinges: History is a work constantly in revision. Unfortunately, it is a target also of revisionism, and it is difficult to wade through legend and lore and romanticized heritage to reach the truth. And truth is asymptotic; you will never arrive at it. Walk halfway to a destination. Walk halfway again. And again. Repeat into infinity. You’ll never technically arrive, but you’ll get closer and it is incumbent on writers, when discussing history (or current events), to step ever forward toward the destination of truth. Resist complacent reliance on schoolbook history. Reject the partisan playbook. Read multiple sources of history and information originating from all along the ideological spectrum. Judge what you read and what you write by the standards of objectivity. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:70 "Home" Idioms and ExpressionsSocial vs. Societal35 Synonyms for Rain and Snow

The Potential Contributions of Human Resource Case Study

The Potential Contributions of Human Resource - Case Study Example British Airways also supports other additional jobs through its supply chain, and all this generates annual revenues of approximately 7.8 billion (Whitelegg 2000, BA 2005). British Airways contributes to economic growth in the UK as it is part of a transport infrastructure on which many other parts of the economy depends on. For example, better transport links between cities have expanded markets, allowing for economies of scale, increased specialisation in areas of competitive advantage and stiffer competitive pressures on companies (OEF 1999, Whitelegg 2000). This also means that British Airways supports foreign direct investment into the United Kingdom and this introduces new technology into the country, as well as improves networking to bring on more innovation (OEF 1999). As with any other industry, the key challenge facing British Airways is future growth and development, especially in light of low-cost airlines and climate change. Despite the impressive record of consistently delivering improvements in energy efficiency, British Airways is once again faced with a multitude of environmental and other factors, which could potentially erode its human resource based, which it has created. In order to understand the potential contributions British Airways makes to the human resource function, it is important to conduct environmental and internal analyses. II. PESTLE Analysis II. i. Political This airline industry is heavily subsidized, however the high cost of labour in the UK has made British Airways look at more cost effective ways of creating jobs, such as automated ticket machines and check-in machines. At the same time the construction of Heathrow Terminal 5 exists to meet the rising demand, which puts pressure on the government in terms of planning, and allocating more runway space in other areas of the country. The conflict in the Middle East has also meant increased fees for flying with British Airways to cover the cost of fuel price increases, which could cost the organization dearly. II. ii. Economic The crisis in the Middle East has resulted in reduced passenger numbers for some routes, and whilst it may not affect all of British Airways routes, a reduction in passenger numbers means significant losses in terms of profit. If passenger growth falls at 3.5% per year instead of the predicted 4%, the UK's GDP would be reduced by 2.5% by 2015 or the equivalent of 30 billion (OEF 1999, BA 2005). In 1997 UK travelers abroad spent 13.4 billion and foreign travelers to the UK spent 9.9 billion (OEF 1999), therefore the importance of the economy cannot be downplayed. II. iii. Social There has been an increase in recreational flyers, or the use of private airplanes, since September, 11th and this has affect passenger numbers slightly (BA 2005). This is also due to the rise of disposable income and specialization of leisure pursuits at small air fields and air

Murder of Westerman as a Catalyst of the American Civil War Cruelty Coursework

Murder of Westerman as a Catalyst of the American Civil War Cruelty - Coursework Example The alliance of Southern slave states was named as the Confederate States of America, and this alliance was a result of secession of slave states from the Northern American States. There are many books that have narrated the brutal and significant events of Civil War; however, Tony Horwitz’s book Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War is a considerably appropriate and successful book in which Horwitz has narrated the events in contemporary and personal context. In describing the Civil War Horwitz wrote that, â€Å"Historians are fond of saying that the Civil War occurred in 10,00 places. Poke a pin in a map of the South and you're likely to prod lose some battle or skirmish or another tuft of Civil War history† (Horwitz 18). The storytelling acquired by the author illuminates the criticality and impact of the Civil War in contemporary American Society (3-27).In the Civil War, the murder of Michael Westerman who was a supporter of confederate s is considered as one of the most significant events which had intensified the Civil War. This paper will discuss the event of the assassination of Westerman, and it will also explicate the happenings in response to this murder. It is also aimed to describe the social and emotional reasons for the murder of Westerman along with reasons which intensified the war after the murder of Westerman in the light of Horwitz narration in his book Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War.Michael Westerman was during a journey with his wife Hannah just after she gave birth to twin children. Westerman was driving a red pickup truck on which a confederation flag was mounted. He was in Todd County which is a county located in Kentucky. Kentucky was not declaredly a part of Confederation States of America; however, there were many significant similarities present in the conduct of Kentucky with the ideals of Confederation States. Westerman stopped at a gas station for ref illing the fuel in his vehicle. At the gas station, there was a group of black teenager who noticed the Westerman’s vehicle with a confederation flag mounted on it which the group of black American teenagers considered as an offense (89-91). The Confederation flag was considered offensive because of the ideology of racial inequality that the Confederation States followed. Westerman was followed by the group of black teenagers who harassed him on the road several times. Westerman increased the speed of his vehicle to escape the encounter with the group of teenagers. Westerman did not know that he was being chased by another car driven by black teenagers. As soon as the car came near to Westerman's car, a teenager shot a bullet on his car. The gunshot targeted Westerman, and he was murdered in the middle of the road in Kentucky (90-93). Horwitz metaphorically displays the intensity and brutality of civil war along with his interest in it by stating, â€Å"The War’s actu al landscape was lush with color and beauty† (15).