Will American Hegemony Produce a Better World for Everybody?

Hegemony is defined as leadership, predominance, especially of one society over another. Encarta dictionary defines it as Control or dominating influence by one person or group especially over society or one nation over others. Referring to America, Stanly D. Brunn pointed out â€Å"the world’s single remaining superpower is the accountable hegemon† (p. 36). Every one would agree that the United States maintains its status as the only remaining superpower in the world though perhaps economically Japan and the rest of the G7 member countries are at par with the US.However many would disagree if one would say, ‘the U. S. remains the world’s police,’ and much more if one would add â€Å"a good policeman indeed. † Thus the question ‘Well American Hegemony Produce a better World for Everybody poses an important analysis of the role of the United States in the global community. But in the realist perspective, they see that the American attitud es towards international order is unstable not because of any special malign characteristic but because of the inherent insecurity that unequal power confers on weaker states.Michael Cox, Timothy Dunne, and Ken Booth pointed out their argument, â€Å"In anarchic orders, weaker states are threatened by extreme concentrations of power and will seek protection in counter-hegemonic groupings† (p. 193). But this has been debated issue as some contends that the American unipolarity is a highly durable political order. Cox, Dunne, and Booth argued that the American order is built on power.They point out â€Å"the extended system of American-led security protection in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, is an essential element of this order and it can only be sustained by dominant military capabilities, which in turn depends on continuing American economic and technological strength† (p. 193). Realism like any other ism such as naturalism and liberalism is a philosophical posit ion, therefore cannot be subjected to the test of falsifibility or cannot be proved or disproved. Benjamin Frankel point out that realism viewed peace as the result of power equilibrium than a cessation of conflicting ambition (p.6). They regard society as basically conflictive and the struggle for power among rival groups is a fundamental condition of human existence (Frankel, p. 6) Frankel cited that there is a differing position within realism. He noted that realist believed that human beings were driven by lust for power, while the rest including him, regarded power as essentially instrumental to and necessary for the achievement of other goals such as security and even liberal ideals (Frankel, p. 6). The American Hegemony American hegemony has been interpreted in some ways.Demetrios Caraley quoting the words of The Economist stated, â€Å"The united states bestrides the globe like a colossus. It dominates business, commerce, and communications; its economy is the world’ s most successful, its military might second to none† (p. 105). Caraley also cited French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine arguing that the United States had gone beyond its superpower status of the twentieth. He said â€Å"U. S. supremacy today extends to the economy, currency, military areas, lifestyle, language and the products of mass culture that inundate the world, forming thought and fascinating even the enemies of the United States† (Frankel, p.105). The American hegemony was also seen in the context of globalization. Caraley noted the statements of two American triumphalists stating, â€Å"Today’s international system is built not around a balance of power but around American hegemony† (p. 105). Globalization is seen simply a disguise for American imperialism. American hegemony has been described as â€Å"hyper power† and is not comparable, in terms of power and influence, to any thing known in modern history. G. John Ikenberry point out tha t hegemony is not just material power capabilities, and hegemonic order cannot be assured simply by a preponderance of such capabilities.He emphasized that a â€Å"leader needs followers and acquiescence of these followers is only achieved if the leader is seen as legitimate† (Ikenberry, p. 18) Quoting Michael Mastanduno, Ikenberry pointed out â€Å"Mastanduno argues that the United States has succeeded in establishing at least a partial hegemonic in East Asia† (Ikenberry, p. 18). The Realist view of Hegemony Realist held that only economically and militarily powerful nation-states qualifies as a hegemon since the use of power or economic sanctions against non-cooperating parties, is regarded as part of the game.Garrit Stratmann points out that this view hold that â€Å"a hegemon has to exercise hegemony over subordinated countries within its sphere of influence† (p. 37). In other words, though hegemony still reflects the preeminent position of a hegemonic actor , but does not necessarily imply dominance rather it is referred to as leadership. Thus, according to Stratmann in the realist view of hegemony, the focus is on the hegemon’s role â€Å"in mitigating collective action problems through the provisions of leadership over other donors and the creation of positive incentives to cooperate, e.g. by assuming a larger share of the costs to set up and maintain a cooperative infrastructure† (37). The realist argues that hegemony of one state provides a benefit for all by providing collective goods to all. Realist maintains that domination is always associated with coercion, state power, and indeed force, and hegemony remains consistently identified with equilibrium, persuasion, consolidation, and consent. Stuart Croft and Phil Williams cited Antonio Gramsci’s definition of hegemony whichâ€Å"stresses the explanatory importance of ideas – that this voluntary submission by one party to another is predicated on the b elief, right or wrong, that all parties will benefit from the interaction between the weak and the strong, even though it is important to emphasize that they might not recognize this act as submissive, nor may they recognize that the outcome might indeed be a hegemonic relationship† (68). Will the American Hegemony Produce a Better World in Realist Perspective? There are many factors that lead to a yes answer to the question above.It has been partly discussed above that the United State’s hegemony has been qualified, as the U. S. has succeeded in establishing partial hegemonic in East Asia. Further more, based on the definition and explanation of what hegemony is and the role of the hegemony in the international community of nation, it appears that indeed the American hegemony meets the requirement to produce a better world for everybody. The biggest threat to humanity to be able live a better life in a better world was the threat of communism prior to the collapsed of the Soviet Union.But with fall of Communism, it is now the evil of terrorism that brought real danger and fear worldwide. The political and social condition of life is no longer threatened by oppression but by the evil of terrorism, which only America can control. Michael Byers and Georg Nolte Noted that the concept of a â€Å"community by superpower is very popular in US international relations theory† (64) which promotes relations rather than dominion. In the realist view, state values of traditional international law prevail over community values such as human rights or sustainable development.Chrystalla A. Ellina noted that the â€Å"realist view of states as autonomous entities defined by geographical boundaries and distinctly separating domestic and foreign policy is incongruent with supra national policy† Realist argues that order is a result of the concentration of material power capabilities in a single state, which uses its commanding position to create and m aintain order. In a sense, realist’s view of hegemony is somewhat apprehensive as they tend to be suspicious of the real intention of the hegemonic nation. Paul J.D’Anieri asserts that Realist contends, â€Å"Great powers pursue hegemony in order to create a world order to favorable to themselves, and often exploitative to others† (p. 218) Jonathan Joseph point out that in the realist View, hegemony can only operate under conditions of social and material causality. Joseph cited â€Å"It is necessary to examine the social whole and its different structures and mechanisms, each of which has its own dynamics† (p. 126). However they admit that only militarily and economically strong nation is capable of being a hegemon.Since the only remaining superpower militarily and economically is the United States, it follows that American hegemony is legitimate and is capable to produce a better world for every body to live. The American use of power in the war against Iraq and against the Taliban forces maybe viewed as an attempt of global domination, but it is quite clear that threat of terrorism has been the main object the war. The world will never be safe with the terrorist around. The war on terror, which the US initiated, has put the world in a better and safer condition.Further more the benefit of globalization, democracy, and continues advancement of technology being carried out by the United States continues to make life easier. What the realist wanted to see actually in the American hegemony is that it should be able to provide benefit for weaker nations by providing collective goods to all. The US assistance in rebuilding European economies during the cold war era and its commitment for peace in the Middle East proves that the United States is working towards improving the world’s political and social condition.On the other hand, the problem that could be pointed out in the American hegemony is the concepts of democracy, which is associated with liberalization. It has been viewed that the American export of democracy and economic liberalization is imperialism, Americanizing its subject nations. Nevertheless, American democracies placed more values to human lives and give more protection and respect both for life and the basic rights of the individual.Realist maybe right that the American unipolar status may not last long but it may not be based on the dominant view that it is unstable and cannot but in time produce competition for the mantle of hegemon. John A. Agnew, Stuart Cordbridge admits that â€Å"there are a number of candidates for international ‘primacy’ available to replace the United States as Number One unless it acts decisively to prevent this† (130). Realist is not at all against hegemony or the American hegemony but just believe that society is basically conflictive.It means that they also recognize American hegemony as no one can dispute that the US is the only remainin g superpower. The realist assertion that hegemony means equilibrium or the balance of power does not certainly mean equal benefit or equal strength. They perhaps simply mean equal opportunity or equal protection, which is guaranteed in the American democracy. Andreas Hasenclever, Peter Mayer, and Volker Rittberger stated, â€Å"Realist theories of regimes emphasize relative power capabilities as a central explanatory variable and stress states sensitivity to distributional aspects of cooperation and regimes† (84).Hasenclever , Mayer, and Rittberger emphasized the realist teaches that the states are the most important actors on the world scene which act out of self -interest in an anarchical environment, without needing to renounce the liberal insights that state are able to realize common interests through cooperation and use international institutions to this ends† (83) Regardless of this statement, T. V. Paul James J. Wirtz, and Michael Fortmann pointed out that †Å"all realism agree on several fundamental assumptions about the nature of international politics† (104) It means that realist recognized some action by the state as a legitimate.Paul, Wirtz, and Fortmann noted that realist also believes that international politics are state centric, because politics are about relations between organized social groups and states are the primary organized groups in the modern world. Therefore the move to rid the world of international terrorist maybe state centric as it is triggered by the 7/11 terrorist attacked but it can also be in the realm of international politics as it was later joined by many other countries in an effort to subdue the international terrorist. Furthermore, based on the realist doctrines above, the U. S.led crusade against systematic mass extinction of people under a tyrannical rule that led to war against Taliban in Afghanistan and Saddam Hussein can still be viewed as part of the international politics, which aim to pro duce a better world for everybody to live. With all the effort of the United States to bring economic rehabilitation in Europe under the Truman Doctrine, the effort to bring peace in the Middle East by trying to mediate in Palestinian conflict, and the US effort to rid the world of the threat of terrorism; I can definitely say the American hegemony was able to produce a better world for everybody.Though the realist view seems to run counter on the concept of hegemony yet there are some areas that realist agrees to the hegemonic ideas. It is in this agreement therefore that the discussion in this paper was based. Realism maybe extreme in their doctrine about hegemony, power, and the community but they provided a political mirror by which the hegemonic states can be judge whether their actions are still within incongruent with hegemony. Work Cited Agnew, John and Corbridge. Mastering Space: Hegemony, Territory and International Political Economy.London: Routledge, 1995. Brunn, Stanley D. 11 September and Its Aftermath: The Geopolitics of Terror. London: Routledge, 2004 Byers, Michael and Nolte, Georg. United States Hegemony and the Foundations of International Law. UK: Cambridge University Press, 2003. Caraley, Demetrios. American Hegemony: Preventive War, Iraq, and Imposing Democracy. New York: Academy of Political Science, 2004. Cox, Michael, et. al. Empires, Systems and States: Great Transformations in International Politics.UK: Cambridge University Press, 2001. Croft, Stuart and Williams, Phil. European Security Without the Soviet Union. Great Britain: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd. , 1992. D’Anieri, Paul J. Economic Interdependence in Ukrainian – Russian Relations. New York: State University of New York Press, 1999. Ellina, Chystalla. Promoting Women’s Rights:The Politics of Gender in the European Union. London: Routledge, 2003 Frankel, Benjamin. Realism: Restatement and Renewal. Great Britain: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd. , 1996. Hasenclever, Andres, et.al. Theoris of International Regimes. UK: Cambridge University Press, 1997. Ikenberry, John. American Unrivaled: The Future of the Balance of Power. USA: Cornell University Press, 2002. Joseph, Jonathan. Hegemony a Realist Analysis. London: Routledge, 2003. Paul, T. V. , et. al. Balance of Power: Theory and Practice in the 21st Century. California, USA: Stanford University Press, 2004. Stratmann, Gerrit. Donor Coordination of Economic Assistance to Eastern Europe. London: Transaction Publishers, 2000.

Wal-Mart Negotiation Analysis

Although it was several years ago now, in 1988 a 24-year old man was injured at his local Wal-Mart store after tripping over several rocking chairs. The man claims that as he turned the corner of an aisle he tripped over three 1. 5 foot-high children’s rocking chairs, which caused several injuries, some of which were lacerated forehead, several strains and sprains, a jaw injury and even blackout spells (Laska, 2000). This example of a negotiation lawsuit would classify as a distributive negotiation because of several different reasons. First, the only item of value being discussed is settlement money, and in order for the negotiation to be considered an integrative negotiation, the opposing parties typically have additional items of value to discuss for trade. Also, there is no personal relationship between the opposing sides of the negotiation, which in this particular case are the Wal-Mart Corporation and the injured man. Finally, a distributive negotiation is considered to be a win-lose scenario and clearly, either the man or the Wal-Mart Corporation would win the negotiation. Originally, the injured man sued the company for $100,033. 57, and although the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled in his favor, the amount was lowered. The jury determined that although his injuries were worth compensation, $73,525. 18 was considered a more appropriate sum. In addition, the plaintiff’s wife was awarded $10,000 for loss of consortium. Even though some people may feel as though an injury due to tripping over a child’s toy is a case that does not hold much water, fortunately for the injured man his case was fairly cut and dry. The store could have prevented the injury if the rocking chairs were properly displayed. Therefore the store was responsible and held liable. This type of negotiation is intended for the benefit of one party and is typically settled out of court because companies try to avoid court appearance when possible. Integrative Article: NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement Although the National Basketball Association will be facing changes to their Collective Bargaining Agreement within the next year, the most recent negotiation, which is held between players and teams, was held in 2005. This negotiation is intended to discuss important terms in the players’ contracts, which include salary amounts, length of contracts, rookie salary terms, and salary caps. On the other end of the negotiation, the teams are interested in discussing factors such as trade rules, the escrow level, and the allowed tax on the teams (Morton, 2010). This article demonstrates an integrative negotiation because it is more of a win-win scenario for the opposing parties, which as previously mentioned, include the players and the teams. Since both parties have much to gain from the agreement, they are willing to put more on the table. Also part of an integrative negotiation, both parties have not only their best interest in mind, but also the interest of the opposing side, primarily because of the relationship established between the two. The players and teams are interested in the well being of each other because both are affected by each other. This demonstrates why distributive negotiations are different from integrative, because there is no relationship between the two parties. Although integrative negotiations are often successful, most negotiations are distributive because most opposing parties are not interested in the other. This type of negotiation technique is intended for a established pair of negotiators. Examples in the Workplace Considering that I work in a childcare center, negotiation strategies are not commonly used. However, a childcare director would have a few different scenarios in which negotiation techniques could be beneficial. Although in society today, distributive negotiations are much more common, integrative negotiations are used more often in childcare, in fact, they are used more often in most workplaces. One example of how integrative negotiations are used is through a request for a pay raise. Just like the article examining the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, I have used integrative negotiation techniques in the past when I asked for an hourly pay raise. Instead of demanding a raise, which would be more like a distributive negotiation, I discussed how both the center that I work for and myself would benefit from a raise. I explained what I had to offer the company in exchange for the raise, while the benefit to myself is obviously of monetary value. It is similar to the saying, you will catch more bees with honey than vinegar, I will have more success in getting what I am asking for by being professional and polite than by having high expectations and demanding to get what I ask for. Although both types of negotiation techniques can be successful in the appropriate setting, integrative negotiations are more practical for my line of work.

Case Study of Management of Globalization at Ryanair

Case Study of Management of Globalization at Ryanair With increasing globalisation, numbers of companies are entering different foreign markets but some of them only attain success. This is because of their lack of knowledge about free markets advantages and limitations and role of enterprise within organisations (Brooke 1996). Firms that operate by assessing the impact of globalisation are much able to operate successfully rather than the firms that operate without analysing the impact of globalisation (Vittorio 2006). In this report all these aspects will be discussed with the help of a company, Ryan Air that is one of the oldest and most flourishing low-cost airlines of Europe (About Us 2011). This report will be completed by analyzing all previous researches or studies done in this field and its implications in real life. Different researchers and theorist have analysed free markets, globalisation and role of enterprise within organizations. With their analyses they have also given different theories and approaches that can be use d in a workplace to maximise its opportunities. All these theories and approaches will be used to analyse that what extent free market conditions have allowed Ryan Air to grow and prosper (Iyer & Masters 2000). As well it will also describe, at what extent the company had benefitted from free market conditions and to what extent it was constrained by limitations on this market. In addition to this, here it will also be analysed that how company and other markets are driven by enterprise led organisations. In the end, it will also be analysed that what extent the air travel market relies on globalisation and what is the importance of global expansion for Ryan Air. As well, in this report the importance of global markets in other industries will also be evaluated along with the analysis of importance of globalisation. Critical Evaluation of Ryan Air’s Entry Ryan Air was established in the year 1985 and it entered low cost European air travel market as a low cost airline. The co mpany attained huge success in Europe and it was all because of free market conditions (About Us 2011). The company success due to free market conditions can be understood effectively by critically evaluating it along with the discussion of its benefits and limitations. Significance of Free Market Conditions to Ryanair: Free market conditions refer to an economy or market in which buying and selling of products and services is done without any restriction related to price and valuation. European air travel market is also highly affected with free market conditions that in turn have also affected Ryan Air (Brooke 1996). The company is highly affected by free market conditions and it is an important reason of its growth and success. Due to the effect of free market conditions, the company along with its competitors has become able in allowing market forces to determine the price and values of air travel offered by them (Vittorio 2006). The free market concept was initially conceptuali zed throughout the First World War but in present it has become a reason of number of economies success. With the free market conditions of Europe, Ryan Air has derived various benefits like flexibility, freedom, and variety that in turn assist it in growing its business operations in Europe and in other foreign countries (Suneja 2000). With the free market conditions like deregulation and free market entry, Ryanair has been able to exploit the Irish and subsequently the European transport market (Brophy & George 2003).

CRM Model Assessment & Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

CRM Model Assessment & Design - Essay Example This was seen as a key driver to increase their business coverage. They also managed to be in partnership with Econocaribe Consolidators, Inc. and AmeriJet International, Inc. which is one of the largest freight forwarding carriers and they are based in the US in the United States while the latter is a leading cargo shipment company. Caribbean Cargo DC, LLC goals include providing services that are reliable, efficient and an exceptional customer service. With these services they hope to be recognized by the customer as the better option when it comes to freight forwarding. The marketing strategy in place is not specific as they do not have an ample program that can act as the dependable CRM strategy. According to Peppers and Rogers (2004) the IDIC methodology consists of 2 broad categories; analysis and action. Analysis includes the company’s initiative to identify and differentiate their customers while action involves interaction and customization. IDIC is a methodology that involves several aspects that ensure company prospers efficiently. These include: identification, differentiate, interact and customization. ... Later on the fill out forms and make deposit payments. This type of customer relationship leaves out the biggest aspect of maintaining a customer because they cannot distinguish whether the customer will be just a first time customers or return customers. In addition to that, it lacks proper channels to create personal relationships and interaction and finally customization of products so as to perfectly fit an individual customer needs. Most businesses that have not yet implemented the IDIC model still reap few benefits from the traditional CRM model. These include the ability to communicate with their customers, either first time customers or return customers and they can be able to negotiate on the charges involved as well as offer their customers discounts. With that, return customers may be offered discounts since the company may consider them as loyal customers. This may also act as a perfect channel where the loyal customers may promote the business to other clients who may al so be interested in the services offered, thus this may just be another method that is not reliable for a business to depend on. Some of the impacts of the company’s goals and marketing strategies include the fact that they have maintained the shipping business in the Caribbean with respect to their goals of providing services that are reliable, efficient and an exceptional customer service. The diagram (SWOT) below shows the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities that face Caribbean Cargo DC, LLC. Redesign the Customer Service Policies and Strategies With reference to the IDIC methodology, identification is a key step in IDIC. The current situation that they are

Extra Credit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Extra Credit - Essay Example From roughly 9,000 B.C. to approximately 6,000 B.C. livestock was a popular medium of exchange. However, as agriculture developed later on, people used their crops to acquire goods they desired (â€Å"Thinkquest†). For example, I could ask another farmer to trade a pound of potatoes for a pound of sugar. These exchanges, which started at the beginning of humankind, are still used today. Not too long ago, I came across the story of Kyle MacDonald. On his blog, oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com, Kyle posted a picture of a small, red paperclip. There was nothing special about this paperclip; just a regular old run-of-the-mill paperclip. The post stated that he would travel anywhere to meet the person who wished to trade him some item for his paperclip. After a while, a woman contacted Kyle regarding a wooden fish pen that she wished to trade him for his red paperclip. Obviously, she could have picked up a red paperclip at any office supply store or big-box retailer, but Kyle had added value to this particular paperclip. By â€Å"added value,† I mean he drew attention to the paperclip making it seemingly more than just a regular paperclip. If this woman were to trade him, she would, at the very least, be mentioned on his blog. Thus, she wanted to participate in the trade, exchanging her wooden fish pen, which in my opinion was far cooler than the red paperclip. Kyle stated his goal in the very first post, with the red paperclip. He was to up-trade, from that single, red paperclip, to a home. So, with wooden fish pen in hand, Kyle posted photos of the woman who he had traded with, along with photos of the pen on his blog. Again, he stated that he would travel anywhere to trade someone another item for his pen. He was contacted not too long after posting the fish pen, by a woman named Annie Robbins in Seattle, WA, who wanted to trade a handmade doorknob for the fish pen. This was not just any doorknob. It was handmade, and looked like an old, bald man;

A Business Plan to Open a Portuguese Restaurant in London Essay

A Business Plan to Open a Portuguese Restaurant in London - Essay Example The management plan is discussed majorly for the employee’s costs and benefits. The financial plan shows the financial plan, profit and loss statements, balance sheet, Industry ratios, and addresses every possible risk and how to manage the risks along with several recommendations. The Portuguese restaurant will be a multicultural restaurant that will get to serve customers desiring Portuguese and American food. The restaurant seeks to meet every need of the diverse and growing ethnicity of the London city and targets to be the first to offer the authentic Portuguese foods. Food from the restaurant will get prepared primarily from food products that are fresh. The restaurant will have to create a Portuguese atmosphere. International music and culture will get incorporated into the restaurant using the paintings, murals and Portuguese music. The restaurant will get started in six months’ time, and the location of the restaurant will be in the north central of London city. The size of the restaurant will be 1200 square feet and will comprise of cooking area with freezer and refrigerator, counter eating area, restroom, dining area and waiting area for the takeout food. The owner’s, John Smith, prior experiences in the management of the restaurant resulted in his desire to want to manage and own a restaurant. Currently, John works at J &A Catering and Entertainment Corporation. Therefore, John Smith is the one that will operate the Travellers restaurant, and this is due to his goal of owning and operating a restaurant that he can utilize his proven experience and professional skills. His skills and experience in the restaurant business go back as far as 2007. From 2007- 2010, he worked as a cook for the Burger King Restaurant. From 2010- 2012 he operated as cook in Popeye’s Fort Wayne. At J&A Catering and Entertainment, he was responsible for managing the bar and getting to plan special events. His ability include working long hours,

Hotel Industry Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 12000 words

Hotel Industry - Dissertation Example Presently, there have been a number of sectors emerging to share the commercial space. With time these sectors have taken up the shape of industries which are immensely successful and contributing to the economy of the country. The specialization of the industries has made way for affluent economies of the world. This is also testimony to the flourishing financial condition of the people who are an indispensable part of the successful outcome. This further goes to explain the series of changes which have been taking place over the decade. Since the past decade there has been a lot of activities and movement of people from one place to another, there have been more and more people traveling to different destinations of the world. The tourism industry has been one of the many industries which have active and growing with time. There has been a considerable change in the hospitality industry which is a very related to the tourism industry. It would be appropriate to say that, the hospit ality industry has come to prominence in the past decade and has been one of the most important industries contributing to the financial affluence of the country. The success and the growing influence of the hospitality and its close relation to the hotel industry have been a matter of great interest to a number of researchers for a long time and there have been a number of researchers related to this. Two of the important factors in both of these industries is the satisfaction of the customers and the brand loyalty.

MGR #7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MGR #7 - Essay Example It is evident that grace contributes to transforming us from our presumed commitment to God to a condition of delight as emphasized by Joanne. Additionally, the idea that grace is at the disposal of man to utilize in establishing a relationship with God was quite liberal. The author stresses on the use of human abilities in altering their ways. According to how the author presented her thoughts, it is noted that her book reflects her aspirations for others to reform their insights into Gods grace. She aspires that people use their abilities to change their ways God. Grace is a property of the Supreme Being demonstrated in the salvation of sinners. The Christian expectations often hold that there is an action in the relationship that exists between God and people in a way that must be seen through supernatural understandings. As much as grace is available for optional use by whoever wishes, the framework jeopardizes the salvation process as it makes Christians continuously lag behind in their spiritual

Migration in America Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Migration in America - Research Paper Example Native American Migrations Although we started the topic with that of immigrant population, when considering the influential ethnic groups in the country it is only right to start with the natives of the country itself, the American Indians. In the early nineteenth century the native tribes of America were mostly concentrated in the agriculturally rich lands down south, west of the Mississippi river. As the United States starting growing in population and economic status, many of the white European settlers started moving towards the south in search of land and abundance. The native settlers proved an obstacle to the white dominion of the land and subsequently between the years 1814 to the 1824, the native settlers were driven out of their homes. As a result of various treaties that were signed between the United States Government and the natives, they had to forfeit their ownership of their native lands, by virtue of the â€Å"right of occupancy† policy adopted by the then Un ited States Government and, settle for lands further west. Some left willingly as a means of buying peace while other tribes fought for their freedom and stayed back in their lands. Subsequently after many wars the Indians spread their tribes in faraway lands and forced to sell themselves to slavery. Today the Native American tribes live in government-sponsored reservations governed by their respective tribal heads and have undergone some urbanization. This migration is however not one effected by want for better economic conditions but is a forced migration. Therefore from a relative viewpoint, it has not effected much economic growth since the Native Americans still continue to be a minority population in the country. African American Migrations The history of slavery in America started in the year 1808 and brought many of African ethnicity from different regions across the Atlantic as slaves to places like Oklahoma and the agrarian states down south of the Mississippi. Some other s who escaped slavery moved to other parts along the coast. The slaves formed small communities and made their homes near their wealthy white masters, as they did not have any other means of survival. After the civil war and the abolition of slavery however the African American community started growing roots down south. Racial tension and discrimination in a white dominated society gave vent to the Great Migration between the years 1810 to 1830. The oppressed slaves fled from their homes in search of freedom as well as livelihood in other parts in the Midwest like Chicago, North East like New York and New Jersey and far West like Los Angeles and San Francisco. Subsequent migrations in 1840 saw the African American population spreading themselves to other parts of the country. However most of the African American population still longed for their homes down. Thus when the Civil Rights Act was passed, most African Americans migrated back to their homes with dreams of better economic and social conditions. The result of the first migrations saw great urbanization amongst the African Americans and in conditions which were less if not completely non-discriminatory. However with the new economic climate there is a trend of reverse migration back to south in search of lower cost of living and less pressures of urban life. The migratory pattern of the African American population is therefore driven by cultural and economic condition

The Vertical Boundaries of The Firm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Vertical Boundaries of The Firm - Essay Example Alternatively, we also have the sensible desire that is thought to be essential in editing such entities, even when the desires to leave best scenes on floor exist for the success of organizations. In the management literature, the tendency is often to err, especially for the previous direction; this phenomenon is what makes the literature very rich for economists (Gamm 34). This paper examines the challenges faced by economic change in the internal organisation of firms, especially the boundaries that exhibited during their life. Empirical and theoretical research into the new international economics traditions gives focus and emphasis to the different kinds of structures for governance existing between the simple anonymous market structures beside the determinants for boundaries and their respective markets. These different kinds of hybrid approaches include joint ventures, long term contracts, holding companies, dual sourcing as well as public enterprises (Gamm 45). Additionally, research into new international economics examines the characteristics exhibited by internal organizations. Vertical integration in firms is among the many potential aspects of vertical governance structures that parties involved in the transaction process may decide from. Additionally, it represents a single component of the wider theories about governance of the contractual relationships as well as the particular theories in the firm Economic theories about vertical integration fall in various categories. One of it is technological determinism, which refers to production technology, which shapes the design of productive units in the firm. Another dimension is that which involves the price theory based on the Marshalian approach as well as structure-conduct performance that has now become old-fashioned and somewhat quaint. This approach tends to swing on single analytical hinges in a competitive system. It is important to note

A Passage to India by Forster Essay Example for Free

A Passage to India by Forster Essay By close analysis of the structure and language of chapter one discuss how Forster expresses his overall concerns within the novel as a whole via this initial description of the Indian landscape. Through chapter one of A Passage to India Forster does far more than introduce the small town of Chandrapore. In this initial section of the novel the construction of the text reflects the tiered Indian society that becomes the basis for Forsters deeper exploration of mankind and human behaviour. In addition, the ominous significance of the Marabar Caves within the novel is prefigured via the mysterious imagery used to describe them. This is contrasted by the more optimistic language which is used to describe the overarching sky that unifies all men and points towards a hope for the future of peaceful co-existence. At the beginning of the chapter the reader is first introduced to the Muslim aspect of Chandrapore, the lowest tier of the Indian society but perhaps the most resilient. Here what Adela will later refer to as the Real India is depicted. Through vivid imagery the area appears akin to a wasteland devoid of any significance. Even the holy river Ganges is described as Trailing for a couple of milesscarcely distinguishable from the rubbish it deposits so freely. It is negative language such as this that creates a compounding sense of desolation about the Real India. This of course is entirely necessary in order for Forster to create and convey the contrast between the Indian and English cultures which he believes to be incompatible in this context. Graphic and harsh language permeates the whole of this first section of the chapter creating a highly effective image of the squalor in which the Mohammedan Indians are condemned to live by their English rulers. The streets are Mean the Temples ineffective and the Filth of alleyways deters all but the invited guest. By describing their quarter in such a way Forster makes the Muslim Indian seem almost sub-human to his readers, this of course, is how they are viewed by the English. They are remarked upon as Low but also as Indestructible. Despite their apparent lack of sophistication, the way in which, The general outline of the town persists comes to reflect the similar way in which the Muslim culture, although suppressed by the English, is based upon strong foundations of religious devotion and an inextinguishable spirit. Forster describes them as Swelling hereshrinking there and by doing so creates a very evocative image which captures perfectly the way in which the Indian race move en-mass and in harmony, united in their angst to recapture their homeland. As Forster remarks, Inland the prospect alters and the Eurasian, Anglo-India described in the second section of the passage could not present a more stark contrast to that of Islamic Chandrapore. Here the houses belonging to the Eurasians Stand on high ground an important symbol which reflects the way in which the English believe themselves to be above the Indian race both morally and intellectually. It is this attitude of ignorance and racial superiority which will be developed and scathingly criticised by Forster as the novel progresses. Indeed it could be argued that humanitys unwillingness to understand one another is the underlying theme behind the whole text and that in reality Adela and Mrs. Moores passage to India is in fact a deeper analogy for a more complex passage of mankind towards understanding itself. On a second rise of land lies the Little civil station. As the focal point for Eurasian society it is remarked that, From hereChandrapore appears to be a totally different place. This observation encapsulates the way in which the station and its social club both seem to be isolated from the rest of India. Immersed in a fantasy world of British high society the station itself is described as, Provoking no emotion and Sensibly planned. This epitomises the logical mindset of the English, which deeply contrasts that of the spiritual Indian and highlights how even at a simple level of human understanding harmony is not possible between the two cultures creating the Muddle which is colonial India. Britains attitude of imposing herself upon other nations, typical of this time period before partition, is something heavily attacked by Forster. Throughout the text he is seen to criticise England replicated in India because to him this is unnatural and false. During the entirety of this second section of the passage Forster adopts a tone of negativity towards the English. Their section of Chandrapore is described as, Sharing nothing with the rest of the city except the overarching sky conveying the way in which they consciously isolate themselves from the Indians. In the overall context of the novel this image becomes very important. As gradually relations between the two races come to deteriorate the sky comes to be the only unifying element between Indian and Englishman. Further more, the way in which the image is echoed throughout the text seems to suggest the existence of a more powerful presence beyond man both physically and in terms of significance within the universe. It is Forsters belief that ultimately the petty quarrels of man are meaningless in such a vast entity. The final section of the chapter is used by Forster to expand on the concept of the overarching sky. It is described as having a Persistent blue core the stars Hanging like lamps from the immense vault which is the sky and it is elevated imagery such as this which comes to symbolise a hope for the future of mankind. In contrast to the muddle and misunderstanding which covers India and the rest of the earth, the sky instead represents an element which unifies all men. Its persistence represents a hope that one day all the problems of man explored within the novel will pale into insignificance. It could be argued the description of the sky evokes an atmosphere akin to that of the Hindu religion. Forster remarks, The sky settles everything and indeed to Godbole and his fellow Hindus this is to a certain degree true. The unanswerable questions, the answers to which are sought by both Muslim and Christian are left to be pondered by Godbole. He seeks to answer questions about his own spiritual existence and the natural world around him. As a result his passage within the novel becomes one of progression as opposed one to of retreat as is experienced by Aziz and Fielding. The Chapter ends with a final short image of the mysterious Marabar caves. All around League after league the earth lies flat, yet in the south, A group of fists and fingers are thrust up through the soil. These fingers are the Marabar hills and seem to point mysteriously towards the heavens above. The way in which they seem to separate themselves from their earthly surroundings suggests an equally unearthly presence about them. This of course will be proved true by the supernatural and inexplicable violation which Adela experiences within their walls. Dark and devoid of humanity they represent an aspect of India that the logical English will never be able to conquer. Therefore it is possible to conclude that the first Chapter of A Passage to India can be regarded as a template for the novel as a whole. Almost all of Forsters overall concerns are indicated by its content and it is clear that the varied description of the Indian landscape comes to symbolise differences between those who inhabit the land. This disjointed construction of society will only increase as the novel progresses ultimately leading to the personal retreat of the novels two main characters, Aziz and Fielding whom are unable to stand out as individuals and trapped within the confines of their own cultures. It will be only the deeply spiritual Godbole who is shown to have made any real progress via his own Passage to India and of course Mrs. Moore, who despite her death becomes a symbol for hope by the way in which she is revered as a Hindu Goddess. Bibliography A Passage to India E.M. Forster Classic notes www.classicnotes.com

Financial Statements Essay Example for Free

Financial Statements Essay What does the Consolidated Statements of Earnings the income statement tell you about the company? Why is this statement important? What business decisions could be made using the income statement? What does the balance sheet tell you about the company? Why is  the balance sheet important? What business decisions could be made using the balance sheet? What does the statement of cash flows tell you about the company? What business decisions could be made using the statement of cash flows? What information is provided in the statements that will assist you in making these business decisions? What information is not provided that could assist in managerial decision making? Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Business Accounting Using Home Depot, Inc. 2008 Annual Report located in Appendix A of the text, Fundamentals of Financial Accounting , prepare a 1,050-1,750-word paper in which you answer the following questions: What does the income statement tell you about the company? Why is this statement important? What business decisions could be made using the income statement? What does the balance sheet tell you about the company? Why is the balance sheet important? What business decisions could be made using the balance sheet? What does the statement of cash flows tell you about the company? What business decisions could be made using the statement of cash flows? What information is provided in the statements that will assist you in making these business decisions? What information is not provided that could assist in manager Follow the link to get tutorial https://bitly.com/12BS8dD When you are traveling far from home for college, determine whether you should bring your vehicle or leave it home. In areas of high population, free parking spaces can be difficult to find. Also, if you have a car on campus, you will have to pay for regular maintenance as well as insurance and gas. Business Accounting Using Home Depot, Inc. 2008 Annual Report located in Appendix A of the text, Fundamentals of Financial Accounting , prepare a 1,050-1,750-word paper in which you answer the following questions: What does the income statement tell you about the company? Why is this statement important? What business decisions could be made using the income statement? What does the balance sheet tell you about the company? Why is the balance sheet important? What business decisions could be made using the balance sheet? What does the statement of cash flows tell you about the company? What business decisions could be made using the statement of cash flows? What information is provided in the statements that will assist you in  making these business decisions? What information is not provided that could assist in managerial decision making?

Effectiveness of Role Play on Attitudes to Mental Illness

Effectiveness of Role Play on Attitudes to Mental Illness EFFECTIVENESS OF ROLE PLAY ON ATTITUDE TOWARDS MENTAL ILLNESS – A PREEXPERIMENTAL STUDY *Mr. G. Balamurugan, Head, Dept. of Mental Health Nursing, M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Nursing Education and Research, Bangalore – 54. Introduction The problem of stigmatization of mental illnesses is one of the reasons for exclusion from the social life of ill people. The lack of substantial knowledge concerning mental disorders is conductive to emerging of stereotypes and discrimination against the mentally ill.(alex) Decades of research have established that the public holds negative beliefs about Persons with mental illnesses, among them that such individuals are dangerous, Unpredictable, unattractive, and unworthy and are unlikely to be productive members of their communities (otto). Moreover, these negative perceptions have been remarkably constant despite advances in scientific understanding of mental illnesses and extensive efforts to improve public understanding. (7,8). It is unlikely that these negative attitudes and misperceptions emerge full blown in adulthood. Rather, they likely have their roots in childhood and develop  gradually through childhood and adolescence. Psychiatrically labelled children, then, may face misunderstandings and negative attitudes by their peers. Ostracism, rejection, teasing, and damage to self-esteem, as well as reluctance to seek or accept mental health treatment, are among the possible consequences (9–12).These consequences may be particularly relevant during adolescence and preadolescence, a period in which onset of a variety of psychiatric disorders peaks and children are acutely attuned to the judgments of their peers. Accordingly, it is important to understand more about the knowledge and attitudes of youths related to mental illnesses and peers who may manifest such illnesses. (Otto) Overall, seemed to indicate that even young children view mental illnesses as somehow less desirable than other kinds of health conditions.(otto)Role of education has been cited as integral to reduce stigma towards mentally ill.tarun .Psycho education is among the most effective of the evidence-based practices that have emerged in both clinical trials and community settings. Because of the à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡exibility of the model, which incorporates both illness-specific information and tools for managing related circumstances, psycho education has broad potential for many forms of illnesses and varied life challenges. Ellen Education is integral to reducing stigma toward the mentally ill. Nurses educators have a key role in delivering education that reduces that stigma.It is well established that experiential methods of teaching are more effective than instructional methods and are preferred by the students. Aspegren K The effect of roleplay simulations with patients and actors has been considered in several studies. Mino We were unable to find any studies that explored whether roleplay had an impact on adolescents of high school. In the light of the importance of stigma with in mental health and the dearth of evidence related to both how educational experiences influence attitudinal; development and the effect of role-play, we decided to explore further the effect that role-play has on attitude of adolescents. The wide spread use of roleplaying for teaching and the fact that these sessions were judged to be memorable to students further indicated that this was an appropriate focus. No previous study has explored the effect of intervention such as role-play on high school student attitudinal development in India. Despite the many studies of public attitudes toward mental illnesses, relatively few have examined the views of the high school children. This study was intended to increase understanding of schoolchildren’ views of mental illness by demonstrating a role play for the high school students toward mental Illnesses. Topic: â€Å"A preexperimental study to assess the effectiveness of Roleplay on attitude towards mental illness among adolescents studying in a selected high school at, Bettahalasoor, Bangalore, Karnataka, India†. Objective: To find the effectiveness of Roleplay on attitude towards mental illness among adolescents. To find relationship between selected socio demographic variables and the quality of attitude. Materials and Methods: Sample: Bettahalasur is small village located around 50 km away from Bangalore. This village has population of 3573 residing in 900 families, in which around 20% were adolescents. Moreover it has higher literacy rate compared to Karnataka. In 2011, literacy rate of Bettahalasur village was 82.80 % compared to 75.36 % of Karnataka(Census, 2011) Census. (2011). The required sample size 30 was estimated by G*Power 3.1.6.2 version based on ÃŽ ± of 0.05, power of 0.95 and with the effect size of 0.7. Random table was used to select 10th standard students studying in selected high school at Betthalsur, Bangalore, and Karnataka. Measures: A Socio Demographic tool was constructed by the investigators, which consists of 11 items. To assess the quality of attitude towards mental illness among adolescents, an attitude scale (likert type) was constructed by the investigators and was validated by the experts. The scale contains ten positive and ten negative items. For the items the responses given were totally disagree, almost disagree, neutral, almost agree and totally agree which was scored as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 respectively for the positive items whereas reverse scoring was done for the negative items. Total score ranges from 20 – 100 and is categorized into negative, neutral and positive attitude in the range of 20 – 40, 41 – 60 and 61 – 100 respectively. Procedures: After obtaining the formal permission from the concerned school authorities, pre test was conducted followed with 45 min of Roleplay which was conducted by the IVth yr BSc Nursing students regarding the attitude towards mental illness. The post test was conducted after 7 days. Collected data were analysed with appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Sociodemographic details Half of the subjects are aged 15 years, and 57% of them are females. Around 90 % of them are belongs to Hindu religion and have nuclear family type. Only two percent of the subject has a family history of mental illness. Effectiveness of Role play Table: 1 – Mean, SD, ‘t’ value of attitude before and after roleplay n = 30 TEST MEAN SD ‘t’ value p Before 66.93 8.765 3.132 0.004 After 73.33 7.545 Table 1 show that the enhancement of mean attitude before the role-play (66.93+8.765) and after the role-play (73.33+7.545) is statistically significant. (t=3.132, p=0.004). Similarly 73% of subject had positive attitude before the role-play and the same was increased to 97% after the role-play (Fig 1). It revealed that the Role-play is an effective method to change the quality of attitude towards mental illness among adolescents. Quality of Attitude before and after roleplay Figure 1: Quality of attitude towards mental illness before and after roleplay DISCUSSION: Figure 1: shows that 73 % of adolescents who had positive attitude in the pre-test similar finding was reported by (Otto et al 2004) wherein he reported results revealed high agreement on many items indicating positive attitudes toward mental illness , also 90% of students agreed that people with mental illness deserve respect, that more should be done to help people with a mental illness get better, and that jokes about mental illness are hurtful and the students also expressed strong acceptance of people with mental illness. After the role-play the percentage of adolescents who has positive was increased from 73% to 97 %, similarly the neutral attitude was decreased from 27% to 3%. This result is contradictory to (Roberts LM 2008) wherein he reported that Single high-intensity routine teaching sessions such as role-play involving metal illness do not influence student attitudes. Relationship between Selected Socio-Demographic Variables and Quality of Attitude Male adolescents (70.69+10.012) are having higher attitude than female (63.94+6.823) counterparts (t=2.197, p=0.036). Remaining other socio demographic variables are not associated with attitude. Summary and Conclusion: The findings of some positive impact on stigma scores from personal experience ,however, supports previous findings that psychiatric rotations and specific education programs can be effective in reducing stigma and suggests that one way in which these rotations work is through delivery of contact and personal experience of individuals with mental illness. Although this findings was limited, it may indicate future avenues educators could explore in the development of programs designed to reduce stigma in high school students. We recommend further research into the use of clinical placements and patient attachment exercises to provide students with these experiences at an early stage in their careers and the use of literature and film to mirror the personal experience. Further work should be undertaken to explore factors that may explain the large variation demonstrated in the student scores. It is likely that it is not experience parse that is implicated in the development of attitude s but the quality and nature of this experience. Other factors such as exposure to media images of illness have previously been implicated in psychiatric stigma, and their effect should be further explored with the high school students. Thus the study conducted in the high school for the adolescents of high school education on the effectiveness of role-play their quality of attitude towards metal illness, reveals that it is an effective method to change the quality of attitude towards mental illness among adolescents. While the study is limited in its single site approach, we believe such teaching undertaken at the high school level is similar to that delivered at other high schools also. We encourage other schools to use this approach in evaluation of novel teaching approaches and the assessment of unintended outcomes. References: Sadock B.J., Sadock V.A., Kaplan sadock’s synopsis of psychiatry. 10th edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott willimams Wilkins 2007, . Townsend M.C. Psychiatric mental health nursing. 4th edition, Philadelphia: F.A.Davis 2003,. Asha K. Human rights and persons with mental illness in India. Frontline Magazine. Volume 18- Issue 17, August.18-31, 2001. URL from: http://www.bpaindia.org/Enewsletterfinal%20Report%20April%20-%20June%2007.pdf Aspegren K. BEME guide no. 2: teaching and learning communication skills in medicine: a review with quality grading of articles. Dundee, Scotland: Association for Medical Education in Europe, 1999. Mino Y, Yasuda N, Tsuda T, Shimodera S. Effects of a one-hour educational program on medical students’ attitudes to mental illness. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2001;55:501-7 Census. (2011). Bettahalasur Population Bangalore, Karnataka. Retrieved from http://www.census2011.co.in/data/village/612895-bettahalasur-karnataka.html

Biography of Willa Cather Essay -- Biographies Authors Writers Essays

Biography of Willa Cather Willa Cather was born December 7th, 1873 in the Back Creek Valley of Northern Neck, Virginia. Her parents, Charles Cather and Virginia Bloak, both came from families that had lived in the region for generations. Their house was described as â€Å"full of bustling and many-colored life† (E.K. Brown 18) including Willa’s three siblings, neighbors, and the friends of the family who came around often. The people of the town were eager to help one another out. Willa spent much of her time divided between her father, whom she helped in the fields tending to the sheep, and going with her grandmother and friend Margie Anderson â€Å"on errands of mercy and medicine, or [with] her mother on visits to cousins, neighbors or dependents† (21). At age nine, however, Charles Cather decided to move the family and join his father and brother near Red Cloud, Nebraska. The moves were difficult for Willa, but in later years she never regretted the change. Red Cloud was a small, settled prairie town whose population was constantly growing from European immigration. The town was made up of primarily Scandinavian, Bohemian, and French immigrants who had come to work the land. The Cather family grew to include seven children while there, but Cather’s strongest influences came from older people in town: schoolteachers and neighbors who read with her and shared their libraries. Cather also met people like Annie Sadilek, a Bohemian woman credited with the inspiration for the character Antonia of Cather’s My Antonia. The entire town and atmosphere of Red Cloud served as the backdrop for most of Cather’s novels and short stories. She said herself that â€Å"the years from eight to fifteen are the formative period in ... ... Her life’s contribution to society is remembered and praise. Cather was a modernist, but more than that, she was an amazing writer whose novels and writings are relevant and still touch readers today as they did when she had first written them. Resource Page Great Websites: www.unl.edu/Cather : The Willa Cather Electronic Archive http://www.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap7/cather.html : Perspectives in American Literature, a Research and Reference Guide www.ibiblio.org http://www.gradesaver.com/ClassicNotes/Authors/about_willa_cather.html Bibliography Brown, E.K. Willa Cather: A Critical Biography. Alfred A Knopf; New York: 1953. Jessup, Josephine Lurie. The Faith of Our Fathers. Richard R. Smith; New York: 1950. www.gustavus.edu, Scott Newstron, January 6, 2996, Harvard University, last updated March 5 2002.

The United States vs. Mexico Essay -- essays papers

The United States vs. Mexico After an eleven-year war to free itself from Spanish colonial control, Mexico had won but in a sense lost greatly. In 1821, she had to begin the long struggle to rebuild an economic, social, and political stability for the huge mass it now controlled. This area included present day Mexico and what is now known as Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California and part of Colorado. â€Å"The new republic became submerged in a â€Å"system of institutionalized disorder† that propelled it â€Å"from crisis to crisis.† Consequently; the process of state- building in nineteenth-century Mexico remained incomplete when the United States confronted the young republic with war in 1846.† ( Santoni,p.1) The growing United States colonial elite, in a race for land had developed an expansionist fever, which grew them greedy for land. â€Å"For expansion was so rationionalized that it seemed at the outset a right, and soon, long before the famous phrase itself coined, a manifest destiny†(Weinberg pg.12). They had killed/ drove millions of native from their lands as a result of this fever. As was a apparent with the actions of Henry Harrison years before the war, â€Å" his tactics were simple; get them drunk and promise the chiefs annuities if they signed† in his heart Harrison believed in the concept that another age would describe as â€Å"Manifest Destiny† (Leckie pg.153) This phrase to which â€Å"mural ideology was the partner of self- interest in the intimate alli...

Islam :: essays research papers

--The Prophet Muhammad (p) was asked by his contemporaries about Allah. The answer came directly from God Himself in the form of a short chapter of the Qur’an that is considered the essence of the Unity of God or the motto of monotheism. â€Å"Say: He is Allah, the One; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten, and there is none like unto Him.† [Al-Qur’an 112:1-4] --Having achieved this knowledge of the One True God, man should constantly have faith in Him, and should allow nothing to induce him to deny the truth. When true faith enters a person’s heart, it impacts the person’s outlook and behavior. The Prophet said, â€Å"Faith is that which resides firmly in the heart and which is proved by deeds†. One of the striking results of faith is the feeling of gratitude towards God, which could be said to be the essence of Ibada (worship). The feeling of gratitude is so important that anyone denying the Truth is called kafir, ‘one who is ungrateful.’ A believer loves, and is grateful to God for the bounties He bestowed upon him. He is aware of the fact that his good deeds are far from being commensurate with Divine favors, and therefore he is always anxious to please God. He remembers God often. The Qur’an promotes this feeling of gratitude by repeating the attributes of God very frequently. â€Å"Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god; Who knows (all things) both secret and open; He, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god; the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace (and Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory to Allah! (High is He) above the partners they attribute to Him. He is Allah, the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of Forms (or Colors). To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names: whatever is in the heavens and on earth, doth declare His Praises and Glory: and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.† [Al-Qur’an 59:22-24] â€Å"Allah! There is no god but He, the Living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth? He knoweth what (appeareth to His creatures as) before or after or behind them.

Maiden Voyage Essay

The given passage taken from Denton Welch’s Maiden Voyage starts with a clear and concise statement that brings focus on mainly three details, the first being that the writer is a lively and independent foreigner or in other words, an extrovert, the second and third being that the time is morning and there are two more characters, Mr Butler and Mr Roote involved respectively. Mr Butler clearly warns the writer that ‘foreigners are not welcome here’ and he should preferably stay out of the locals’ way. This tells us that the Chinese prefer being isolated and like mixing amongst themselves. This statement is quite ironic because Mr Butler himself seems as if he is of English origin. No outgoing traveller would like hearing this and naturally the writer doesn’t like being confined between the four walls of the room when he could be doing several other outdoor activities. The writer also uses strong emotional language such as ‘hated’, ‘fiercely’ and ‘brooding’ to reinforce this. The symbolism of the ‘moth eaten ball and the old tennis racket’ informs the reader that hardly anyone uses the sports equipment. The incredibly rebellious writer vents outs his anger by striking these old worn out balls fiercely against the stable doors. It is this lack of excitement that leads the stubborn writer to trouble. He decides to take matters to his own hands and foolishly escapes out in the country side. Whilst this escape from drudgery is happening, Mr Butler and Mr Roote are so deeply engrossed in their own conversation that they fail to realize that the writer is running away. To the reader, this clearly suggests that they are content not to look outside their own world and have not moved on from this morning’s conversation whereas the writer on the other hand has. The writer uses mysterious and exotic language to describe the country. The still silence, the hot sand, the ‘stunted bushes’ left the writer overwhelmed maybe because he was used to an entirely different landscape. The grass is tall, tall enough for a person to hide and was also described as ‘rank’ maybe because it had a stench to it and also, the fact that it was as ‘sharp as knives’ made it even more hard as well as dangerous to walk on. ‘The soles of my shoes began to burn’ suggests that temperatures were high, high enough to leave the writer dehydrated and exhausted. The reader is left behind with an image similar to that of that of a dream, a hot dream.

Emperial Rome vs Han Essay

The Classical Period was a time where large, land-based empires were developed. The leaders of these empires were met with many questions on how to control their territories. While both the Han empire and Imperial Rome exercised political control over their empires through government structure, they differed in their organization of bureaucrats and their reliance on slavery. Both the Han and Imperial Rome exercised political control through similar government structure. The Han emperor, who was believed to be the â€Å"Mandate of Heaven†, had absolute power over all of his people. They relied heavily on their trained bureaucrats, the Shi, to carry out lawful duties. This reliance was supported by Confucian ways and stabilized the empire. Imperial Rome also practiced having a singular ruler to control the whole. The Roman emperor also was believed to have power over the citizens of Rome. The Romans also had their own class of bureaucrats who were valued highly. This social stratification unified Rome as a country. Both Han and Imperial Rome relied on social hierarchy to help with exercising political control over their empires. They practiced this structure because it unified power in the state and lessened the amount of chaos. The Han relied on their bureaucratic class of trained officials to exercise political control; whereas in Rome bureaucracy was given as a reward to returned war heroes. The Han’s bureaucrats, the Shi, were trained in the Confucian ways. This made the officials more reliable and prone to do the right thing. The Shi were also taught to embody the law and enforce it in the state. This method of â€Å"lead by example† helped citizens strive to do their best. If the citizens were all hoping to be a better man, the society as a whole would be a better place. The Han’s bureaucrats were ran more on a basis of trust in their behavior than the Roman’s. This method of trust in the bureaucrats was heavily supported by the Confucian teachings and their training in becoming better men. In Imperial Rome, bureaucracy was given to returned warriors. Rome hoped that by rewarding good soldiers there would be more desire to go fight in a war and succeed. These bureaucrats enforced the laws rather than embodying them. They weren’t reliable, but were forceful enough to get the job done by using fear to make the citizens behave and do as the laws said. The bureaucracy was given to the returned war heroes as a reward for their accomplishments in battles. This gave soldiers more desire to fight and do well in wars so that when they returned they would be honored for their accomplishments. The Han relied more on trust to carry out their political control than Imperial Rome did. The Hans trained their bureaucrats to make them more trustworthy and faithful to their ruler. However, Rome used their successful soldiers because they fought in many wars; they needed motivation for their soldiers to go be successful and to fight bravely and honorably. While both civilizations had slaves, Han China didn’t rely greatly on their slaves; however in Imperial Rome slaves were a critical and indispensable part of the society. In Chinese societies slaves were used mostly for at home chores such as cooking, cleaning, or going shopping. Even without slaves performing these domestic tasks, the Han could’ve survived. Also, slaves in China were treated less harshly than those in Rome. The slaves in China were allowed to refuse certain tasks that were not included in their contract when they first signed to their owner without fearing a severe beating. Lastly, China had an overall more lenient view on their slaves. The owners in Han were not as strict or cruel. However in Imperial Rome, slaves were mostly captured war prisoners who were being punished. This led to harsh punishment of the slaves to make sure they behaved and did as told. Slaves began doing a majority of the physical labor in Imperial Rome which made them an asset to the Roman society. If Rome were to lose their slaves, the economy would crumble and the empire would fall. Finally, some Roman slaves were given high titles, such as lawyers or doctors. So to lose these slaves would be to lost tons of profit. Both societies used slaves, but Imperial Rome was much more reliant on their slaves than Han China was. The Hans didn’t rely on slaves much because they knew that they weren’t reliable and if they kept a strong hold on them they would rebel and cause the fall of the empire. However, Rome used the method of scaring their slaves into doing the right thing. If the slaves feared a brutal beating they would be sure to make the right decisions and follow directions. In both Han China and Imperial Rome government structure was used to help exercise political control, however they differed on their organization of bureaucracy and their reliance on slavery.

Life Principles

Certain past experiences have shaped and melded principles that I live by daily. Values such as time, family and health became a priority through difficult moments. Events when I had health problems taught me to appreciate time and prioritise my well-being and moments when I was deprived of closed ones made value them more than ever before. First of all, one of my main moments in life was when I was misdiagnosed with cancer. It all started when I was still in school, my maturity exams where getting close and every day I was followed by constant headaches. Few month were spent going from one doctor to another. Finally I got results of MRI of my brain which said I have cancer tissue. I remember as it was yesterday, going out of the hospital, standing and hugging my mother and crying. I never felt that scared in my life. Then, after more visits I received another diagnosis, thankfully a brighter one. Those few month have thought that time should not be wasted as there might not be as much of it as you wish. Secondly, fast-forward to a couple years later. I had the opportunity to do an internship in Milan at one starred Michelin restaurant. I believed it was going to be the next step in my career as a pastry chef. Then those three months that I spent in Italy were one of the most intense and toughest month. As I worked fourteen hours a day, six days per week, homesickness was in full mode. It was not easy, but it helped me understood how much I miss and value my family and close friends. Finally, one year has gone by since I was in Milan and I was facing health issues once again. I completely transformed into a workaholic and drove myself into a hospital bed. I would be lying in the hospital bed, l still would stress about my job. With the help of my family and close friends I understood that if I want to live a happy life, I should prioritise my mental and physical health. All in all, my past experiences helped to figure out how much I value my time, family and health. These values have become my guidelines, not only in times of struggle, but in everyday situations. Having strong values in life can help make better decisions and lead a stable life.

Writing Report: Sampling

2013 [ A Guide to Report Writing ] CONTENTS Page 1. 2 INTRODUCTION PREPARATION 2. 1 2. 2 2. 3 2. 4 3 1 2 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 2 Purpose †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2 Planning †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 Research †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 CONTENTS OF A REPORT 3. 1 3. 2 3. 3 3. 4 3. 5 3. 6 3. 7 3. 8 3. 9 3. 10 3. 11 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 Title Page †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 Contents Page †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 The Summary †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ The Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 The Main Body of the Text †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 4 The Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 Appendices †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Word Limits †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 Word/Page Guides †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6 7 4 STRUCTURE AND CLARITY 4. 1 4. 2 4. 3 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 Structure: Unity and Sequence †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 Clarity: the use of signposts †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 10 5 STYLE 5. 1 5. 2 5. 3 5. 4 5. 5 5. 6 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 10 Words and Sentences †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 10 Tense †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 11 Use of Tables and Diagrams †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11 Presentation †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 1 How to improve your style †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦. 11 12 6 DATA PRESENTATION 6. 1 6. 2 6. 3 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 12 Tables or Figures? †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 12 The Use of Tables and figures in Reports †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 12 14 7 USE OF REFERENCES 7. 1 7. 2 7. 3 7. 4Introductionâ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 15 Why Use References? †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 15 Citing References in the Text†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 15 Listing of References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 16 16 REFERENCES 1 INTRODUCTION Effective written communication skills will be of great im portance to you both at College and in your career.The purpose of this document is to help you to develop these skills by acting as a handy reference during the Academic Development module and the rest of your course. Effective written communication depends on adapting your writing to the circumstances, to the nature of the message and, above all, to the requirements of the reader. For this reason, you will need to use many different forms of communication in your career. You may need to write business or technical reports, business letters, memos, instruction manuals and so on. This guide concentrates on only one of these, the technical or business report.However, the principles set out here apply to many other types of communication. The important elements in effective report writing are the planning and general organisation of the report, the structure of the content, the style of writing, the presentation of numerical and graphical data and the use of references. Each of these w ill be covered in the pages that follow. 1 2 2. 1 PREPARATION Introduction How do you set about writing your report? Before writing the report you must identify the purpose, plan the contents and research the material. 2. 2 Purpose Consider who the report is being written for.A college assignment for the module tutor will be read from cover to cover and will assess your understanding of the subject. However, in industry it is likely that some people won’t have time to read the full report so will only read the summary and conclusions. Therefore you need to assess who the report is written for and what they are going to do with it. Another key point to consider is why you are writing the report. A report should always have a clear objective. Before you start writing ask yourself: why do they want it; what is the purpose; what do they want it to cover; what do they not want it to cover? . 3 Planning Writing reports involves gathering facts. It is essential to start off by brain storming what you have been asked to do. A simple method of doing this is to write down, in the centre of a plain piece of paper, the most important word or short phrase, then write down any ideas that link to the purpose of the report. (See Mind Mapping Study Guide on Moodle) . 2. 4 Research (a) Preparing to do your research Before looking up references, sketch out the main things that you are looking for. This helps to make the research more purposeful, and can save you going off at a tangent or getting distracted.You will, of course, find out things which change your original outline. (b) Doing the research Take notes from as many different sources as you practically can – books, journals, magazines, internet documents, etc. Useful Tips (1) Write your notes on a separate piece of paper or card index card for each reference. This allows you to sort them out into a logical order later on to match the structure of the report. (2) For each reference, write down full details of author, title, chapter, date, etc. This can save lots of time when you come to write your reference list, as you won't have to go back to the original documents. Section 7 ) 2 3 3. 1 CONTENTS OF A REPORT Introduction Technical and business reports are normally divided into a series of sections which have distinct and well recognised functions. These sections, in order of presentation, are the summary, introduction, main body of the work, the discussion (or interpretation) and the conclusion. They may be followed by a list of references and appendices. The functions of each of these sections are described below. 3. 2 Title page The title page highlights the central theme of the report and ncludes the title, author’s name, date and, if necessary, the name of the person or organisation who commissioned the report. 3. 3 Contents Page The contents page is a list of all your chapters, sections, headings, sub headings, appendices and illustrations. All but the shortest of reports s hould have a contents page. 3. 4 Summary The purpose of the summary is to give a very brief outline of the rest of the report for people who do not want to read the whole of it, or who want to know what is in the report before reading it. The acid test is whether the content of the report is clear to someone who reads only the summary.The summary should, therefore, contain such information (from the introduction, main text, discussion and conclusion) that is needed to comprehend the contents fully. The summary should be: (a) written after the rest of the report; (b) presented at the start of the report; (c) factual, concise, and in an appropriate style. (see Section 5 in this guide) The summary should not be a re-statement of the conclusion 3. 5 Introduction The purpose of the introduction is to tell the reader what the aim of the work is and how you are going to tackle it (see also Section 4. 3).In other words, you must tell the reader: (a) what you are going to write about, (b) wh y you are going to write about it, (c) how you are going to deal with it. 3 The introduction should, therefore, include a brief general background to the topic or task, a statement of the purpose of the work and an indication of the structure of the rest of the report. It may also include a statement to indicate related areas that you are not going to deal with (â€Å"a consideration of x and y is outside the scope of this work†). The introduction should be: (a) brief (for a typical course assignment, ? 1 side), (b) clear and concise, (c) stimulating. 3. 6 Main Body of the Text (but don’t put this as a heading! ) Go back to Section 1 of the report: does this introduction satisfy these criteria? The main body of the text should be arranged under a series of headings according to the purpose of the work. For example, if the work is a scientific investigation, or a survey of some sort, the headings may be: Materials and Methods Results Discussion (See Useful Tip below) A similar structure can be adopted for a whole range of task-based reports.For example, if you had to report to the farm manager on the reorganisation of the farm office, you might use headings such as: Methods Used In The Investigation Findings Alternative Courses of Action On the other hand, you may simply be required to review a topic – say the sheep industry in the UK. In this case the text may be divided by headings such as: Organisation of The Sheep Industry Breeds Production Systems Marketing There is, of course, a whole range of other ways of organising the material, but however you do it, the importance of a clear logical system cannot be overemphasised.This is discussed further in Section 5. Useful Tips: Discussion (Have as a heading if separate section) The discussion is probably the most difficult section of a scientific report to write, but it is very important. In the discussion you should attempt to evaluate (comment critically) on the information presented in th e main text. If, for example, you have come across any inconsistencies in the information presented, you should weigh up the evidence for each argument within the discussion.If you have carried out your own research it is here you should compare your results with those of other published authors and, if the results differ, offer explanations for the differences. The good news is that once you have reached the end of the discussion, you should know exactly what your 4 conclusions are! 3. 7 Conclusion The purpose of the conclusion is to draw out the message from the work and to suggest what the consequences of that message are. It must be distinguished from the summary (which encapsulates the whole report) but should be included in it.In other words, the conclusion should say: (a) what the body of the work tells us; (b) what should be done about it (action, further research, etc. ). Thus, your conclusion on the reorganisation of the farm office might say, for example, that: â€Å"act ion x is the best alternative† and â€Å"this should be implemented in the next two months† Don’t be worried if your conclusion is short – provided you have discussed / interpreted the topic fully, a short conclusion helps the reader to understand. 3. 8 References References should be listed after the conclusion, but before the appendices.Correct presentation of references is important and is described in Section 7. 3. 9 Appendices Appendices are used to present material which is not necessary to an understanding of the report, but which may be helpful to the reader. By removing such inessential material (for example, extensive sets of data or supplementary information) from the body of the work, the communication is made simpler, shorter and clearer. 3. 10 Word / page limits Many assignment briefs have a word / page limit stated; if it is a word limit, you will need to include an accurate word count in your completed work.Please be aware that word / page limits are rigidly enforced so that any words / pages written after the limit has been reached will not be marked (or other penalties enforced as in the individual major project). 5 Count in Do not include Summary (text only) Reference list Introduction (text only) Appendices Main body (text only) Data in tables Discussion (if applicable – text Results in tables only) Any figures (graphs, charts, diagrams) Conclusion (text only) Text displayed in tables Subheadings (summary etc) Captions for tables and figuresNB You need to read the specific instructions for final year projects as these may vary slightly from the above 3. 11 Word / page guide Occasionally, an assessment task may contain a word or page guide. This is intended to help you judge the number of words / pages you may need to complete the task. There is no specific penalty for work that falls short of or exceeds a word / page guide. 6 4 4. 1 STRUCTURE AND CLARITY Introduction Your aim in technical or business report s should be to make your meaning clear to the reader.In order to do this you must ensure that your writing has a logical structure and that this structure is displayed to the reader by a whole series of signposts. These aspects are explained in this section. 4. 2 Structure: Unity and Sequence A logical structure requires two things: unity and sequence. The concept of unity is not an easy one to explain. To achieve unity, it is necessary to separate the various discrete elements of what you want to say into self-contained packages. One way of doing this is to create a mind map that identifies key areas and their relationships while helping you to plan the project.Start by writing the central theme in the middle of the paper, and working outwards. Figure 1 illustrates a way in which an assignment based on the Euro could be planned to achieve unity in this way: Participating EU countries Non-participating EU countries Countries Summary Key events Implementation Timetable Euro Facts Coi n and Note Denominations European integration and economic & monetary union The Road To The Euro The EURO Exchange Rate Government & European Institutions Organisations Pros & Cons Political Economic Business / Trade Consumers Pro-Euro Anti-Euro Figure 1 – Use of patterned notes 7Once you have identified the various topics in this way they can be organised into paragraphs, and paragraphs on related subjects can be organised into sections. It is then necessary to decide on a logical sequence for these sections and paragraphs. The sequence depends on the subject matter and the approach. For example it may be: in chronological order (e. g. description of the breeding cycle of sheep or a new product development process); in descending order of importance (e. g. factors affecting the yield of wheat or factors affecting food purchase); in ascending order of importance leading to a conclusion (e. . argument of a case). However, you should aim to present your ideas in an ordered sequ ence so that a reader will follow the line of reasoning without difficulty. Determining the best sequence is not always an easy task, especially when dealing with complex subjects. If in doubt discuss your plan with your personal or module tutor – they will be happy to help you think it out. 4. 3 Clarity: the use of signposts To make your writing easy to read it is important to provide frequent signposts that tell the reader where s/he is and where s/he is going. Some of the signposts you can use are listed below. a) Title Each piece of work should have a clear descriptive title that gives a guide to the content of the work. You should avoid â€Å"journalistic† titles that tell you little. Thus, â€Å"The Prevention and Control of Mastitis in the Dairy Herd† is preferable to â€Å"Getting to Grips with Mastitis†! Contents Page All but the shortest of reports should have a contents page. Introduction The introduction should tell the reader what you are goi ng to deal with and how. In longer reports you may use an introduction in each section. Headings Headings and sub-headings should be used freely in technical and business writing.You may have been told not to use heading in English essays, but this does not hold in technical and business reports where headings are very helpful in making your meaning clear. For this reason it is important that the heading system reflects the structure of the report. You should, therefore, adopt a system of headings and sub-headings that show the relationships of the various sections. (b) (c) (d) 8 Here, for example, is a diagram that shows the structure of a chapter in Burns and Bush (2000). The Nature of Marketing Research Marketing Marketing Research Defined The role of Marketing ResearchCharacteristics of Marketing Research Types of Marketing research Studies The Marketing Information system The Future of Market Research The Marketing Concept Marketing Strategy Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc. Components of an MIS Etc. Internal Reports Marketing Intelligence System Marketing Decision Support System Marketing Research System The heading system used in this case must be such that the reader knows, for example, that the section marked ‘Internal Reports’ is part of the section on ‘Components of an MIS’, which is part of the section on ‘The Marketing Information System’.To achieve this all headings at the same level of sub-division must be the same. We might therefore have a series of headings as follows: THE NATURE OF MARKETING RESEARCH The Marketing Information system Components of an MIS Internal Reports are defined†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. (Bold capitals) (Bold lower case) (Indented bold lower case) (Indented bold lower case on same line as text) (e) Notation If it is necessary to cross reference to other sections of the report then a method of easily identifying the sections may be desirable. The most straightforward and generally used method of notation is decimal numbering.It clearly shows the hierarchy of your thoughts. 1. 1. 6 THE NATURE OF MARKETING RESEARCH The Marketing Information system 1. 6. 1 Components of an MIS 1. 6. 1. 2 Internal Reports are defined†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 (f) Topic Sentences When you are reading you may find topic sentences a helpful device. These are sentences often found at the beginning of a paragraph, which are used as a summary of what is to follow. That is, they are used to make a general statement about the topic which is then developed further in the rest of the paragraph. Useful Tips There is a range of different systems of headings and notation you can use.But remember whichever you use, always be consistent throughout the report. 5 5. 1 STYLE Introduction Do not be frightened by the use of the word â€Å"style†. Style simply means the way you use words and sentences in your writing. The style of effective reports is direct, simple and straightforward. This is easy to say but more difficult to achieve: as George Bernard Shaw once wrote: â€Å"I am sorry to have written such a long letter but I did not have time to write a short one. † Some rules to help you follow. 5. 2 Words and Sentences George Orwell wrote some helpful rules for scientists who write.He said: a) â€Å"never use two words when one word will do, b) never use a big word when a small one will do, c) never use a long sentence when a short one will do†. Some examples of word savings are shown in Table 1 Table 1 Superfluous words and alternatives Better English as to now when so that in college thus planning Superfluous words on account of the fact that in order to at the present time on the occasion of with the result that in the college environment it is apparent therefore forward planning 10 5. 3 Tense Reports are normally written in the past tense and impersonally. e. g.It is recommended that NOT I recommend that Never write â€Å"you†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5. 4 Use of Tables and Diagrams Never use words when you can put your message in numbers (use a table). Never use numbers when you can use a picture (a diagram or graph): pictures are clearer than numbers; numbers are clearer than prose and both save words. But always remember tables and diagrams do need some words of explanation. (Section 6) 5. 5 Presentation Be aware that poorly laid out work, which is badly sequenced with poor word processing or handwriting, frequent spelling mistakes and incorrect grammar will lose you marks. . 6 How to improve your style Remember anyone can improve their writing skills through hard work, constructive feedback and practice. Below are some key tips for improving your style. a) Work with a rough draft. Complete a rough draft and leave for a few days then re-read it or ask a friend to read it and make comments. This gives you time to reflect on your report. b) Avoid jargon. Never use jargon unless a) it saves words and b) your readers will understand it. c) Keep it clear and straightforward. A good style is one which is clear and concise so the reader can easily follow it.Useful Tips Always check your work. Before you hand in any work, be it an assignment or an exam script, check it for errors in accuracy such as spelling and punctuation, readability and flow and clarity of structure Avoid plagiarism. You know the penalties (see the plagiarism section in the Academic Development module on Moodle) A CHALLENGE: when you have written your draft copy go through it and see if you can remove 25% of the words without changing the meaning. 11 6 6. 1 DATA PRESENTATION Introduction We have already mentioned the value of tables and diagrams in saving words.They also help to make your message clear. However, they will only do this if the data is accurate and properly presented in the text. Some simple guidelines on this follow. 6. 2 Tables or Figures? â€Å"A picture is worth a thousand words† All material in your report that is not prose is called either a figure or a table (although photographs are known as plates). Figures include diagrams, graphs and charts. Figures are to be preferred to tables and prose, especially when complex relationships are involved. Tables are necessary when it is important to know exactly what the numbers are.Figures There are many different ways of presenting information as figures. Which one you choose depends on the purpose of the figures, and the nature of the data. Again, there are a number of important rules in presenting data in figures. Some ideas can be found in Figure 2. Tables There are different types of tables for different purposes. Usually tables in reports are intended to demonstrate or support a particular point being made in the text. They therefore need to be designed to fulfil this purpose. A few guidelines on the presentation of demonstration tables are given in Table X in Figure 3. . 3 The Use of Tables and Figures in Reports Numbering In technical reports tables and figures (Table 1–n and Figure 1-n) should be numbered in sequence to allow you to refer to them in the text. Captions All tables and figures must have full, clear and explicit captions telling the reader exactly what the numbers and units are. The golden rule is that the message of any table or figure must be clear in isolation from the text. Captions go above a table but below a figure. Reference in the text You must always refer to the table or figure in the text before you come to it.Do not repeat details of the table or figure, but summarise what it shows e. g. â€Å"Grain yield response to successive increments of applied nitrogen shows the law of diminishing returns (Figure 1 Table X)†. Source You must always give the source of the data depicted. Listing List tables and figures after the contents page. 12 50 (% of respondents) Components easy to see and compare All units clearly identified Key to explain bars 25 Axis starts from 0 0 Extremely Important Very Important Im portant Not at all Important 2000 2003 Reference clearly statedSource: HAUC Consumer Attitude Survey (2000 and 2003) Figure X Comparison of Consumer Attitudes in 2000 and 2003 to the importance of price as a factor when buying food (% of respondents) Numbered in sequence for ease of reference in text Clear, full and explicit title UNDERNEATH FIGURE Figure 2 Presentation of Figures (Example Data Only) 13 â€Å"Grain yield response to successive increments of applied nitrogen follows the law if diminishing returns (Table X)† Reference in text before table showing what the table shows Numbered in sequence for ease of reference in text All units clearly identifiedClear, full and explicit title AT THE TOP Units given as high in the table as possible to avoid repetition. If all units are the same they should be included in the title. Table X Grain yield response of wheat to successive increments of applied nitrogen Applied N (kg/ha) 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 Yield of wheat (t/ha) 2. 5 0 3. 50 4. 30 5. 00 5. 20 5. 20 5. 00 Responses to successive applications of 25kg of N (t/kg) +1. 00 +0. 80 +0. 70 +0. 20 0. 00 -0. 20 (Source: Bloggs, 2003) Numbers to be compared presented in columns, not rows Columns arranged in some natural order of sizeReference clearly stated Figure 3 Presentation of Tables NB If you are presenting data in a table that you have created yourself, show this by putting (Source: Author’s own) under the table. 14 7 7. 1 USE OF REFERENCES Introduction Technical writing sometimes includes a bibliography but always includes a list of references. They have different purposes. A bibliography is a systematic list of sources of information on a particular subject which have been consulted although specific facts from them have not been cited in the text.References are the sources of information which have been cited in the text as evidence for statements and assertions. This section provides an introduction to the purpose of using references and t he rules which govern their use. 7. 2 Why Use References? In higher education and research, unsupported assertions are not acceptable. In other words, you cannot simply say that something is so without providing supporting evidence. Evidence can be obtained or it can be provided by reference to writings of someone who has published such research or who is an acknowledged authority on the subject.Naturally, this does not apply when your assertion is something that is widely understood. It does, however, apply to anything that is new, little known or open to argument. If I said that Shropshire sheep have four legs I would not need to provide evidence. If I said that they have five legs there may be some who would doubt my word. In such a case I would need to provide evidence, either by doing research (counting the number of legs of randomised samples of the Shropshire sheep population), or by reference to the writing of an authority on this subject who had done such work. . 3 Citing R eferences in the Text In order to draw the reader’s attention to the supporting evidence you simply write the surname of the author and the date of publication of the paper or book in the text. This can be done in more than one way, thus: â€Å"It has recently been shown that Shropshire sheep have five legs (Smith, 2012). † or â€Å"Smith (2012) recently demonstrated that Shropshire sheep have five legs. † The reader now knows that you have an authority for your statement.