Language Cultural Diversity and the War on Terror essays

Language Cultural Diversity and the War on Terror essays Cultural awareness and the careful use of language and rhetoric have enhanced the global war on terrorism. Language is a powerful tool that can either act to demonize the enemy or to increase the understanding of the enemy through cultural awareness. Cultural awareness itself is a powerful tool in the arsenal against terrorism, as it allows for the better understanding of the enemy, thus enhancing the effort on the global war on Perhaps one of the most important and inherent dangers in the war on terror is the prospect of demonizing and oversimplifying the enemy. Dan Rather, famous anchor and managing editor of CBS News, illustrates the danger of such an approach. In answer to David Letterman's question, "Why do these people hate us'", Rather responded, "They're evil" (cited in Corliss, 2001). In Rather's defense, the interview took place shortly after the tragedy of September 11th, and he was likely overwhelmed with shock and grief. Nonetheless, his answer does illustrate both the power of language and a lack of cultural awareness on our understanding about the war on terror. Traditional military terms like Charlie (describing the Viet Cong), (Wikipedia) are also examples of the use of language to distance us from the enemy as individuals. Rather's sort of rhetoric is dangerous, as it serves to dehumanize our enemies and portray them as completely evil and ourselves as entirely righteous. Notes Fedler (2001), "When we totally dehumanize our enemies, the terrorists, once again, have won." In doing this, those fighting the war on terrorism are "drawn into the simplistic dualism of the terrorists who see themselves as totally righteous and all Americans as totally evil" Crucial in combating such dualism is the concept of cultural awareness. Further, cultural awareness gives America the benefit of a better understanding of the motivations and subtext ...

How Homeschooled Students Should Prep for the ACT

How Homeschooled Students Should Prep for the ACT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Do you receive your education at home or outside the formal setting of a public or private school? If you're a homeschooled student aiming to go to a 4-year college, then you're probably planning to take the ACT (or its equivalent, the SAT). This guide will go over how you can prep for the ACT as a homeschooled student, come up with a solid test plan, and be strategic in your approach to taking this important test. The first step is asking yourself about your strengths and weaknesses as a student. Assess Your Strengths and Weaknesses Is your imagination carried away when you read fiction, but scientific charts and graphs make you feel stuck? Do you love the challenge of word problems, but feel scared of the big blank page when it comes time to write an essay? Maybe you find something interesting in all your subjects, but you struggle to answer questions under strict time limits. Taking the time to honestly assess your strengths and weaknesses as a student will help you prep for the ACT. Rather than studying every section and question type equally, you should focus your energies on those areas where you need the most improvement. If time management is tough for you, for example, then you should learn and try time-saving strategies, along with timing yourself while you take practice tests. Through targeting and drilling your weaknesses, you can enhance your skills, gain confidence, and improve your overall scores. As a homeschooled student, you might be especially aware of your strengths, interests, and challenges as a student. Self-Reflection and ACT Prep Many home educators follow a philosophy of "natural learning" or "autonomous learning" that gives students more independence and input into shaping their learning by following their passions. If this sounds like your experience, then you likely have more practice with cultivating self-awareness than your peers who went through a traditional school system. As mentioned above, students who really improve their ACT scores don't just get to know the test really well, they also get to know themselves really well. Rather than wastingtime repeating what youalready know, you canstrategically approach test prep with a plan to identify and drill yourweak spots. Any areas of difficulty can be improved with training, just like you get better at layups by practicing them or at playing piano by repeatingscales and songs. Distributing your effort where it can make the most difference will make your test prep most effective. Plus you might present an even stronger case to your teacher(s) for adding some ACT prep toyour daily classes or homework assignments. Give Input Into Your Curriculum Do you get any say in what you're learning? If your educators are open to your contributing to the curriculum - which is often the case within home education - perhaps you can incorporate ACTprep into your day. Share your goal of getting into a 4-year college, and articulate how important scoring well on the ACT is to meeting that goal. If you can integrate ACT science, math, English, Reading, and essay questions into your classroom learning, then you can ground your learning in the context of the test and apply your understanding to practice problems. It will be a two-way street where your classroom learning can complement your ACT prep, and vice versa. If you're studying geometry, for instance, find some official ACT practice questions and include them as practice or a test. To practice stating and supporting your point of view in a 5-paragraph essay, bring in ACT essay questions (bonus points if you can time them for 30 minutes). Lee Binz of HomeScholar says it's "helpful to have your teen choose curriculum - ESPECIALLY in their weak areas. As your teens progress, try to engage them in curriculum choosing." This applies to ACT prep as much as any of your learning. Hopefully you can share your post-secondary goals, integrate ACT prep into class and homework, and incorporate more time limits to get used to the strict timing of the ACT. Of course, in order to effectively design a study plan on your own and as part of your curriculum, you must gain a clear understanding of exactly what's on the ACT. Can you give some input into your curriculum? Understand the Content of the ACT What's the difference between the Reading and English section of the ACT? How many math classes should you take to do well on the math section? Is the Science sectionabout straight recall or interpretation of experiment results? How many questions are in each section, anyway? The first step whenpreparing for the ACT should be thoroughly understanding what's on the Reading, English, Math, and Science sections (and don't forget about the essay, if you're taking the ACT Plus Writing!). With all the information on the test out there, you shouldn't have any surprises on test day. After reviewing the content of the test, you should try taking a diagnostic practice test. Official ACT practice tests are best, and you cansimulate testing conditions by sitting in a quiet place and timing each section. Then you can score your test and figure out which areas were easy and which were challenging. Analyzing your mistakes, along with reflecting on your general strengths and weaknesses as I talked about above, will give you a good launchingpoint. Once you know where you're starting and where you'd like to arrive, you can design astudy plan that will take you there. Design a Study Plan It's helpful to know where you're starting out from and the target scores you want to achieve. Apart from integrating test prep into your classes, you'll benefit from putting in the time and effort to study on your own. The following is an estimate of how many hours of prep you should devote in order to improve your composite score. These are rough estimates that could vary depending on your individual learning style and rate of growth. ACT Composite Point Improvement 0-1 points - 10 hours1-2 points - 20 hours2-4 points - 40 hours4-6 points - 80 hours6-9 points - 150 hours+ Before freaking out about the 150 hours+, think about how much time you could accumulate if you start studying early. If you took the ACT in the fall of junior year, the spring of junior year, and again in the fall of senior year, you'd have a whole year to improve from your first test (plus all the studying you did the summer before junior year). Let's think about this year between your first and final ACT test.There are about 48 weeks in 12 months, so studying for just 2 to 3 hours a week already adds up to 96 to 144 hours. If you could set aside just a few hours each week, then you could put in lots of prep time and see a significant score improvement. Plus you probably want to ramp up your study time in the couple of months before your test date. Besides reinforcing the concepts you need to know for the ACT, you also want to learn about and try out strategies to learn which ones work best for you. Get Strategic While you can't know exactly what questions you'll get on test day, you can have a pretty clear idea. Since the ACT is a standardized test given nationwide (and internationally, too), the testmakers must use a similar template for their questions test after test. By really examining the types of math, reading, English, and science questions, you can have a sense of what the questions are getting at and how they are generally reformulations of the same types of questions. Besides looking strategically at the questions, you can use strategies to save time. By glancing over the passage-based questions and skimming the passages for the main points, for instance, you'll save a lot more time than if you did a close read the first time. By using process of elimination on the questions, you can see what "tricks" the ACT is using to distract you from the correct answer. Read about strategies, learn to recognize the common "distractor" answer choices, and utilize the approach that helps you avoid the common pitfalls and save time. Part of this, as I talked about above, is timing yourself as you prep to learn how to work quickly and efficiently. Ready...set...go! Use a Stopwatch Have an iPhone or Android? Use the stopwatch feature to time yourself as you take practice tests. Or kick it old school and use an actual stopwatch, like the shiny one above.Hereis how much time you get foreach section: English: 45 minutesMath: 60 minutesReading: 35 minutesScience: 35 minutesEssay: +30 minutes Taking your time to deeply understand the concepts is fine, but once you are taking practice tests, you should really set the same conditions that you'll experience on test day. If you can't demonstrate your knowledge in a short amount of time, then you unfortunately won't be able to hit the ACT scores you deserve. Studying concepts, applying strategies, and taking practice tests takes sustained focus and effort, and I'm definitely not trying to suggest that studying for the ACT is your only focus in high school. You have other classes, activities, plus the other parts of the college process to think about. But if you really want to perform well on the ACT, then you should make time to improve your scores through studying. So how can you balance ACT prep with everything else? (Hint: the answer is not to cut out sleeping at night.) Strike a Balance with Test Prep and Everything Else That last tip about starting early is really helpful for finding balance and making time for test prep in your busy schedule. Write down a schedule for yourself, and try to make a routine of it (things might come up, but try to keep this routine as regularas possible). If you start early, then you won't be struck with the anxiety of an approaching test date and no time (anxiety gets in the way of focusing and retaining information, too - no fun for anybody). Perhaps you're motivated by the last minute study rush, which is fine. Everyone has different study styles. But withoutlearning about the ACT and taking the diagnostic test, you won't know how much time you need. You won't know what you don't know, if that makes sense. So take the time to figure that out with months or a year to spare, and then design your optimal study plan from there, whether it's spread out equally or staggered to ramp up right before your test. Another important consideration when designing your schedule is what your other commitments are. Are you playing on a varsity sports team junior year? Are you designing an app, or have you convinced your parents to take you on a cross-country road trip in the name of college visits? Figure out what your competing commitments are so you won't find yourself overwhelmed by ACT prep. This mindset will help you find balance with your study plan and when choosing your test dates. Be Thoughtful About Your Test Dates I briefly touched on the typical schedule and prep hours for students. A lot of students take the real ACT for the first time in the fall of junior year, then again in the spring, and then for the final time in the fall of senior year if they still see room for improvement. This gives you three test dates, but you might want more to take the pressure off, get more real test experience, or build your scores up section by section. Plus if you're super busy junior year, then you can move prep ahead and get your test scores all finished and done with well ahead of your college deadlines. Even if you haven't studied some concepts extensively in school yet, like geometry or trigonometry, you can reinforce what you do know and get a headstart on new concepts.There are a lot of considerations when choosing your test dates, and by being thoughtful about each one you can devise a schedule customized to you. To keep all this straight, I can't emphasize enough the importance of writing everything down. Not you! Keep Track of Everything As a homeschooled student, you might nothave the same college-bound peer group or guidance counselors to be by your side and keep you updatedthroughout the college process (though you can make an appointment with a counselor at your local high school). That's why you might have some extra responsibilities when it comes to keeping track of your test dates, prep, deadlines, and application materials. Make sure you research your colleges' policies about standardized testing, expectations for scores, and any ACT-based scholarships they offer. Create a system of organization, whether you use binders or online tools like Google Calendar and Google Docs, to write everything down, create and stick to your schedule, and remember all those passwords you'll be creating for sites like the ACT and The Common Application. As a homeschooled student, you've probably developed a great deal of independence in your learning and organization, and you can draw on this strength as you work towards your post-high school goals. Not only will this help you geta strong ACT score and admission to your dream school, but these skills will help you be a successful and self-directed college student capable of achieving great things. What's Next? The best ACT practice questions come straight from the testmakers. Download official ACT practice tests with questions from previously administered tests here. Are you not sure when you should sign up for your first ACT? Should you take one just for the experience, or wait until you've put in some serious studying? Learn when to take your first official ACT here. Wondering what kind of science you need to study for the ACT Science section? Read about the only actual science you need to know(and how this section is more like the Reading section than you might think). Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points?We have the industry's leading ACT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and ACT full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Check out our 5-day free trial today:

Chose an interesting Topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Chose an interesting Topic - Essay Example You see, he was actually asking me to work in two days, which in his mind was next Saturday. For me, that would have been this Saturday. For whatever reason, neither of us communicated exactly what we thought. In retrospect, I should have practiced my informational listening skills a bit more and asked for clarification. What I was hearing, and what he was saying, were apparently two different things. Because I had agreed to take his shift, he put it out of his mind and went on with his weekend. The ironic thing is, so did I. Now, I was fully planning on working the following Saturday and I already had that in the back of my mind. Well, my friend called me later that evening obviously upset. He wanted to know why I lied to him. Since I did not believe I had lied to him, I became a bit upset myself. He then proceeded to question why I told him that I would work for him today, but then I did not show up. He was implying that my verbal message to him on Thursday was contradicting my actions today. I went on to tell him that he told me I was supposed to work next Saturday, not today. Of course, he said that since he spoke to me on Thursday, that this was, in fact, next Saturday. Needless to say, I became confused even more than I was when he called me a liar. In the end, he got in a lot of trouble for failing to adequately cover his shift. I did not get in trouble, but I still feel terrible about the situation. My friend probably thinks that I was practicing deception with him by trying to justify my actions with a misunderstanding between the words ‘next’ and ‘this’. In reality, it was truly a mistake made by two adults. He feels that he communicated properly, while I feel like he did not. In the end, he suffered with the boss, and I continue to suffer because I unknowingly let a friend down. It appears that the root of our misunderstanding resulted from a lack difference in chronemics. Both of had

Schistosomiasis Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Schistosomiasis - Term Paper Example al 2013). One part of the world that has been seriously affected by various types of diseases can be said to be Africa and one common disease that is found in the tropical segments of this continent is Schistosomiasis. What is Schistosomiasis? Schistosomiasis is more popularly known as bilharzia or snail fever and refers to several parasitic ailments (The Carter Center, 2013). The name is derived from the fact that the parasitic diseases can be caused by a number of trematodes species that belong to a genus known as Schistosoma (Thetiot-Laurent et. al 2013). It is also called snail fever because snails happen to act as intermediaries between hosts (that is, hosts that are categorized under mammals.). The snails can be said to carry the disease and affect those who may come into contact with them or their surrounding environment such as small water bodies (Crichton-Harris, 2009). The infected snails contaminate the water that they are in and when this water is used by an individual, t hey open themselves up to the possibility of getting infected. Its contraction through contaminated water is one of the reasons that this disease is a problem in Africa as many individuals from rural regions do not have access to sanitized water and therefore are at a greater risk of being infected due to their environment. Non-sanitized water is a big problem in many parts of Africa and thus diseases such as bilharzia have a greater transmission rate as compared to other regions in the world (James et. al 2006). In most cases schistosomiasis is a chronic illness that can have a serious effect on those who contract it. The disease has the capability to damage the internal organs of an individual if the disease is not treated quickly. Schistosomiasis can also have serious consequences for children as they face the risk of cognitive development impairment and growth can sometimes be affected as well (James et. al 2006). Some forms of schistosomiasis such as urinary schistosomiasis inc rease the risks for an individual with regard to other diseases such as bladder cancer (Strickland, 2006). Signs and Symptoms There are a number of symptoms that one can look for to identify whether an individual has been infected with the parasitic disease. Some of the symptoms that an individual may suffer from include physical aspects such as suffering from diarrhea, fever and a cough. The individual may also experience abdominal pains as well as fatigue when they have not been very active (Botros et. al 2005). During the initial stages of the infection, the individual may suffer from mild itching where the body came into contact with the contaminated water. These symptoms can be confused for something else or even overlooked all together thus it is essential that individuals living in areas where they are under risk of infection be vigilant in ensuring that they are able to detect the disease during its early stages. As the disease progresses there are a number of symptoms that enter into the fray of action but will require medical tests to be identified. These symptoms include an increase in the individual’s white blood cells in the body (Thetiot-Laurent et. al 2013). Organs such as the liver and the spleen may also turn out enlarged as the disease progresses. Urinary schistosomiasis may also result in the development of sores in the genital area. This is one of the more serious symptoms as the lesions that are developed in that area

Gender, Culture, and Globalization Essay Example for Free

Gender, Culture, and Globalization Essay In the Western world, the cause of feminism enabled women to obtain higher education and participate in the economic sector as the equals of men. However, one question that continues to be of interest to modern scholars is: how far have women truly come globally? Not only in Western democracies, but in developing nations located in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. For example, in the Philippines, many women support their families by working abroad as domestics and health care providers, which allegedly fracture family dynamics of many Filipino homes. While migrant fathers supporting families is seen as par for the course, migrant mothers are blamed for the destruction of Filipino society in the media. â€Å"These reports tend to vilify migrant mothers, suggesting that their children face more profound problems than do those of migrant fathers† (Ehrenreich Hochschild, 40). In the Middle East and North Africa, the economic opportunities of women are even more restricted. Many of the popular interpretations of Islam prohibit women from working altogether, but in Egypt, women are allowed to seek employment. However, it is usually restricted to the largely unskilled service sector considered to be below the dignity of men. â€Å"This is reflected in the very low rates of wage employment in the private sector, continued high unemployment rates for educated females, and a large gender wage gap in the private sector† (Doumato Posusney, 121). In the United States, racism is still a potent force preventing the economic advancement of minority women, especially with the dismantling of affirmative action in many states. Still, those making the hiring decisions tend to be overwhelmingly white, and even though many claim to not carry racist/sexist sentiments, research has shown that they have made decisions deleterious to minority women because of stereotypes (Mutari Figart, 183). Works Cited Doumato, Eleanor Abdella and Marsha Pripstein Posusney. Women and Globalization in the Arab Middle East: Gender, Economy and Society. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2003 Ehrenreich, Barbara and Arlie Russell Hochschild. Global Woman: Nannies, Maids, and Sex Workers in the New Economy. New York: Metropolitan Books, 2003 Mutari, Ellen and Deborah M. Figart. Woman and the Economy: A Reader. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe, Inc. , 2003

Kubla Khan and Ode on Grecian Urn Essay -- Comparative, Coleridge, Kea

Although both â€Å"Kubla Khan,† by Samuel Coleridge and â€Å"Ode on Grecian Urn,† by John Keats are poems originating from the poets’ inspiration from historical figure, the two poems convey different messages through their respective metaphors. While Coleridge emphasizes on the process of creating a Romantic poem, Keats expresses his opinion about art by carefully examining the details of the Grecian urn. In â€Å"Kubla Khan,† Coleridge expresses his desire to use the inspirations from nature to create his own â€Å"Paradise† of poetry (54, p.1634). In the first stanza, Coleridge creates an exotic oriental garden, where the trees, gardens, hills, and the â€Å"Alph† river, together present the beauty of Mother Nature (3, p.1633). Here, the poet carefully observes his surroundings, as the nature will serve as the source of inspiration for his poetry. The â€Å"pleasure dome† (2, p.1633) in line two has two functions, one representing the creation of human beings on earth, and the other being the foundation of Coleridge’s poetic paradise. As the clash between nature and humans takes place in the second stanza with a â€Å"woman wailing for her demon-lover† (16, p.1633) the poet calls upon nature for his inspiration, represented by the powerful activity of nature. The energy of nature is released in forms of â€Å"a might fountain† (19, p .1633), â€Å"rebounding hail† (21, p.1633), or â€Å"dancing rocks† (23, p.1633) and eventually the natural disasters will accompanied by man-made destruction as â€Å"Kubla heard from far Ancestral voices prophesying war† (29-30, p.1634)! Coleridge on one hand reinforces that man and nature are inseparable and one the other uses the energy of nature to represent the spontaneous spurring of emotions in the poet’s mind. In the third stanza, all o... ...storal† (45, p.1848). The urn’s eternity only exists artistically and does not reflect human life because only the urn â€Å"shou remain† forever (47, p.1848). Keats contrasts the ephemeral nature of human life with the longevity of the urn. In last two lines, Keats declares, â€Å"beauty is truth, truth beauty† (29, p.1848) embodying both sides of his perspective. By establishing a relationship between beauty and truth, Keats acknowledges that like truth, the beauty of the Grecian urn is unchangeable and that the ability accept reality is beautiful. While Coleridge describes the process of creating Romantic poetry and encourages poets to use the combination of nature and imagination in this process, Keats is more focused on reality and is well aware of the limitations of the Grecian urn. With the poets’ admiration of nature present in both poems †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ to be completed.

Digital Fortress Chapter 39

Room 301. Rocio Eva Granada stood naked in front of the bathroom mirror. This was the moment she'd been dreading all day. The German was on the bed waiting for her. He was the biggest man she'd ever been with. Reluctantly, she took an ice cube from the water bucket and rubbed it across her nipples. They quickly hardened. This was her gift-to make men feel wanted. It's what kept them coming back. She ran her hands across her supple, well-tanned body and hoped it would survive another four or five more years until she had enough to retire. Senor Roldan took most of her pay, but without him she knew she'd be with the rest of the hookers picking up drunks in Triana. These men at least had money. They never beat her, and they were easy to satisfy. She slipped into her lingerie, took a deep breath, and opened the bathroom door. As Rocio stepped into the room, the German's eyes bulged. She was wearing a black negligee. Her chestnut skin radiated in the soft light, and her nipples stood at attention beneath the lacy fabric. â€Å"Komm doch hierher,† he said eagerly, shedding his robe and rolling onto his back. Rocio forced a smile and approached the bed. She gazed down at the enormous German. She chuckled in relief. The organ between his legs was tiny. He grabbed at her and impatiently ripped off her negligee. His fat fingers groped at every inch of her body. She fell on top of him and moaned and writhed in false ecstasy. As he rolled her over and climbed on top of her, she thought she would be crushed. She gasped and choked against his puttylike neck. She prayed he would be quick. â€Å"Si! Si!† she gasped in between thrusts. She dug her fingernails into his backside to encourage him. Random thoughts cascaded through her mind-faces of the countless men she'd satisfied, ceilings she'd stared at for hours in the dark, dreams of having children†¦ Suddenly, without warning, the German's body arched, stiffened, and almost immediately collapsed on top of her. That's all? she thought, surprised and relieved. She tried to slide out from under him. â€Å"Darling,† she whispered huskily. â€Å"Let me get on top.† But the man did not move. She reached up and pushed at his massive shoulders. â€Å"Darling, I†¦ I can't breathe!† She began feeling faint. She felt her ribs cracking. â€Å"?Despiertate!† Her fingers instinctively started pulling at his matted hair. Wake up! It was then that she felt the warm sticky liquid. It was matted in his hair-flowing onto her cheeks, into her mouth. It was salty. She twisted wildly beneath him. Above her, a strange shaft of light illuminated the German's contorted face. The bullet hole in his temple was gushing blood all over her. She tried to scream, but there was no air left in her lungs. He was crushing her. Delirious, she clawed toward the shaft of light coming from the doorway. She saw a hand. A gun with a silencer. A flash of light. And then nothing.

Good Research Topic Essay

Many at times choosing an appropriate topic seem like a herculean task as a lot of problem areas may come to mind at the time of choosing the topic. What is more frustrating is being able to settle on a brilliant topic. Choosing the research topic is one of the most critical steps in conducting a successful by all standards. The truth is, the search for a good research topic is a daunting task, especially when researchers are often expected to know how to identify or figure out a good research question by themselves. It also is important for us to keep in mind that an initial topic that we come up with may not be the exact topic which we end up writing about. Research topics are often fluid and dictated more by the student’s ongoing research rather than by the original chosen topic. Such fluidity is common in research, and should be embraced as one of its many characteristics. The ability to identify and develop a good research topic depends on a number of factors. Fortunately, with every problem, there is always a place at which we can use as a starting point that will hopefully lead us to a desirable solution. The first important factor to consider when selecting or choosing a good research topic is to choose a topic that is of interest to them. The researcher should be able to ask themselves and identify where their interest lies, after all every individual will have at least an interest in one area or another. The fact that students approach their supervisors/ advisors with questions if they are faced with any confusion when conducting their research, the importance of the research advisor also having an interest in the chosen topic cannot be over emphasised. Research supervisors or advisors to a large extent, has a duty to coach, and give critical comments and reviews to the chosen topic. Uri Alon, a theoretical physics major turned systems biology expert (who is now one of the most renowned scientists in his field), per his own experience gave this piece of advice; â€Å"listen to your inner voice. † As he indicated, interest in a research problem is a subjective experience. In most instances, one’s actual interest clashes with the public interest and makes it impossible for the researcher to identify what their actual interest lies in. This however does not mean that pursuing a research of public interest is not a good option; in any case, a good research should be able to benefit the general population as a whole. We must be able to distinguish what we are interest in from other people’s opinion. This is what will inspire us and enable us stay focused throughout our research journey. For instance we can search within our hearts and minds problems in our various communities, industries or even continents which we are passionate about and would wish for these problems to be solved. This will help sieve out the many options from external sources such as the media, and focus on what we are interested in. In effect, if we have a research problem that has been bugging us for quite some time, chances are we have found our true interest to conduct our research on. Another attribute that makes a chosen topic a good one is whether the researcher has the requisite knowledge in their area of interest. It should be noted that doing a literature review enables us to have more insights in our area of interest, narrows down our research focus and directs us to ask more specific questions. In addition, knowing how much knowledge base is available on our chosen field will help us figure out what strategy to adopt in finding data. We can also read some other publications other than the text books and famous business journals available online as well as in print versions to be abreast with our chosen problem area. No matter how much potential our research question has, if we do not have the needed time to conduct our study, it can easily be a wasted effort and disappointment. A researcher can work on a time-feasible research project without having to sacrifice their interest, by breaking down the research problem into several smaller, manageable and more specific questions. It all depends how early they start their research activity. The main point here is for us as researchers to be more realistic about the time available and identify our research question accordingly. In order to ascertain whether an identified problem area must be researched on, it must satisfy primarily three (3) main conditions: i. There should be a perceived difference between what the current situation in the problem area is and what it should have been, all things being equal ii. The reason or reasons for this difference should be ambiguous. If the reason is readily known, then there is no point researching this problem area iii. There should be more that one (1) possible solution to the problem identified. It is very important and of a high significance that one chooses a research topic which is of significance to the current scenario in the society and one’s field of study. One therefore has to select research topics pertaining to business and management practices. Relevance is the key word in this regard. A clear understanding of the assignment will allow the student to focus on other aspects of the process, such as choosing a brilliant topic, which is, identifying the problem area and identifying their target audience. If a possible research topic is not addressing a priority problem, it is not worthwhile researching into it. To avoid duplication, care must be taken to ensure that the chosen topic has not been researched on. If one can find answers to the identified problem in already available, published or unpublished information, or just by using their common sense, then it will not be worthwhile conducting the research on the selected topic. Where it has been established that the problem area has already been researched into, the researcher must investigate whether the most important aspects of the problem area(s) still require some answers or the answers gathered by the predecessor researcher does not address the problem in its entirety. In this case, the same topic could be chosen otherwise the topic should be dropped. One of the most common difficulties in selecting a research topic is focusing on appropriate questions. Initially it might appear that the most exciting, interesting and relevant questions require a 10 year research programme, a team of research assistants and a multi-million research budget! But that isn’t actually the case. The question here is, â€Å"how can you make sure that the research project is feasible, manageable and ‘do-able’ within the normal constraints that he/ she will find themselves in? There are several practical considerations that almost always need to be considered when deciding on the feasibility of a research project. First, the researcher has to think about how long the research will take to accomplish. In addition, the researcher has to question whether there are important ethical constraints that need consideration. Also, one needs to establish whether they can achieve the needed cooperation to take the research project to its successful conclusion. Last and most importantly, the researcher should consider how significant the costs of conducting the research will be. Failure to consider any of these factors can be disastrous to the whole exercise. In general it is advisable for the one conducting the research to choose a topic that has the interest and support of the relevant authorities. This will increase the chance that the results of the study will be implemented. Topics that do not have the support or backing of the decision makers should be avoided as chances are they might never be implemented. In choosing a good research topic, the researcher must also consider the urgency in the needed research results for making a decision or developing interventions. Consideration must be given to which research should be done first and which could be done later. In effect, if the research cannot be done in a timely manner, then it better left not looking into. Topics or problem area that has been identified should be ethically acceptable. The researcher must be mindful of the possibility of their chosen area causing harm to others. We should consider whether there are any relevant ethical issues associated with our chosen area. If we happen to think our research isn’t ethical, we must drop the topic. In relation to the second part of the question which requires us to give five (5) examples of a good research topic and justify why we have chose them are as follow: Why doesn’t the average Ghanaian feel the effect of low inflation in their pockets? There have been impressive stories about declining inflation rates in Ghana in the past few months. The Ghana Statistical Services recently reported that inflation rate has decreased from 15. 2% in December 2003 to 8. 8% in January 2013. But while officials are painting a rather rosy picture of the economy, the average Ghanaian feels very ambivalent about these reported rates for the simple fact that they can hardly see the impact on their everyday cost of living. Economists have debated the seriousness of inflation since time immemorial, yet its economic cost remains ambiguous. It seems no matter the real economic cost of inflation, it does not show a real picture in the cost of living of the average Ghanaian. The confusion surrounding inflation rates in Ghana has to do with measurement problems. There are about three (3) ways of measuring inflation, that is, by the consumer Price Index (CPI), Producer Price Index (PPI) and the Gross National Product (GNP) deflator. The most commonly used index in Ghana is the CPI. Conducting a research on this problem area will inform us whether the CPI way of calculating the inflation rates reflects the actual state of the economy. In addition, we will figure out whether the various consumer products included are realist. The pricing structure of housing units in Ghana, how can it ever be regulated? Compared with other advanced countries, Ghana’s housing industry is at a rudimentary stage. High property prices particularly in the urban centres fuelled by a rapidly growing middle class and an uncontrollable urbanization have turned the housing industry into one of the critical developmental issues facing policy makers. It has been argued that the boom in the housing sector is largely driven by the surge to remittances. Others are of the opinions that the sector has experienced growth mainly because non-resident Ghanaians who have access to low-interest global funds are increasingly investing in the housing sector. If this is the case, then how come houses in Ghana are not affordable? A study into this area to a large extent will reveal the factors driving the pricing of housing units and alternative ways to make houses affordable to the middle class. Women in the corporate management, are they really improving performance? The impact of gender diversity and corporate leadership is not a new phenomenon. Gender diversity within senior management teams has become an increasingly topical issue for three related reasons. First, although the proportion of women at board level generally remains very low, it is changing across the world. Second, government intervention in this area has increased. About seven (7) countries have passed legislation mandating female board representatives to address the issue of fairness and equity. The third and most interesting of the debate around this topic has shifted from an issue equity and fairness to a question of superior performance over their male counterparts. If gender diversity on an entity’s board implies greater profitability then it would make sense to have more women in senior management regardless of government directive. This topic is of interest to a large number of people and as such has a lot literature available on it. It will make a brilliant research topic for these reasons. Are auditors really independent as they are perceived to be? Auditor independence has been termed the cornerstone of the auditing profession, since it is the foundation for the public’s trust in the attest function. However, auditors are faced with pressure to compete among themselves and the likelihood of them not being completely independent has increased overtime that is, staying in business over conforming to ethical requirements. A research in this area will inform us on the actual or perceived independence of auditors and how the business and ethical aspects can be managed. There will be a great literature review on this subject as are result of the Eron scandal in 2011, plus it is of interest to the corporate world. The social network phenomenon, Is it doing more harm than good to our relationships? It is a known fact there are many positives to social media and like everything, there is always a negative to balance the source. As social networks like facebook, twitter, myspace, instagram etc have left positive tracks within our lives; it has also affected us by turning us against one another. Social media whether we like it or not affects our relationships from family, both nuclear and extended, friends, schoolmates, work colleagues, marriages, dating partners, the list goes on and on. The question here is whether the positive effects outweighs the negatives and vice versa. A study in this area will help conclude if social media is worth it after all, on our various relationships. The importance of choosing a good research topic is the primary key to unlocking a successful research exercise. Getting the research question right is an essential, although not always a straightforward step in any research project. Settling on a research question is often difficult to do in isolation, therefore obtaining advice from experts and colleagues, collecting information from the literature and developing an awareness of the context in which the research is likely to be undertaken will all contribute to a successful outcome.

Analysis of Theodore Kaczynski Terrorist or Serial Killer essays

Analysis of Theodore Kaczynski Terrorist or Serial Killer essays The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the topic of criminal justice. Specifically it will discuss the "Unabomber," Ted Kaczynski, and whether Kaczynski should be classified as a terrorist or a serial killer, including the difference between the two classifications. Ted Kaczynski, a reclusive loaner at war with American societal values, created a wave of terror when he randomly sent bomb packages to people in several states. Convicted as the "Unabomber" in 1998 to life in prison, Kaczynski shows classic symptoms of mental disorders associated with serial killers; however, Kaczynski was a terrorist pure and simple. He waged violence against innocent victims as a sad protest against American societal values, and as such, created a wave of terror and confusion until he was caught and tried. He currently serves a life sentence in a California prison. Ted Kaczynski is a legend in America's criminal justice system in that his homemade letter bombs continued for eighteen years before the FBI finally caught him. Kaczynski did not start out as the reclusive backwoodsman who shunned technology and American society. In fact, for the early years of his adult life, he was part of mainstream society. He was a university professor and mathematician who came to believe, in fact nearly worship the notions that society was doomed because of its general acceptance of technology, politics, and even public relations that "suppresses individual freedom and destroys nature. 'The system does not and cannot exist to satisfy human needs. Instead, it is human behavior that has to be modified to fit the needs of the system'" (Chase, 2000, p. 41), he wrote in his "Manifesto." Kaczynski gave up his professorship at the University of California at Berkeley, and moved to the Montana wilderness in 1971. In 1978, he sent out his first mail bomb, and the rest is history. The Unabomber investigation is reputed to be the most expe...

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Study Guide

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Study Guide The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was written by Mark Twain and published in 1876. It is now published by Bantam Books of New York. Setting The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is set in the fictional town of St. Petersburg, Missouri on the Mississippi. The novels events occur prior to the Civil War and before the abolition of slavery. Characters Tom Sawyer: the protagonist of the novel. Tom is a romantic, imaginative boy who acts as a natural leader to his contemporaries in the town.Huckleberry Finn: one of Toms friends, but a boy who lives on the outskirts of middle-class society.Injun Joe: the villain of the novel. Joe is a half Native American, a drunkard, and murderer.Becky Thatcher: a classmate of Toms who is new to St. Petersburg. Tom develops a crush on Becky and ultimately saves her from the dangers of McDougalls cave.Aunt Polly: Toms guardian. Plot The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is the story of a young boys maturation. Tom is the undeniable leader of his gang of boys, leading them on a series of escapades drawn from the stories he has read of pirates and thieves. The novel moves from the antics of Toms irrepressible sense of fun to a more dangerous kind of adventure when he and Huck witness a murder. Ultimately, Tom must put aside his fantasy world and do the right thing to keep an innocent man from bearing the guilt of a crime committed by Injun Joe. Tom continues his transformation into a more responsible young man when he and Huck avert the further violence threatened by Injun Joe. Questions to Ponder Examine the development of character through the novel. What does Toms code mean to him, and what else might it represent?How is Huck Finn different from the other boys and how does that add to the novel?Could the characters of the novel be described as stock? Why or why not?How does Tom change from bad to good in the book? Examine the conflict between society and the characters. In what ways do the characters superstitions add to the action of the story?How do the town rituals (Sunday school, Saturday chores, etc.) give rise to the conflict?How are societys expectations in conflict with Toms world of imaginary games and adventures?How does Mark Twain use satire to point out the foibles of society? Possible First Sentences Tom Sawyer, as a character, represents the freedom and innocence of boyhood.The difficulties presented by society can act as a catalyst to maturity.The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a satirical novel.Mark Twain is the consummate American story-teller.

Environmental safety Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Environmental safety - Assignment Example The purpose of both these entities is to measure the harmful impact of such mishaps resulting from accidents causing loss of property, blocking supply of essential services and causing interruption in the routine working. The UK government offers suggestions to business organisations for risk verification and assessment so that any impending accident may not come in the functioning and performance of such business by initiating emergency planning and business continuity management processes through the National Risk Register for reducing the impact of such loss (Cabinet Office 2010). The Scottish Parliament has passed an Act in 2007, named the Right of Relatives to Damages (Mesothelioma) (Scotland) Act 2007, reserving the right to damages in case the affliction is caused by Mesothelioma as per the amendment of Section 1 of the Damages (Scotland) Act 1976 including subsection (2) and (3). The subsection (2) inserts an except to the ruling that damages need not be paid to the relative if the deceased has relieved the accused from the responsibility of paying damages to the relative before the death of the diseased. The subsection (2b) becomes applicable if the injury or death is caused due to Mesothelioma. The damage payment is conditioned to occurring the liability and death on, before or after the date with the coming into force under Section 1 of the Right of Relatives to Damages (Mesothelioma) (Scotland) Act 2007 (Legislation 2007). The above figure indicates that deaths due to the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma are rising on a yearly basis. In the year 2008, out of 2249 mesothelioma deaths, 1865 were men and as per the rate of yearly increase, it is forecasted to cross the figure of 2000 by the year 2016 (HSE 2010). Considering the data pertaining to Scotland regarding ill-health, injuries and enforcement in the previous 12 months, self-reported ill-health reporting rate was 3700 out of 100 000 for 2009-10. The reportable injury rate was 880 workers in 2008-09 while fatal injuries in 2009-10 numbered 23. On the other hand, major injuries to workers counted 2548 in 2009-10. Considering the offences prosecuted in Scotland by HSE in 2009-10, they were 93 in number while local authorities carried prosecution on 7 reports (HSE 2010, 14). Further, if we consider rate of self-reported work-related illness and reportable non-fatal injury in manufacturing and other sectors, data is not sufficient to depend upon regarding ill-health and injury for the latest period but for illness it is below 2000 per 100 000 on an average while injury reporting has been below 1000, as per the Labour Force Survey (HSE 2010, 17). Although workplace fatalities are reducing but such accidents are happening in â€Å"low risk† industries such as retail, hospitality and financial companies to the extent that they have become a challenge for the employers; they have to face government questioning. Media also follows such accidents arduously. The near and d ear ones of the affected employee feel the loss the most. An employer has to face all these ordeals erupting from the catastrophe. Therefore, it is the foremost responsibility of the employer to get ready to know beforehand the emerging workplace tragedies before they happen. No employer can totally succeed in controlling such mishaps but must be ready with an emergency plan at the shortest notice (Foulke 2009). Whenever such a fatal accident at a workplace occurs, first priority is to deal with the emergency situation by arranging

Marketing Strategies of Samsung Electronics and Apple Incorporated Essay

Marketing Strategies of Samsung Electronics and Apple Incorporated - Essay Example Due to the heightened competition, both Samsung Electronics and Apple Inc. have embarked in strategic marketing operations over the past five years in a bid to woo more customers. They have done this through the consideration of certain aspects of strategic marketing that include market segmentation into various unique products such as the smartphone for Samsung and the iPad for Apple. In this case, the companies consider special target markets for their products by looking at both the micro-environmental and macro-environmental aspects of their markets. The findings show that through strategic marketing approaches that include positioning and targeting strategies, the two companies have been able to stay afloat in the competitive market of electronics industry. Every organization that operates in the business environment understands the significance of applying good marketing strategies in order to gain a competitive edge in the market (Ottman, 2011). In most business enterprises, m arketing comes in as a first priority as it ensures that customers are adequately satisfied through regular contends and improvements (Doyle, 2008). Although virtually every market environment experiences varying degrees of competition, the competition so encountered at the global market is normally intense to the extent that call for extraordinary marketing strategies (Groucutt, Forsyth, & Leadley, 2004). Concerning the multinationals that deal with a wide range of products, certain crucial marketing principles and practices give them an edge, as their main intention is to appeal to a diverse clientele across the globe (Park & Gil, 2006). ... virtually every market environment experiences varying degrees of competition, the competition so encountered at the global market is normally intense to the extent that call for extraordinary marketing strategies (Groucutt, Forsyth, & Leadley, 2004). Concerning the multinationals that deal with a wide range of products, certain crucial marketing principles and practices give them an edge, as their main intention is to appeal to a diverse clientele across the globe (Park & Gil, 2006). With this in mind, it is prudent to define marketing as the whole process involves in the communication of certain values of products and / or services to target customers (Doyle, 2008). This is normally with the intention of increasing the sales margin and the customer base that are key aspects to any business enterprise (Burrow & Bosiljevac, 2012). Perhaps it is worthy to note that some of the renowned international companies have over the years engaged in intensive and extensive marketing effort in a bide to lure more customers thereby increasing their sales and profit margins (Groucutt, Forsyth, & Leadley, 2004). These include but not limited to Samsung Electronics and Apple incorporated that operate on a global platform with most of their products being of electronic nature. While Samsung manufactures, distributes, and sells, electronic products ranging from computers, televisions, cameras, to radios (Park & Gil, 2006), Apple Inc. does the same with most of its branded products including the iMac, iPod, iPad, and iPhone (Apple Inc., 2013). The purpose of this report is to explore marketing strategies of Samsung electronics and Apple Inc. borrowing heavily from the theories and principles of marketing in the critical evaluation. Industry background The electronics industry is a wide