Information systems site visit paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Information systems site visit - Term Paper Example In addition, duplication and omission of a medicine from the EMR or including a drug that the patient does not take currently make up the discrepancies in medical reconciliation. Interactions, such as Drug to drug and drug to disease also form part of the discrepancies experienced (Orrico 2008). Since these errors can be fatal, it is important to control them. Patients are the major agents of discrepancies. The lack of proper communication with the healthcare providers as regards to the medicine that administered to the patient outside the current health care facility is crucial. Sometimes, the patient can receive over-the-counter (OTC) medicine and it is extremely important to reveal this to the healthcare providers in order to avoid discrepancies. For instance, omitting a daily Multivitamin that the patient has initiated from the medication list is a patient generated discrepancy (Vogenberg & DiLascaia, 2013). Practically, it is only through the patient that this product can be included in the EMR, through the patient report. Yes. The systems in the purview of pharmacy are simplified and streamlined. With the escalating costs of health care provision, pharmacists are committed to solve this problem through the system that is streamlined to provide ameliorated health care yet affordable to the patients. Further, the simplification increases access to health care for the patients. Pharmacies are often located conveniently and operate for either extended hours or twenty-four hours a day so that the patients can conveniently access the facility. The pharmacies work closely with specialists and physicians, together with their skills in the field of medication and the utilization thereof, in their bid to provide counseling and advice on new prescriptions, safe use of products and the use of proper OTC treatment (The Pharmacists’ Association of Newfoundland and Labrador 2011). The streamlined and

Business Feasibility Study†Seventh Heaven Café Essay Example for Free

Business Feasibility Study— Seventh Heaven Cafà © Essay Seventh Heaven Cafe is not only a coffee shop, or rather a place for relaxation. It sells different kinds of coffee, desserts, books and flowers. Customers bring them back or just enjoy them in my shop. Besides, I am good at dealing with problems of Organizational Behavior. I also have great expertise in human psychology and marketing. Therefore, I have the abilities to operate this shop. Seventh Heaven Cafe targets at white collar community and some companies which need flowers to decorate the site of activities. Therefore, it is located at the street corner with elegant environment near transnational commercial corporations in Suzhou. Seventh Heaven has to confront or avoid a number of threats, especially some strong competitors, such as Starbucks, UBC Coffee and DIO Cafe. However my shop has powerful competitive advantages to face the challenges. Additionally, our market-oriented mission is â€Å"make people happy and relaxed in the Seventh Heaven Cafe by provide delicious coffee, warm fragrant memories and dreams from books. † The primary finance objectives are to get first-year sales revenue of 1 million yuan, and break even early at least achieve 3 million RMB in second year. After on track, shop scale and economic benefits will increase year by year. To achieve this goal, we should make sustaining efforts on marketing strategies, such as promotion strategy and price strategy. This new combination coffee shop will be successful and this business idea is worth pursuing. Section 1: Personal Skills, Qualities and Experience I have obtained an MBA degree from the Liverpool University five years ago. After that, I have worked in a local company for four years. Then I came back to my country and planned to do pioneering work. So I have some basic abilities and work experience to operate this coffee shop. I have learned many useful skills and valuable knowledge from university. Firstly, the Organizational Behavior Study covers three levels of analysis, but intertwined, such as individual, group formation and decisions making. So it is practical for me to do the business. Secondly, I was interested in the course of Marketing when I am a student. It has huge effect on my occupational career. However, these courses just are foundation. My work experience background is a critical element for later entrepreneurial career. Nevertheless, I still need some other outside help. About initial capital, it comes from my personal savings (1. 5 million RMB) and my parents’ investment (0. 5 million RMB). In addition, recruitment and selection of good employees is vital part of success. My mother was a senior accountant before, so she could help me manage finance matters. Besides, I also need a first-class barista and a pastry cook, a waitress and a waiter with good looking, as well as a professional purchaser. Section 2: The Business Idea and Market Assessment Product and service Before making decision to start business, I used questionnaire to get and analysis customers’ demand. So Seventh Heaven Cafe is not only a coffee shop, or rather a place for relaxation. It sells different kinds of coffee, desserts, books and flowers. Customers bring them back or just enjoy them in my shop. My coffee shop called Seventh Heaven, this name represents happy, pleasure and relaxed. I want to my customers get out of the pressure and tiredness, enjoy the release of soul and physical relaxation in Seventh Heaven. Relaxation can bring comfortable feeling to you and have benefits to your health. When you come in the Seventh Heaven, you will feel the music in the air washing your spirit and smile of waiters warming your heart. The flowers tinged the air with their light fragrance. At spare time, you could read a good book alone and drink a cup of delicious coffee, or talk with your good friends with some scrumptious snacks. Owning good books, intimate friends and a serene heart, that is a perfect lifestyle. This is something I want to provide to people, enjoy life, and live in the moment. Target market and customers One of our target markets is white collar employees with middle or high income. These people pay more attention on quality of life and have a good consumption level. Another is business customers, which need flowers to decorate the site of activities, parties, events or meetings. Competition However, there are some strong competitors in this market, especially Starbucks. It is the worlds largest coffee shop chain from America. Starbucks enjoyed a higher reputation and strong brand effect in China. There are about 31 Starbucks in Suzhou alone, but some problems are observed in the course of rapid extension. For instance, single and boring of the unchangeable products and service is a big weakness. To the contrary, Seventh Heaven Cafe provides a combination service and products to customers. It is a novel and creative form to attract people. Besides, high quality service and elegant environment are our powerful points of attraction. Sales and marketing strategy To gain more customers, the price of our products is slightly below the Starbucks. Internet advertising and posters are effective for publicity. Furthermore, we use push money and allowance to motivate my employee to increase sales. Critical risk factors Despite of these, some risks still exist, for example some people are reluctant to try something new, or we make losses at early stage. All of budgets are based on the business feasibility study, but there are so many unpredictable changes in the reality, the cash flow may be not enough. Moreover, the shortage and outflow of talent in related field are hidden trouble for the business.

The Mythical Divine :: Art Artistic Architecture Essays

The Mythical Divine It is the mystery of the past which sparks the imagination of the future. The remnants of lost cultures, ever enticing with their fractured story, have continually piqued the interest of humankind. Ancient Egypt reflects 3000 years of splendor, serenity and mystery. This enigmatic civilization has become the focal point of scholarly study and artistic reproduction over the last 200 years. It has been unsurpassed in use and depiction as a model to convey many differing images. One, most unique, replication of dynastic Egypt is Pharaoh's Lost Kingdom amusement park in Redlands, California. It is a composite of ancient art and architecture used to recreate a world of mystery and intrigue in a modern day setting. The park rises seemingly out of nowhere just as the Giza pyramids project from a barren desert floor. As you enter, you embark on a journey from the monotony of everyday life to a sacred mystical landscape. In his book, Spiritual Path, Sacred Place, Thomas Barrie states: "The sacred place was never an impassive backdrop;... it was a dynamic place, often charged with emotional energy and experienced spatially and temporally as its users moved through its spaces or entered its sacred enclosures." (p.54) For the participant, especially children, this emotion of complete awe mixed with fantastic delight is evoked as soon as one gazes upon the central building of the park complex. The entrance to the park, the line separating what is real from the imaginary (the constructed), is guarded by a huge sphinx. Here, as in Egypt: "[Its] essential function has been to embody welcome and protection." ("Egyptomania" p.22) Yet the creators of the theme park have gone further. They have deliberately replaced the Pharaoh Khafre's head with the funerary mask of King Tutankhamun. This coupling is an attempt to immediately give the visitor two extremely recognizable images. The typical traveler is left mystified by the immensity of the statue, unaware of the mixed icons. In many types of building plans: "The demarcating of sacred ground was typically accomplished architecturally by the form and geometry of the sacred place." (Spiritual Path, Sacred Place p.56) The central building of Pharaoh's Lost Kingdom applies this ideal to announce the grandeur and monolithic proportions of its premises. Five large pyramids sit atop the rectangular building pointing toward the sky. Some are reminiscent of Djoser's stepped pyramid while the central one is a smaller version of the great pyramids of Giza.

Hamlet through his foils †Laertes, Fortinbras and Horatio Essay

It is without doubt that William Shakespeare has created many unique, thought – provoking characters. Hamlet is by far Shakespeare’s most compelling character. In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, various character traits, exhibited by Hamlet, can be seen through his foils. Similarities with Hamlet and Horatio’s education, as well as their levels, can be drawn. However, Hamlet’s character is in constant change and even philosophical. Fortinbras, without question encompasses many of Hamlet’s qualities. They are both born with nobility, along with a similar lineage. However, Fortinbras is more aggressive and even sneaky. Laertes, Hamlet’s late antagonist, is both impulsive and righteous. However, they differ in terms of their nobility, as well as their father’s behaviour. The character traits exemplified by Hamlet also comprise his foils. In relation to Hamlet’s three foils, Horatio is the most dissimilar. When Horatio first enters the play, Hamlet says, â€Å"And what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio.† (I,ii,171) Hamlet is making reference to the city that their university, which they both study at, is located. With respect to education, these two characters are one; they are both deemed scholars. One characteristic also shared between the two is their courage. When the ghost first appears Horatio fiercely challenges him, â€Å"By heaven I charge thee speak.† (I,i,58) Ghosts are unique in the respect that they are the supernatural; they are able to walk through doors, be immune to fires and even ascend. Thus, upsetting a ghost is certainly a courageous act as Horatio is easily susceptible to consequence. Another similarity, these two characters demonstrate is their belief in God. When the ghost leaves Horatio says, â€Å"Before my God, I might not this believe.† (I,i,65) Hamlet also makes reference to an afterlife, â€Å"But that the dread of something after death, /The undiscovered country from whose bourn/No traveller returns.† (III,i, 85-87) In this portion of his soliloquy, Hamlet is making reference to afterlife, a belief held in conjunction with religious people. Although this was a religious time period, not all characters make references to God, thus this quality is worth addressing. Hamlet and Horatio have many personal characteristics that are similar. Like all other characters, Hamlet and Horatio have their differences. A major  idea exemplified throughout the play is that Horatio is a static character, one that does not develop. Hamlet however is bipolar, demonstrating moods that are at one moment excited and the other dreadful, to name a few. When Hamlet is first introduced in the play, his mother says, â€Å"Good Hamlet, cast they knighted colour off/And let thine eye look for a friend on Denmark.† (I,ii,69-70) From her comments, it is obvious that Hamlet is suffering. Upon the arrival of the players, Hamlet transforms into a more inquisitive mood and says, â€Å"I’ll have grounds/More relative than this. The play’s the thing/Wherein I’ll catch the conscious of the King.† (II,ii,615-617) Another difference between Hamlet and Horatio is Hamlet’s philosophical nature. This is one of Hamlet’s only constants throughout the play. Hamlet demonstrates this quality through many of his soliloquies. In the most famous speech in literature Hamlet says, To be, or not to be, that is the question. Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arm against a sea of troubles Any by opposing end them. (III,I,65-67) In this speech, Hamlet is intelligently contemplating living through pain and suffrage rather than committing suicide and ending the harsh life. Hamlet and Horatio differ in terms of consistency and a lack of trait. In relation to Hamlet’s three foils, Fortinbras is the most similar. Fortinbras and Hamlet are both born into nobility; their fathers were both rulers of their respective countries. However, this similarity runs deeper then readers first imagined. Fortinbras and Hamlet are in identical scenarios; they have dead fathers with uncles governing their country. Another similarity between these two are the purpose they are presently seeking. When the guards notice activity in the mills, Horatio says, Now, sir, young Fortinbras, Of unimproved mettle hot and full, Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there Sharked up a list of lawless resolutes, For food and diet, to some enterprise That hath a stomach in it, which is no other, †¦ But to recover of us, by strong hand And terms compulsatory, those foresaid lands So by his father lost. (I,i, 109- 115) In this speech, it is obvious that young Fortinbras is out for revenge. He is not content with what happened to his father. After a visit by the ghost, Hamlet says, â€Å"Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell.† (II,ii,596). In this soliloquy, Hamlet mentions his existential purpose in life, which is to extract revenge for his father, as he too is unhappy with the current conditions. These two characters share similarities that they have been born into. As much similar they are, Hamlet and Fortinbras have several differences. A major distinction between Hamlet and Fortinbras is that Fortinbras is more aggressive with his intent. In Claudius’s opening speech, he says Of this his nephew’s purpose, – to suppress His further gait herein, in that the levies, The list and full proportions, are all made Out of his subject. And we here dispatch. (I,ii,30-33) In this speech, it is clear that Fortinbras is more driven in his purpose and has the ‘wheels in motion.’ In one of Hamlet’s soliloquy’s he says, But in fiction, in a dream of passion Could force his souls so to his own conceit That from her working all his visage waned, Tears in his eyes, distraction in his aspect (II,ii, 563-566) Hamlet’s philosophical nature is not helping his main objective. One can argue that he has had reasons not to act when he has been given chance. However, this is clearly an instance when he should stop portraying Socrates’ and focus more on his objective. A major difference between Hamlet and Fortinbras is that Fortinbras is a snake, ruthless with intent. After threatening to attack their country, he was granted permission to pass through for battle. â€Å"Tell him that by his license, Fortinbras/Craves the conveyance of a promised march/Over his kingdom. You know the rendezvous.† (IV,iv,1-3). However, at the conclusion of the play, Fortinbras arrives ready to overtake the kingdom. He doesn’t care for the gracious favour that Denmark had granted him. As well, he attacks without notice, a use practiced by terrorists in the present day; he is as evil as they come. Hamlet and Fortinbras differ in terms of their willingness as well as a lack of a trait. Laertes and Hamlet share many striking characteristics. It is obvious that Laertes is impulsive. Upon first hearing his father’s murder, he becomes angry with the king, even accusing him of the crime. To hell, allegiance! Vows, to the blackest devil! Conscience and grace, to the profoundest pit! I dare damnation. To this point I stand. That both the worlds I give to negligence, Let come what comes, only I’ll be revenged. (IV,vi,136-140) This speech is very powerful in conveying the vehemence that is surging through his veins. He is willing to take action immediately, not even knowing for certain who murdered his father. Hamlet displays his impulsiveness when he is speaking with his mother, after Polonius’s murder. When Hamlet pulls the curtains he says, â€Å"Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool.† (III,iv,37). Hamlet is astonished that Polonius is the one behind the curtains. Hamlet is filled with the intent on taking action but consequently does so impulsively and results in the wrong death. Another similarity between Hamlet and Laertes is there good nature, good intentions. Before his departure, Laertes has strict instructions for his sister. â€Å"And keep you in the rear of your affection/Our of the shot and danger of desire.† (I,iii,36-37) Unlike some of Shakespeare’s other characters, Goneril and Regan, Laertes genuinely cares for his sister. He warns her of the possible ramification s of continuing her relationship with hamlet, such as a broken heart. Hamlet is also obedient to his father’s wishes, â€Å"revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.† (I,vi,29). Hamlet’s father instructs him to avenge his death. Hamlet is upset that his father is suffering and seeks to fix the ‘rotten things in Denmark.† (I,iv,99) Another similarity between these two characters is that their fathers are both sneaky. Polonius exemplifies this when he grants his son permission to return to Paris. He instructs Reynaldo, â€Å"By indirections find directions out.† (II,ii,71) Polonius makes it clear that he does not want his son to be aware that he is secretly keeping watch on him. Although Claudius is not the biological father of Hamlet, through marriage he obtains ‘fatherly’ figure. Claudius is intent on learning why Hamlet is upset and does not mind being sneaky in the process. When Polonius suggests hiding and listening to Hamlet, he does not object to it, he says, ‘thanks my dear lord.† (III,iii,38). Hamlet and Horatio have many personal  characteristics in common. One of the differences between Hamlet and Laertes is irrational thinking. When Claudius and Laertes are speaking, Laertes suggests, â€Å"To cut his throat in the church.† (Iv,viii,139). This is obviously an irrational method of obtaining justice. Hamlet is arguably the most intelligent character in the play. This is demonstrated countless times throughout the play. One of the instances is when the king sends Rosencrantz and Guilderstern to speak to Hamlet. It does not take long for Hamlet to be certain of their true intentions. For he says, â€Å"You were sent for, and there is a kind of confession in your looks which your modesties have not craft enough to colour.† (II,ii,292-295) Another difference between Hamlet and Laertes is their nobility. Hamlet is the heir to the throne, a noble figure by birth. Laertes, on the other hand, is the son to a councillor. They are both recognizable, but not of nobility. Laertes differs from Hamlet by encompassing less gratifying tra its. Hamlet’s characteristics can be seen through his foils. Horatio and Hamlet hold the same position in education and studied at the same university. They are both religious and courageous figures. They differ in terms of their nobility and constant moods. Fortinbras and Hamlet share lineage and nobility but are different in terms of aggressiveness and philosophical nature, or lack there of. Laertes and Hamlet are both impulsive, good with sneaky male parentage. They differ in terms of their nobility and even irrational thinking. Hamlet is Shakespeare’s most loved character. However, he is a combination of other characters. Thus he is not as truly unique, as one initially perceived.

Discuss the Relationship Between Great Britain

The years 1750-1776 were very volatile years regarding the relationship between Britain and the North American colonies. A large scale war, taxes, and revolts all played a part in the hostilities between the two nations. Economics, however, may have been the spark that started the fire between the two nations, and might perhaps be the most significant cause of the future conflicts between the North American colonies and Great Britain. The French and Indian war was fought from 1754-1761 primarily between the French with Indian allies and Britain for control of North America.This war was one of the first wars that would be fought on a global scale requiring more resources to aid in the war effort. Britain poured very large sums of money into the war in order to protect the colonists. By the end of the war, after Britain’s victory and the signing of the treaty of Paris of 1763, Britain had expended much of its resources. Americans, after hearing the news of Britain’s victo ry in the war, were readily making plans to venture westward into newly acquired lands. Britain, fearing that Indians would attack the colonies, quickly passed the proclamation of 1763 prohibiting settlement west of the Appalachians.Doing this was one effort to prevent future conflicts that would in turn require Britain to utilize more of its resources. Britain had dug an economic hole so deep that it would require vast amounts of dirt to refill it. Where was the money to come from? The Americans, having barely supported the war effort, would become the mule that was to carry the burden. The war was in fact fought to protect the colonies; thereby the colonists should have to pay for the money that was used for their own defense. Britain embraced this idea and started passing tax acts and enforced the navigation acts.Of the acts that were passed to raise tax revenue the first was the Sugar Act. This act placed a tax on all sugar that was imported into the colonies. Another act that w as passed was the stamp act which placed taxes on playing cards, marriage licenses and other printed goods. The colonists showed fierce resentment to this as they eventually formed the stamp act congress. As seen in Document B sections III and IV the colonists believed that they did not need to pay these taxes as they were not even being implemented by their own government.Other forms of resentment would arise as groups known as the sons of liberty and daughters of liberty would be formed. In document C it is shown that the sons of liberty were a group of common townsfolk workers. These men and women would cry for liberty, no stamps, and property as they believed that they should not have to pay for the taxes. They also enforced nonimportation agreements to make other fellow colonists support their cause to rebel against the mother country. The navigation acts also posed as a serious threat to the colonists as they forced trade specifically between them and England exempting other c ountries from the trade.This was a major economic problem for the colonists as they were not able to sell goods to other countries as they could possibly obtain larger profits as they could sell more goods and at higher prices. In document D Benjamin Franklin talks about how the colonists are restricted to trade with England except for the smuggling that occurs between Spanish and colonial trade. He feels that some action should be taken that would eventually better the colonies economically. Overall, economics were the roots of the weeds that had been planted by Britain sparking a major conflict that cost them an entire nation.

What were Stalins Motives for Soviet expansion, defensive or expansionist Essays

What were Stalins Motives for Soviet expansion, defensive or expansionist Essays What were Stalins Motives for Soviet expansion, defensive or expansionist Paper What were Stalins Motives for Soviet expansion, defensive or expansionist Paper By 1920 the Bolsheviks were in a very weak position and Russia as a whole had to come to terms with its own vulnerability in a hostile world. Stalin decided on the extension of the soviet control to eastern Europe. This policy aimed to protect the interests rather than stirring up world revolution. In other words it was too become defensive rather than aggressive, however the west refused to believe this and still had there minds set that Stalin was planning the spread of world revolution. This is what I will discuss in my essay, was it defensive or expansionist? Firstly Ill look at why the people believed it was expansionist, in other words to spread world communism. Stalin had always believed in communist revolution. This was also seen by Truman which introduced the permanent revolution. This was the belief that Russia would not survive because of conflict between capitalism and communism was inevitable. However at the time Stalin put this too the side as he thought it wasnt important but it wasnt forgotten in the future. One of the main reasons that people believed that Stalin was too expand rather than be defensive was the introduction of Comintern. This was an organisation to factilate contacts between communist groups throughout the world. It encouraged people ( communists) to stir up unrest across Europe. Another significant event to consider which supports this view is the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. To the west the imposition of communist governments on eastern Europe, the civil war in Greece, where communist were attempting to remove the monarchists, the takeover of Czechoslovakia in 1948 and the soviet blockade of Berlin in 1948-9 were all seen as evidence of Stalins intention to spread communism. One last key reason was Keenan views, he said that foreign threats would mobilise the population in order to secure its own position. However this view by the West and communism was misleading as they based there views on assumptions. They didnt have a understanding of the motives and the reality of the soviet position in 1945. On the other hand some say that Stalins motives appeared to be more defensive. Soviet foreign policy must be seen within the context of western hostility in the USSR, which has existed since its beginning, One reasons people see it as defensive and some solid evidence of this was the buffer zone which was created by Stalin, this was to protect the soviet union from invasion from the west. In 1945 exhaustion occurred due to the war effort and made the USSR concerned to protect its borders, this is an example of defensive Expansion. After the war there was a sense of insecurity and Stalin responded by being defensive, Him and his minister itemised the destruction of towns, villages, industrial complexes and collective farms. This resulted in the soviets being obsessed with security, which is a massive defensive issue and they introduced a zone of satellite states in Eastern Europe. The security could only be safeguard by a ring of buffer states in eastern Europe,e He hoped that other countries would be friendly to the soviet union, he took firm measures to ensure this. It wasnt until later than Stalin insisted on communist regimes in the Stalinist model as a response to a us policy towards the USSR. Shortly after this free elections saw Stalin agree to the Yalta would not guarantee the USSR the security it needed. Greece could be left to the west but eastern Europe was not negotiable. This resulted in the soviet union feeling they deserved the right to impose control of the region to secure its defensive needs. However communism was spread to eastern Europe Overall I believe that the soviet union was bait defensive and a bit expansionist. Soviet foreign policy under Stalin was dominated by the cautions implementation of the defensive strategy to secure the interests of the USSR. However the US government clouded by notions of world communism revolution failed to understand this and they misunderstood the whole situation, and Stalins lack of skills led the Misconceptions around the world.

Commemorating Black History Month essays

Commemorating Black History Month essays Commemorating Black History Month During the past, African Americans have suffered injustice and discrimination due to their race. Some of the most prominent figures during our history are DIana Ross, Sojourner Truth, Mary Mcleod Bethune, Alice Walker, Langston Hughes, and Martin Luther King. They have fought against prejudice and opened up doors for others. Some stirred the beginnings of freedom and equal rights for all. They were all very important figures in American History. They are a part of the people who formed this nation to be what it is today. I specifically chose people like Mary Mcleod Bethune, Alice Walker, And Langston Hughes because of their contribution to our society.Mary Mcleod Bethune Mary McLeod Bethune, born to former slaves a decade after the end of the Civil War, devoted her life to ensuring the right to education and freedom from discrimination for black Americans. Bethune believed that through education, blacks could begin to earn a living in a country that still opposed racial equality. She started her own school and continuously fought segration where she saw it. More than that she served presidents from Coolidge to Roosevelt as a Advisor of Minority Affairs. She succeeded politically as well as in her own community, she endlessly worked in what she believed in . Alice Walker and Langston Hughes are not only the best african American writers but they are the best writer this nation has produced. They have touched people spiritually and mentally through their writings. And also participated in Civil Righ ts movements of their time. They were one of the very few Black writer of their time and paved the way for others. Other eminent African American Figures figures in History are Diana Ross, Martin Luther King and Sojourner Truth. Diana Ross is one of the most successful African Americans and has contributed a great deal. She paved the way for other African Americans and women in the music industr...

January Writing Prompts for Student Journals

January Writing Prompts for Student Journals Students return from the winter break during the first week of January. With the new year comes resolutions and a desire to do better. January is a great time to start students on daily writing assignments. These can be in the form of warmups or journal entries. The ideas provide writing prompts for each day of the month. Daily Writing Prompts Having a writing prompt handy for each day of the month can ease teacher planning. The numeral before each prompt represents the date in January. New Years resolutions: Many people begin the new year with a list of resolutions. Write about three of your New Years resolutions and explain what steps you need to take to make them come true.Goal setting: Goal setting is an important part of creating an ideal future for yourself. Come up with a one-year goal, a three-year goal and a 10-year goal for yourself. Then write about three steps that you will take to accomplish each of these goals.J.R.R. Tolkiens birthday: Discuss your feelings on fantasy and science fiction. Do you enjoy these types of books? Explain why or why not.Isaac Newtons birthday: Explain what Newton meant by the following quote: If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.National Bird Day: When the United States was founded, Benjamin Franklin argued that the national bird should be the turkey. Instead, the bald eagle was selected. Was this a good choice or should the Founding Fathers have gone with the turkey instead? Give reasons for your answer. Sherlock Holmes birthday: Today is the birthday of fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. Do you like mysteries? If so, tell about your favorite mystery book, television series, or movie. If not, explain why you dont like them. Alternatively, write about Little Christmas or the Epiphany. Many cultures celebrate a second Christmas on this date. What celebrations would you like to see twice a year?Winter break: Describe the best thing that happened to you over winter break.Elvis Presleys birthday: What is your favorite type of music? Your least favorite? Explain your reasons for each.Seasons: What is your favorite season? Why?United Nations Day: What is your opinion about Americas participation in the U.N.? Or, what  is your opinion on the effectiveness of the U.N. in negotiating world peace?Death of Francis Scott Key: On this day in 1843, Francis Scott Key died. He penned the lyrics of the Star-Spangled Banner. What is your opinion about the use of this song as a political protest (su ch as NFL Players kneeling)? Do you put your hand over your heart and stand in respect when the national anthem is played? Should athletes be required to do so? National Pharmacist Day: Meat producers around the nation typically put low levels of antibiotics in the animals food to help promote growth. However, some people are concerned that this leads to antibiotic-resistant bacteria in humans. The meat industry argues that if it were unable to include antibiotics, the cost of meat would dramatically increase. Do you think that the meat industry should be forced to stop using these antibiotics? Defend your answer.Make Your Dreams Come True Day: What is a dream that you have for your future? Describe this dream and explain the steps you can take right away to help make it come true.Benedict Arnolds birthday: React to the following statement: One mans traitor is another mans hero.Super Bowl hype: Do you watch the Super Bowl for the game, the ads or both? Explain your answer.Passage of the 18th Amendment: This amendment  to the U.S. Constitution prohibited â€Å"the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors† but not the consumption, private possession, or production for one’s own consumption. Currently, a large number of states and the District of Columbia have laws broadly legalizing marijuana in some form, but marijuana is still against federal law. Should states have the right  to allow  marijuana be regulated like alcohol? Benjamin Franklins birthday: What was Franklins most important contribution to America?Winnie-the-Pooh Day: Which character from Winnie-the-Pooh do you think is most like you? Explain your answer.Popcorn Day: What is your favorite movie? Or, who is your favorite film director? Why?Presidential Inauguration Day: What qualities does it take to be an effective president of the United States? Or, what makes a president of the United States ineffective? What evidence do you have to support your answer?Martin Luther Kings birthday: King stated in his famous I Have a Dream speech: I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. What is your opinion on how close America has come to fulfilling  Kings dream? What evidence do you have to support your opinion?National Hobby Month: What is your favorite hobby? What makes it your favorite?National Blood Donors Month: Should b lood donors be paid to donate blood? Explain your answer. California Gold Rush: If you had lived in the 1840s when gold was discovered in California, do you think that you would have traveled West to take part? Why or why not?National Opposite Day: What would you do differently if you were the teacher in this class? Or, what is the opposite reaction that you have from your family on a topic (politics, music, technology)? Why do you react differently?Australia Day: Have you ever traveled out of the country? If so, describe the similarities and differences between the country you visited and America. If not, explain which countries youd like to visit and why.Lewis Carrolls birthday: Which character from Alice in Wonderland would you most want to meet? Which would you least like to meet? Why?Jackson Pollocks birthday: What is your opinion of modern art? Do you like it or hate it? Why?Thomas Paines birthday: Do you agree with the following statement by Thomas Paine: Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state , an intolerable one. Explain your answer. Franklin Roosevelts birthday: Franklin Roosevelt was elected to four terms as president. After this, the 22nd Amendment was passed limiting the president to two terms or 10 years. Do you think that there should be term limits for presidents? What about for senators and representatives? Explain your answer.Jackie Robinsons birthday: Robinson was the first African-American to play baseball in the Major Leagues. Many praised him for his courage. How do you define courage? Give examples of people who you think are courageous.

Rhetorical Analysis Paper (Ethos, Pathos, and Logos) Assignment

Rhetorical Analysis Paper (Ethos, Pathos, and Logos) - Assignment Example Additionally, Maranhao has won the prestigious Premio Jabuti award in 1999 and had a book – Color of the Word – recognized as the best book of poetry by the Brazilian Academy of Letters. In terms of derived ethos the speaker is able to establish significant ethos within this category through his means of presentation. In this way he holds significant control over his poetic delivery and is able to carry the audiences’ attention throughout. For instance, he often pauses throughout his recitations as a means of creating viewer suspense. In this way it is clear that he is an experienced reader and understands his material deeply. Ultimately, this experienced and deep understanding of the poetry grants him significant terminal ethos. Another prominent aspect of rhetorical criticism is logos. Logos considers forms of reasoning that contribute to the overarching rhetorical message. While poetry is recognized as deriving much of its meaning from eschewing traditionally structured forms of ‘reason,’ there are ways this presentation implements logos effectively. In these regards, Salgado Maranhao will use Latin phrases in his poetry; the speaker will then take a moment to explain these phrases to the audience. This adds credibility to his presentation through the recognition of the deep texture of the poems. In another instance the speaker takes time to explain specific aspects about the poems. For instance, he indicates that one poem is symbolic of man’s position in modern society. Ultimately, his willingness to discuss the underlining meaning of the poems contributes considerably to logos. A final aspect of rhetorical criticism is pathos. Pathos specifically refers to the emotion that is established in the construction of the presentation. The speaker is effective in creating pathos both through his words and his modes of presentation. One of the most prominent means he achieves pathos is through linking his presentation

Ethnology book report for Social Anthropology Essay

Ethnology book report for Social Anthropology - Essay Example te a reading material that would serve as an eye opener to the present human generation with regards the implicative existence of minor groups in the past so as to make a careful description as to how these groups were able to influence whatever culture, traditions and social understanding the present human generations recognizes today. Hence, as a careful discussion of the said issues, the book offers a clear picture of the past towards the development of the Cree and Martu communities. With the said discussions, the book is then able to give the readers a clear vision and better understanding of the issues that actually make it certain that the said indigenous groups of people have greatly contributed to the progress of human communities towards the present. More than that this published reading also gives a careful examination as to how the present human generation should give important views of appreciation towards the past generations that characterized the ancient human civilization. Anthropological studies have determined and distinguished many indigenous societies and tribes, which can be traced as the roots of most of the major physiological and cultural ancestry of the present contemporary civilization. During the cultural and social development in the human civilization, most of these indigenous tribes have been affected and experienced drastic cultural changes from their traditional ones. Some merge with the others to create a larger and greater social group who used their powers and influence to dominate others while the other social minorities were dominated by greater ones eradicating their personal socio-cultural nature. However at the present, there are still some indigent social tribes who were still able to preserve their own original nature and stay secluded from the major civilizations influence like that of the imperialism of west and the colonialism of the other dominant nations. These social minorities still managed to live with their

HYPOTHETICAL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

HYPOTHETICAL - Essay Example The partnership act of 1891, section five, defines partnership as a business organization formed by two or more people for the purposes of making a profit. According to the act, there must be involved, for the purposes of conducting the business as a joint venture. There must be obligations between the partners and sharing of profits among them determines partnership. In the case of Canny Gabriel Castle Jackson Advertising (pty) ltd vs. Volume Sales Finance (pty), (1974) 131 CLR 321, the high court ruled that for there to be a partnership, sharing of profits and loses must occur, and an organized structure of operation must be proved (Higgins and Victoria, 1970). In the above scenario, there is partnership between Henry and Angus. This is because the two agreed to form the business as a joint venture and they share profits together. This satisfies the requirements of the partnership act, section 6(c) and section 5 (1). In section 6, sub section c, it states that a partner is considered in a partnership if he has a stake in the earnings and section 5 subsection 1, identifies a partnership as a relationship between two consenting parties aimed at making profits. Under the law, Lorenzo cannot be considered a partner of the business entity. This is outlined in the partnership act, section 6 subsection c (v1). The law states that a person receiving annuity from the business by selling the persons goodwill is not by reason a partner in the business. This section disqualifies Lorenzo from being a partner of the firm since he does not share in the profits of the business. Even though his name is on the business, it acts as goodwill and it does not necessarily make him a partner. From the above analysis, the partners of the business are Henry and Angus, and FRSPL should look at various legal mechanisms of recovering their debts from the

A letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A letter - Essay Example It transforms fishing into a share system that promotes consideration of long-term profits versus the short-term profits of overfishing. My classmates and I have been conducting research on our proposal, and we considered its strengths and weaknesses. We realized that one of its weaknesses is lack of political support and leadership, which we hope that you, as our Representative, can provide. The advantages of this fishing program cannot be undermined: â€Å"With a secure share of the catch, fishermen no longer need to race: incentives change from spurring fishermen to capture the most fish they can, to spurring them to maximize the value of their share instead† (â€Å"How Catch Shares Work†). Fishers and companies will understand that they do not need the most number of fish, but the greatest efficient sharing that they can profit from. Moreover, the program aims to enable fishes to recuperate and to allow for steady demand. The Catch Share Program gives an incentive f or fishers and fishing companies to wait because of higher future revenues. The result is sustainable fishing that benefits fishers, consumers, and the environment. Thus, the Catch Share Program maximizes profits, while minimizing the impact of fishing on our already strained marine resources. A win-win solution for overfishing problems that do not overlook the economic needs of fishers and fishing companies is presented through the Catch Share Program. California can set the benchmark for sustainable fisheries, which other states and nations can emulate. As overfishing continues, I urge you to take a stand for the environment and long-term sustainability of our fisheries. Without any viable program, it is not impossible that overfishing will push our fisheries to extinction for the next decades. You can propose a bill that adopts the Catch Share Program and help innovate how we fish and ensure the efficiency of our fishing industry. Thank you for your attention to this important ma tter. Sincerely, Your Name Your Title Your Address Your City, State, Zip Your Phone Number From a General Audience to the Representative: Shifting to Logos, Pathos, and Cause-And-Effect Analysis In writing the letter to our Representative, I realized the differences in what lay people want to hear and what a Congressperson wants to hear. A Representative is a politician. He has political motives that are connected to his self-interests, though he is mandated to serve the public interest. Californians want their local issues to be resolved, but they have diverse interests as individuals too. Because of the identity of my new target audience, I understood that successful persuasive writing is audience-focused, so I concentrated on what a Congressman wants to know, in order for him to take action. I made changes in my writing style, logos, pathos, and cause-and-effect analysis because of the differences in

Implementing Qualitative Approaches to the Dissertation Research Paper

Implementing Qualitative Approaches to the Dissertation - Research Paper Example The problem is aggravated by lack of concern among members of the society and relevant stakeholders. Algebra is an essential part of mathematics. Learning mathematics is considered a basic feature of all education systems around the world (Hyde & Mertz, 2009). The importance associated with the subject can be linked to its ability to develop individuals with strong analytical and problem solving abilities. As a result, it is an important requirement for a workforce that can solve the challenges of the modern economy. In particular, algebra teaches individuals critical thinking. However, it is unfourtunate that the American society does not seem to be worried about the poor performance in intermediate algebra. In addition, an internet search revealed that few people have focused on the poor performance in intermediate algebra. Instead, the existing studies appear to have focused on basic mathematics or other stages of learning algebra. Understanding the causes will enable all the stakeholders to solve the problem in an effort to enhance the quality of the education system. The primary objective of this study is to establish the level of poor performance in algebra in the United States. The research will set the stage for comprehensively understanding the problem by evaluating the underlying causes. The focus on the causes of this worrying trend is influenced by the belief that the formulation of effective intervention measures depends on having a strong garsp of the challenges facing the instruction and learning of intermediate algebra. The secondary objective is formulating appropriate measures to deal with the problem. The last objective is to contribute towards the existing literature on the issue so that policy makers have a large body of work to use in creating policy measures. The qualitative nature of the study will influence the design that will be adopted (Englander, 2012). For instance, the process will rely on

Special Topics in International Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Special Topics in International Relations - Essay Example the purpose of development would cause an increase in the planet’s temperature, increases in sea level, changes in precipitation patterns, depletion of ozone layer, loss of natural habitat of millions of species of plants and animals, loss of water resources, loss of bio diversity, increase in incidents of extreme weather such as heat waves, soil erosion and increased pollution (Watson et al, 2003). The development is changing the earth’s environment at all levels. At the local level the environment is at risk due to air, soil and water pollution. At regional level there is a threat of acid rain and land degradation. Finally at global level there is a massive climate change and a loss of biodiversity. All these changes have been attributed at a large level to the various development projects that are meant to provide better life and alleviate poverty. Unfortunately these projects are having a negative effect on the ecosystem, water resources, human health, agriculture, forestry and fisheries. It is estimated that the development projects will have further negative consequences in the future (Watson et al., 2003). Environmental issues are very important for the third world countries. A clean and healthy environment reflects a clean and healthy nation. Natural environment is a source of natural income for the people of the poor countries. Many people are dependent on natural resources for their income. If these resources are taken away it will definitely be a big blow for the poor people. At the same time environment protection is very important for economic growth of any country. If people continue to use and pollute natural resources the country would suffer economically and will move away from development. Therefore it becomes very important to protect the environment (The World Bank Report, n.d.). Here it would be pertinent to discuss the case of Bangladesh. Bangladesh is a poor country and a large section of its population is dependent on fisheries for

Implementing Qualitative Approaches to the Dissertation Research Paper

Implementing Qualitative Approaches to the Dissertation - Research Paper Example The problem is aggravated by lack of concern among members of the society and relevant stakeholders. Algebra is an essential part of mathematics. Learning mathematics is considered a basic feature of all education systems around the world (Hyde & Mertz, 2009). The importance associated with the subject can be linked to its ability to develop individuals with strong analytical and problem solving abilities. As a result, it is an important requirement for a workforce that can solve the challenges of the modern economy. In particular, algebra teaches individuals critical thinking. However, it is unfourtunate that the American society does not seem to be worried about the poor performance in intermediate algebra. In addition, an internet search revealed that few people have focused on the poor performance in intermediate algebra. Instead, the existing studies appear to have focused on basic mathematics or other stages of learning algebra. Understanding the causes will enable all the stakeholders to solve the problem in an effort to enhance the quality of the education system. The primary objective of this study is to establish the level of poor performance in algebra in the United States. The research will set the stage for comprehensively understanding the problem by evaluating the underlying causes. The focus on the causes of this worrying trend is influenced by the belief that the formulation of effective intervention measures depends on having a strong garsp of the challenges facing the instruction and learning of intermediate algebra. The secondary objective is formulating appropriate measures to deal with the problem. The last objective is to contribute towards the existing literature on the issue so that policy makers have a large body of work to use in creating policy measures. The qualitative nature of the study will influence the design that will be adopted (Englander, 2012). For instance, the process will rely on

White Collar Crime and Corporate Crime. To what extent are the Essay

White Collar Crime and Corporate Crime. To what extent are the regulatory regimes for White Collar Crime (WCC) and Corporate Crime (CC) working - Essay Example The reason behind these concerns is simple, regulations have always prioritized street crimes over WCC and when it comes to corporations, regulations take these offences lightly. It seems governmental regulations seek their benefit in every 'large scale' crime. Apart from the legislator concern, public uphold the opinion in the following words: "There is always a lingering suspicion that the white-collar criminal is getting off leniently in our justice system". (Poveda, 1994, p. 4) In this respect, an awareness of white collar and corporate crime officially encourages us to think critically about the nature of crime and how regulations deal with it. One of the defining characteristics of white-collar crime is their conflicting characteristic both on the one hand of upstanding citizen, in terms of their contribution to voluntary civic activities for example, and on the other criminal, displayed through the harm they caused through their illegal activities (Benson, 1984). Economic or white-collar crimes are performed on a large scale, sophistically such as fraud committed on behalf of organization or against any corporation, and antitrust violations are notoriously difficult to quantify because victims often do not know they have been subject to a criminal offense. Since they are committed on a broader spectrum, therefore government is not much concerned about them as compared to other crimes. Therefore, there is no central regulation or survey application or reporting mechanism to combat with these sorts of crimes or the losses occurred by their frauds. Apart from the critics if we analyse regulatory efforts, it is clear that Government regulatory agencies after crime occurrence collect the original figure of fraud thereby reporting them as they see fit. However, it is often difficult to verify their methodology of reckoning accurate figures that can be compared in any meaningful way. Behind the continuous growth of such crimes, is the organised criminality left over from the operation of licit markets and their regulation to suggest that governmental interventions are having the unintended consequence of generating organised criminal activity within and without national boundaries. (Edwards & Gill, 2003, p. 143) Therefore, unlike violent or street crime, WCC and CC is not analysed or measured through investigations like victim surveys, or comprehensive surveys of the incidence or cost of white-collar crimes. Similarly there is no sampling methodology like fingerprints and crime definitions are seldom transparent, making comparability across crime particularly difficult. However, if the estimates are to be believed, white-collar crime causes tangible losses far in excess of tangible losses associated with street crimes. The regulatory regimes of such broad offences first determine what counts as crime in a particular society. 'Crime and Punishment' gets this right; 'Crime and Society' doesn't. Yet law, a commodity with which the state is endowed, defines and shapes not only spheres of 'outright illegality' like WCC and CC crime, but also certain 'zones of ambiguity'. The ambiguity in the state's relation to law may be evoked by saying that the state has for ages been favoring illegality directly or indirectly. This is nowhere clearer than in the way that state exaction, regulations, and prohibition influence and even determine the incidence of criminal and organized criminal activity (Farer 1999, p. 251). More than any other form of state intervention, it is

Accounting Analysis of the 2011 Annual Report for Bank of Queensland Limited Essay Example for Free

Accounting Analysis of the 2011 Annual Report for Bank of Queensland Limited Essay 1. Executive Summary The aim of this report is to provide an accounting analysis of the 2011 annual report for Bank of Queensland Limited (BOQ), and a critique of the reporting of their performance. The report discusses the choice of accounting policies and the flexibility of these policies. The main objective of this report is to evaluate and recognise the possibility of using creative accounting within the company, recognise and questionable accounting numbers within items listed previously. A number of items have been selected from Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Statement. 2. Overview Bank of Queensland Limited (BOQ), has history of 137 years with network of over 280 branches operating in Queensland. It offers core banking (commercial/retail), equipment finance, wealth management and insuranceservices. BOQ is listed on the ASX and uses its unique concept of the Owner-Managed Branch (OMB),a partnership between the Bank of Queensland (franchisor) and experienced bank managers (franchisees) to provide banking services. See more:  Capital budgeting essay 3. Description of key accounting policies and standards 3.1 Loans and advances at amortised cost (Asset) As shown on BOQ’s Balance sheet in FY11, loans and advances at amortised cost are big-ticket itemsin its assets accounting for approximately 98 per cent. According to the significant accounting policies explored by BOQ annual report 2011, loans and advances are originated by the bank and are recognised upon cash being advanced to the borrower. Based on AASB13, loans and advances are initially recognised at fair value plus incremental direct transaction cost using the effective interest method. 3.2 Deposits and borrowing (Liability) Deposits, as the one of the most important cash inflows of the bank, follow ruleAASB13 as well. They are initially recognised at fair value plus transaction costs and thenby using the effective interest method, they are measured at amortised cost. It is classified in two concentrations: retail deposits and wholesale deposits. 3.3 Employee benefits (Expense) This item follows AASB119Employee Benefits which has been amended in its accounting rules affecting the measurement of its obligations and the timing of recognition of termination benefits. Employee benefits can be classified to four categories: wages, salaries and annual leave; long service leave; superannuation plan and share based payments. 4. Flexibility of Management in Selecting the Key Accounting Policies It is undeniable that having flexiblemanagement can exert positive effects on the presentation of company’s annual financial report. Specifically, from the Bank of Queensland ´s perspective, if mangers have considerable adaptability in selecting the key accounting policies, the financial performance of Bank of Queensland Ltd can be improved; therefore more investors and customers would give priority to cooperating with them in the future. 4.1 Loan and Advances at Amortized Cost 4.1.1 Flexibility Analysis The measurement of loans and advances at amortized cost is extremelyfavourable to commercial banks. From BOQ’s consolidated financial annual report, the loan and advances at amortized cost accounted for around 83.3% of total assets in 2011, it had increased from 31,736,5 million to 33,276,1 million during 2010 to 2011. This change in $1539, 6 million was caused by impairment charges made by managers of the bank. The increase of loans and advances at amortized cost could enhance the customers trust in the bank. Sincefinancial funds, credit business and debts are the core business transaction of the banking industry, this itemappears to increase receivable accounts. Also, as banks could charge a reasonable rate of interest on such future loans/advances, they are able utilizethis income to pay current liabilities, wage and salaries of employees, and also the tax liability of business. Consequently, the BOQ’s managers have selected a flexible accounting policy in this item. 4.1.2 Accounting policies analysis Being dominant in the assets, loans and advances at amortized cost carries the burden of generating cash. The way that Bank of Queensland recognizes loans and advances at amortized cost can be separated to two phases. Initially, loans are recognized at fair value plus incremental direct transaction costs. Secondly, BOQ uses effective interest method to measure the amortized cost at each reporting date. The advantage of this accounting policy is that including direct transaction cost in the loan price can offset the actual transaction cost occurred and maximize the profit for the bank. Additionally, the effective interest method is considered as one of the prior methods for amortizing a bond discount. Theoretically, investors require a discount on bonds because the market interest rate at the time of issue is higher than the coupon payments on the bond. Therefore, by amortizing the discount at the market interest rate, accounting statement of Bank of Queensland will exactly reveal the economic reality of the bond issue and its true cost of debt. 4.2Deposits and Borrowing 4.2.1 Flexibility Analysis Due to the characteristics of banking industry, there is a high flexibility for management in these two liabilities. It is noticeable that deposits and borrowing accounted for about 97% of total liabilities on the balance sheet. Occupying 69% of total deposits, managers pay more attention to Retail Banking Services because of itsattractiveness to customers compared to other types of deposits. 4.2.2 Accounting Policies Analysis This policy states that securitization set-up costs relating to on-balance sheet assets are included with securitization borrowings, and amortization is recorded as interest expense. Initially, excluding off-balance sheet costs makes the liability much smaller and enlarges their net assets. Likewise, interest on debt is a tax-deductible expense and creates a tax shield benefiting Bank of Queensland. The major function for this policy is to save cash flows for BOQ. 4.3 Employee Benefits 4.3.1 Flexibility Analysis Employee expenses mainly consist of share based payments and employee benefits. All of these kinds of financial activities are beneficialto BOQ.The result from increasing incentives to employees applies as it encourages them to performenthusiasticallywhicheventuallyleads to higher profits for the firm. 4.3.2 Accounting policy analysis Among Employee Benefits, shared based payments are distinguished. The accounting policy demonstrates that Bank of Queensland allows employees to acquire its shares, options and rights sold recognized in the Employee Benefits Reserve. This expense could be reversed if the loss is not due to a market condition. This is highly beneficial as it encourages employees to purchase shares of their own company but, on the other hand, as more shares are sold, the higher price rises in the stock exchange. 5. Quality of Disclosure Made in BOQ Accounts The quality of disclosure in the BOQ ´s policies, strategy, performance and financial statements and reports is satisfactory as it provides accessible, transparent and fairly justified information. As the BOQ is a listed company, it has to comply with all ASX disclosure policies and reporting but in addition it also complies with the ASX Corporate Governance Recommendations as well as the Australian Prudential Standards (APS) (Profit Announcement 2011). In the profit announcement report for 2011, BOQ discloses a number of disclosure principles which include management, board structure, ethical and responsible decision making, financial reporting, timely and balanced disclosure, respect rights of shareholders, recognize and manage risk, remuneration. 5.1 Business Strategy and Economic Consequences The business strategy and economic consequences are disclosed in the notes to the annual report in terms of the risk management of the company. As it explains in these notes the bank approach is to manage its risk in terms of credit risk, market risk, liquidity, operational risk, compliance policies and capital management. As it states in the annual report there is a high level of assessment and monitoring of these risks in order to follow the company ´s strategy. 5.2 Notes to the Financial Statements – Explanation of Policies The notes to the financial statements and reports do provide an explanation to the bank ´s management policies. According to the 2011 Annual Report these policies provide effectiveness and efficiency in terms of managing the risks described above as well as creating controls to support growth and competitive advantage. An example of these policies in 2011 was a strong expense management which lead them to reduce their cost-to-income ratio from 45.8% to 44.5%. Moreover, these policies provide regulatory compliance as well as performance management. 5.3 Explanation of Current Performance BOQ through its yearly Profit Announcement Report clearly explains its current performance in terms of its principal activities. It states its current level of profitability and the main reasons for any losses. As well as these profit or losses explanations the report shows explanations for changes in expenses, asset growth, retail deposit growth, branch network expansion and capital management. 5.4 Accounting / Financial Rules In terms of financial conventions that restrict the firm as a banking institution, the main one is the Basel II Accord in which the bank is obligated to maintain capital adequacy requirements. In the 2011 Annual report is mentioned that Tier 1 capital made up of equity capital and disclosed reserves was higher than required by Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA). Moreover, AASB 124 Related Party Disclosures is additionally disclosed in order to understand the impact on the firm. Moreover it discloses all its consolidated statements for all subsidiaries of the group following all consolidation standards. 5.5 Segment Disclosure The quality of the segment disclosure for BOQ is sufficient as it discloses its two operating segments, and since the bank operates only in Queensland, it does not need geographical segmentation. It discloses the high level metrics for both of the banking and insurance segments as well as consolidated totals (Annual Report 2011 pg. 89). Also, following consolidation requirements it eliminates inter-company transactions (Annual Report 2011 pg. 89). 6. Questionable Accounting Numbers The most important and questionable numbers can be seen in the yearly Profit Announcement where BOQ announced a net loss after tax of 90.6 million AUD. The explanation for this loss was attributed to significant impairment charges. As the income analysis shows that the company made a reasonable operating income loss, but the large part of the loss was due to a revision of their commercial loans and provisioning approach. They decided to increase these specific commercial loan provisions more than close to 90 million due to the continuous decline in commercial property in Queensland. Along with loan impairments, the bank also impaired a substantial amount of assets, also because of the decline if commercial property. Furthermore in the Directors Report in 2011 there were some potential red flags regarding remuneration. As the bank went through a restructure last year there were a number of high level managerial positions that changed in this period. During this transition there were a number of payments classified as  ´others` that did not have a clear explanation. An example of this includes a payment of half a million dollars to the previous CEO to  ´ensure a smooth transition` between him and the newly appointed CEO. While taking into account the Director ´s report is audited by KPMG, this payment seemed excessive. 7. Undone Distortions Based on previous parts, the conclusion has arrived that BOQ suffered net loss of $90.6 million because of the tremendous growth in impairment loss. The footnote disclosures in the Profit Announcement provide the composition of the impairment loss. According to note 11, loan impairment expenses totalled $327.7 million. $165.7 million of this amount is specific provision impairment and the rest $162 million relates to collective provision. Moreover, impairment loss for assets also amounts to $578.7 million. Note 4suggests that BOQ ´s management increase its impairment loss based on their estimates of dropping commercial property market. However, this estimate comes from historical experience and professional judgment. In contrast, the estimate might be different from actual results. Therefore, distortions may arise resulting from overstated impairment loss. In order to undo the distortion, the impairment loss should have been adjusted to a lower level with fewer provisions. 8. Financial Press Discussions Even before the Profit Announcement of BOQ came out, many financial reporters foresaw the net loss of BOQ resulting from increasing impairment loss. The downturns in tourism and recent natural disasters impacted Queensland’s economy negatively, and the conditions in Queensland were expected to remain challenging in the future because of strong Australian dollar. As a result, for BOQ a company that is highly exposed to Queensland housing market, the current poor performance of might not change in short term.Following by the poor performance, BOQ isnow struggling to keep regulators happy and keep its capital at acceptable level. On 26 March 2012, BOQ announced aequity rising of $450 million. However, by doing this, the existing shareholders of BOQ will be heavily diluted and it will cause its share price to drop significantly.

United States vs Antoine Jones Supreme Court Essay

United States vs Antoine Jones Supreme Court Essay On November 18, 2011, charges was bought against Antoine Jones for possession of drug trafficking. The case was the Supreme Court of the United States, No. 10-1259, Citation 565 U.S 132 s. Ct. 945, 181 L. Ed 2d 911; United States, petitioner v. Antoine Jones. All 9 parties of the Supreme Court were present for the trail as well as the plaintiffs which were the law enforcements along with Deputy Michael R. Dreeben and the defendant Antoine Jones. Each party hand a chance to deliberate their opinions and stating their case against Antoine Jones. This case was not only bought into court just for Mr. Joness cocaine distribution but for authorities violating Antoine Jones Fourth Amendment rights by planting a GPS device on Joness vehicle without his consent. The law requires that a warrant must be obtained before law enforcements can attach anything to an individuals private property with consent. Authorities did not have a warrant to affix a GPS device to Antoine Joness vehicle nor did t hey obtain Joness permission. Antoine Jones was a proprietor of a club when authorities put him under surveillance because they suspect that Jones was distributing cocaine. Through various investigations, law enforcement was given a warrant to implant a tracking device on Joness vehicle. The vehicle belongs to Joness wife; however he was listed as a driver. Authorities were given 10 days from the date the warrant was received to plant the device on the vehicle in the District of Columbia. However, law enforcement decided to attach the device on the 11th day in Maryland which was out of the warrant grace period as well as in another district. Experts fixated the device on the base of the vehicle while it was parked in Joness opened garage to track its movement.[1] The vehicle was followed up to 100ft allowing authorities to generate multiple data for a period of 28 days. Law enforcement were able to gain enough evidence to obtain an arraignment against Antoine Jones for possession of drug trafficking. The controversy in this case is that Joness Fourth Amendment right was violated because a GPS tracking device was installed on his wife vehicle without their permission or consent. It was also the fact that weather or not the evidence that was retrieved when law enforcement illegally attached a tracking device to the vehicle could be used to convict Jones on drug charges who was sentence to life in prison. According to the Fourth Amendment citizens have the right to be secure in their houses, papers and effects against an reasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated an no warrants shall be issue, but upon probable cause supported by oath or affirmation and particularly describing the place to be searched and person or thing to be seized.[2] The United States district court for the District of Columbia is where the case first started. From there it went to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. After being trialed in the District of Columbia court of Appeals, in August of 2010 it went to the United States Supreme Court. The District of Columbia had original jurisdiction in the case and first trailed Jones in 2006 where the jury returned with a guilty verdict on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute 5 or more kg of cocaine and 50 more grams of cocaine base. The Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled out Joness conviction because the data that was transmitted from the device that was implanted on Joness vehicle was not submersible in court due to the protection of the Fourth Amendment rights. The Supreme Court of the United States proceeded with the case in 2011 where a verdict was received in January 2012. The Supreme Court voted unanimously and the judge expelled the case and ruled the case as a violation of the Fourth Amendment. Authorities broke the law by trespassing on private property and planting a tracking device without a valet warrant or consent. On January 23, 2012 the Supreme Court held that the Governments installation of a GPS device on a person vehicle and its use of that device to monitor the vehicles movement constitute a search under the Fourth Amendment.[3] The majority argued that putting a GPS device on private property would be considered trespassing on private property and that it constitutes Joness Fourth Amendment rights. The minority argued that the Fourth amendment was not violated in that particular situation because Jones was under suspicion of drug trafficking and they had the right to install a GPS device on Joness vehicle. They argue the fourth Amendment can be breached under certain circumstances and situations. The minority concurred in the judgment bu t criticized the framing of the question in terms of trespass to property and believed that such a construction of the problem strained the language of the Fourth Amendment and that it would be better to analyze the case by determining whether the Government violated Jones reasonable expectations of privacy.[4] The Supreme Court decision was reach by analyzing and researching the Fourth Amendment and basing their findings on the fact that authorities should not rely on technology and should not neglect the citizens of the United States rights of the Fourth Amendment when its concerning the use of a warrant and trespassing. These findings was also based on the property base analysis and the cases of Katz v. U.S and that the Government key tracking cases, U.S. v. Knotts as well as U.S. v. Karo. Those analysis states that it does not foreclose the more expansive reasonable expectation for privacy and the Governments key tracking cases were inapplicable and thus not controlling.[5] The rulings of the court may have effect on some Americans because some may agree that even without a tracking device law enforcements can still follow you and put you under surveillance without you knowing. The recognition the Supreme Court display for this case has secured each citizen by protecting the Fourth Amendment. It has allowed authorities to understand and recognize that they cannot get around the Constitutions Fourth Amendment by using technology to search an individuals property without a proper warrant. The Courts resolution emphasized the importance of the verifiable purpose and objective of the Fourth Amendment rights. It has prompted society that the privacy law was fused into the Constitution of the United States to secure the citizens against government trespasses against law enforcement or others and their private property. I believe that the rulings did not affect the interpretation and enforcement of any particular law. References Brittany Boatman, United States v. Jones: The Foolish revival of the Trespass Doctrine in Addressing GPS Technology and the Fourth Amendment, http://scholar.valpo.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2292context=vulr (last visited May 20, 2017). https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/United_States_of_America_1992 (last visited Mar 20, 2017). United States v. Jones (2012) https://en.wikipedia.org/w/indes.php?title=Uniteds_States_Jones(2012)oldid=770405758 (last visited mar. 20, 2017) United States v. Jones, Oyez, https://www.oyez.org/cases/2011/10-1259 (last visited Mar 20, 2017). United States v. Jones Concerning Warrantless GPS installation and Tracking Under the Fourth Amendment, United States v. Jones Concerning Warrantless GPS installation and Tracking Under the Fourth Amendment, http://epic.org/amicus/jones/ (last visited Mar 20, 2017). [1] Brittany Boatman, United States v. Jones: The Foolish revival of the Trespass Doctrine in Addressing GPS Technology and the Fourth Amendment, http://scholar.valpo.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2292context=vulr (last visited May 20, 2017). [2] https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/United_States_of_America_1992 (last visited Mar 20, 2017). [3] United States v. Jones (2012) https://en.wikipedia.org/w/indes.php?title=Uniteds_States_Jones(2012)oldid=770405758 (last visited mar. 20, 2017) [4] United States v. Jones, Oyez, https://www.oyez.org/cases/2011/10-1259 (last visited Mar 20, 2017). [5] United States v. Jones Concerning Warrantless GPS installation and Tracking Under the Fourth Amendment, United States v. Jones Concerning Warrantless GPS installation and Tracking Under the Fourth Amendment, http://epic.org/amicus/jones/ (last visited Mar 20, 2017).

Exploring Personal Choices in Toni Morrisons Beloved Essay -- Toni Mo

Exploring Personal Choices in Toni Morrison's Beloved At the climax of her book Beloved, Toni Morrison uses strong imagery to examine the mind of a woman who is thinking of killing her own children. She writes, "Because the truth was simple, not a long-drawn-out record of flowered shifts, tree cages, selfishness, ankle ropes and wells. Simple: she was squatting in the garden and when she saw them coming and recognized schoolteacher's hat, she heard wings. Little hummingbirds stuck their needle beaks right through her headcloth into her hair and beat their wings. And if she thought anything, it was No. Nono. Nonono. Simple. She just flew. Collected every bit of life she had made, all the parts of her that were precious and fine and beautiful, and carried, pushed, dragged them through the veil, out, away, over there where no one could hurt them. Over there. outside this place, where they would be safe. And the hummingbird wings beat on." (163) A full analysis of the book, or even of this passage, would be more extensive than is justified by the constraints of this paper. To a large extent this book is about the victims of the system of slavery. However, Morisson uses this and other passages to comment on issues that are still present even after significant changes in social and economic systems. One statement Morisson is making here is that there is a dichotomy between what we should do to obey our personal spiritual laws and what we should do to exercise "common sense" or "be normal." Also that often neither of these is what we actually do nor what we want to do as a person trying to live life. She makes it implicitly clear in this sentence, as she does in other parts of the novel, dealing with other characters. It is va... ...uate all the options we have for dealing with it. Perhaps Toni Morrison wrote this book to explore choices that we all have made between what is right for the "reasonable man" and what is right for us in the context of what we believe and feel, and how we reconcile those things as we deal with society afterward. God judges the heart of every person, but other people can only judge and deal with us on the basis of what they see and hear us do and say. That is a major challenge for each person: expressing his or her true feelings clearly, before and after the action, and expressing them to a sympathetic person who is also able to parse that expression. Perhaps the "hummingbirds" in this passage were all the reactions by people who closed Sethe in rather than allowed her to express herself openly. Works Cited Morrison, Toni. Beloved. New York: Plume, 1997.

Racial & Crimial Profiling

RACIAL AND CRIMINAL PROFILING An Assessment of RACIAL AND CRIMINAL PROFILING Cultural Diversity in Criminal Justice RACIAL AND CRIMINAL PROFILING 1 As many issues and concerns arise in our everyday lives, it is often difficult to overlook many of the horrific and tragic situations of today’s law enforcement. Regardless of what profession you may be in there are always ways to make improvements to it.A few of the future and emerging issues that I feel that leaders in the criminal justice system need to address are racial profiling and criminal profiling which each can create a mistrust within a department and violate the civil liberties of citizens. When events such as these begin to surface in the media and within our communities, questions begin to arise about the tendencies of our police agencies. Racial profiling or racially biased form of policing (especially recently in the United States), is any police action initiated on the mere basis of race, ethnicity, or national or igin of a suspect.This is a form of discrimination that is used to target the ethnic, minority communities. Profiling in law enforcement occurs when government agencies and officials decide to investigate a person on suspicion, and the detained suspect committed an illegal offense, based solely on their ethnicity and racial identity. Arrest should be determined and made on the behavior of that individual or on information that leads police to a particular individual that has been identified as being, or having been engaged in some type of criminal activity.Racial profiling was an issue that arose over 40 years ago and has resurfaced as a bigoted practice unworthy of the law enforcement professional. It has been and should continue to be widely condemned as contrary to the basic ethical principles. Furthermore, such particular type of action weakens the public’s confidence in the police, thus decreasing police – citizen trust and cooperation. Racial or ethnic indicators associated with a particular suspect or suspected groups may have place in legitimate law enforcement strategies if they accurately relate to the offenders who are being sought for criminal law violations.The example I chose to support my information about racial profiling is RACIAL AND CRIMINAL PROFILING 2 the incident that surrounded the African-American Harvard Professor, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. , who was arrested at his home by a white police officer. It was in an upscale community and neighbor observed two black males on the porch; she assumed they were burglars and proceeded to notify the authorities. A white officer came to the home of Mr. Gates who had recently returned from a trip from China, who questioned and then arrested him.He later realized that the Professor was the homeowner and was behaving suspiciously because he was frustrated and fatigue because he could not immediately locate his keys once he arrived at his home from his trip. This was clearly racial profiling and the professor â€Å"fit the profile of a thug†, but he was in did not the picture of being prestigious enough to reside in such an upscale resident also. Hopefully someday society and law enforcement will not judge a person by the color of their skin when making arrest within our communities.It is often difficult not to revert back to what we have seen on the various criminal-investigative shows when we discuss certain issues with our colleagues, but actual investigators would not use that type of protocol to jeopardize their cases. Criminal profiling should consist of an analogy used by the police while on a scene combined with the details gathered to form an overall conceptual finding of a perpetrator. This is not a concrete method of capturing a criminal, but it will certainly narrow down the persons of interest that are being pursued.It will also assist to develop some form of similarities between the various crimes that may be occurring in a particular area, the tim e the incidents are occurring may be a factor, as well as the specific victim being targeted in the situations. Some may not think that this may not be of any importance, but I know that this form of profiling could be essential if it is used properly because the criminal often â€Å"gets sloppy and let’s their guard down† and normally this is when they are RACIAL AND CRIMINAL PROFILING 3 pprehended. Investigators who deal with violent crime are somewhat experienced with criminal profiling and are behavioral psychologists whose sole job is to profile the criminal mind. â€Å"For example, one of the purposes of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit is criminal profiling, and they employ agents who are considered experts at understanding and predicting the minds and behavior of these criminals. The BSU within the FBI is also responsible and accountable for training new agents and researching criminal behavior.It is imperative that all involved are mindful that criminal prof iling should not be used solely to identify and capture criminals. In case, you might have twelve or more suspects who â€Å"profile† are all alike, which means that other investigative techniques must be used to identify the real executor. As a matter of fact, to investigate a horrendous crime, is hard and strenuous work. Criminal profiling provides assistance to the detectives with understanding the modus operandi, or the motivation and the habits of brutal killers and sex offenders.There are four individual areas of investigation that criminal profiling uses and they are antecedent, method, disposal and post offense areas. These areas range from what caused the offender to initially commit the crime, what type of violence was used with each crime, what did he do with the victims afterwards, and how should to how their behavior should ultimately be observed. Three names are well-known in Canada for the atrocious crimes each of them committed, Clifford  Olson, Paul  Bern ardo and Robert  Pickton. Olson raped and murdered 11  young boys and girls before he was apprehended. Bernardo raped at least 18  young women but wasn’t caught until he murdered three more. Pickton has been found guilty for the murder of 26  women, but claims to have killed  49. There were signs and similarities that linked the victims and the individuals responsible together. Serial criminals often follow a certain victim guideline RACIAL AND CRIMINAL PROFILING 4 and pursue specific fantasies or rituals with their victims.Police forces long have recognized that serial criminals tend to follow patterns, use particular weapons or methods, and target similar victims† (Dept of Justice, Canada, 2011). In my opinion, I don’t think it is even possible to ever know why some individuals are wired the way they are; it is and will always be a mystery to why certain crimes are committed. RACIAL AND CRIMINAL PROFILING 6 References http://criminal. lawyers. com/Cri minal-Law-Basics/The-Criminal-Profiling-Process. html http://www. victimsofviolence. on. ca/rev2/index. php? option=com_content=view=336=26

Virtual Organization Employment Law

Globalization and the development of the Internet technology have brought serious changes in our world today. It is as if the other side of the world is just a few seconds away. Countries which previously closed their borders to the international community were forced to open up. People who were previously isolated from the rest of the world are now being brought together by the necessity for survival in this competitive world. The desire for strong trading relations with other countries forced countries to build political alliances with other countries. Corporations need to continuously grow to meet the ever-changing needs of the consumers. Riordan Manufacturing Inc is no exception. Riordan Manufacturing, Inc is currently the leader in the field of plastic injection molding. Its mission is to provide innovative solutions, products and services at a reasonable cost and to develop long-term relationships with its customers. To meet the demands of its world-wide clientele it opened its facilities in San Jose, California, Albany, Georgia, Pontiac, Michigan and Hangzhou, China. These changes, however, which were brought about by globalization also created complexities on the part of the employers insofar as employee management is concerned. The differences in cultural identities and the unique practices of employees are bound to create employee-related problems for the company. With the congregation of different people, each having his own identity, in one single company, tension and conflicts were likewise created. (Diana Ayton-Shankar) Discrimination and sexual harassment issues are also bound to arise which the company is bound to anticipate. Research shows that in a study conducted by the National Organization for Woman, they found that 80% of women surveyed in a wide variety of industries had been sexually harassed. The EEOC now handles some 5,000 new sexual harassment cases annually, double the caseload of only a few years ago. (David J. Bowman) If these concerns will not be addressed by the company, then the company may expose itself to suits. There was a case in San Francisco wherein the jury awarded the amount of more than $7M to a legal secretary harassed by a male partner in a law firm for failing to act swiftly on a sexual harassment complaint. Gerald D. Bloch) Thus, creating a non hostile and friendly working environment should also be one of the top priorities of Riordan Manufacturing, Inc. Discrimination Issues in the Workplace Since the business organization is composed of personnel coming from different countries, there is a possibility that the company may have in its employ Americans and Asians. The possib ility, therefore, of racial discrimination and sexual harassment issues among the employees is not remote. In a multi-racial organization, racial discrimination is a pressing issue which must be properly be addressed by the management. Some Managers, consciously or unconsciously prefer white employees over the black employees or Asians, considering that Riordan has facilities in China. In some business organization, the white Americans are given better work opportunities than Black Americans or Asians. In some organizations, most black employees are being hired for rank-and-file positions or they are disqualified for promotion on the simple basis of their color or race. Another issue that the Riordan Manufacturing Inc may encounter is gender discrimination. Although the labor laws expressly prohibit gender discrimination in the workplace, it is still being practiced in several business organizations. For example if Riordan Manufacturing, Inc prefers to hire male applicants over a female applicant though they are similarly qualified for the position, it will be an outright discrimination on the ground of gender discrimination. As mentioned, there is always the possibility that sexual harassment may occur in Riordan Manufacturing Inc. Sexual Harassment is defined by the EEOC as any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: a) submission to the conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly as condition of an individual’s employment, or b) submission to or rejection of the conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment decisions affecting such individual, or c) the conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment. â€Å"Preventing Sexual Harassment: A Fact Sheet For Employees†) State and Federal Statutes on the matter of discrimination are clear. Job treatment which includes the hiring of employees, firing of employees, and promotions of employees, must be based on qualifications and merit and not on race, gender, age, sexual preference, disability. (â€Å"Workplace Harassment and Employment Di scrimination†) In these cases, it is not only the legal duty of every Human Resource Manager but its ethical duty as well to incorporate in its policy manual the rules against discrimination. They must include in their policy manual that the management does not tolerate any form of discrimination in the business organization. It must define the acts that constitute discrimination. The policy manual must likewise include the procedure for filing of complaint against the person who utters discriminatory remarks or practices discrimination in the workplace and the penalty for those who will be found guilty after investigation is conducted. Indeed, communication is a key to avoiding discrimination in the workplace. There must be communication by the employer in the sense that they must inform their employees that discrimination will not be tolerated by the company and that any incident of discrimination will be seriously dealt with. There must also be communication between the offended party in the sense that both parties must be given by the management opportunity to meet so that the offending party may know that the act or remark given is offensive and discriminatory. It is possible that the other person does not have any knowledge or idea that the remark he has just uttered or the act he has just committed is offensive to the sensibilities of another. If despite the fact that he has confronted and communicated his feelings to the other person he still continues making discriminatory acts and remarks, the victim of discrimination must seek assistance from his supervisors. If there is no company policy against discriminatory acts, the victim of discrimination must report and notify immediately his immediate superior, the supervisor or the Human Resource Manager so that this could be acted upon. To strongly implement the policy against discrimination sanctions against those who have proven to commit such acts must be put in place. Among the sanctions that could be imposed are written warning, letter of reprimand, suspension, change of job or class assignment and termination or expulsion. Conclusion I have identified three major discrimination issues that is likely to happen in Riordan Manufacturing, Inc. and explained the manner by which the company may address these issues. Indeed, discrimination issues in the workplace should not be treated as something which ordinarily happens in the workplace. It can be avoided. A friendly, nondiscriminatory, and non-hostile environment is not a utopia. The task therefore of Managers is to anticipate these problems or if it already exists in the workplace the Managers must find solutions to these problems. Indeed, the failure to resolve these issues may lead to serious losses to the employer as it affects the performance of the employee involved.

Best Practices for Social Science Writing Essay

When social scientists write their research papers, they usually discuss the methods that they employed in gathering and analyzing their data and the results that they were able to generate using these methods. They however seldom concentrate on the writing process itself (Cuba, 1997). Writing in the field of social science requires the use of insight and research to better understand and make concrete observations and findings about the various behavioral elements. There are many methods of conducting social science studies namely through observations, interviews, surveys and case studies. However, when one starts writing the research paper that would embody these pertinent findings, the writer usually faces the challenges that many social science writers encounter. These problems include the complexities of achieving clarity, the potential for committing biases, writing in the first-person perspective, the use of quotations and in-text citations to support the analysis, and formatting styles particular to the field of social sciences. When writing one’s own research paper, it is important for a scholar in the field of social science to have a grasp of the basic writing techniques peculiar to social science in order to produce an academic paper that is relevant, informative and worth reading. The prevalence of search engines and the use of the World Wide Web have made it easier for scholars nowadays to conduct their studies and research with ease and in an expeditious manner. The libraries and other academic centers which make available to the public the latest references has also contributed to a great extent to achieving academic quality of various writings. Complexities in Achieving Clarity Like any other field of study, effective writing requires constant practice. This entails continuous process of writing, editing and rewriting ideas and use of words to convey these thoughts clearly to the intended audience (Cuba, 1997). Oftentimes, students of social science put off writing their research paper until they have completed doing all their research and compiled their bibliography. This practice however sometimes leads to insufficient time in writing the paper itself. In order to achieve clarity when writing a social science research paper, Hult (1996) enumerated the two components that must be considered: rhetorical question and organization. The components of a rhetorical situation include 1) the writer’s purpose; 2) the writer’s persona; 3) the potential readers or audience; 4) the subject matter and; 5) the appropriate language or tone (Hult, 1996). In starting the research write-up, the writer must determine the purpose of his paper and he must be able to define it clearly throughout the entire paper. The purpose need not be complex. A simple purpose will do so long as the readers can have a grasp of what the research is all about. Writers in the field of social science must also avoid writing in the first-person persona as this will affect the objectivity of their research. Identifying the intended audience will also help the writer in deciding what specific issues to discuss and what areas to avoid. For example, a person writing in the field of political science will have to consider political analysts as his potential readers. The subject matter is the most important aspect of the rhetorical situation (Hult, 1996). A writer must carefully select his thesis statement and decide from the materials gathered what facts must be included as well as those which need not be discussed. Furthermore, the research writer might also consider providing a glossary of terms when writing on a technical subject in order to make it easier for the readers to understand the language and tone of the research paper. Omitting Biases and Avoiding First Person Writing Style It is not uncommon practice in the field of social science to write using the first person persona. Writing from the first person perspective however indicates subjectivity in arriving at one’s own research findings and this in turn diminishes the objectivity of the research. In order to be more persuasive, the writer must couch his paper from a third person perspective so as to avoid the impression that he is impelled more by his own biases rather than reporting the facts gathered from relevant data. Omitting biases should be the foremost consideration of every social science writer because this field requires objectiveness and keen understanding of the facts and data. Unlike writers in the field of literature who have unbridled discretion to unleash their feelings and emotions in their papers, social science writers are bound by their duty to report the facts as they appear and not as they think it should be. The field of social science is primarily detail-oriented and must be supported by relevant, empirical, and reliable facts. In order to avoid biases, the writer must always dwell on the facts gathered and must use relevant sources to support his findings. Primary and secondary sources play an important role in the persuasiveness of one’s research work because the extent of the credibility of a research paper is to a great extent determined by the depth of research done by the researcher to support his study. The writer must also avoid labeling his chosen population or individual participants to avoid offending the readers. When dealing with a particular ethnic group or race, it is advisable to call them as they would like to be called. In order to avoid language biases, use the terminology applicable in the research itself. For example, when reporting on a study conducted on two types of participants, it is advisable to describe them according to how they were classified in the given study provided the labels are in themselves not offensive per se. Minimizing the Use of Quotations A writer’s source material must be in the form of paraphrases and summaries. However, paraphrased materials must still be properly documented either through in-text citations or footnotes or endnotes. Hult (1996) added that putting source material in your own words will improve the flow of your paper since the paraphrased style will blend with your own writing style and will thus contribute to its consistency. Minimize the use of direct quotations. The use of too many direct quotations distracts the reader and it also minimizes coherence of the writing style. It also leaves the impression that the writer knows little about his topic and is in fact relying heavily on what others have come up with (Hult, 1996). What the writer can do is paraphrase or summarize the portion of the materials used and document it properly. If using direct quotes cannot be avoided, the following principles are helpful in incorporating them smoothly in the research paper. First, when using quotations with four lines or less in length, enclose them with quotation marks and incorporate them in the text. Second, quotes should be introduced using the verb tense which is consistent with the tense of the quoted material. Third, change the capital letter to lower case and vice versa, within the quote if necessary. Fourth, enclosed in brackets the letter or words inserted inside the quoted material to separate them from the quoted material itself. Fifth, use ellipsis to signal that a material has been omitted from the quote. Sixth, punctuate the direct quote as it appears from the original. Seventh, a period or a comma which is part of the quote should be placed inside the quotation marks. Eighth, use a colon to introduce a quote which is more than one sentence or if the introductory material prior to the quoted portion is too long. Ninth, use a comma for short quotes (Hult, 1996). Using In-text Citations to Support Analysis A researcher who intends to make use on in-text citation in his write-up should keep in mind the American Psychological Association (APA) style which requires the use of past tense or present perfect tense when referring to earlier research materials. For example, it is incorrect to say â€Å"Smith (2008) states that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  when referring to Smith’s research findings. Instead, the researcher must employ the past or present perfect tense; hence, the in-text citation should appear like this: â€Å"Smith (2008) stated/has stated that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In-text citations must follow the author-date format under the APA citation style, e. g. , (Smith, 2008) and a complete documentation of the source must appear in the reference list. Electronic sources are cited in the same manner as citing a printed document, e. g. , (Purdue University Online Writing Lab, 2008). For sources with no date available, place â€Å"n. d. † (meaning â€Å"no date†) after the author’s last name, e. g. , (Smith, n. d. ). Formatting Expectations A writer must see to it that his paper is professional in appearance. This is not to say however that attention to format should be every social science writer’s foremost consideration. It is also equally important to confer with your instructor as to what should be the appropriate format style for the particular paper. When preparing the paper, it is best to be conservative when it comes to formatting style rather than be ostentatious and vulgar, thus making the paper look less serious and informal. Hence, margin must not be justified on both side of the page but only on the left side only. The American Psychological Association (APA) is the most commonly used citation style format in the field of social sciences. The guidelines provided under the APA provides a useful tool in writing research papers, using in-text citations and reference page and using footnotes or endnotes. Under the APA formatting style, page headers are required to be placed in the upper right-hand of every page. This page header must contain the first two to three words of the title followed by the page number. The title page should already show include the page header. A running head must also appear on the first line of the title page flush-left. On the upper half of the page, centered, the full title of the paper, the name of the writer and university or affiliation must be indicated (Purdue University Online Writing Lab, 2008). Research papers are normally comprised of the title page, the abstract (if appropriate), the main body, the references, and the appendixes (if appropriate). The abstract need not be written for short research papers but for published research reports, an abstract is always required regardless of the length of the paper (Hult, 1996). Appendix may be used to include raw data and other information that need not appear in the main body but is likewise important in the research paper. It is located after the reference page and is labeled sequentially in letters. The reference page must include all the sources used in the research paper. The sources must be in alphabetical order by author’s last name and need not be numbered. Conclusion Writing is a necessary aspect of social research (Cuba, 1997). A good research means that the writer gave great effort in collecting and organizing his data as well as in organizing his findings in a coherent and scholarly manner suitable to the academic community he intends to present his study to. In preparing the research paper, every writer in the field of social science must consider the pertinent style guides applicable. The writing process is an analytic strategy that can only be improved through practice. This necessarily means that every social science researcher preparing his paper must open to revisions. The first draft must not be the final paper. Every writer must be also be willing to take constructive criticism from his colleagues because all too often, a writer cannot see the errors of his own work unless others point them out. Letting others read your research paper will help you in assessing some of the loopholes in your own arguments. Writing in the field of social sciences is an important aspect of the research itself because the manner in which a given study is presented contributes to the persuasiveness of the one’s findings and output. As such, it is important to be familiar with the writing techniques, styles, and formats applicable in your field of research so as to avoid mistakes and errors in presenting your research. The APA citation format style is a helpful tool in the social sciences and every scholar in this field must familiarize himself this formatting to avoid the inconvenience of revising and rewriting the research paper. The social science paper must be formal as to its structure and form and the writer must avoid using first person persona that is usually employed in the literary field. The sentences must be well-crafted and concise and must clearly reflect in a coherent and thorough manner the findings of the researcher without the need of extravagant words or details. Social science research writing is a challenging task for every writer. It requires practice and hard work just like collecting the data itself. It is an inevitable part of every researcher’s academic life and it cannot be avoided. Hence, every researcher must be familiar with the format and style peculiar to this field in order to increase the success of one’s research paper. References Cuba, Lee (1997). Short Guide to Writing About Social Science (4th Ed. ). Addison-United States: Wesley Educational Publishers Inc. Gerring, John, Yesnowitz, Joshua & Bird, Stephen (2004). General Advice on Social Science Writing. Retrieved August 1, 2008 from http://people. bu. edu/jgerring/documents/Adviceonessaywriting. pdf Hult, Christine (1996). Researching and Writing in the Social Sciences. Boston, Allyn and Bacon. Hess, Diana (2007). From Banished to Brother Outsider, Miss Navajo to An Inconvenient Truth: Documentary Films as Perspective-Laden Narratives. Social Education 71 (4), 194-199. McDonald, Susan, MD. Social Science Writing Guide. Retrieved August 1, 2008 from http://www. emayzine. com/lectures/writing. htm Mullen, Carol (2006). Best Writing Practices for Graduate Students: Reducing the Discomfort of the Blank Screen. Retrieved August 1, 2008 from http://cnx. org/content/m14054/latest/ Przeworski, Adam and Salomon, Frank (1995). The Art of Writing Proposals: Some Candid Suggestions to Social Science Research Council Competitions. Social Science Research Council. Retrieved August 1, 2008 from http://fellowships. ssrc. org/art_of_writing_proposals/ Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) (19 June 2008). APA Formatting and Style Guide. Retrieved August 2, 2008 from http://owl. english. purdue. edu/owl/resource/560/01/http://Web address for OWL resource. Watts, Michael. The Holy Grail: In Pursuit of the Dissertation Proposal. Institute of International Studies. University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved August 1, 2008 from http://globetrotter. berkeley. edu/DissPropWorkshop/process/InPursuitofPhD. pdf