Boston Beer Company Case Essay

Background Information_: The Boston Beer Company, which was founded in 1984, had a very diversified thriving product line which entailed about twenty different kinds of beers. Their product was available in over nineteen various countries and used a network of around four hundred distributors. Revenues grew from 21 million dollars to 210 million dollars from inception to 1997. _Problem and Opportunity Identification_: As a result of the company’s product line and its variety, the company encountered issues sustaining and upholding of their products such as Lightship – which has been withering in recent years and which doesn’t have the volume like other products to sustain distribution. Since the light beer business that Lightship belonged to was one that was rapidly growing, the Boston Beer Company felt the need to investigate its products disappointment. The research to do so took place in different forms such as competition, market, and financial analyses, customer surveys, and finally deep emotional analysis using the ZMET technique. _Alternatives_: One option the research team is considering is introducing a new light beer into their product line. It is understandable that since the high-priced light beer industry is one of the biggest and rapidly growing field in the beer industry, the Boston Beer Company wants to occupy and take advantage of this field to further enhance its name and maintain its market share and its standing. However, there are issues in terms of positioning and marketing of this product. The product needs to be communicated as a light, rich, fun beer and targeted at a different audience that entails women. In addition to the fact that this option might cause conflict in terms of the brand image being a macho rough beer brewer, using it doesn’t solve the problem for Lightship if Lightship is going to be kept in the market offerings. Another option the research team considered was repositioning Lightship and throwing in more effort and investment into the marketing of the product. It was obvious that, compared to one of their biggest competitors Heineken, the Boston Beer Company has had trouble and sort-of failed to build a unique brand identity for this product. The product was not successfully differentiated and positioned in the market in order for it to build market share and improve standings. This failure could make it difficult for the company to reposition itself and change consumer perceptions to gain their interests and so it might be a waste of time and efforts. Finally, the last option is the dreaded one of not competing in this realm of the industry. This is a very extreme option since this realm is a huge and growing segment of the market and they would be missing out on a lot if they decide to pull out it. The failure to fit into this field, however, might have proved that the Boston Beer Company is not competent enough and ready to compete in this segment. _Critical Issues_: There are two main critical issues that the company should consider when making the decision about their situation in the light beer industry. One critical issue concerns the brand image – the company has an umbrella brand image of being a premium masculine macho craft beer brewer and shaking that could be seen to influence consumer perceptions. The second critical issue relates to the field study and the results it yielded – do they answer our questions about how to position the light beer product or on whether we should even introduce/keep products in this segment of the market. _Conclusion and Recommendation_: After reviewing the results of the various research techniques, the recommended option would be to introduce a new high-end light beer into the market (while probably retiring Lightship). Making use of the ZMET research results, this new product should be positioned in a manner that represents an active, refreshing, and healthy lifestyle. Having a new product instead of improving Lightship is best in order to avoid the difficult efforts of having to change stubborn consumer perceptions. Also, in terms of the umbrella brand image of BBC being a macho tough image, having a separate offering targeted at other audiences will probably add to the image of having two instead of eroding the existing image.

Constructivist Approach

I think when a secondry student starts learning new language for the first time in school It is very useful and important that the feeling of freedom of action they were to thought and responds. Consructivist approach is a helpful way to get a new trainee interested in learning English as a second language. When a students begins to learn,they rest and concern whould are not just for remembering and memorizing. unfortunately, in most of our public schools, The teacher was alone as the center of attention And only he is eloquent and the rest of the learning is specific to the subject matter of the book and the examinations and questions include just book content. Even behaviourism has not been implemented, and lack of the build-up,beginners have begun teaching of the same lesson without making innovation and research and thought of students in relation to the culture that they are learning the language and have no participation, their interest It reduces the scope of research in that branch. The teacher is written not only as a guide but as an absolute spokesman who only reads the contents of the book and students have to memorize the word of their words and questions are written without any stimulation of the initiative and the action of students from the concrete content of the curriculum. Dont give them any experience and just impact their behaviour.In this condition reinforcement and punishment is become more important.Student just imitating teacher and learning is done through repititon.They have no volountry to control their reflex to stimulus and response. These students continue to maintain and provide repetitive lessons without learning to take initiative and collaborate with their other classmates, even in the curriculum.The lack of psychological knowledge and no image of the culture of the target language of the teacher leads to the development of students without initiative and interaction.

Why Was Swanwick Station the busiest station in England for a few weeks each year in the 1930’s, and why did this cease to be the case?

The strawberry industry was the farming and distribution of the finest strawberries in Hampshire. In this project I will explain why Swanwick station was the busiest in England in the 1930's. I will also explain why the strawberry industry developed and declined, and how these events changed life around the area. This area I will be researching is Swanwick, Locks Heath, Warsash and Ticthfield. I will do this by visiting each of these sites and taking photographs. I will also be looking for places that have some significance to the industry such as Swanwick station, or old pubs etc. I am hoping to find out more about the strawberry industry in the 1930's, and I will hope to find out why the industry built up so fast, but declined just as fast. The Site Today Today, the site has clues as to how important the industry was. For example, MOJ Engineering is a building which used to be a basket factory, at the top of Duncan Road in Swanwick. At the bottom of Duncan Road is Swanwick Station, a two platform train station operating into Southampton, Portsmouth and London. The Q8 petrol station and the pub/restaurant The Talisman is in Park Gate, off the A27. Opposite Brookfield School in Sarisbury is a road called Strawberry Hill. This is a dead end road, but has brand new traffic lights for the main road at the bottom of the hill. The Joseph Paxton pub and the off-licence â€Å"Threshers† in Park Gate are both relevant to this study. Photos from the Site Today This is a photo of MOJ Engineering. The faded writing on the wall reads â€Å"Swanwick and District Basket Factory.† This is the outside of Swanwick Station today. The Talisman at Park Gate The Village Inn; used to be the inn for railway commuters. The Site As It Was and How The Industry Developed The site was completely different to what it is today, as it has endured many changes. In 1872, the strawberry industry picked up, and soon there were many growers across Swanwick, Warsash and Park Gate. They were mainly situated in the well known strawberry fields. As the industry developed, Swanwick train station was built. It was completed in 1888 and had the job of transporting the strawberries to London and various other places. Wicker baskets to hold the strawberries were transported in from Winchester Jail made by prisoners. However in 1913 the Swanwick and District Basket Factory was established adjacent to the station. It produced light and attractive plastic punnets. A successful season was critical for the industry and at encouraging moments during the growing period, prayers were offered for fair weather and a healthy crop as this was the growers' only source for income. During the season – usually mid June to mid July -the picking started as early as 4am for the 10am trains to places such as Aberdeen, Glasgow and Dublin. Because picking was hard, thirsty work, the local off-licence would supply a firkin of beer (about 9 gallons) everyday to each field throughout the season. The workers would receive a glass after 1000 baskets of strawberries had been picked. The fruit from the area was known in the trade as â€Å"Southamptons† and was soon recognised as been of a superior quality to that of competitors in Cornwall. The first variety of berry grown in the area was known as the â€Å"Maud† and was about the size of a thimble. Later came the â€Å"Joey† or â€Å"Paxtons†, short for Sir Joseph Paxton who was the producer of this strain, being much larger then the â€Å"Maud† and was considered by many experts to be the most delicious berry ever grown. Later servicemen from the Great War returned to look for jobs, and found strawberry growing to be the most suitable, as it would earn them sufficient amounts to support a family for the whole of the year. During the season, Swanwick was over-flowing with the horses and carts which transported the strawberries from the fields to the station. Strawberry Hill was a road in which they travelled by, as you can tell by the name. â€Å"It was recorded by some means that in the 1928 season 1,287,925 baskets left Swanwick station for London to take advantage of the lucrative markets there.† Much of the crop was grown for London markets, whose salesmen spoke highly of the local fruit. â€Å"Up to sixty pair-horse wagons were needed to convey the fruit from Waterloo to the markets.) The land around the area was perfect for growing strawberries, but only strawberries as it didn't have the right nutrients for other crops, which is a reason why the industry developed, as they had no competition. The availability of pickers was immense, as gypsies would invade the area as pickers for the picking rate of a penny farthing per 4 pound chip basket or 6 pence per hour. Whole families would work up to 18 hours per day. This was good for the industry as it meant more work could be done faster meaning more income. Photos from The Site As It Was Why did the Industry Decline? The sudden boom of strawberry growing was a success but it was in 1913 that a new variety of berry was to prove disastrous to the growers. The â€Å"Madame La Fevebre† was favoured and was for several years known as a good cropper. However it was this variety that brought the deadly disease â€Å"root – rot† to the area. As a consequence, crops were badly hit and this coupled with the depression led to many growers going bankrupt. started to deteriorate in the 1930's. One of the main reasons was that the earth was basically exhausted. Growers had used the land to the extent that it would no longer yield the crops. The Depression, late frosts in 1938 and finally the outbreak of war hastened the decline of the industry in the 30's. The survivors from the war realised that there were better jobs on offer, and didn't return to growing strawberries. There was a lot of competition from foreigners as well, as their crops ripened earlier and were sold cheaper. This was a problem for local growers as with this competition, they weren't getting the money they needed to support their families. Around this time (30's/early 40's) air transport was developing, so England was experiencing foreign strawberries. The growth of supermarkets instead of small fruit markets meant they needed â€Å"perfect† strawberries, and with all the problems in the area, the standards declined. Along with the developing supermarkets, the land originally used for crops was being increased to build houses on. By the 1940's the trend was general produce such as potatoes and tomatoes (for the rationing during the war.) However this growth of produce continued after the war and competed against strawberry growers. 1949 was particularly bad for them as Nurseries were developing all round the district with vast areas under glass. â€Å"Locks Heath Nurseries† boasted the largest greenhouse in Hampshire given over to the cultivation of tomatoes. To Conclude†¦ Looking back to the 40 boom years or so from the 1870's Locks Heath has been established all because of their strawberries. Nowadays they are associated with the recent phenomenon of â€Å"pick your own.† There are few memories left from this time, such as the station, and the basket factory etc, but the seasonal frenzied activity which included every citizen of Locks Heath, young and old, every year are now long since over.

Personal Statement, My Personal Experiences Essay

Personal Statement, My Personal Experiences - Essay Example His ambition for his children has often placed me in challenging positions. The most challenging of these was when, following the completion of my secondary education, he decided to transfer me to SMUK-1 BPK Penabur, the most difficult and best high school in Indonesia. I did not want to transfer and quite honestly, did not feel that I was capable of succeeding in such a competitive and tough educational environment where students where, to a large degree, expected to rely on themselves for success or failure. The environment, being so very different from what I was accustomed to, frightened me and for much of my first high school year, I was miserable. It was, within the limits of my experience, a period of tremendous intellectual and psychological hardship. Besides being extremely competitive and difficult, I had no friends at SMUK-1 BPK Penabur. There was, therefore, no one to guide me through this period and, at the same time, my father demanded nothing less than excellence. All I could do, therefore, was accept the situation and apply myself as I had never in my life done. While I recall this as a miserable year, the fact is that I succeeded and achieved the grades demanded of me. More importantly, I discovered that nothing is really ever too difficult. (2) As Indone

Functional Human Resource Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Functional Human Resource Technology - Essay Example This will also require a lot of staff who can work on it.. Why should most of the companies waste their time and money in installing new systems The answer to this question is simple. The reason is that it is very easy and simple to process payroll on a computer than doing it manually. Every employee can now look at his or her average salary for the month and can plan his or her expenditure accordingly. Errors creeping in the calculation of pay every month is reduced than when done so under the manual system. Installation of Computerized Payroll System can be expanded based on the needs of the organization. The installation should pave way for work to be carried out with fewer integration problems. As part of these ports to new payroll resolutions, management comforts particularly for financial management will be a large part of potential technology. The new technology will include more graphing ability, like the dashboards that would immediately display the mean salary by cost center. The new technology of Computerised Payroll System when installed or while installing will be a challenge to the Management. It becomes a challenge, because the required and apt staff who can work with the new system without causing it to crash, will have to be inducted. The human factor, that is the staff, is also equally important as is the

Consumer Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Consumer Behaviour - Essay Example According to Sumathi, the primary markets that the business can target are (1) consumer markets, (2) institutional markets, (3) industrial markets, and (4) reseller market. The company can target any of these markets to promote and sell its products. Nonetheless, there are no clear-cut for the categorization above. A business may target all the above categories or just one (Sumathi 2003). In the case of Blackberry Porsche P9981, the focus will be on the consumer market. However, the other three remaining are also a potential target market for Blackberry Porsche P9981. In this case, the consumer markets include all the individuals and households that buy and consume the Blackberry Porsche P9981 for their own personal use only. In particular, this group of people is not interested in setting themselves as manufacturers or reselling the product. Their main goal is personal consumption to maximize their utility. In this case, the target market for Blackberry Porsche P’9981 includes mainly businesspersons and teenagers from the rich background. Selecting a target market simply imply identifying more potential customers. A business can do this after it has segmented the buyers and developed appropriate measures of consumer insight about those buyers. Selecting the target market for Blackberry Porsche P’9981 is determined by two important factors. They include the attractiveness of the market segment and its fit within the firm’s resources, objectives, and capabilities. These three must be given appropriate consideration in order to help the business achieve its overall goals and objectives (Noel 2009). The market segment of businesspersons and rich teenagers is very attractive making it a highly suitable target market for Blackberry Porsche P’9981. The size of this market segment is enormous, with many potential customers. The population of young people in our society is rapidly growing and their income level rises steadily.

Bioprocessing requirements to manufacture a specific product Essay

Bioprocessing requirements to manufacture a specific product - Essay Example In lactic acid fermentation, a single molecule of pyruvate is changed into lactate. In the same process, ethanol and carbon dioxide are also resulting products. This kind of fermentation occurs in muscles of animals when the energy requirement exceeds the oxygen supply. This anaerobic process occurs, providing the organism with the energy required, in an anaerobic manner. Before this process can occur, though, a molecule of glucose has to be split into two molecules of pyruvate. This is a process referred to as glycolysis. In homolactic fermentation, two moles of lactic acid are anaerobically formed from a single molecule of glucose. When lactic acid is produced during fermentation, a racemic mixture of its two isomers is obtained. The L(+) and D(-) isomers will exist in equal quantities. When carbohydrate is fermented, glycolic and lactic acids will be found in the product mixture. This is the simplest form of fermentation. Lactic acid fermentation is a redox reaction that occurs in anaerobic conditions (Dworkin, 2006, 539). Lactic acid fermentation as a process finds use in the food industry since it is used in the production of yoghurt. Milk is fermented with bacteria that are harmless, mainly Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus. Milk is used as the culture in this process. When the pH of the milk is decreased, it congeals. The bacteria are responsible for producing compounds that give the resultant product the distinctive taste of yoghurt. By lowering the pH, the conditions become unfavourable for harmful bacteria, making this process effective. This process also finds use in producing sauerkraut. This process utilizes genus Leuconostoc (Dworkin, 2006, 541). In lactic acid fermentation, the product will be dependent on the strain of microbe used. The strain of microbe that is used for fermentation will influence the stereo-specificity of the product. The

Critical Reflection Pieces Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critical Reflection Pieces - Essay Example Good theories predict the unknown. After reading the Cybernetic in the Dialectic between Science and Design, it was realized that the perspective of the designers and the scientists was different. The Scientists based their arguments on observations, while the designers based their arguments on innovations. The designers created something that is yet to be observed and measured. Additionally, the scientists celebrated the aspect of generalization for instance on abstract theories, the designers on the other hand proposed artifacts that must result to operating in their details rather than their abstract. Reflecting on the content of the paper, the scientists insisted on the causal explanations. They excluded themselves from the causes of phenomena that they explored. The designers intended to cause something out of their own actions. The contrast between the designers and the scientists was evident. For this reason, the author adopted a less philosophical commitment in defining the term cybernetics. Based on his defi nition, he termed it as study of the possible systems, which resides on what that cannot be build or evolved in nature. Therefore, majority of the authors work is characterized as exploring the difference between innovation and observation (Krippendorff, 2007). After reading the 2nd order Cybernetics and Human-Centeredness, it can be reflected that the section only mentioned artifacts but not objects. The artifacts arose in the coordination of sensory motor as they are developed by those accounted and involved for their deeds under conditions with reliable interactions. For this reason, what people normally call objects can also be artifacts because they are also crafted skillfully. Artifacts might come from designing a material through recognition and in interfaces, which can be differentiated based on their interactivity. According to their interactions, it can be said that the meaning are less subjective.

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 141

Assignment Example en ways in which supply management has an impact on a firm’s sales are associated the following activities that integrate business management process across the supply chain. Customer relationship management, customer service management, demand management, order fulfillment, manufacturing flow management, supplier relationship management, product development and commercialization and management of returns, all of which determine market demand and production capacity of an organization. Support for strategic supply chain management has to come from the top management of an organization because of several reasons. Firstly, strategic processes require decisions from the top management because they relate to the main objectives of an organization. Secondly, strategic supply chain management involves application of various tactics that heave to be authorized by the top management. Lastly, strategic supply chain management incorporates operational decisions that also have to be directed by the top management because they relate to company objectives. Supply chain management position is important in organizational structure for two major reasons. To begin with, supply chain managers ensure that customer services are boosted hence increasing an organization sales. Secondly, supply chain managers ensure that an organization enjoys high profits by ensuring that product supplies are made quickly and using the most cost effective means. Many organizations use a hybrid approach to decision-making authority in their supply management in order to make informed decisions. In this case, the supply management authorities evaluate different alternatives available for organizations and then decide on one that ensures major objectives are attained. Cross functional teams are made up of stake holders with different skills within an organization. Therefore, individual members can contribute different ideas that can be used to enhance the value of products within an organization. In

F Robert Nozick's How Liberty Upsets Patterns Essay

F Robert Nozick's How Liberty Upsets Patterns - Essay Example This paper agrees that a society, even a socialist one, can still be unequal because of the uneven distribution of skills, knowledge, and attitudes among people, but liberty is a natural equalizer, ensuring that people, no matter how small their financial/nonfinancial gifts may be, can have opportunities for self-development and economic prosperity, so that they can increase their shares to more socially equitable terms. Nozick employs the concepts of distributive justice and supply and demand to depict the complexities of justice in the real world. Distributive justice can have different patterns, depending on the preferred pattern of society. It aims for the fair distribution of benefits and burdens using particular criteria, such as equality, merit, and needs. Liberty, which is married to a capitalist society, relies on the criteria of equality and merit. Nozick uses the example of Wilt Chamberlain to explore the effects of in-demand skills on its supply. Chamberlain knows that he is in high demand as a basketball star. This allows him to change D1 to D2, where the public changes D1 by the nature of their preferences. D2 is different from D1, where â€Å"[a]fter someone transfers something to Wilt Chamberlain, third parties still have their legitimate shares; their shares are not changed† (Nozick). The public has legitimate ownership of their shares, which they can skew, if they want, in favor of Chamberlain. As a result, even if Chamberlain may be working as hard and as long as, let us say Spitzer, the former earns higher than the latter because of the third party intervention. The level of demand dictates the price of the supply. The key steps of Nozick’s argument are giving examples on how a preferred distribution of justice may be upset and changed, comparing capitalist with socialist societies, and establishing the primary argument that in a liberal capitalist society, the concept of free will and diversity of inherent or inherited financi al and non-financial resources will definitely skew the original distribution of justice, unless a constant form of control is imposed on society.

To what extent might the gender, disability, sexual orientation, Essay

To what extent might the gender, disability, sexual orientation, ethnic identity, class, age or politics of a critic determine o - Essay Example These are modern system of art forms that began emerging in the eighteenth century, also called the fine arts. Back in the middle ages, art was merely the correct way of making or doing whatever one happened to be making or doing. Then, art was much more concentrated on cobbling, navigation, medicine as well as the martial arts as these were simply skills or knowledge based crafts or practises whose participants were those who had mastered the techniques of achieving the point of the practice at hand. Criticism is associated with something negative in the ordinary language, nevertheless it should be recognised that criticism is more than fault finding as it may also commend and even recommend. However, one of the primary functions of criticism is not to eviscerate artwork but to rather look into assisting in discovering to be heard from the works under review as well as offer guidance concerning what is worthy in art work while at the same time playing an important role in contempora ry culture. Literateconsumers of the art depend upon criticism to help them negotiate the avalanche of artworks on offer across an array of different media as more art is already available now than in any time of history. Critics are looked at to recommend and guide the selection of what needs to be attended to and assist in comprehending and appreciating the vast amount of work that had been put into art as well as play an important role in introducing new ideas and presumably a debate with critical pronouncements. Consumers of the work of art need a philosophy of criticism, a sense of what it is and a conception of its nature and function as well as test the hypothesis on the work of art but on the other hand the same criticisms need to meet a certain criteria for it to be effective in its role. Criticism assists readers in discovering what is of value in the art work under examination in connection with what the artist has achieved in the work. One of the leading components of cr iticisms is the operation of evaluation in terms of description, contextualisation, classification, elucidation, interpretation and analysis. Although appraisal of artwork in virtue of its membership in a kind of class may not be the most common form of appraisal, sometimes the consumers of art work do issue cross categorical evaluation of art works. This evaluation should be grounded in reason and evidence otherwise art criticism is not rally distinguishable from comparable forms of discourse about art. According to (Eagleton, 1984, p. 9) modern European criticism was born of a struggle against the absolutist state, within a repressive regime in the seventeenth and eighteen centuries and during this time, criticism opens itself to debate as it attempts to convince as well as invite contradiction. Adrian Searle being a trained painter as well as a teacher of art plays a critical role in being a critic of the Guardian as elsewhere in the west; people have been saying extravagant thin gs about the arts for two and a half centuries. Some claimed art is sacred in that they unite us with the supreme being and they are the visible appearance of God’s kingdom on earth, they breath spiritual dispositions into us, they inspire love in the highest part of thesoul, they have a higher reality and more veritable existence thanordinary life, they express

Summer Reading Response Essay Example for Free

Summer Reading Response Essay 1. â€Å"His manner The quiet air around. When he turned the light on in the small, callous washroom that night, Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father’s eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver. Like soft silver, melting Liesel, upon seeing those eyes, understood that Hans Hubermann was worth a lot.† The significance of this passage is the description of Hans Hubermann’s eyes as the color represents his worth and personality. It contributes to the characterization of Hans Hubermann. His eyes are described as â€Å"made of kindness and silver†. Silver represents riches and valuables and as seen later in the story, Hans Hubermann is someone that is very valuable and close to Liesel’s heart. He also demonstrates a quiet kindness as he agrees to take in Max regardless of the dangers that lie within harboring a Jew in those times. 2. â€Å"She remained on the steps, waiting for Papa, watching the stray ash and the corpse of collected books. Everything was sad. Orange and red embers looked like rejected candy, and most of the crowd had vanished. She’d seen Frau Diller leave (very satisfied) and Pfiffikus (white hair, a Nazi uniform, the same dilapidated shoes, and a triumphant whistle). Now there was nothing but cleaning up, and soon, no one would even imagine it had happened.† The colors in this passage, orange, red, and white, signify the destruction and death that was happening all around them at the moment even though the destruction was to a pile of books. It represents the turmoil in Liesel’s life and more to come. The â€Å"corpse of collected books† seems like a sort of foreshadowing as in the end, piles of corpses from Himmel Street. Then how everyone was completely ignorant to the burning of precious books, they are ignorant to the mistreatment of the Jews. The author’s use of similes joined together with heavy diction such as rejected, corpse, sad, and dilapidated leaves behind a mood of morose sadness. 3. â€Å"After a few seconds, he manages to scratch his head (the rustle of kindling) and he looked at her. His movements were fragmented, and now that they were open, his eyes were swampy and brown. Thick and heavy.† The author decides to focus on Max’s eyes and uses the adjectives swampy, brown, thick, and heavy. It gives the feeling of a person who has gone through much in his life. Also shown later in the book, brown represents a kind person who is close to the earth. Max always has Leisel give him the weather report as he cannot leave his hiding place to see outside. He is always kind to Liesel and even writes her a book for her birthday. His swampy, heavy eyes describe him as a person who has gone through sadness and suffering for the sole reason that he is a Jew. 4. â€Å"They keep triggering inside me. They harass my memory. I see them tall in their heaps, all mounted on top of each other. There is air like plastic, a horizon like setting glue. There are skies manufactured by people, punctured and leaking, and there are soft, coal-colored clouds, beating like black hearts. And then. There is death.† This passage is especially powerful in the way the author creates the mood and tone through the diction and description. The simile that describes the clouds as beating black hearts gives the feeling of death and evil. Black as a color represents death and evil. â€Å"There is air like plastic† gives the picture of the air suffocating the people that dwell within it. 5. â€Å"As he stood, Max looked first at the girl and then stared directly into the sky who was wide and blue and magnificent. There were heavy beams-planks of sun-falling randomly, wonderfully to the road. Clouds arched their backs to look behind as they started again to move on. â€Å"It’s such a beautiful day,† he said, and his voice in many pieces. A great day to die. A great day to die, like this.† The sky was described as blue and magnificent although the situation juxtaposes with the brightly described day. The author successfully adds in a piece of irony through the contrast of making the day beautiful while Max is think about what a great day it is to die. The cloud described as looking back gives the feeling of something of immense importance that is about to happen. The colors give off the mood of happiness and the imagery going with the sun create an image completely wrong for the situation.

Public Praise and Its Impact on Purchasing Decisions

Public Praise and Its Impact on Purchasing Decisions Public Praise on Blogs: An investigation into its impact on brand advertising and customers purchasing decision-making in Chinese business market The Aims AND Objectives The proposed research is expected to produce an insight into the role performed by public praise and its impact on purchasing decisions. Web blogging is a new-marketing approach emerged only ten years (Dyrud, Worley and Quible, 2005). It enables business executives and traders to create and develop their own brand advertising and pose an impact on how purchasing decisions are made. The previous studies on the influence of the public praise are mostly concentrated on personally verbal exchanges (Wright, 2006, p. 46), but the current research will focus on the public praise by blogs and their influence in Chinese customers. The overall aims of the investigation are to demonstrate how the reliability and underlying impacts of public praise on blogs intervene in the brand advertising and purchasing decision-making of Chinese customers. The research objectives are listed as follows. Assess the influence of public praise through blogs in Chinese business market; Infer how public praise on blogs can be further improved in China; Explore what extent Chinese customers trust these blogs; Discuss the degree to which public praise effects Chinese consumers purchasing decision-making; Examine the degree of public praise that influences brand advertising in China (focusing on two groups of people: having a preference or not for specific brands). Peoples opinions on blogs will be collected to help learn how brand advertising and the purchasing decision-making are influenced by the power of public praise, so that I can acquire sufficient data for review. The outcomes of this proposed research will also aim to provide facts on Chinese public praise on blogs. The Context Of The Proposed Research Since people have written down their thoughts and share them through spoken communication, the public praises have emerged. They are depicted as a ‘view-spread from peoples mouths or ‘word-of-mouth (Christiansen and Tax, 2000, p. 185). Public praise is a strong traditional item in Chinese culture and plays a very important part in Chinese consuming notions. Nowadays, it is recognized as a powerful marketing instrument to support the sales of both tangible and intangible commodities to customers. When marching into the knowledge era, public praise is drawing more attention by people than traditional methods of distributing information. Many printed formats have been transformed to electronic forms published on the websites and blogs (Keng and Ting, 2008). The universal application of Internet is growing rapidly. With a pointer and click button, people can convey and receive information. In fact, it offers an opportunity for prospective customers to gain relevant information about their potential purchasing from various sources: through individual communication with different people who used to be strange but had knowledge of the corresponding articles. This proposed research will specifically discuss the functions of blogging as a platform for marketing and purchasing in China. A Preliminary Literature Review The Development Of Blogs In Marketing Before the emergence of Internet, people were seeking information about a particular purchase either in person or in words to their familiar people. It is the traditionally face-to-face marketing. The development of the Internet means that web communications have become attainable and presented a convenient way for information exchange. A potential buyer has only to input the brand or product name to online search engines. Then, diverse forms of online information providers like websites, blog or forum will give him/her the relevant information. Recently, consumers are becoming progressively aware of the articles displayed on blogs. Bloggers prefer to share their experiences in blogs. Accordingly, these blogs become the information exchange media of consumers. This sort of media gradually develops a tendency for consumers to seek information about new products or brands through blogs. According to the recent results of Neilsons research (2007), about 80% of global consumers allege that they are ready to accept and trust the suggestions of other people for commodities and services. In addition, around 90% of individual future buyers in China depend on recommendations from other buyers. Although blogs have developed into an advanced tool for merchandising, it is still not a corporate domain investigated by many investigators (Bokaie, 2008, p. 17). This research aims to fill this gap. The information exchange online is composed of various actions, such as uploading, downloading, balloting and participating. For businessmen, whether it is beneficial to invest in online advertising via blogs becomes a serious issue for consideration (p. 17). Nevertheless, there is no existing research on this matter to answer their inquiries. With this in mind, the proposed research attempts to reveal the factors that can have impacts on brand advertising and purchasing decision-making. Purchasing Decision-Making The decision-making in purchase links to consumers determination of buying. It is also related to their response after receiving the advice of marketing (Chang and Wildt, 1994). Customers decision-making in purchasing is highly correlated to their perceptions of charge and benefit in commodities (HÃ ¤ubl and Trifts, 2000, p. 6). Hence, it should be more accurately regarded as an aspiration rather than a taste. It has also searched for recognising why knowledge of different products and brands substantially impacts a buyers decision-making. The existing literature makes evident that public praise has a visible impact on consumer-purchasing behaviour (Christiansen and Tax, 2000). Customer satisfaction is widely recognized to be a crucial effect for a consumers future decision-making. Satisfied consumers will share their positive experiences with others and provide praise for advertising. By contrast, discontented customers incline to change their decisions and engage in negative feedbacks on advertising. From the above phenomena, it can be seen that public praise is an effective manner allowing consumers to reduce the time and perceived risks for decision because it can provide the detailed information about products or services. Thus clearly, public praise is a means of avoiding risks when purchasing and also a method of obtaining favourable or adverse knowledge on commodities, so that customers can make a valuable buying decision. Hypotheses Based on the aims and preliminary literature review, I deem the following hypotheses are my research focus. H1: Trust of public praise in blogs can pose a positive impact on brand advertising and purchasing decision-making. H2: The influence of public praise in blogs will have a positive impact on brand advertising and purchasing decision-making. H3: For brand supporters, trust of public praise on blogs can create a favourable impact on brand advertising and purchasing decision-making. H4: For brand supporters, the impacts of public praise on blogs will be beneficial in brand advertising and purchasing decision-making. Methodology And Sources Of Data Methodology Considerations Two research approaches will be used in this study. The first is a deductive approach, which is a well-established method for analysing the existing theories to describe certain phenomena (Gallaire, Minker and Nicolas, 1984, p. 153). It can also predict whether theories are expected to develop and allow the possibility of their altering in the future. The second is an inductive approach, which aims to establish a theoretical framework based on the empirical study (Thomas, 2003). This method can be used in conjunction with the deductive approach. The leading concern of this proposed study is the impact of public praise blogs on brand advertising and purchasing decision-making in the Chinese market. Consequently, it should concentrate mainly on understanding customers dispositions and gaining insight into customer behaviors linked to public praise. A deductive approach will be adopted for analysing the consequences of the statistical reviews. The data and any possible future tendencies for public praise blogs will be tested simultaneously based on the relevant theories. I attempt to design a concise questionnaire for Chinese blog writers and also their readers to complete, so that I am able to evaluate how public praise is spread by blogs and how it influences the consumers perceptions of brands and their purchasing decisions when they are considering what to buy. Additionally, this research intends to clarify the relationship between public praise, brand advertising and the customers purchasing decision-making. This research studies will take trust and influence as independent variables. Two dependent variables are brand advertising and purchasing decision-making. Brand supporters and non-brand supporters are the main focus groups in this research. The conceptual framework related to these variables will be presented in a model form. Apart from this, interpretive research will allow me to investigate and illustrate the relationships between variables, especially the cause-and-effect one. What is more, employing the survey strategy for the collection of data is appropriate here for hypothesis testing, and it is more useful in a quantitative context – the nature of the proposed study. There are three formats of question outline which can be applied in this survey. The first is nominal in nature. The replies to these questions are only ‘yes/ no or ‘true/false, which are predictable and very friendly in statistical analysis. The second requires respondents to use a five-point scale with the extreme ones matching strongly agree or strongly disagree. The third form is multiple options. All respondents are expected to sort out no more than three choices. Sampling Considerations Sampling design commences by defining the target population (Emory, 1980). This is a collection of elements or objects that hold the data searched by the investigators and with respect to which conclusions are to be drawn (Korn and Graubard, 1991). A non-probability sampling method will be adopted for this research because I have many suspicions about the practicality of the approach of employing a mixed interview group. Particularly, convenience sampling will be considered in this study and the surveys will be retrieved online by around 200 Chinese consumers (both blog writers and readers) who were selected randomly. The sample selection is ended when the sample size for pilot study has been obtained. Although this technique of sampling is widely used, it is likely to introduce bias and its influences can be beyond control. However, for a wide-ranging questionnaire survey, it is the simplest sampling strategy to collect reliable data. Data Collection In order to guarantee the reliability, validity and integrity of this study and avoid possible difficulties, the survey will be piloted on a group of ten Chinese blog users (5 males and 5 females), aged from 20 to 35. They will evaluate the validity and clarity of the entire framework and the inquiries of the survey. The question outline will be set in the three types I mentioned in the section of Methodology considerations, which can allow the respondents to reply following the instructions and regulations as principals without the probability of being an unstable or unpredictable response. This research concentrates on blog users in China and the review procedures are according to the application of a questionnaire offering a sample of the target population. The survey is employed to infer the relationship between public praise, brand advertising and the customers purchasing decision-making. It is possible to collect the associated facts by either empirical or library-based studies. With regard to this proposed research, the survey asks respondents several sets of questions to explore their opinions about Chinese bloggers and their subscribers. The survey will be retrieved using an online survey website and people from all walks of life will be encouraged to fill it out and forward the survey information to their acquaintances. The convenience of arranging an Internet group to complete the questionnaire is the greatest benefit of carrying out a question-based investigation online. Furthermore, the speed of response is relatively fast and the research expenditure is rel atively low because I do not need to encounter printing, paper or stamp costs. The questionnaire will be separated into four sections. Section one refers to individual data linked to the websites and blogs. The aim of the queries in this part is to conclude the respondents using habits related to the websites and blogs and to comprehend the principal incentive of web users both as blog subscribers and bloggers. Section two is to determine how public praise in blogs affects brand advertising and purchasing decision-making by concentrating on responsibility, strength, disposition and effect correlated to public praise in blogs. Section three deals, particularly, with how the consumers shared knowledge with other people by means of blogs influences their purchasing decision-making. Section four further collects the individual information. Secondary data are also applicable to giving contextual knowledge and academic support relevant to the empirical inquiry, the questions adopted and hypothesis formulation. In addition, it is normally the situation that documentary data has been summarised intentionally other than their applications in prompt research. There has also been a study of any existing documents linking to public praise, blogs, brand advertising and purchasing decision-making. Therefore, this research has comprised the use of periodicals, archives and online articles. All these resources will be explored and analysed. Even so, the enquiry of documents can certainly not be sufficient to support the proposed study. For this reason, it has been indispensable to collect primary data for this research. Data Analysis The data sets collected from questionnaires will be processed by statistical analysis. Statistics is a group of approaches and theories that can be employed to quantitative data when making judgements in the aspect of doubtfulness. Quantitative analysis methods help to compose plain charts or figures that indicate the frequency of event via setting up statistical associations between variables and complicated statistical models (Bernard, 1996, p. 24). Quantitative analysis enables the figures collected from the survey to be transcribed into diagrams and graphs, which gives the figures comprehensibility and makes it easier to grasp. The proposed study will use quantitative analysis and display results from the survey through statistical analysis with investigating the connection between the variables. Employing this means, it is likely to examine the association between public praise, brand advertising and customers purchasing decision-making, and display the results in unsophisticate d diagrams. When I finish gathering all the required information through online questionnaires, the unprocessed data will be coded into variable divisions using statistical analysis. The validity and accuracy of the data need to be confirmed before the hypothesis testing. In this situation, it may be essential to think about the correctness or faulty of hypotheses because they can be refused based on the testing results. The research will use the software SPSS to verify the research hypotheses. SPSS is usually applied by those scholars or investigators who involved in the social sciences, such as the fields of policy and educational research. The proposed project will be used to analyze the outcomes and identify factors that have been influenced by variables, so that the validity of the hypothesis can be proved. This research will first use descriptive statistics to analyze personal information, including all sorts of reliable variables. Subsequently, regression and one-way ANOVA analysis may be adopted to verify the four hypotheses. Research Limitations The research sample is initially randomly selected from my acquaintances in China, which may comprise the first inadequacy. Moreover, that the samples are all from the 20-35 identical age group also introduces some bias. It is rational to deduce that such a confined age group may have related experiences and attitudes linked to the matters scrutinized in this research. In this case, it is likely to affect the research outcomes and overall quality. The number of participants involved in the proposed research is also likely to be too small to show the sample representativeness. Furthermore, because the entire empirical stage will be processed online, it may be unattainable for me to have any in human liaison with the participants. As a result, it may be unlikely to examine whether the personal information is in detail or not. The participants will give their replies on the web survey. When they read it online, they may change some of their answers intentionally. Ethical Considerations The proposed research will follow the ethical guidelines of business studies based on the ‘code of ethics for author in Journal of International Business Studies (JIBS) (2007). I will contact with my friends and acquaintances to obtain their permissions to complete my web survey. Also, the researcher stance should be considered. I need to be an outsider of their questionnaire completion. What is more, the guidelines suggest some items in relation to protection of individual privacy, such as informed consent, the right to withdraw, protecting the anonymity, participant reviews of data and so forth. Although the targeted blog users will be encouraged to engage in the study, it should be clear that they are not forced to fill in the online questionnaire and they may thus choose withdraw their answers. When I post my questionnaire survey online, I will write a general introduction about my background and interests to the respondents. Then, inform them in written form about my purpo se of the survey and my general intentions regarding the research. I will also welcome their questions left on my research blog, and answer them honestly. In order to protect the respondents anonymity, aliases will be used for all involved blog writers and readers as soon as the data are transcribed. Anticipated Outcomes The anticipated outcomes are expected to effectively test all the listed hypotheses and achieve the aims of the proposed research. As I mentioned before, although public praise as distributed by the Cyberspace has come to be a prevailing marketing instrument, it has not been considerably scrutinized yet. The main results of this proposed research will try to clarify the relationship between public praise, brand advertising and purchasing decision-making. The outcomes will be capable of implying fresh thoughts to firms when they intend to engage in public praise spreading in order to improve the positive effect of their brands and encourage purchasing in consumers. Bibliography Bernard, H. (1996), Qualitative Data, Quantitative Analysis. Cultural Anthropology Methods Journal, 8 (1), 23-26. Bokaie, J. (2008), Corporations get Personal: A growing number of company chiefs are bypassing copywriters to speak direct to consumers. Marketing, pp. 17. Chang, T.-Z. and Wildt, A. (1994), Price, Product Information, and Purchase Intention: An empirical study. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 22 (1), 16-27. Christiansen, T. and Tax, S. (2000), The Questions of Who and When to Measure the Word of Mouth. marketing communications, 6, 185-199. Dyrud, M., Worley, R. and Quible, Z. (2005), Blogs: A Natural in Business Communication Courses. Business Communication Quarterly, 68, 73-76. Emory, W. (1980), Business Research Methods. Irwin: Homewood. Gallaire, H., Minker, J. and Nicolas, J.-M. (1984), Logic and Databases: A Deductive Approach. ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR) 16 (2), 153-185. HÃ ¤ubl, G. and Trifts, V. (2000), Consumer Decision Making in Online Shopping Environments: The Effects of Interactive Decision Aids. Marketing Science, 19 (1), 4-21. JIBS. (2007), Code of Ethics. [Online]. Available at: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/jibs/jibs_ethics_code.html. Last accessed 07/09/2009. Keng, C.-J. and Ting, H.-Y. (2008), The Acceptance of Blogs:Using a Customer Experiential Value Perspective (pp. 1-13). Taipei. Korn, E. and Graubard, B. (1991), Epidemiologic studies utilizing surveys: accounting for the sampling design. American Journal of Public Health, 81 (9), 1166-1173. Neilson, B. (2007), Consumer-Generated Media in the Age of the Web-Fortified Consumer. [Online]. Available at: http://www.nielsenbuzzmetrics.com/whitepapers. Last accessed 06/09/2009. Thomas, D. (2003), A General Inductive Approach for Qualitative Data Analysis: University of Auckland. Wright, J. (2006), Blog Marketing: The revolutionary new way to increase sales, build your brand, and get exceptional results. New York: McGraw-Hill.

A Comparison Of Concrete Steel And Timber Construction Essay

A Comparison Of Concrete Steel And Timber Construction Essay Composite construction is a method whereby a concrete floor slab is utilised as part of the beam system. The slab acts as a concrete flange to the beam. As the beam and slab are of different materials, the size of the concrete flange is scaled down using a modular ratio where the youngs modulus of steel is divided by the youngs modulus of concrete. When these two elements bend, the top of each element is in compression and the bottom in tension. Because the bottom of the concrete is in tension of the top of steel is in compression this causes shear along the interface of the two materials. To overcome this a steel stud is welded through the metal deck. The stud is designed to take the shear force. The composite system consists of a concrete slab cast on profiled steel decking acting compositely with glue-laminated timber beams. Composite action is achieved with coach screw shear connectors between the beams and slab. The connectors have been tested in push out shear tests and a three-point bend test of a full-scale floor slab has been completed. The composite system is more than three times as stiff and almost twice as strong as the same beam/slab configuration without composite action. Richard Persaud, Dr Digby Symons The Structural Engineer 21 February 2006 Euro codes are a full set of structural design codes for building and civil engineering that used across Europe to open up trade boundaries allowing designers, and manufacturers to supply designs and products to other countries across the continent. Conceived over 30 years ago, the Eurocodes are now landing on the desks of engineers, and are expected to be fully adopted in 2010. For this reason, the Eurocodes were used for the design comparisons. In 2004, The Steel Construction Institute published a study comparing the costs and construction programme of various methods of steelwork and concrete framing solutions that reflect modern construction techniques to determine which is the most cost effective. The study looked at two types of buildings, costing and programming each of them. The study also looked at other aspects of the building, which can be affected by the choice of framing solution such as foundations, external elevation treatments and mechanical/electrical services. The study was motivated by the Egan report, which looked at the construction industry and how to lower costs. The report encourages offsite construction to improve speed and quality on site. People are starting to use tree planting as a way of offsetting carbon emissions. This is because of trees absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. One of the problems is that once a tree reaches maturity it stops absorbing CO2, then the next problem is when it dies and decays it starts to release CO2 back into the atmosphere. One solution round this is to store the carbon in materials, by using the timber as a construction material. The way in which timber is used us also key in reducing CO2 emissions. Timber should be dried before it can be used as a material, and it must be. One method is by kiln drying. Kiln drying is an artificial method of drying the timber by heating it up and in turn using fossil fuels, emitting CO2. This defeats the point of the object. The sustainable alternative is to allow the timber to dry naturally under cover. The ideal situation would be for people to use natural unaltered timber and design buildings within its limitations. However, due to human nature and the endeavour to improve, we are going to build higher and wider buildings that are filled with more objects and fewer supports. For this reason, we must come up with more innovative and sustainable solutions to overcome these challenges. We must harness timbers ability to lock CO2 into its structure and adopt methods to manipulate its properties. One of these engineered lumbers is Glue Laminated Timber, commonly abbreviated to Glulam in the industry. Timber in the UK as a building material is widely used, but not so much as for major building components such as beams and columns. In our history, we used to use great oak timbers for roofs and beams, but due to time it takes to grow these massive timbers, it was not long until demand outstripped supply. Moving into the 21st Century with the use of high strength glues, we are able to utilise fast growing tree species and mechanically bonded the timbers to form sizes and strengths that rival the oak timbers. These mechanically glued timbers are referred to as Glued Laminated Timber, which has been abbreviated to Glulam. In sustainability, the social impact on an area cannot be discussed without also discussing the environment and economics. The introduction of an industry can create an economic wealth for the local population that can lift certain areas out of poverty. This can be balanced against the environmental impact on the are by such industries. Industries can create noise and vibration, dust, local climate, ecology, soils, heritage, and archaeology as a by-product of the manufacturing process. Initially I thought that the timber would have a great depth of construction as compared to steel. The depth of steel beams were indeed shallower than the timber beams but because the steel beams require a concrete slab needs to span from beam to beam, the overall construction depth of the steel beam plus the slab is only marginally shallower than the overall timber floor construction. The shallowest overall floor construction is of the concrete flat slab because you do not require a beam as such; the slabs span directly to the columns.

Cancer and NMR Spectroscopy Essay -- Biology

Cancer is a disease that will most likely affect each and every one of us throughout our lives. There are approximately 560,000 people that die from cancer each year. To put it in perspective, between 1/4 and 1/3 of all Americans will die from this deadly disease. These statistics could be greatly reduced if people would stop smoking. Approximately 35% of all cancer cases are direct results of tobacco use. Many people do not fully understand what cancer really is. Cancer is simply a mutation in the cells which causes them to replicate continuously without bond. Many people relate cancer with tumors, and rightly so. A tumor is basically just a lump of mutated cells which eventually grows so big that it blocks the functions of the organs around it (a benign tumor) or begins to invade tissues surrounding it (a malignant tumor). Although there has been extensive research concerning cancer, nothing has been found that can cure cancer 100%. The reason for this is because a cancer tumor carries many different cancer cells. Every cancer cell reacts differently to each method of treatment, so while chemotherapy may kill some cancer cells in a tumor, other "subpopulations" of cells in the same tumor may not be affected at all. Another problem with cancer is that the cancer cells are able to travel throughout the body, an event known as metastasis. This means that cancer cells in the breast or lung are able to travel to the heart. This means that the cancer can spread throughout the body very easily, making treatment very difficult. While we have no true cures for cancer, there have been a few methods of treatment that have been somewhat successful. One such treatment is the drug cyclophosphamide (which is actually converted to 4-hydro... ...solution, nonradioactive method (NMR), the metabolites can be monitored noninvasively. NMR spectroscopy basically allows one to look at certain certain nuclei, such as phosphorus and carbon, and show resonance. Since there are high levels of both of these elements in cancer cells, the NMR method allowed for clear observation of GSH levels. In addition to cancer cells, many other cell lines have high levels of metabolites containing phosphorus and carbon. With this in mind, NMR spectroscopy is clearly the tool of the future for noninvasive observations of cells. Namely, it can be used for studying molecular dynamics, kinetics, microstructures, and equilibrium levels of chemical reactions. Through the use of more advanced methods and technology such as NMR, medical researchers can begin to piece together the puzzles of biology and medicine within the human body.

The Hollow Men Essay -- Literary Analysis

At a point in all mortal’s existence, there will be a moment when their soul is between two states of being, waiting to be judged. Without the fearlessness and faith to move on to the afterlife, they will spend eternity stuck in purgatory. When T. S. Eliot wrote â€Å"The Hollow Men,† he used symbolism, imagery, and repetition to share his insight to address the lack of courage and faith that plagues every human being. T. S. Eliot’s â€Å"The Hollow Men† is a dramatic monologue, free verse poem that consists of five parts that could be considered five separate poems. His use of â€Å"allegorically abstract text nevertheless achieves a remarkable unity of effect in terms of voice, mood and imagery† (Morace 948). Before the poem starts, there are two epigraphs; â€Å"Mistah Kurtz – he dead. / A penny for the Old Guy† (lines 1-2). Eliot alludes to these two epigraphs because their themes are developed throughout his poem. â€Å"The first epigraph is from Joseph Conrad’s â€Å"Heart of Darkness,† a story †¦that examines the hollowness and horror of lack of faith, spiritual paralysis, and despair† (Bloom 61), just like the â€Å"hollow men† in his poem. The second epigraph â€Å"refers to the celebration of Guy Fawkes Day in Britain† (Bloom 61). This is a day that celebrates Fawkes’ unsuccessful rebellion against Kin g James I with his capture in the cellar of the Parliament building, where stored gun powder was supposed to blow up and kill King James I and his family. Once captured, he cowardly turned over his co-conspirators and they all were killed. It is â€Å"celebrated with bonfires, fireworks, the burning of scarecrows, and solicitation of ‘pennies for the Old Guy’. Eliot’s images of scarecrows, a cellar, and violent souls recall this tale of a violent plot tha... ...nsight to address the lack of courage and faith that plagues every human being. â€Å"The poem succeeds admirably in registering a mood not merely of disillusionment, but of personal weakness† (Morace 950). Without the faith and courage to face the final judgment, and move on to the afterlife, one will be left to linger in purgatory. Works Cited Bloom, Harold. "Thematic Analysis Of ‘The Hollow Men’." Bloom's Major Poets: T.S. Eliot (1999): 60-63. Literary Reference Center. Web. 28 Nov. 2011. Eliot, T.S. "The Hollow Men." Famous Poets and Poems - Read and Enjoy Poetry. 6 Aug. 2006. Web. 5 Dec. 2011. Morace, Robert A. "The Hollow Men." Masterplots II. Ed. Frank N. Magill. Englewood Cliffs: Salem Press, 1992. Vol. 3. 948-50. Print. Urquhart, Troy. "Eliot's THE HOLLOW MEN." Explicator 59.4 (2001): 199. Literary Reference Center. Web. 5 Dec. 2011.

Assess the Role of Effective Communication and Interpersonal Interaction Essay

When children are affected by terminal illnesses it is heartbreaking for all involved. A child dying disturbs some of our deepest conventions: Children are symbols of future potential and hope. Therefore their deaths cause us to mourn more deeply than we would for others. Before starting any thinking about how you are going to tell your patient/parent there are a few valuable things that you must remember and these are all to do with being a good communicator. †¢Eye contact – Your eye contact needs to be confident and you need to be able to look at these people straight in the eye when breaking this news. However do not be over bearing or intimidating as you may make the patient/parent feel uneasy and uncomfortable. †¢Body Language – Again your body language must be confident, as if you are confident there is more chance of making the patient/parent more comfortable and to place more trust in you, however if you where showing signs of being nervous or scared to inform them of this news then you will make this ordeal twice as bad for the patient/parent. †¢Speech – Again confidence is key, no shouting or loud voices as this becomes scary however quiet voices are not good either. You need to be clear and calm there can be no room for shakiness or rumbling in your voice. To break the news to a parent/patient we need to make sure that we ourselves are sufficiently informed concerning the patient’s situation and illness. You also must make sure that you are able to break this news in the best way possible for the patient. There are three main steps in which you should follow; 1.Preparing for the consultation You need to firstly ask your receptionist to make an appointment with the patient/parents as they need to hear this from you in a face to face situation. This then gives them the opportunity to ask you questions. You must ensure that it is possible for the patient/parent to bring along a spouse or companion, you also have to ensure that you have all of your time is focused on these people and that there will be no distractions. It should be possible for all mobiles and pagers to be switched off. The last part of this stage is to know your patients illness through and through, their can be no room for error in this situation and everything you say must be the truth. 2.Communication This is a key step and must be followed to the best of your ability. Ensure that you have structure to the consultation. You must remember that the patient/parent may not be in employment within the health sector, so therefore you must use language that is appropriate, however do not treat or underestimate how much your patient/parent may know. You may want to prepare them with â€Å"Am sorry, but this isn’t good news† just so that there are no false hopes. Know how much the patient/parent knows about the illness and possibly break it up into stages; diagnosis, implications, treatment. Patients will change in the amount of honesty they want and may appreciate some ambiguity if the prognosis is very poor; an individual assessment will need to be made. Honesty includes being honest about what you do not know too. Judge how the patient/parent is taking this information do they need to know more right now or could it be left for another day. Always ensure th ey are comfortable and that you have as much time as possible for them. 3.Conclude Consultation You need to be positive with the patient/parent at this time, but not over the top. A follow up appointment should be made and make sure they know that you are there for them whenever they have any questions. Try to leave on a positive note, as if the see you are positive it may indeed give them more courage. All families are different and talking to the parents first about the situation that they are in is the best thing that you can do. Obviously you wouldn’t go straight to the child. The family and you should talk through options and ways that everyone in the family can get through this horrid ordeal, you will be able to give suggestions in which is the best route to go down but ultimately the family will decide. However they are going to need your full support and you are going to need to call on a lot of resources. There are many resources you could get in contact with and a child and adult psychologist will most certainly be needed. Suggest all groups and councillors that help families deal with this trauma as they are going to need a lot of help. Communication Theory I myself would use this particular communication theory as it is based on a one to one and I honestly believe that this type of news can only be broke to someone in this type of situation. However it all depends on what you think is best for the patient/parent. Michael Argyle is widely known as one of the best social psychologist of the twentieth century. Michael Argyle believes in the communication cycle, he believes that it is just as important as driving a car and that everybody should learn it. The theory behind this thinking is that Argyle believes to be able to drive a car you have to change your methods to match the conditions of what is happening on the road. Argyle believes that when driving a car you need to be constantly watching your surroundings and figuring out how to respond to and when to respond and then repeating this cycle until your journey is over. Argyle believes that almost the same cycle is needed in communication.

Crytography & Computer attack Essay

Computer attack involves operations that deny, disrupt, destroy or degrade information stored in computers and computer networks. In other words, computer attack is known as electronic attack used against a computer. The attackers of stored information in computer are called hackers or intruders. A difference occurs between computer attackers in the level of skill and sophistication of the attack (Roman Peter, 2007). More recently, attackers have developed skills that make it possible for them to access other people’s information by using automated tools. The automated and sophisticated tools are cheaply available in the market making it possible to access other people’s computer. The major incidents of computer attacks include bringing down of eBay, Yahoo! and Amazon. com by hackers. The motives for computer attack are to destroy data or information and access individual information for political, social and financial gain. On individual basis a hacker can attack personal computer to destroy information on revenge mission, or out of grudge. Attackers of computers especially in political perspective aim at gaining information for their opponent candidates to outperform him or her during campaigns (Rhodes Mary, 2003). In the context of business, hackers go for core variables necessary to compete in global markets such as information related to marketing strategies. Hackers of computer information do so once they have a particular opportunity such as use of high speed digital subscriber line. It is an opportunity that has been used by hackers to gain access to private information. The internet is known as an important tool in education or business but some offenders find ways of using internet provided in cyber to commit crimes. The offenders satisfy their needs while putting their victims at risk. There are a number of cyber crimes popular among internet offenders such as credit card fraud, cyber stalking, identity theft, software piracy, cyber terrorism and phonograph. These crimes are very common in the modern society as internet is cheaply available in cybercafes and mobile phones. The children and young generation are exposed to cyber risks such as addiction to phonographic sites. Software piracy is another common cyber crime in the modern world of advanced technology. Cyber crimes are as dangerous as any other form of crime and require law enforcement officers to be careful when handling cyber criminals. As a complex issue some offenders are prosecuted while others are set free. Three main reasons that lead to prosecution of some criminals and release of others include first, there are no defined penal laws relating to cyber crimes (Wible Brent, 2003). This means that some individuals search information from the internet and end up exceeding certain legal provisions without their knowledge. Such individuals are cyber criminals but are never arrested especially employees working in a networked office. Second, considering whether an individual has or has not committed a previous offense without computer or an offense similar in nature. Individuals who are convicted of other offences outside the cyber such as bank robbery are prosecuted of cyber crime once they are considered as suspects. Third, children below the age of eighteen years which is considered as the average age for a person to be prosecuted are set free while they are cyber offenders. The law about cyber crime favors some offenders while others are charged with criminal activities. Children are the major victims in cyber crime and yet are protected by the law owing to age factor. References Roman Peter, 2007, Computer Crimes, American Criminal Law Review, Vol. 44. Wible Brent, 2003, A Site Where Hackers Are Welcome: Using Hack-in Contests to Shape preferences and Deter Computer Crime, Yale Law Journal, Vol. 112. Rhodes Mary, 2003, Computer Crimes, American Criminal Law Review, Vol. 40.

The Nature of the Beast: An Analysis of the Genre of Science Fiction

All modes of inquiry correlate with each other due to their tendency to coalesce in their emphasis on questions, which raise issues on autonomy, justice, and politics. The differences of literary theories, for example, merely spring from their construal of the relationship between the exercise of power and the text. Structuralism views the relation in terms of the relationship of the formal elements in a linguistic system. Marxism assesses the relationship in terms of the role of such relations in the existence of social structures.The same method is used by Psychoanalysis, with the emphasis on the conscious and unconscious mind. Deconstruction, on the other hand, perceives the texts’ role in destabilizing oppositional modes of power. Despite of these differences amongst discursive procedures, it does not overshadow the fact that these theories give emphasis on their analysis of the political and institutional structures within society. A concrete example of this can be seen i n the opposing theories of constructivism and essentialism.Despite their adherence to competing narratives of oppression and resistance [constructivism places emphasis on multiple identities thereby opposing essentialism’s stance on singular categorization] both theories show interest on the subject’s position within society and how this position can affect the development of his identity. In fact, if one isolates the discussion of identity and narratives of oppression in both discourses, one will notice that the ultimate commitment of the theories they adhere to gives emphasis on the idea of political justice.Politics within these discourses is seen as a collective action of resistance, which aims for change in the hopes of attending to the problems evident in the formation of identity and agency. It is important to note that literature as a repository of human experience has always been influenced by politics. Exercise of power within society is associated with and d ependent on the mass production of certain kinds of literature, which allows the cultural qualification of ideas.The relation between literature and politics can also be seen in literary theory’s assessment of the formation of consciousness and unconsciousness, which is related to the maintenance, and transformation of the predominant modes of power made possible by literary output (Eagleton 210). It is also dependent upon the ahistorical positioning of the literary text, since this allows the continuous creation of meaning for a particular text. This mode of relationship invokes the aesthetic character of literature. Literature as a form of discourse enables the perception of aesthetics as a process of communicating while remaking a work.The aesthetic act becomes the incarnation of meaning rather than a demonstration of truth. This is possible since in the process of reading a text, the subject -which can be both the reader and the author- produces another text which is the same as the earlier text yet entirely different from it. Perceived within the dialogic process, the interconnectedness of completion and fragmentation can be understood by recognizing that it is in fact the fragmentation of the text, which allows the completion of the text itself.Within this perspective, the aesthetic act becomes political through the social interaction necessitated by the creation and continual recreation of an artistic work. Literature, in this sense, becomes the locus of a condensed and social evaluation. Intersubjectivity precedes subjectivity wherein the production and repression of meaning is seen as a socio-ideological process rather than an individual process. In this scheme, the text is allowed the character of fluidity. No permanent theoretical stipulation and ethical meaning can be attached to it since to do so is tantamount to denying the ahistorical character of the text.This character is invoked since in the end when one considers a text, what is given importance is not necessarily the historical reading of the text but the various readings made available by the literary theories and ethical standpoints that one may attach to the text. Within this process, there is an emphasis on the reassessment and creation of new standpoints since the interpretation of the text involves the consideration of both the act of writing and reading the text.The re-conceptualization of a literary text through reading enables the individual to undergo a process of analyzing the truth connected with the discourse in which the text is situated, while at the same time reassessing its connection to his self. Due to this, assessing a text becomes a personal and political act wherein the common adage â€Å"the personal is political† can be phrased into an equally influential counter notion that â€Å"the political is personal†. It is important to note that there is a big difference between these two adages.To say that the â€Å"personal is po litical† is only tantamount to equating political importance to personal experiences whereas to say that the â€Å"political is personal† involves following an ideology and political theory in making decisions in everyday life. The function of the verb† is† in both adages is not that of identification. This process, wherein the reading of a text becomes a vehicle for self-realization and self-transformation is emphasized within the literary genre of science fiction. The Genre of Science FictionGenres, as systems of classification, are means of strategic control. Within the field of literature, it is believed that the continuous division of literary works into different genres leads not only to the classification of the work and the text but also to the imposition of values and ideals to those people who read the works belonging to a specific genre. Through genre categories like ‘Romance’, ‘Horror’, or ‘Mystery’, those i n control of the modes of production control both the reader and the author of the work.By promising the readers a familiar set of meanings and controlling the demand for the production and formation of those meanings, those who are in control of the modes of production direct the construction of narratives. Within this context, it is possible for the stories that are produced within society to be a part of a broader form of social classification. Due to this, there is the construction of a particular set of meanings, which can only be understood within specific systems of classification. Genres in this sense become instruments of control.This is evident if one considers that genres â€Å"encode rules that constrain the†¦production and reception of meanings†¦communicated through a large number of meta-texts† (Hodge 27). These meta-texts become the basis for the production of knowledge. All knowledge is positioned as knowledge in itself and knowledge produced from an d within body. As soon as both forms of knowledge are connected to a knowing subject, the subject becomes ensnared to the poststructuralist dictum of the unity and independence of the self, which leads to the formation of the narratives of the self.Narratives then display the imprint of culture and its institutions on the individual’s sense of identity. Since self and language are mutually implicated in an interdependent system of symbolic behavior, the language that one uses for the creation of literary narratives dictates the creation of identities. The modern era thereby places the individual in a kind of political double bind as it coerces the individual to conform to normalizing and disciplinary forms of narrative construction evident in the â€Å"domestication of literature† (Suvin 373). Science fiction, however, as a genre eludes the monopolizing character of other genres.As a genre, it is at the intersection of various fields. It draws on the elements of popula r culture, science, and all types of social relations (James and Mendlesohn 1). This is evident if one considers that it employs a methodology and an approach, which enables the specification of a new set of values through the depiction of a radical form of reality. In this sense, science fiction is less of a genre if one is to conceive of a genre as specifying a particular text’s subject matter and approach to themes. As opposed to the other literary genres, science fiction cannot be expected to employ a specific set of elements and tropes.It may however be depicted as a form of ongoing discussion since the texts within the genre may be perceived as mutually referential due to their characteristic opposition towards a naturalistic and empiricistic conception of reality. Science fiction as a genre is thereby defined by its critical stance towards the normative depictions of reality. However, to state that this is the defining characteristic of the genre provides problems for the genre itself. This is evident if one considers that it leaves the genre open to other forms of literary texts with the aforementioned characteristics such as fantasy and myth.Contrary to this, science fiction stands in opposition to the aforementioned forms of literature. Science fiction is neither totalizing nor deterministic as it presents a predetermined conception of the conception and end of reality [myth]. Furthermore, it is neither based upon a conceptual scheme that posits the impossible as ordinary [fantasy]. James and Mendlesohn state, â€Å"the sense of wonder is the emotional heart of science fiction† (3). David Nye refers to this as the appreciation of the sublime evident in science fiction texts.Such a description further echoes Frederick Pohl’s description of science fiction as â€Å"a way of thinking about things† (qtd in Malzberg 38). Generally, this â€Å"way of thinking about things† may be†¦ All of these will show that the spo ntaneous and habitual orientation of attention is inimical to the maintenance of reality. Therefore, scientific fiction provides a reorientation of attention and a kind of ontological conversion, which affects the aesthetic, ethical, and political perceptions of the reality. This reorientation also affects the ontology of the world.

Conflicts by Pyong Gap Min

The book Changes and Conflicts by Pyong Gap Min gives us an analysis on how and why Korean migration to the United States has altered their traditional family system. Allyn and Bacon published the book in 1998. The book focuses on changes in gender roles and marital relations. Also Korean child socialization, adjustments of the elderly, and the nature of transnational families and kin ties are topics Min discusses in the book. Min uses results of several surveys as well as his own ethnographic research to back his claims. Min used his own personal family experiences, his observations of other Korean families, informal discussion with Korean school teachers and social workers, and Korean newspaper articles for insight on Korean immigrant families. He also interviewed 50 Koreans in N. Y. representing a broad range of Korean people. Finally, Min used census and survey data, including his own surveys of Koreans in New York, to provide statistical information about Korean immigrant families. Min starts his analysis of Korean immigrant family by providing some background information on the Korean community in N. Y. Min explains that recent Korean immigrants can be characterized as being highly educated, urbanized, and predominately Christian. Korean immigrants began to settle in New York after 1965. One reason is the need for medical professionals during the 1960s in the New York and New Jersey area. The demand for medical professionals attracted many Korean professionals to the area. These professionals later on became naturalized and were able to invite their relatives for permanent residence. A characteristic o f the contemporary Korean community living in N. Y. are their concentration in small business. Min explains that the vast majority of the Korean work force is segregated in the Korean sub-economy, either as business owners or as employees of co-ethnic businesses. Some Korean businesses include green groceries, trade business dealing, import business, dry-cleaning service, and nail salons. Min states that the segregation of Korean immigrants in the work place promotes the preservation of their Korean cultural traditions and social interactions with co-ethnic. Min then proceeds to examine the role Confucianism plays on the Korean family system. Min claims that Confucian values that emphasizes filial piety, family/kin ties, the patriarchal family order, and children†s education still have a powerful effect on the behavior and attitudes of all Koreans. For example, Korean government, school, and community encourage people to practice filial piety by rewarding those who are exceptional in showing loyalty, respect, and devotion to their parents and by punishing those who deviate far from the norm. Also the concept of patriarchy has helped establish a male dominated society in Korea. In Korea, boys are preferred and are treated more favorably than girls and more emphasis is placed on boys† education than girls are. Finally, the emphasis on child education can be seen in Korea where formal education is used as a means of social mobility. According to Min, the most significant change brought about by international migration is the phenomenal increase in wives† economic role coupled with the weakling of husbands† role as provider. Korean immigrant working women make an important income contribution to the family finances. Min claims that Korean wives play a more important role than their husbands do in many family business, particularly small dry cleaning shops and small restaurants. Also it is easier for Korean immigrant wives to find jobs compared to their husbands because of the demand for blue-collar jobs. Even though Korean wives play an important economic role, their power and status in Korean society does not increase. Min claims the status of a Korean woman as a â€Å"helper† in the family business rather than as a co-owner also diminishes her social status and influence in the Korean immigrant community. Also the segregation of Korean immigrants at economic and religious levels bolsters the patriarchal ideology they brought with them from Korea. However, reality still remains and Korean women†s increased economic role in many Korean immigrant families has reduced their husband†s patriarchal authority, creating new sources of marital conflict and sometimes leading to separation and divorce. Koreans† child care and child socialization patterns undergo significant changes when they move to the United States. The major reason Min gives is the increase in Korean Immigrant women†s participation in the labor force. In the U. S. Korean women who work and have pre-school children depend on private nurseries or an elderly mother or mother-in-law for child care while they continue to work. This is a contrast compared with life in Korea where women who have pre-school children usually do not participate in paid work, but instead focus on child care. Also because both Korean parents work long hours outside the home, many children are left unsupervised at home. Min believes that this has lead to juvenile delinquency among Korean children, and may cause problems in the psychological development of a child. Another change in Korean family lifestyle is in gender socialization. There has been a change from the preference of male children, and equal treatment in educational aspects between boys and girls. However, the emphasis on children†s success in education has not changed since Korean immigrants moved to New York. Korean par ents push their children to do academics so they can attend a prestigious college and choose a field that leads to a high-status more common for them to live with their daughters than with sons. Second, Korean elderly do not depend on their children for financial support or expect support from their children. This is due to the welfare programs for the elderly, which have made them independent from their children. Finally, Min states that the vast majority of Korean elderly are satisfied with their lives in N. Y. and plan to live here permanently. The reasons Min gives for Korean elderly life satisfaction are their economic and residential independence, involvement in strong . The Korean elderly have also been affected by the changes in the traditional family system. First, many Korean elderly live independently of their children, and it is friendship networks and access to ethnic services in Queens, low expectations for economic and occupational success, and their deeply religious lives. Finally, Min explains how new technology and improvements in international travel has helped Koreans maintain strong ties to friends and relatives in their home country. The advanced in these two areas of technology and travel has lead to improve communication between family members. For example, more Korean family members can keep in touch with their relatives in Korea because of the increased convenience and affordability. The increase in communication between Korea and the U. S. has lead to the creation of â€Å"international commuter marriages†. Min describes international commuter marriages as being marriages where the husband has returned to Korea for a better occupation while his wife and children remains in the U. S. to take advantage of educational opportunities. Th advance in communication and travel has helped international commuter marriages prosper because now spouses can visit each other several times a year and talk on the phone every week. Min provides a detailed analysis of the Korean family. Min†s book opens up the reader to a society that the public knows little about. He provides an understanding of norms and beliefs of Korean society. By doing so, Min dismisses the stereotypes that plague Korean society. The data used in the book is solidly backed up by experiences of Korean people making it valid and logical. Finally, the book was written in 1998 making Min†s ideas relevant for today†s Korean society.

8th Grade Curriculum Essay

Unit Standard Skills Assessment, Projects & Resources Unit 1 (Short Stories) Reading and Literature A. Fluency B. Vocabulary Expansion C. Comprehension D. Literature B1. Acquire, understand, and use vocabulary through explicict and indirect vocabulary instruction and independent reading. B2. Determine the meaning of unknown words by using a dictionary or context clues. B3. Recognize and interpret words with multiple meanings. B4. Describe the influences of other languages on the English Language. B5. Apply knowledge of Greek and Latin roots, prefixes and suffixes to understand content area vocabulary. B6. Determine word meanings by using definition, restatement, example, comparison or contrast. B7. Identify and explain analogies, similes and metaphors. B8. Apply correct word pronunciation and inflection. C1. Summarize and paraphrase main idea and supporting details C2. Recall and use prior learning and preview text to prepare for reading. C3. Comprehend, interpret and evaluate information in a variety of texts using a combination of strategies C4. Make inferences and draw conclusions based on explicit and implied information C7. Use knowledge of narrative and expository text structures in a variety of content areas to summarize information. C10 Monitor comprehension and use strategies to clarify understanding of the selection. C13. Identify and utilize a variety of sources to compare and contrast information. C14. Critically read and evaluate to determine the author’s purpose, point of view, audience and message. D1. Read a variety of high quality literature. D2. Analyze and evaluate relationships among elements of fiction. D4. Analyze and evaluate how figurative language and literary devices contribute to the meaning of the text. D5. Contrast points of view in narrative texts and explain how they affect the overall them of the works. D6. Relate a given literary work to historical events. D8. Identify and understand recurrng themes across literary works and historic eras. D12. Respond to literature using ideas and details from text to support reactions and make literary connections. D13 Read from and respond to a variety of fiction, poetic, and nonfiction texts of increasing complexity for personal enjoyment. A. Accelerated Reader-30 minutes a day B. Study of Latin and Greek word parts: Word Maps-Creating a Graphic organizer including the etymology of the word, examples of how vocabulary words are used, meaningful sentence, synonyms, word picture clue Word Posters using Greek and Latin Word Parts. C. Elements of Literature: Short Story : Collection 1 Plot and Setting Weekly Warm-Ups-Written Responses to Poetry Read: â€Å"The Treasure of Lemon Brown† â€Å"The Inn of Lost Time† â€Å"The Monkey’s Paw† â€Å"Aunty Misery† Nonfiction Reading Strategies- KWL, Main Idea, Supporting Details-Notetaking Sheet Nonfiction Article on Harlem-Background Information before reading â€Å"The Treasure of Lemon Brown† Nonfiction Article on Samurai Warriors-Background Information before reading â€Å"The Inn of Lost Time† Graphic Organizers: Plot and Setting: Story Map, Setting Map(weather, time, customs, effect on character, etc.), Imagery Wheel, Plot Outline, Cause and Effect Chart Selection Tests: Multiple Choice Test with Essay Question 8th Grade Language Arts Curriculum Map 2010 pg. 2 Unit Standard Skills Assessment, Projects & Resources Unit 1 (Short Stories) Writing A. Types of Writing B. Elements of Composition C. Spelling, Grammar, and Usage D. Research E. Handwriting and Word Processing A1. Write frequently in a variety of forms, including but not limited to the following: poetry, stories, essays, editorials, letters, directions and research reports. B1. Create multiple paragraph compositions that state, maintain and use details in a logical order to support a main idea. B2. Create narratives that develop settings, people/characters, dialogue, and conflicts using descriptive, concrete language to engage audience. B6. Use composing processes to develop writing, including: a. Prewriting b. Drafting c. Revising d. Editing e. Publishing B7. Consider the intended audience. C1. Compose complete sentences C2. Edit writing C3. Apply grammar conventions C4. Apply punctuation conventions E1. Write legibly using cursive E2. Format word-processed texts to present information in an organized, readable fomat, integrating graphics, illustrations and bulleting as needed Quick writes-Journaling TAG Questions-Answer multiple questions within an essay question Short Story Summary with a Graphic Organizer Pre-write Compare and Contrast Essay: Compare the Literary Elements in â€Å"The Monkey’s Paw† and â€Å"Aunty Misery† in Elements of Literature. Six Trait Writing Rubrics to teach and assess writing projects 8th Grade Language Arts Curriculum Map 2010 pg. 3 Unit Standard Skills Assessment, Projects & Resources Unit 1 (Short Stories) Speaking & Listening A. Speaking and Listening B. Media Literacy A1. Participate in and follow agreed upon rules for conversation and formal discussion in large and small groups. A2. Actively listen and comprehend messages. A5. Follow a speaker’s presentation and represent it in notes. A6. Orally communicate information, opinions and ideas effectively to different audiences, adjusting delivery and language for intended audience and purpose. A7. Participate effectively in group meetings. John Hopkins Social Skills training- Y charts Small Group Literature Circles Think-Pair-Share Analyzing Visuals: Setting and Characterization 8th Grade Language Arts Curriculum Map 2010 pg. 4 Unit Standard Skills Assessment, Projects & Resources Unit 2 Reading and Literature A. Fluency B. Vocabulary Expansion C. Comprehension D. Literature A1. Increase fluency B1. Acquire, understand, and use vocabulary through explicict and indirect vocabulary instruction and independent reading. B2. Determine the meaning of unknown words by using a dictionary or context clues. B3. Recognize and interpret words with multiple meanings. B4. Describe the influences of other languages on the English Language. B5. Apply knowledge of Greek and Latin roots, prefixes and suffixes to understand content area vocabulary. B6. Determine word meanings by using definition, restatement, example, comparison or contrast. B7. Identify and explain analogies, similes, and metaphors. B8. Apply correct word pronunciation and inflection. C1. Summarize and paraphrase main idea and supporting details C2. Recall and use prior learning and preview text to prepare for reading. C3. Comprehend, interpret and evaluate information in a variety of texts using a combination of strategies C4. Make inferences and draw conclusions based on explicit and implied information C7. Use knowledge of narrative and expository text structures in a variety of content areas to summarize information. C10 Monitor comprehension and use strategies to clarify understanding of the selection. C 13. Identify and utilize a variety of sources to compare and contrast information. C14. Critically read and evaluate to determine the author’s purpose, point of view, audience and message. D1. Read a variety of high quality literature. D2. Analyze and evaluate relationships among elements of fiction. D3. Analyze a character’s traits, emotions, motivation and give supporting evidence from the text. D4. Analyze and evaluate how figurative languae and literary devices contribute to the meaning of a text. D5. Contrast points of view in narrative texts and explain how they affect the overall them of the works. D6. Relate a given literary work to historical events. D8. Identify and understand recurrng themes across literary works and historic eras. D12. Respond to literature using ideas and details from text to support reactions and make literary connections. D13 Read from and respond to a variety of fiction, poetic, and nonfiction texts of increasing complexity for personal enjoyment. A. Accelerated Reader-30 minutes a day B. Continue with Study of Latin and Greek word parts: Word Maps-Creating a Graphic organizer including the etymology of the word, examples of how vocabulary words are used, meaningful sentence, synonyms, word picture clue. Elements of Literature: Short Story : Collection 2 Characterization Read: â€Å"Hamadi† â€Å"A Retrieved Reformation† â€Å"The Wise Old Woman† â€Å"Mrs. Flowers† Graphic Organizers for Characterization-Character Analysis chart Continue with Story Maps-Summaries Selection Tests: Multiple Choice Test with Essay Question Compare/Contrast characters in â€Å"The Wise Old Woman† and â€Å"Mrs. Flowers† 8th Grade Language Arts Curriculum Map 2010 pg. 5 Unit Standard Skills Assessment, Projects & Resources Unit 2 Writing A. Types of Writing B. Elements of Composition . C. Spelling, Grammar, and Usage D. Research E. Handwriting and Word Processing A1. Write frequently in a variety of forms, including but not limited to the following: poetry, stories, essays, editorials, letters, directions and research reports. B1. Create multiple paragraph compositions that state, maintain and use details in a logical order to support a main idea. B2. Create narratives that develop settings, people/characters, dialogue, and conflicts using descriptive, concrete language to engage audience. B6. Use composing processes to develop writing, including: f. Prewriting g. Drafting h. Revising i. Editing j. Publishing B7. Consider the intended audience. C1. Compose complete sentences C2. Edit writing C3. Apply grammar conventions C4. Apply punctuation conventions E1. Write legibly using cursive E2. Format word-processed texts to present information in an organized, readable fomat, integrating graphics, illustrations and bulleting as needed Quickwrites-Journaling TAG Questions-Answer multiple questions within an essay question Short Story Summary with a Graphic Organizer Prewrite Narrative Essay: Personal Experience Essay Six Traits of Writing 8th Grade Language Arts Curriculum Map 2010 pg. 6 Unit Standard Skills Assessment, Projects & Resources Unit 2 Speaking & Listening A. Speaking and Listening B. Media Literacy A1. Participate in and follow agreed upon rules for conversation and formal discussion in large and small groups. A2. Actively listen and comprehend messages. A5. Follow a speaker’s presentation and represent it in notes. A6. Orally communicate information, opinions and ideas effectively to different audiences, adjusting delivery and language for intended audience and purpose. A7. Participate effectively in group meetings. Small Group Literature Circles Think-Pair-Share Analyzing Visuals: Setting and Characterization 8th Grade Language Arts Curriculum Map 2010 pg. 7 Unit Standard Skills Assessment, Projects & Resources Unit 3 (Poetry) Reading and Literature B. Vocabulary Expansion C. Comprehension D. Literature B1. Acquire, understand, and use vocabulary through explicict and indirect vocabulary instruction and independent reading. B2. Determine the meaning of unknown words by using a dictionary or context clues. B3. Recognize and interpret words with multiple meanings. B4. Describe the influences of other languages on the English Language. B5. Apply knowledge of Greek and Latin roots, prefixes and suffixes to understand content area vocabulary. B6. Determine word meanings by using definition, restatement, example, comparison or contrast. B7. Identify and explain analogies, similes, and metaphors. B8. Apply correct word pronunciation and inflection. C1. Summarize and paraphrase main idea and supporting A C2. Recall and use prior learning and preview text to prepare for reading. C3. Comprehend, interpret and evaluate information in a variety of texts using a combination of strategies C4. Make inferences and draw conclusions based on explicit and implied information C7. Use knowledge of narrative and expository text structures in a variety of content areas to summarize information. C10 Monitor comprehension and use strategies to clarify understanding of the selection. C 13. Identify and utilize a variety of sources to compare and contrast information. C14. Critically read and evaluate to determine the author’s purpose, point of view, audience and message. D1. Read a variety of high quality literature. D2. Analyze and evaluate relationships among elements of fiction. D3. Analyze a character’s traits, emotions, motivation and give supporting evidence from the text. D4. Analyze and evaluate how figurative languae and  literary devices contribute to the meaning of a text. D5. Contrast points of view in narrative texts and explain how they affect the overall them of the works. D6. Relate a given literary work to historical events. D8. Identify and understand recurrng themes across literary works and historic eras. D12. Respond to literature using ideas and details from text to support reactions and make literary connections. D13 Read from and respond to a variety of fiction, poetic, and nonfiction texts of increasing complexity for personal enjoyment. B. Study of Latin and Greek word parts: Word Maps-Creating a Graphic organizer including the etymology of the word, examples of how vocabulary words are used, meaningful sentence, synonyms, word picture clue Word Posters using Greek and Latin Word Parts. C. –D. Elements of Literature: Short Story : Collection 3-4 Theme and Author’s Style To introduce Theme-Read: â€Å"The Cub† â€Å"Stop the Sun† â€Å"The Medicine Bag† Aesop’s Fables: Small Group Activity: Read six fables, complete story chart, characterization, plot, and theme, or moral of the story. To introduce Author’s Style-Two Author Studies Read-Edgar Allen Poe: Tell-Tale Heart The Raven The Cask of Amontillado The Pit and the Pendulum-View film Examine: Mood, Tone, Literary Devices (imagery, dialect, symbols), Figures of Speech (similes, metaphors, personification, idioms), Irony Read-Ray Bradbury Ray Bradbury Biography-â€Å"Ray Bradbury is on Fire† â€Å"The Flying Machine† â€Å"The Dragon† â€Å"The Foghorn† â€Å"The Smile† â€Å"There Will Come Soft Rains† â€Å"All Summer in a Day† Complete Story Chart- Setting, Characters, Plot, Theme for each of the stories Variety of comprehension activities for each story 8th Grade Language Arts Curriculum Map 2010 pg. 8 Unit Standard Skills Assessment, Projects & Resources Unit 3 (Poetry) Writing A. Types of Writing B. Elements of Composition . C. Spelling, Grammar, and Usage D. Research E. Handwriting and Word Processing A1. Write frequently in a variety of forms, including but not limited to the following: poetry, stories, essays, editorials, letters, directions and research reports. B1. Create multiple paragraph compositions that state, maintain and use details in a logical order to support a main idea. B2. Create narratives that develop settings, people/characters, dialogue, and conflicts using descriptive, concrete language to engage audience. B6. Use composing processes to develop writing, including: k. Prewriting l. Drafting m. Revising n. Editing o. Publishing B7. Consider the intended audience. C1. Compose complete sentences C2. Edit writing C3. Apply grammar conventions C4. Apply punctuation conventions E1. Write legibly using cursive E2. Format word-processed texts to present information in an organized, readable fomat, integrating graphics, illustrations and bulleting as needed Quickwrites-Journaling TAG Questions-Answer multiple questions within an essay question Literary Devices Packet- Similes, Metaphors, Alliteration, Idioms, Onomatopeia Multiparagraph Film Summary/Analysis: Essay on the Pit and the Pendulum Theme Strips: Choose one of Ray Bradbury’s short stories and create a theme strip, illustrating it with symbols that have significance to the story. Six Trait Writing 8th Grade Language Arts Curriculum Map 2010 pg. 9 Unit Standard Skills Assessment, Projects & Resources Unit 3 (Poetry) Speaking & Listening A. Speaking and Listening B. Media Literacy A1. Participate in and follow agreed upon rules for conversation and formal discussion in large and small groups. A2. Actively listen and comprehend messages. A5. Follow a speaker’s presentation and represent it in notes. A6. Orally communicate information, opinions and ideas effectively to different audiences, adjusting delivery and language for intended audience and purpose. A7. Participate effectively in group meetings. Analyzing Visuals View â€Å"The Pit and the Pendulum† Complete story chart, analyze irony, write summary Small Group Activities 8th Grade Language Arts Curriculum Map 2010 pg. 10 Unit Standard Skills Assessment, Projects & Resources Unit 4 Reading and Literature A. Fluency B. Vocabulary Expansion C. Comprehension D. Literature A1. Increase fluency B1. Acquire, understand, and use vocabulary through explicict and indirect vocabulary instruction and indeWpendent reading. B2. Determine the meaning of unknown words by using a dictionary or context clues. B3. Recognize and interpret words with multiple meanings. B4. Describe the influences of other languages on the English Language. B5. Apply knowledge of Greek and Latin roots, prefixes and suffixes to understand content area vocabulary. B6. Determine word meanings by using definition, restatement, example, comparison or contrast. B7. Identify and explain analogies, similes and metaphors. B8. Apply correct word pronunciation and inflection. C1. Summarize and paraphrase main idea and supporting details C2. Recall and use prior learning and preview text to prepare for reading. C3. Comprehend, interpret and evaluate information in a variety of texts using a combination of strategies C4. Make inferences and draw conclusions based on explicit and implied information C7. Use knowledge of narrative and expository text structures in a variety of content areas to summarize information. C10 Monitor comprehension and use strategies to clarify understanding of the selection. C13. Identify and utilize a variety of sources to compare and contrast information. C14. Critically read and evaluate to determine the author’s purpose, point of view, audience and message. D1. Read a variety of high quality literature. D2. Analyze and evaluate relationships among elements of fiction. D3. Analyze a character’s traits, emotions, or motivation and give support from the text. D4. Analyze and evaluate how figurative language and literary devices contribute to the meaning of the text. D5. Contrast points of view in narrative texts and explain how they affect the overall them of the works. D6. Relate a given literary work to historical events. D7. Respond to and analyze the effects of sound, form, figurative language and graphics in order to uncover meaning in poetry. D8. Identify and understand recurrng themes across literary works and historic eras. D12. Respond to literature using ideas and details from text to support reactions and make literary connections. D13 Read from and respond to a variety of fiction, poetic, and nonfiction texts of increasing complexity for personal enjoyment. A. Accelerated Reader-30 minutes a day B. Continue with Study of Latin and Greek word parts: Word Maps-Creating a Graphic organizer including the etymology of the word, examples of how vocabulary words are used, meaningful sentence, synonyms, word picture clue. 1960’s Study: Introduce using materials from 1960’s Postal Service Publication Vocabulary related to the 1960’s Read nonfiction relating to the 1960’s Era Create Timeline of Major Events Analyze Music and Poetry from the 1960’s Complete Setting Chart using Scholastic Issue: â€Å"The 1960’s† Novel: Vocabulary: â€Å"Think About It† charts to analyze context clues. Character Chart Plot Outline Variety of comprehension Activities Question Writing Activity Robert Frost Poem: â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† 8th Grade Language Arts Curriculum Map 2010 pg. 11 Unit Standard Skills Assessment, Projects & Resources Unit 4 Writing A. Types of Writing B. Elements of Composition C. Spelling, Grammar, and Usage D. Research E. Handwriting and Word Processing A1. Write frequently in a variety of forms, including but not limited to the following: poetry, stories, essays, editorials, letters, directions and research reports. B1. Create multiple paragraph compositions that state, maintain and use details in a logical order to support a main idea. B2. Create narratives that develop settings, people/characters, dialogue, and conflicts using descriptive, concrete language to engage audience. B6. Use composing processes to develop writing, including: p. Prewriting q. Drafting r. Revising s. Editing t. Publishing B7. Consider the intended audience. C1. Compose complete sentences C2. Edit writing C3. Apply grammar conventions C4. Apply punctuation conventions E1. Write legibly using cursive E2. Format word-processed texts to present information in an organized, readable fomat, integrating graphics, illustrations and bulleting as needed Quickwrites-Journaling TAG Questions-Answer multiple questions within an essay question Biopoem Essay: Character Analysis Essay: Choose one character from the novel, The Outsiders, and write a character analysis. Six Trait Writing 8th Grade Language Arts Curriculum Map 2010 pg. 12 Unit Standard Skills Assessment, Projects & Resources Unit 4 Speaking & Listening A. Types of Writing B. Elements of Composition C. Spelling, Grammar, and Usage D. Research E. Handwriting and Word Processing A1. Write frequently in a variety of forms, including but not limited to the following: poetry, stories, essays, editorials, letters, directions and research reports. B1. Create multiple paragraph compositions that state, maintain and use details in a logical order to support a main idea. B2. Create narratives that develop settings, people/characters, dialogue, and conflicts using descriptive, concrete language to engage audience. B6. Use composing processes to develop writing, including: u. Prewriting v. Drafting w. Revising x. Editing y. Publishing B7. Consider the intended audience. C1. Compose complete sentences C2. Edit writing C3. Apply grammar conventions C4. Apply punctuation conventions E1. Write legibly using cursive E2. Format word-processed texts to present information in an organized, readable fomat, integrating graphics, illustrations and bulleting as needed Quickwrites-Journaling TAG Questions-Answer multiple questions within an essay question Biopoem Essay: Character Analysis Essay: Choose one character from the novel, The Outsiders, and write a character analysis. Six Trait Writing