Thursday, December 26, 2019

Confidentiality of Health Information Essays - 1639 Words

In the modern era, the use of computer technology is very important. Back in the day people only used handwriting on the pieces of paper to save all documents, either in general documents or medical records. Now this medical field is using a computer to kept all medical records or other personnel info. Patients records may be maintained on databases, so that quick searches can be made. But, even if the computer is very important, the facility must remain always in control all the information they store in a computer. This is because to avoid individuals who do not have a right to the patients information. Below are some of general question: 1. Should corrections be date and time stamped? 2. When should the patient be advised of the†¦show more content†¦Then, the AMA states that, â€Å"Additions to the record should be time and date stamped, and the person making the additions should be identified in the record† (Ama code of, 1998). â€Å"If there are changes to the data, the patient concerned must be notified† (Ama code of, 1998). So well-maintained electronic health records are important because they protect both the patient and the physician. According to the AMA policy, The patient and physician should be advised about the existence of computerized databases in which medical information concerning the patient is stored (Ama code of, 1998). On the other hand, many patients also curious who has access to them and how this files being stored for safety and privacy of the individuals. When before the facility release any records to any one or company, they needs to inform the patient right away. Finally, â€Å"All electronic entities are required to inform doctors and patients before the release of any health information† (Ama code of, 1998). To protect patients records the facility need to notified the patient right away before the purge takes place. The Rule gives individuals the right to have covered entities amend their protected health information in a designated record set when that information is inaccurate or incomplete (U.S. Department of, 2003). Next, Procedures for purging the computerized database of archaic or inaccurate data should be establishedShow MoreRelatedSecurity Privacy Confidentiality of Health Information in the Philippines2076 Words   |  9 PagesSECURITY, PRIVACY, AND CONFIDENTIALITY (SPC) OF HEALTH INFORMATION IN THE PHILIPPINES DEFINITION OF TERMS Due to the special nature of health information, the legal and technical aspects of the concepts of security, privacy, and confidentiality (SPC) have a particular meaning in the context of healthcare. Privacy is the right of an individual to limit access to others to some aspect of their person. A more specific type of privacy is informational privacy (which is the notion of privacy we are mostRead MoreElectronic Protected Health Information On The Confidentiality, Integrity, And Availability Of The Electronic Protection Essay865 Words   |  4 Pagesthe confidentiality, integrity and availability of the electronic protected health information that Topaz Information Solutions, LLC (Topaz) creates, uses, processes and transmits. II. Scope and Limitations This policy applies to all Topaz workforce members. III. Related Policy Names and Numbers Privacy Policy (COM-001) Security Policy (COM-002) Disclosure Policy (COM-003) IV. Definitions Electronic Protected Health Information (e-PHI) – Any individually identifiable health information protectedRead MoreA Brief Note On Healthcare And Health Care1016 Words   |  5 PagesEthics in Healthcare Confidentiality is one major responsibility that health care givers are required to uphold in their healthcare service. The health care providers are expected to keep the information on their patient’s health private in any case. However, there are some instances where they are allowed to reveal this information with the consent of the patients or not. Due to the revolution in technology health care confidentiality faces a huge threat. This is because it is now easy for anyoneRead MoreMedical Professionals Should Always Value A Patient s Ethical Right833 Words   |  4 PagesMedical professionals should always value a patient’s ethical right to privacy and confidentiality. Under the HIPPA law, there are still concerns with the protection of patient privacy; therefore, healthcare professionals must confront the growing technological environment and find ways to increase access security, as well as discipline employees that violate a patient’s privacy. Electronic health records can be beneficial to providers from a cost and efficiency standpoint, but are patients reallyRead MoreConfidentiality in Health Care1338 Words   |  6 PagesThe importance of patient confidentiality in health care setting The purpose of this assignment is to explore the importance of patient confidentiality. This assignment will define and discuss the values of confidentiality in general and in mental health care setting. It will highlight its importance in individual decisions to seek health care services. Each profession that provides health care embraces confidentiality as a core principle therefore, the legal framework and ethical issues of governingRead MoreEthical Confidentiality And Health Care1163 Words   |  5 Pages Ethical Confidentiality in Healthcare Elvira Ibarra Cardinal Stritch University MGT 460 Business Ethics February 4, 2015 Ethical Confidentiality in Healthcare Confidentiality in health care is the primary value. It is mandatory for healthcare providers to preserve patient’s personal health information private unless the patient provides consent. Forming a trusting environment by respecting patient’s secrecy reassures the patient to seek care and to be completely truthful about theirRead MoreConfidentiality Is The Safe Keeping Of Documentation And Information From A Client1515 Words   |  7 Pagesexplore circumstances a health professional would be justified in disclosing confidential information to a third party without his/her consent. Confidentiality is the safe keeping of documentation and information from a client. The information must be kept between you and the client for it to remain confidential. Confidential information could be a client’s name, address, date of birth, bank details, family details and religion (Confidentiality, 2009). To make sure confidentiality is maintained recordRead MoreConfidentiality : A True Therapeutic Nurse Patient Relationship1197 Words   |  5 Pages Confidentiality in Nursing Wayne Browning Austin Peay State University Abstract In a true therapeutic nurse-patient relationship, establishing trust is a key factor to promote quality and compassionate care. This trust can be easily jeopardized by a breach in confidentiality of the patient’s personal health information. This paper will focus on the importance of confidentiality as it relates to nursing and patient information and the vulnerabilities that can attribute toRead MoreApplying Ethical Frameworks in Nursing Practice Essay675 Words   |  3 Pages Disclosing patient information to a third party, without a patient’s consent or a court order is considered a breach of confidentiality. Legal liability for a breach of confidentiality covers a broader spectrum than ethical guidelines, which lend to doing what is morally right. Confidentiality in nursing comes with an ethical need for creating rapport with patients. Trust established facilitates increased communication and comfort for discussing personal information. There are some excep tionsRead MoreThe International Guidelines For Biomedical Research Involving Human Subject1479 Words   |  6 Pagestheir information whether it be physically, behaviorally, or intellectually, with others. The International Guidelines for Biomedical Research Involving Human Subject was created in 1993 by the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) and the World Health Organization (WHO). These guidelines not only provide clear requirements for respecting the privacy of research participants and maintaining the confidentiality of their personal information., but also for all health care

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

The Night Had Changed Everything As I Had Known It

That night had changed everything as I had known it. My mom ended up letting us all move into her house permanently. This made things extremely awkward between my family. I didn’t know what this would mean for us now. My mom was still set on getting a divorce soon, but my dad had wanted her back. My dad became upset all the time because my mom began talking to a new guy that she had developed feelings for, and since we were all under one roof, this made everything uncomfortable. I found myself in my room most nights, trying to stay away from all the drama and turn of events. I didn’t know what was going to happen next and I didn’t feel like I had a true home. It took me forever to get even remotely comfortable in this new house because I†¦show more content†¦Once I started to realize that I had to embrace the changes in my life rather than want them to go back, I started to begin to cheer up. All these obstacles in my life were difficult at the time, but I appreciate the struggle it put me through. I was truly shaped into the person I am today because of what I have been through. I now am more appreciative of things in life. I tried to get back on better terms with all of my family because I realized how important family really is. Friends come and go in life, but family is who will always be there for me when I need someone I can count on. I made some new friends around this time, and they were a huge factor in my happiness. In the beginning of the year 2016, a boy that had gone to elementary with me had messaged me. We started talking on the phone, texting, and video chatting whenever we could. We hung out a few times and he asked me to be his girlfriend. He was always there for me when I needed him and he made me feel more confident in life. Having him was now a gigantic blessing for me. I was unbelievably happy with our relationship. This was the first boyfriend I had that my parents actually genuinely liked. He was great with my family and we started doing things with my brother such as playing soccer or video games. He was the glue in my life that was helping me keep everything together. I stopped going to counseling to see if I could handleShow MoreRelatedDeath of a Parent1268 Words   |  6 PagesI believe we are defined by events that happen throughout our lives both passivity and negatively. Most of the events that change people’s paths often happen suddenly in their life and sometimes have long term effects. Whether it is a personal, religious, life style, or even a career change the fact still remains the cause for change was caused by the event. The statements above are true for my life; my life was about to change forever. This is the day I found out my mother had only six monthsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Night By Elie Wiesel794 Words   |  4 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Night In the book Night by Elie Wiesel there are many instances where his use of imagery helps establish tone and purpose. For example Elie Wiesel used fire (sight) to represent just that. The fire helps prove that the tone is serious and mature. In no way did Wiesel try to lighten up the story about the concentration camps or the Nazis. His use of fire also helps show his purpose. â€Å"Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, that turned my life into one long night seven timesRead MoreKilling a Tradition in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee787 Words   |  3 Pagesthe pioneers first escaped England to come to America. Then tradition continued into the Civil War, and is still shaping the world today with things people may not even realize. Well Harper Lee expresses this same kind of tradition in her very well-known fiction novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Through the words she wrote she shows tradition in a whole new light. The two main characters, Jem and Scout, go throu gh the traumatic experience of growing up in a very non-traditional way, from watching Tom RobinsonRead MoreGraduation Speech : College Ready1016 Words   |  5 Pages College Ready I always expected to feel differently when applying for college, and especially when getting accepted. But it did not go quite how I had always pictured. I had been out of school and working, and started to lose the urgency or desire to leave for college right away. I was not ready to leave home and all my loved ones and so I slacked on keeping up with all the college stuff like I should have been doing. One day I finally applied to the only place I set my sights on, not really expectingRead MoreElie Wiesel Reflection991 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout human history, most people have endured many types of tragic experiences that have changed their way of being. For example, the Holocaust involved the Jewish community and was considered one of the most tragic life changing experiences for many. Most notably, the murderous travesties the Jewish people were subject to. Additionally, it changed our views about how the world would view the future of human history. A Holocaust survivor by the name of Elie Wiesel was involved with the horrorRead MoreAllan Grey723 Words   |  3 PagesWilliams had created throughout his play. However, for Elia Kazan to have produced the film, some scenes were eliminated or changed to fit what was known as the Hay’s Code. One of the scenes that was not so much vital to the play, was when Blanche DuBois explains to Mitch about her ex-husband. Allan Grey, Blanche’s ex husband, was found in bed with another man and by no other than his wife, Blanche herself. In the play both Blanche and Allan pretended that nothing happened after that night. AllanRead MoreThe Social Factors Of Insomnia955 Words   |  4 Pagesthey want. This can cause those who suffer from the illness to want to hide it from everyone and go about their day like there is not anything wrong. All people go through different problems in life where they do not always want everything that is going wrong to be known out in the open. Attribution theory is the theory of how we define other people’s behavior by a person’s situation or problem at the time (Meyers, 2014). Many times, we give credit to others just because we feel they are going throughRead MoreJ. Edgar Hoover s Skills1510 Words   |  7 PagesJ. Edgar Hoover was born on January 1st, 1895. Growing up, I believe J. Edgar Hoover learned his skills while still in school. He was on the debate team in highschool, which helped him with his public speaking, and he also learned some leadership skills while in college. He didn’t have to join the army after finishing school, because he had to take care of his mom. He eventually graduated college near the top of his class, with a Bachelor’s Degree in law, which led him to his first job in the DepartmentRead MoreMy Life - Original Writing1703 Words   |  7 Pagesmoment and then gone the next. That was life for me. Just as I got used to what my life had become, and was okay with it, it changed. In the time it took to open the front door of my apartment my current life disappeared. Sometimes I think it s the best thing that ever happened to me, sometimes I think it s the worst. I was sprawled out on the couch numbly watching a movie, the colors and light flashing in the darkness of night. As I stared to drift off the screen blurred into one misshapen blobRead MoreEverything Everything Character Analysis910 Words   |  4 Pagesthreatening risks. In the book Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon, one character in specific changes throughout the book. Madeline Whittier, or Maddy, is a eighteen year old girl who changes by taking one of the greatest risks of her life. Maddy has never left the house as she is diagnosed with severe combined immunodeficiency, also known as bubble baby disease. This is a hereditary disease weakening her immune system. Because her body is more susceptible to infections, everything and everyone around her

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Effective International Marketing in Globally Franchising Firms. free essay sample

EFFECTIVE INTERNATIONAL MARKETING IN GLOBALLY FRANCHISING FIRMS. Overview The decision to take a company outside the the company’s origin involves careful analysis of risk and benefit factors, consideration and selection of potential markets, planned market entry, and development of market penetration over time. While this can be done through a number of strategies, franchising is a growing means of achieving international presence. DECIDING TO FRANCHISE INTERNATIONALLY With the increase in international franchising and its impact on marketing, a number of studies have been conducted on various related aspects. One first consideration in literature is what leads to the decision to go international, and how this stimulates marketing within the firm. It is first helpful to consider the relationship between parent companies and their subsidiaries, whether franchises, partnerships, or company-owned outlets. Structurally, large multinationals such as McDonald’s and Benetton are â€Å"better viewed as inter-organisational networks than monolithic hierarchies,† because each subsidiary can take actions that affect the company as a whole (Birkinshaw 2000, 2). Corporate structure is determined by interplay between parent and subsidiary, with both responding to and driving needed changes in the business environment (Birkinshaw 2000, 4). Sometimes it will be the subsidiary that pursues markets, making a â€Å"proactive and deliberate pursuit of a new business opportunity† in order to â€Å"expand its scope of responsibility† (Birkinshaw 2000, 2). Eroglu (1992) studied determinants in firms’ decisions to franchise internationally. He found two sets of â€Å"perceptual variables – perceived risks and perceived benefits – † determine a company’s decision (19). When the perceived benefits outweighed the perceived risks, the company would proceed with expansion. Cost/benefit analysis in one common method for measuring benefits versus risk, but again, is filtered through the perceptual opinions of decision makers. It is therefore to consider the variables as perceived benefits and perceived risks (Eroglu 1992, 23). In addition to push and pull factors, there are two theories in the study of franchising that explain the decision to move into international locations. Both address one of the most ebated topics in franchising research: why the parent company would want to franchise, when company-owned units provide a higher rate of return (Elango and Fried 1997, 69). Once a business achieves a certain size, it is more profitable to the parent company if wholly owned. For example, a typical franchisee may make a forty percent margin, and pay half of that to the parent company. â€Å"With the right economies of scale, the franchisor could recoup m ore of that profit margin by owning the company outright† (Hoar 2003, 78). The first, resource scarcity theory, contends that companies lack the resources such as capital, local market knowledge, and managerial talent to open international outlets on their own (Altinay 2004, 427). By recruiting local franchisees who supply capital, management, and knowledge of the local market, franchising organisations can achieve internationalisation not otherwise possible (Altinay 2004, 427). The parent company would not be able to expand, particularly on an international level, without the assets offered by the franchisee. This theory is more easily applied to small and medium-sized firms which obviously lack the assets for internationalisation than it is to either McDonald’s or Benetton. Interestingly both organisations do have some company-owned holdings. For McDonald’s part, Ray Kroc once contended he was in the real estate business, not the restaurant business, citing the large passive income generated from the leasing of McDonald’s properties to individual franchisees (Vignali 2001, 97). Agency theory is based on the relationship between the principal party, in this case the parent company, who owns or control a set of economic assets or functions. They delegate work to the agent, in this case the franchisee, who operate on the principal’s behalf (Doherty and Quinn 1999, 227). The theory stresses the importance of the process of the transfer of information, the problem of information asymmetry, and monitoring costs associated with both (Doherty and Quinn 1999, 224). Jensen and Meckling (1975) explain information asymmetry problems occur because the franchisee has detailed information about franchise operations that are not communicated to the parent company, and this causes division between the aims of the parent company and the franchisee. This is enhanced by the natural tendency for franchisees to operate in their own best interests, even at the expense of the parent company (Altinay 2004, 427). Applying Agency Theory to a firm’s decision to franchise internationally, the company usually does so on the basis of lower costs and decreased risk. Since salaried managers would be likely to under perform, going with franchisees increases the likelihood of dedicated performance, and therefore reduced monitoring costs (Elango and Fried 1997, 71. Franchises â€Å"provide the parent company advantages such as economies of scale in marketing and production, while providing or entrepreneurial discretion at the unit level† (Elango and Fried 1997, 68). In addition, franchises impact the overall marketing strategy and specific marketing activities of the firm as a whole. Any increase in business activity, such as new outlets or product, should generate additional marketing. In particular, international franchising usually requires adaptation of marketing products to the local cultures. In the case of Benetton’s social awareness campaigns, marketing product was intended to be used globally, although some areas and retailers found some of the photos disturbing or inappropriate (Barela 2003, 118). While the series certainly raised awareness and sales did increase during the time they were in use, there is contention whether the marketing scheme helped or hurt retailers’ bottom line in many locations (Barela 2003, 118). This often leads to the company adapting its global marketing strategy and components for a specific geographical region or cultural group (Vignali 2001, 97). MARKET CHOICE Choice of market has also been a subject of much research. â€Å"Each   concept and country must be considered separately in relation to a multitude of issues about the market, potential franchisees, legal matters, receptivity to franchising in general, and feasibility of the particular concept† (Maynard 1995, 69). â€Å"In international markets, franchise relations are influenced by the extent to which the overseas franchise system can be transferred into the local market in terms of product acceptance, suitable local presentation and transferable support services† (Connell 1999, 86). Legal concerns are of particular importance, since they differ so greatly from country to country. For example, there is currently no legislation in the UK that regulates franchising (Hoar 2003, 77). The European Union adopted block exemption for franchises, which protects them from antitrust laws. â€Å"France, Mexico, and Brazil have enacted laws similar to those of the United States, requiring franchisors to provide presale disclosure to prospective franchisees, while Australia and Italy have adopted voluntary codes pertaining to presale disclosure and other requirements† (Maynard 1995, 71). Atlinay (2004), citing a number of research studies, determined that several organisational determinants directly impact market choice. Organisation size greatly determines the number of franchises that can be supported, as each must be supplied with product and support (Altinay 2004, 429). Operating and international experience have both been shown to positively effect the decision to franchise. In general, the greater the experience of decision-makers, particularly if they have lived or worked abroad successfully, the greater likelihood they will pursue markets beyond current operations. Altinay 2004, 429). Company leaders may also recognise that competitive pressures in current markets make growth and expansion there unlikely or prohibitively expensive. Similarly, the external environment of the markets under consideration may make them more or less attractive to potential investors (Altinay 2004, 429). For example, some governments have highly restrictive business laws, while oth ers provide little or no protection for franchisers. The former makes both starting and doing business difficult, while the latter puts the franchiser at risk. A supposed franchisee could simply take the business model or proprietary systems and go out on their own, cutting the franchiser out of their rightful position in the relationship. Other researchers have concluded geographical and cultural proximity are major determinants of market choice (Alon and McKee 1999, 76-77). Specifically, organisations will choose markets based on their physical closeness or cultural similarities to the head office. For example, the areas most likely to begin franchises of UK businesses are Ireland and France, while US franchisers first target Canada and Mexico (Alexander and Doherty 2003, 15). The logistical issues of transporting people and product are greatly reduced when franchises expand into nearby countries, rather than ones far removed. After geographically immediate countries, the next areas targeted for franchise are those with similar cultures to the organisation’s host country (Alexander and Doherty 2003, 15). For example, UK retailers franchising in the US, Canada, or Australia can expect relatively similar customer groups, requiring little adaptation of product or marketing materials. Training, advertising, and other organisation material can remain in English, with no need for ranslation or significant cultural variations (Alexander and Doherty 2003, 16). In practice, some franchisers leave market choice almost entirely up to the initiation of franchisees, while others are more proactive. In a best-case scenario, both the subsidiary and parent company evaluate the local market, the internal market, and the global market when considering possible market s (Birkinshaw 2000, 9). For example, McDonald’s both requires market justification from franchisees and carefully evaluates each new market opportunity before allowing franchisees to proceed (Vignali 2001, 97). Market approval is heavily dependent on resource allocation, that is, there must be sufficient resources available and available at that location for the market choice to go forward (Birkinshaw 2000, 45). MARKET ENTRY Various factors have been found to contribute to the method, location, and timing of market entry. First, there are a number of different methods used in international expansion and franchising. Direct franchising, joint ventures, and master franchising are all common. In direct franchising, the parent company seeks out potential franchisees in market areas it has selected for development (Maynard 1995, 66). While it requires greater involvement by the parent company, it also allows the organisation to be more selective in franchisee choice and therefore have more control over the foreign operation (Maynard 1995, 68). Franchisees may be solicited through newspapers or similar media outlets, but are more commonly sought through recommendations of other successful franchisees (Noren 2001, 62). Sometimes the parent company actually joins with a local firm to move into a foreign market. This can be through acquisition or merger, but is more commonly accomplished through a joint venture. This is when the companies join forces to create a distinct third company owned by both partner firms† (Maynard 1995, 66). â€Å"Joint ventures create more-cumber-some tax and financial issues than the other two approaches, but they have other advantages, which vary depending on the partnership arrangement† (Maynard 1995, 68). The created company then sometimes initiates or supervises franchise relations within its country or geographical region, and sometimes oversees company-owned units (Maynard 1995, 68). Some initiatives put forth by franchisees involve operations within the company. The most critical facilitator of internal market initiatives is the credibility of the subsidiary in the eyes of the parent company† (Birkinshaw 2000, 26). Such initiatives are geared towards rationalising and reconfiguring the systems within the parent company and increasing the efficiency of resource use, rather than improving external variables or increasing the firm’s re source base (Birkinshaw 2000, 27-28). Overall, direct and master franchising are the most commonly used methods for market entry by UK firms. They allow firms of various sizes, from small chains to large multinationals, to successfully internationalise. Companies can both grow globally and â€Å"reap the benefits of size without sacrificing the benefits of local presence† (Birkinshaw 2000, 1). The British Franchise Association (BFA) reports nearly seven hundred franchise systems are currently operational in the UK, accounting for more than 30,000 business units (Hoar 2003, 77). These franchises employ 330,000 people, and represented a total turnover of ? 9. 5 billion in 2002 (Hoar 2003, 77). While British firms have been slow to franchise overseas, particularly compared to companies from the US and Japan, they are rapidly catching up. Over one-third of British retailers with operations outside the country employ franchising to some degree (Doherty and Quinn 1999, 225). This number increases with the number of countries in which a particular firm has operations (Hoar 2003, 77). Factors driving franchisings international expansion â€Å"include heightened awareness of global markets, relaxation of trade barriers, saturation of some existing domestic markets, increasing prosperity and demand for consumer goods in many regions overseas, and increasing ease of doing business internationally because of improved communications and transportation systems† (Maynard 1995, 66). Both McDonald’s and Benetton have been impacted by at least three of these variables. DEVELOPING THE LOCAL MARKET Finally, entrepreneurs exhibit various strategies to develop the local market, even if they do so as agents or franchisees of a global firm. The traditional role of a subsidiary or franchisee is to adapt the parent company’s product to local tastes, â€Å"then act as a ‘global scanner,’ sending signals about changing demands back to the head office† (Birkinshaw 2000, 21). Examples of this would be McDonald’s menu changes, often suggested or proposed by local franchisees, and the use of Ronald McDonald as a spokesman, which was first initiated by local franchisees (Anon 2003, 16). It is imperative, therefore, that large organisations, particularly those that franchise, create systems and structural contexts in which local entrepreneurial activity is both encouraged and controlled (Birkinshaw 2000, 31). If no such structure exists, franchisees will often act as free agents, making decisions and taking actions â€Å"that they believe are in the best interests of the corporation as a whole,† whether or not these conform to the expressed desires of the parent company (Birkinshaw 2000, 2). Research indicates that four factors enhance initiative at the subsidiary or franchise level:   autonomy, resources, integration and communication (Birkinshaw 2000, 31). High levels of autonomy and resources enhance local and global initiative, but detract from internal initiative. High levels of integration and communication enhance internal initiative, but detract from local and global initiative (Birkinshaw 2000, 31). â€Å"Local market initiatives are facilitated most effectively through a moderate level of autonomy in the subsidiary coupled with a fairly strong relationship with the parent company† (Birkinshaw 2000, 23). In terms of marketing, local franchises have valuable input needed by the marketing teams at the corporate office, and should be respected for both their ideas and their first-hand knowledge of whether something is working. If this does not occur, the company will suffer from information asymmetry problems, as previously discussed under agency theory (Doherty and Quinn 1999, 224). When McDonalds decided to use famous athletes in its promotional materials, ads, and television commercials several years ago, they queried local franchisees for suggestions. As a result, the company was able to choose sports figures recognised in each market area, rather than one internationally known athlete, such as a Tiger Woods, who might have less impact in local markets (Vignali 2001, 97). A basketball star was featured in ads in the United States, a footballer in the UK, and so forth. This allowed McDonalds to project a locally appropriate image through its marketing campaign and further position align local franchises as part of the community, rather than as a foreign restaurant (Vignali 2001, 97). The company was able to do this because they had previously established systems by which ideas and input could be communicated back and forth between franchisees and the corporate headquarters (Vignali 2001, 97). Developing market requires initiating or building the demand of the public for a product, and positioning and pricing the product where it is available to meet such public demand (Johnson and Scholes 2002, 370). The entrepreneur franchisee, therefore, has several strategies available. He or she can make suggestions to the corporate office. These are more likely to be well received if backed by solid market data, particularly data not available to headquarters. The entrepreneur can produce his or her own marketing scheme, if not prohibited from doing so by headquarters. He or she can become highly active in community activities and use the franchise or its products for market development. In the case of Benetton, local retailers could, for example, become involved with groups addressing world hunger. Whatever the strategy, it must result in an increased affinity for the consumer towards the product, brand or retailer, and a corresponding increase in purchasing. REFERENCES Alexander, N. , Doherty, A. M. 2003. International Market Entry:   Management competencies and environmental influences. European Retail Digest, issue 42, pp. 14-19. Alon, H. McKee, D. 1999. Towards a macro environmental model of international franchising. Multinational Business Review, Spring 1999, pp. 76-82. Altinay, L. 2004. Implementing international franchising:   the role of intrapreneurship. International Journal of Service Industry Management, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 426-443. Anon 2003. Celebrating 50 Years:   Kroc’s vision transforms burger drive-in into fast-foo d empire. Nation’s Restaurant News, July 2003, pp. 8-19, 122-123. Anon 2003a. Diversity in Franchising:   McDonald’s strives to mirror its communities. Nation’s Restaurant News, July 2003, pp. 6-99. Anon 2001. Investors brave tough franchising law to bring in burgers, beer and sushi. Business Eastern Europe, August 27, 2001, p. 5. Barela, M. 2003. United Colors of Benetton – From Sweaters to Success:   An Examination of the Triumphs and Controversies of a Multinational Clothing Company. Journal of International Marketing, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 113-128. Barron, J. , Hollingshead, J. 2004. Brand globally, market locally. Journal of Business Strategy, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 9-15. Birkinshaw, J. 2000. Entrepreneurship in the Global Firm. Sage, London. Burt, S. 1995. Retail internationalization: evolution of theory and practice. In International Retailing: Trends and Strategies, McGoldrick, P. J. , Davies, G. (eds), London: Pitman, pp. 51–73. Connell, J. 1999. Diversity in large firm international franchise strategy. Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 86-95. Doherty, A. M. , Quinn, B. 1999. International retail franchising:   an agency theory perspective. International Journal of Retail Distribution Management, vol. 27, no. 6, pp. 224-236. Elango, B. , Fried, V. 1997. Franchising Research:   A Literature Review and Synthesis. Journal of Small Business Management, July 1997, pp. 68-81. Eroglu, S. 1992. The Internationalization Process of Franchise Systems:   A Conceptual Model. International Marketing Review, vol. 9, no. 5, pp. 19-30. Hoar, R. , 2003. How to play the franchise system and win. Management Today, June 2003, pp. 76-79. Huszagh, S. , Huszagh, F. , McIntyre, F. 1992. International Franchising in the Context of Competitive Strategy and the Theory of the Firm. International Marketing Review, vol. 8, no. 5, pp. 5-18. Ivey, J. 2002. Benetton Gambles on Colour of the Future. Corporate Finance, June 2002, pp. 13-15.

Monday, December 2, 2019

The Prince Essays (724 words) - Social Psychology, Machiavellianism

The Prince The Prince The Prince had no actual characters, but instead discussed and analyzed the political policies of political leaders, highlighting their faults and strengths. The setting was 1513 Europe. This is the same time when major areas were having power struggles and religious conflict was rampant. His tone is that of the ambitious leader. It conveys the thoughts of one who knows how to gain and maintain power. Though this is true, the thoughts are built upon principalities probably learned by way of many mistakes made by one who will never again be in the position to imply his theorems and strategies. Machiavelli's own ruthless mind probably served as the bases for him knowing the ways of the corrupt. The thesis seems to be that the ends justify the means. Chapters such as the one describing How one should govern cities or principalities that, before being conquered, used to live under their own laws show Machiavelli's thirst for power and highlights a stressed point of his. This point is that one must learn how to maintain power before gaining it for it can be as easily lost as gained. It was conveyed in his writings that even minor power is more useful if it can be maintained, where major power that cannot be maintained is a mere missed opportunity. This dissertation stressed the maintaining of power because it was written from Machiavelli to His Magnificence Lorenzo de' Medici, a figure whom was already holding power. It is better to be feared than loved, is a popular extraction from Machiavelli's dissertation. He stated, Men are less hesitant about offending or harming a ruler who makes himself loved than one who inspires fear. For love is sustained by a bond of gratitude which, because men are excessively self-interested, is broken whenever they see a chance to benefit themselves. But fear is sustained by a dread of punishment that is always effective. Machiavelli went on to discuss the strategies of ruling by fear. For it is perfectly possible to be feared without incurring hatred, shows that Machiavelli really thought over his writings. For it is highly possible that one who hates may to try to destroy that which he hates even if it means self destruction in the process. Even with seemingly ruthless tactics, Machiavelli recognized the importance of keeping the people you rule happy. This was strongly displayed in a chapter concentrating on How rulers should keep their promises. Using a combination of Greek mythology and discussing animals metaphorically he first spoke of the centaur. Telling of the centaur raising the likes of Chiron and Achilles he wrote, Having a mentor who was half-beast and half-man signifies that a ruler needs to use both natures, and that one without the other is not effective. Machiavelli went more in depth explaining, Since a ruler, then, must know how to act like a beast, he should imitate both the fox and the lion, for the lion is liable to be trapped, whereas the fox cannot ward off wolves. One needs, then, to be a fox to recognise traps, and a lion to frighten away wolves. Those who rely merely upon a lions strength do not understand matters. Containing no true climax, The Prince ecstatically peaks in every paragraph. One who takes the principals and strategies of this book to be only political is missing the whole point. Ones life is very political. May it be socially, criminally, etceteras, life is a complexity of politics. From school to a working environment, Machiavellian tactics can be utilized. Some may even be employed in various types of relationships. Note, some may be used, and the type of relationship appropriates different tactics. For an intimate relationship would need to be approached differently from a competitive work environment. You wouldn't want to rule your significant other with fear. This book should be read and analyzed by all people in positions of power and those with ambition to attain it. It seems to be a literal formula for the attaining and maintaining of power. The ends justify the means, should be closely thought out. The means for global peace could be genocide of those causing conflict. This means calls for an exponential amount of what the

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

The Theory of Social Contracts Essays

The Theory of Social Contracts Essays The Theory of Social Contracts Essay The Theory of Social Contracts Essay Essay Topic: The Social Contract The period of Enlightenment ushered in an age of intellectual development as well as theoretical formations on the concept of society. English political thinker Thomas Hobbes and French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau posit political treatises on the formation of social contracts as a necessity of man and eventually leads to the establishment of an ideal government. The paper will discuss first the concept of man’s nature according to both philosophers in order to determine the reason behind the formation of such contracts which will subsequently lead to the conception of governments and sovereignty. Hobbes proposes that man is essentially at war with other men, motivated by personal desire and fear of death that inhibits the formation of a peaceful society. Rousseau however, contradicts Hobbes argument of man as naturally at war but looks into a different state wherein man possesses compassion which enables the formation of ideal relationships and eventually, social contrac ts. We look into Hobbes’s viewpoint in his treatise Leviathan and compare and contrast several arguments with Rousseau’s On The Origin of Inequality and Social Contracts. Hobbes’ Natural Man and Covenants Hobbes’ political theory in Leviathan stipulates the formation of covenants as the final end of man’s actions, transgressing from his natural state wherein man is in constant war with himself and with others. First, we define Hobbes’ argument on the natural state of man that provides the basis of conflict. In comparison with Rousseau’s viewpoint, the nature of social contracts is reversed, wherein Rousseau’s notion of social conventions is negative compared to Hobbes’ notion of contracts as a deviation from the erring state of human nature. Hobbes argues: â€Å"For every man look that his companion should value him at the same rate he sets upon himself, and upon all signs of contempt or undervaluing naturally endeavor to extort a greater value from his condemners. So that in the nature of man, we find three principal causes of quarrel. First, competition; secondly, diffidence; thirdly, glory (Hobbes 84). The primitive state of man is bordere d on Hobbes’ statement â€Å"where every man is enemy to every man† (Hobbes 85). Each individual is focused on the aspiration for personal gain, thus creating conflict or an unharmonious relationship because of completion (gain), diffidence (safety, self-preservation), and glory (reputation). The chaotic context provided in Hobbes argument consequently inhibits the concept of justice in a particular social setting. Since man is motivated by personal gain, the fear of death through self-preservation, and personal glory, there is no concept of right and wrong or even justice. â€Å"Where there is no common power, there is no law; where no law, no injustice† (Hobbes 85). Thus, we see Hobbes attempt to present his first law on man’s natural state: that man, motivated by personal gain, sets himself in conflict with other men who pursue the same object. He then narrates â€Å"the passions that incline men to peace are: fear of death; desire of such things as a re necessary to commodious living; and a hope by their industry to obtain them† (Hobbes 86). According to Hobbes, the natural law governing social relationships is motivated by the passions; specifically, man’s fear of death. Thus, the first natural law, in context with the natural state, is that every man has innate rights or liberty to will himself to self-preservation and that one can do anything to his body, even to another person. As long as this natural law exists, there can be no harmonious buildup of society. The second law then obligates man to create peace or to achieve peace through any means necessary and from here, man is then obligated to set such rule to all and that every right of man is necessary to be withdrawn or transferred in order to build peace; since to maintain the second rule, man will be constantly at war. The renouncement of rights is essentially good in itself because it aspires for the majority rather than the self, governed by selfish passions. However, such rights are not to be taken away by force or for an individual to force himself o f withdrawing his own, since â€Å"he cannot be understood to aim thereby at any good to himself† (Hobbes 91). Renouncement of rights should be voluntary and by choice, in order to determine the goodness which will benefit the majority. Thus, social contracts or covenants are formed. Hobbes argues that for a man to achieve peace, it is necessary to break away, through the tenets of reason, from the natural state wherein every individual is motivated by personal gain and fear of death. This fear motivates the individual, in relation to self-preservation, to create contracts with other men in order to achieve peace, wherein the value of life becomes the unifying factor for all; thus creating peace and harmony. Covenants are then considered to be the agreements that will benefit two parties aspiring for different objects. Justice then presents itself in the presence of covenants, for justice occurs when an individual performs or acts upon the agreement or covenant while injustic e is the failure to establish covenants which inadvertently places the individual in his former natural state. Hobbes definition of the natural state and the natural law focuses on the importance of self-preservation or the fear of the death in relation to the individual. In contrast with Rousseau, the formation of contract is that of beneficial to man rather than Rousseau’s argument that society itself that provides inequality and conflict. Contracts, through reason, necessitate a societal framework that is governed by the inexpressible right of every man to survival and preservation of life. The Commonwealth For Hobbes, the ideal form of government is the formation of the commonwealth which acts as the â€Å"final cause, end or design of men (who naturally love liberty and dominion over others) in the introduction of that restraint upon themselves, in which we see them live in Commonwealths, is the foresight of their own preservation, and of a more contented life thereby† (Hobbes 116). The formation of covenants, which represent a duty-bound notion to aspire for peaceful societal conditions, inevitably leads to its conception wherein the withdrawal of individual rights is penultimate toward its formation. Conventions serve the function as a mean toward the aspiration of the common power or will of the majority. Common power acts as a protection against external attack or injuries that an individual may cause upon the other and is formed through the transcendence of personal right to a man or an assembly: â€Å"Confer all their power and strength upon one man, or upon one assembly of men, that may reduce all their will, by plurality of their voice, unto one will: which is as much to say, to appoint one man, or assembly of men, to bear their person† (Hobbes 118). Every man should then willingly state: â€Å"I authorize and give up my right of governing myself to this man, or to this assembly of men, on this condition; that thou give up thy right to him and authorize all his action in like manner† (Hobbes 118). We take into context a mix between a democracy (representation of the few) and monarchy (rule by a sovereign). However, Hobbes’ monarchy is not entirely absolute, ruled by the elite or loyalty; rather Hobbes’ conception of monarchy focuses on the rule of a sovereign where powers are granted by the conventions of the majority. From such, the sovereign is then obligated to perform the powers bestowed upon the social covenants; the sovereign itself being a representation of the general will of the people. The Commonwealth The sovereign, either instituted in one man or an assembly of men, is bestowed power of the withheld rights by society or subjects. As sovereign, its responsibility lies on any action or authorization to ensure the presence of duration of peace and to create any means necessary to protect individuals from others as well as to protect attacks from other societies. According to Hobbes, there are only three kinds of commonwealth and nothing else; a democracy, monarchy, or aristocracy. Hobbes does not believe that no man aspires for a turbulent and rocky society. However, Hobbes is partial toward a monarchial government, which, according to him, generally embodies the conventions made by man, and in essence, the nature of a commonwealth: â€Å"The riches power and honor of a monarch arise only from the riches, strength, and reputation of his subject. For no king can be rich nor glorious, nor secure, whose subjects are either poor, or contemptible, or too weak through want, or dissension† (Hobbes 130). Amor Propre and Civil Society On the other hand, Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s work Discourse on Inequality and Social Contract primarily present arguments against Hobbes’ definition on the natural state of man in contrast with social systems and conventions. Rousseau argues on the condition of the human soul as it progresses from its distinct natural form up until the pure state of man is transformed through social relationships or systems. First, he argues the physical differences of man, which in essence, does not ultimately provide a firm basis of inequality: I conceive that there are two kinds of inequality among the human species; one which I call natural or physical, because it is established by nature, and consists in a difference of age, health, bodily strength, and the qualities of the mind or the soul; and another, which may be called moral or political inequality, because it depends on a kind of convention. (Rousseau 1) Apart from physical differences, inequality falls under the moral or political sense. In the context of social structure, inequality lies on the ladder of power and wealth, wherein the notion of civil society is created by the rich in order to suppress the poor of wealth and maintain power among the elite few. In contrast with Hobbes, Rousseau presents a different view of man’s natural state wherein man is savage in nature wherein ideas are generated by sense experience. But in opposition to regular animals, man has reason that establishes himself apart from common animals. The natural behavior of man is similar to that of Hobbes’ viewpoint but differs in motivation. According to Rousseau, the basic instinct of man is self-preservation, free will and compassion; the last being the most important part in man’s natural state wherein Hobbes contends to man’s natural war with the other. He contends Hobbes’ view of man’s nature which compels him w ith the fear of death. However, Rousseau argues: â€Å"the knowledge of death and its terrors being one of the first acquisitions made by man in departing from an animal state† (Rousseau 17). In contrast, Hobbes’ provides death as a motivator for withdrawing personal rights in order to achieve peace while Rousseau presents reason as a way of fighting the irrational passions that push him out of his natural state. In addition, compassion is the important natural virtue that contradicts selfish impulses or vices which come from the passions or irrational tendencies of man. Rousseau narrates that Hobbes’ definition of man does not provide himself with an idea of goodness, that man may be considered as evil. Rousseau’s view presents man, in his primitive state, as essentially good, and possesses virtue. â€Å"so many writers have hastily concluded that man is naturally cruel, and requires civil institutions to make him more mild; whereas nothing is more gent le than man in his primitive state, as he is placed by nature at an equal distance from the stupidity of brutes† (Rousseau 47). Compassion is the most important aspect of man, along with innate desires of preservation, reason and free will. â€Å"It is this compassion that hurries us without reflection to the relief of those who are in distress: it is this which in a state of nature supplies the place of laws, morals, and virtue, with the advantage that none are tempted to disobey its gentle voice† (Rousseau 31). Compassion generates interaction with other men and the natural instinct of self-preservation, as times continue to progress, enables the individual to improve living conditions. Thus, the combination of compassion, reason, self-preservation enables the individual to form conventions with other men. However, the problem lies with the development of amour propre, the subsequent regularity of conventions where man’s reason is garbled to a false sense of dependency on the individuals through improvement of self-perception and acquiring favor. The natural, non-invasive self-love is transformed to a more self-centered and jealous love of others. â€Å"Man must now, therefore, have been perpetually employed in getting others to interest themselves in his lot and in making them, apparently at least, if not really, find their advantage in promoting his own† (Rousseau 51). This corrosive notion of self-love produces competition, comparison with others, hatred, and the continuous search of ambition and power: â€Å"In a word, there arose rivalry and competition on the one hand and conflicting interests on the other, together with a secret desire on both profiting at the expense of others† (Rousseau 51). The Social Contract Thus, Rousseau defines man’s state of nature as it develops amour propre. To deviate from the natural state, the formation of social contract is evident in order to rid of the evils pertaining civil society. According to Rousseau, the conception of social contracts delimits the individual from inequality and therefore frees himself from the trappings of social classification. The purpose of the contract is to establish a body that will inadvertently defend the rights of the individual and the right of society as a while. Similar to that of Hobbes’ notion, social contracts are meant to deviate the condition of human nature from its amoral/evil sense in order to create society focused on peace. The social contract, in Rousseau’s perspective, is founded on the presence of the general will: â€Å"Each of us puts his person and all his power in common under the supreme direction of the general will, and in our corporate capacity, we receive each member as an indivisi ble part of the whole† (Rousseau Social Contract, 59). The general will is the summation of all opinions of the majority, which in turn acts as an abstract form that aims toward the good of all. Rousseau also posits the idea of a sovereign which acts a representative of the people. The people however, in Rousseau’s form of government, are not represented by senators or magistrates but represent themselves as a symbol of the general will. Sovereign Similarities Both philosophers argue on the importance of social contracts in establishing relationships with people in order to construct an acceptable and peaceful social framework. Both stress the importance of the ‘natural’ law of man to deviate himself from his primary state and is obligated to create a world without indifference and conflict through commonality of opinions and desire. The difference lies on both philosophers account of man’s nature, wherein Hobbes argues that man is essentially evil and it is through civil relationship that man refines himself and achieves peace. Rousseau contradicts Hobbes’ arguments that he had failed to include compassion as a virtue in man’s natural state. Rousseau opines negatively toward civil societies, that conventions itself ruin man’s natural state through social classification and levels of power. Instead, Rousseau posits man as a docile creature until society corrupts his natural state. On the subject of contracts, both thinkers apply the same rule for the formation of social agreement as majority of society transfers its rights toward a sovereign that which governs and protects them. However, Hobbes is partial toward a monarchial government wherein it is suited with the embodiment of his covenants while Rousseau proposes the same powers for a sovereign but also adds the presence of the government to mitigate the function of the sovereign who acts as the representation of the general will while the government attends to particular or private wills. Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments Economic theorist Adam Smith proposes on his treatise Theory of Moral Sentiments the formation of a consciousness in the perspective of a leader, or in Rousseau’s/Hobbes’ context, a sovereign, in order to determine, apart from proper behavior, the rules and regulations that one must impose upon the subjects of society. Smith narrates: â€Å"We suppose ourselves the spectators of our own behavior, and to endeavor to imagine what effect it would, in this light produce upon us† (Smith 112). In context of a sovereign, it is essential, according to Smith, to examine actions and decisions through a detached position wherein the leader supposes himself to be a common citizen that according to theory, provides the power and responsibility of governance. Thus, rules imposed upon the subjects of sovereignty should be taken into proper consideration by the sovereign, so as to measure the worth and value of behavior reflection upon society, according to Smith. For example, a ruler’s ethical behavior is dependent on the laws in which he imposes over the ruled. Harsh policies that generally disfavor society imply that the ruler may be arrogant and selfish and therefore does not suit the position. Lenient policies on the other hand may imply a carefree attitude with the lack of seriousness that a good leader must possess. Thus, rules and impositions should situate itself in the middle rather than the extreme and through Smith’s propositions, the leader must then view rules as an ordinary citizen. In relation to Hobbes’ and Rousseau’s social theories, the concept of the sovereign is created by the people and represents the general will. Therefore, there is an implication of a natural balance of power between the governed and the sovereign. In Hobbes view, the sovereign’s duty is dictated or authored by the subjects and therefore cannot harm the governed whether through abuse or dereliction of duty; rather, the formation o f laws and policies are in relation toward the fulfillment of the commonwealth’s purpose – that is, the preservation of peace. However, Hobbes monarchial standpoint does not entirely agree with Smith’s proposition since the monarch, utilizing the commonwealth’s purpose, has the power of censorship on speech, publication or any other form of expression that may disturb the peaceful status quo. Thus, Smith’s proposal cannot be applied with Hobbes’s notion of government. However, Rousseau takes into consideration the general will of the populace that also gives right and power to the sovereign. But Rousseau does not imply the purpose of peace in his government; rather, he focuses on the general will as given power. The sovereign has then the duty to make sure that laws do not violate the freedom of every individual for it is they who had created power in the first place. Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan. Mineola, N.Y. Dover Publications, 2006. Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. Discourse on the Origin of Inequality. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, 2004. Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. The Social Contract. New York: Penguin Classics, 1968. Smith, Adam. The Theory of Moral Sentiments. Washington, D.C.: Regnery Publications, 1997.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Top 7 College Dating Blogs

Top 7 College Dating Blogs Dating and college – its easy to see why plenty of people think the two simply dont mix. Dealing with the emotional ups and downs of a relationship on top of papers, professors, essays and exams can be enough to send just about anyone running for the hills. But true love waits for no man – and no semester break – so when dating and relationships get to be a bit sticky, its time to turn to one of these 7 blogs about dating while in college to help see you through. You Can Get the Girl! Although this website focuses on how to get a girl, the advice is easily transferable for women looking to grab the guy of their dreams. However, since the focus is on women, this is an especially helpful website and blog even for those who simply dont know where to start. Their bloggers and writers focus on everything from approaching a girl for the first time to planning the perfect date and tips on how to follow up and turn that date into the beginning of something beautiful. The College Crush College may be a time for change, but some things always remain the same. When you find yourself in the throes of a full on crush, chances are youll feel like youre back in grade school. The College Crush crew are there to help with great information on how to tell if your crush might be flirting back or just leading you on along with tips on how to turn crushing on someone into a real life relationship. Once youve landed your crush, you can head on over to their helpful sections on developing a strong relationship and how to best blend your new significant other with the friends who have been there since Day One. College Gloss The College Gloss website offers a bit of everything and students can find help and advice on a wide array of topics, from the best way to make space in a cramped dorm room to how to maintain a relationship while youre dealing with a full class and work schedule. Although the feel and focus of the website will appeal mainly to women, men can find helpful advice on whether or not to wait a day to text, how sending good morning texts and email can boost a relationship and other relationship mysteries. Best of all, College Gloss offers a truly one stop experience from everything from getting dressed to finding an internship. College Candy College Candy tackles issues like relationships, hookups and style with the same passion other websites dedicate to studying, class selection and resume building. While their subject focus may be more light-hearted than most, the passion with which they write is second to none. The authors at College Candy help out with advice on overcoming shyness and difficulty breaking the ice as well as grappling with serious problems, stresses and strains that can seriously affect – and destroy – college relationships. They focus mainly on romance, style and friendships – all of which can make or break your college experience. When youve got your classes figured out but your fellow students are the real puzzle, College Candy comes to the rescue. College Passions Their name may sound like an afternoon soap opera, but College Passions is all about connecting students. Modeled after other popular dating websites, College Passions matches up co-eds based on location, major and shared interests. The website offers a completely free membership and its only open to college students so you wont have to worry about sifting through profiles looking for someone who understands where youre coming from in terms of the stress of college life. They also offer ways for members to chat online, a special email account and general resources to help with finding textbooks, saving money or just joining in their community forum. Her Campus Dont let the name throw you – Her Campus is there to help every student, albeit with a heaping helping of pink. Her Campus maintains an amazing amount of info and gets started at the beginning by helping high school students find the college of their choice, get tips on how to apply and ultimately how to survive the entire experience. In terms of relationship help, Her Campus provides readers by poking fun at the dating scene with lists like â€Å"The 8 Worst Pick-Up Lines Actually Attempted on Collegiettes† as well as help with more practical relationship problems like dealing with long holiday breaks and surviving through each others mid-term madness. Dating Advice As its name suggests, this is one of the most straight forward and simple dating websites around today. Featured on outlets such as CNN, the Huffington Post and HLN, Dating Advice delivers exactly what it says – advice on every aspect of dating imaginable. From negotiating your way through online dating to dealing with friends and significant others who just dont mix. They also offer a members forum and access to various studies and reports which will satisfy psychology majors and obsessive over-analyzers alike.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

SIX WAY TO BE A BETTER LISTENER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SIX WAY TO BE A BETTER LISTENER - Essay Example In any case, I believe I should follow this point to be a better listener. On the other hand, I believe I follow the second point more exactly as I do not ask excessive questions and stay on the topic being discussed rather than jump from conversation to conversation. Similarly, I believe that I have positive body language while communicating with people with good eye contact and mirrored postures. Since body language is reportedly the major component of communication, I feel that this is one thing which makes me a good communicator and a good listener. However, there are times when my mind wanders in a conversation which means that the third point mentioned in the article requires some additional work on my part. Often I have difficulties in staying focused on what the other person is saying and indulge in going against the fourth point mentioned in the article as I unknowingly mentally judge people during a conversation. I have to become better at understanding other people’s point of view and to know where they are coming from in a given conversation. At the same time, I know that people have different perspectives about the same topics and I understand that people may take even the most controversial topics in stride. This understanding allows me to understand people’s feelings about the topic and recognize when a person is upset or angry about something from the way they speak and their body language. Thus I am able to go beyond just the words which are being used and get to the heart of the matter with regard to what the person I am talking to really feels about a given subject. Similarly, I am good at reassuring people that I have understood what they have said and understood what they mean when they are trying to tell me something. This brings me in line with the sixth point of being a good listener which suggests that a person should convey to the speaker that the message given by him/her has been understood and appreciated.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Menu Selection Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Menu Selection - Research Paper Example This paper discusses some of the important ways to interact with App. Additionally, there are many other types of menus, which have their own advantages and disadvantages, for instance, the pop up menu saves space on the screen as they are not existed physically on the screen. In this way, it provides an advantage to the users that they need to know only the selected area options. Menu-driven interfaces have been becoming more popular due to a number of advantages they provide. Each strategy has its own advantages, however, all advantages of menus are related to the user interaction. In order to attract the user, menu-driven interfaces play their role, as they allow the user to select any option easily. If the user has not selected a right option, then it provides the facility to go back to the previous state. Menu-driven interfaces enhance the usability of the system. Each section has its own color, which helps the user to differentiate between different screens (BBC, 2014). A good user interface, along with the menus, enhance the usability, simplicity, attraction and other factors that become effective due to the presence of nice menu-driven right according to the user requirements as well as the user interests (Digital Zoo, 2014). Menu-driven interfaces basically follow some fundamental principles of a good interface, which are right according to the users’ demands and requirements regarding any type of menu strategy design. These principles are: the structure principles, visibility principles, feedback principles, tolerance principles, and reuse principle (Ward, 2013). Menu-driven interface hides the complexity in the background, and users can check only those options, which they want to check. And the most important thing is the aesthetic sense of these menus, as they are pleasing to eyes. As the number of websites and applications are resulting in an increasing number of users, where there are several kinds of users, like novice user and

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Carnivals of the Animals Essay Example for Free

Carnivals of the Animals Essay 1. The reason why the work was written: Camille Saint-Saens wrote the ‘Carnival of the Animals’ while he was on holiday as a light hearted musical joke. It was originally planned for the students of Sain-Saens at the music school where he taught piano, Ecole Niedermeyer but he had little time to compose. The work was subtitled â€Å"Grand Zoological Fantasy† and it became Saint-Saens intent to perform it as a surprise at the annual Mardi Gras concert of cellist Charles Lebouc in Paris in February 1886. 2. Saint Saens’ opinion of the work: The first performance of ‘Carnival of the animals’ was on March the 9th, 1886, peformed by pianists, Saint-Saens and Diemer. Composer and pianist. The work was requested by Franz Liszt to be played again. After the second performance, Saint-Saens refused to allow any more public performances of ‘Carnival of the Animals’ as he highly feared that it would ruin his reputation as a serious composer. His work then remained unpublished except ‘The swan’, publicized in 1887. His will read: â€Å"I expressively forbid the publication of any unpublished work, with the expectation of ‘The carnival of the animals’, which may be issued by my usual publishers, the gentlemen Durand and Cie†. After his death in 1921 the full score was published in 1922. Saint Saens composed the work as a musical joke, he thought that if it was published it would ruin his reputation as a serious composer so he did not have it published until after his death (apart from the publication of ‘The Swan’). 3. Romantic Influences that can be identified in the Carnival of the Animals: Saint-Saens used several different concepts to create a romantic aura about the music. ‘Carnival of the animals’ has a distinct song-like melodic line, this has been achieved by combining the fluctuating dynamics and the chromatic chords. Also, Saint-Saens designed his work using robato so the player must feel the music and storyline himself. Saint-Saens created his work for the piano and orchestra just after it was invented. The piano was another romantic influence because it had just recently been invented and it was a very sought after and expensive instrument. 4.My ideas and opinions as to why the work remains a popular significant work: I believe that the work remains this way because the way it was written made it very unique and it also told a story; these things are factors in why it has remained a popular piece for so many years. ‘Carnival of the animals’ shows how to feelings and emotions of something/someone via. music. Another reason was that Saint-Saens was a very famous and talented artist â€Å"a virtuoso pianist of the highest order† so most of the work he did was popular, the fact that it has remained popular for so long is because the work was very different from any other and Saint-Saens correlated humour into it.

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Process of Listening Essay -- Papers Communication

The Process of Listening â€Å"Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you’d have preferred to talk.† (Deep and Sussman 76) Upon studying listening within another course, the vast and somewhat unclear subject began to become clearer. The act of listening entails in-depth processes that elude a majority of people’s knowledge. The act of listening involves four main parts: hearing, attention, understanding and remembering. Listening entails a vast amount of information that a majority of people does not know or understand. The common view on listening often does not even involve true listening. People often mistake hearing for listening. Just because you heard something does not necessarily mean that you were listening. While others do not even realize that listening is one step of a four-part process. While two people are involved in communication, the one receiving the message while â€Å"listening† formulates the next phase within their head. They miss a large percentage of what the person involved in speaking is saying (Tubbs and Moss 141). The reasons [for ineffective listening] are so obvious that they are sometimes overlooked. First, listening is mistakenly equated with hearing and since most of us can hear, no academic priority is given to this subject in college. Second, we perceive power in speech. We put a value on those who have the gift of gab. How often have you heard the compliment, â€Å"He/she can talk to anyone?† Additionally, we equate speaking with controlling both th e conversation and the situation. The third and last reason we don’t listen, is that we are in an ear of information overload. We are bombarded with the relevant and the irrelevant and it is easy to confuse them. Often it is all jus... ...er, Larry. Listening Behavior Englewood, Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1971, 61-63. Bostrom, Robert N., Enid S. Waldhart. â€Å"Memory Models and the Measurement of Listening.† Communication Education. 1998: 1-13. Brooks, William D. Speech Communication, 4th ed. Dubuque, IA: Brown, 1981: 82. Deep, Sam, and Lyle Sussman. Yes you Can! Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1998, 4-7. Goss, Blain. Processing Information. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1982, 91. Koehler, Carol. Mending the Body by Lending and Ear: The healing Power of Listening. New York: 1998, 534-544. Losoncy, Lewis. Today. Boca Raton, FL: St. Lucie Press, 1998, 27. Moray, Neville. Listening and Attention. Baltimore, MA: Penguin, 1969, 18. Rogers, Carl. On Becoming a Person. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1961, 330. Tubbs, Stewart L., Sylvia, Moss. Human Communication. Eastern Michigan University: McGraw Hill, 1994.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

African American Essay

In the year of 1870, it was the re invention of slavery. America could not be built without economic. The south was still a negative place and they failed to accept blacks. After decades of discrimination, the voting rights act of 1965 aimed to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that denied blacks to vote under the 15th amendment. The 15th amendment in 1870 gave African Americans the right to vote. The constitutional amendment passed after the civil war that it guaranteed blacks the right to vote. It affected not only freed slaves in the south but the blacks that were living in the north who was not allowed to vote(3). The amendment was favored by the Republican Party; since the votes of the slaves helped the party dominates national politics in the years after the war. During the same year, Hiram Rhodes Revels, who was a republican from Mississippi, became the first African American to sit in the United States congress when he was elected to the United States Senate. Millions of black men served in congress during reconstruction but more than 600 served in the states legislatures and many more held local offices(3). The Jim Crow laws were the era of struggle. The state and local laws in the United States enacted between 1876 and 1965. In 1890, there was a â€Å"separate but equal† status for African Americans. Jim Crow laws followed the Black codes which restricted the civil rights and civil liberties of African Americans with no equality. During the reconstruction period, the federal law provided civil rights protection in the United States for the African Americans who had formally been slaves(1). In 1890, Louisiana required by law that blacks ride in separate railroad cars. The state of Louisiana passed a law that required separate accommodations for black and whites on railroads, including separate railway cars. Plessy attempted to sit in an all-white railroad car. After refusing to sit in the black railway carriage car, Plessy was arrested for violating in1890. Louisiana statute that provided for segregated â€Å"separate but equal† railroad accommodations. Those using facilities not designated for their race were criminally liable under the statute(4). Plessy was found guilty on the grounds that the law was a reasonable exercise of the state’s police powers based upon custom, usage, and tradition in the state. Plessy filed a petition in the Supreme Court of Louisiana against Ferguson, asserting that segregation stigmatized blacks and stamped them with a badge of inferiority in violation of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth amendments(4). The case of Plessy vs. Ferguson was one of a combination of rulings passed by the U. S and the state Supreme Courts after reconstruction. Many of these decisions allowed and required Jim Crow segregation laws in southern states. At the highest level, the case was decided on May 18th in 1896, in favor of Ferguson and the state of Louisiana. The Supreme Court had given southern states all the permission they needed to let any remaining equality between the races fade away and be replaced by the Jim Crow laws standing(5). By the 1870s, many southern whites had resorted to intimidation and violence to keep blacks from voting and restore white supremacy in the region. Beginning in 1873, a series of Supreme Court decisions limited the scope of Reconstruction-era laws and federal support for the Reconstruction Amendments, particularly the 14th and 15th, which gave African Americans the status of citizenship and protection. The Compromise of 1877 occurred after the Presidential Election of 1876, when Congress formed the Electoral Commission to resolve disputed Democratic Electoral votes from the South. The republicans agreed to enact Federal legislation that would spur industrialization in the south. They agreed to withdraw federal soldiers from their remaining positions in the south(5). They did this to appoint democrats to positions in the south and to appoint a democrat to the president’s cabinet. The Compromise of 1877 effectively ended the Reconstruction era. The Southern Democrats promised to protect but the political rights of blacks were not kept. The end of federal interference in southern affairs led to widespread disenfranchisement of blacks voters(4). From the late 1870s, southern legislatures passed a series of laws requiring the separation of whites from â€Å"persons of color† on public transportation, in schools, parks, restaurants, theaters and other locations. These segregationist statutes governed life in the South through the middle of the next century, ending after the success of the civil rights movement in the 1960’s. The migration was a watershed in the history of African Americans. It lessened their overwhelming concentration in the South, opened up industrial jobs to people who had up to then been mostly farmers, and gave the first significant impetus to their urbanization. The black migration began in the 1890s as African Americans left for cities such as Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and New York(8). The single largest movement of African Americans occurred during World War I, when people moved from rural areas and small towns in the South to cities in the North and the East. Even in the North, blacks encountered violence at the hands of whites, who resented competition for jobs and black economic success. Segregation and discrimination in housing, education, and jobs was pervasive in the North as well. From 1916, more than six million blacks left the South for other regions of the United States. Over the next fifteen years, more than one tenth of the country’s black population would voluntarily move north. The Great Migration lasted until 1930. This was the first step in the full nationalization of the African American population(2). The Klu Klux Klan is the oldest organization. During this time 1920’s, there were still 85 percent of African Americans in the south. The Klan was created in 1871 by the Democratic Party to prevent African Americans from voting the 15th Amendment. The Klan also became Americans 1st terrorist group and became an institutional part of American life and political colt. African Americans were intimidated and had fear towards the KKK. They hated blacks, republicans, Jews, etc(6). In the 1920s, many blacks had been brought to the south against their own will after the success of the northern states during the Civil War. Also, after the freeing of the blacks from slavery in 1865, a group was established which was designed to spread fear throughout the black population that still lived in the southern states. Most of the hatred was directed against the poor black families in the south who were very vulnerable to attack(6). The white hooded KKK burnt churches of the black population, murdered, raped, castrated etc. They were rarely caught as most senior law officers in the South were high ranking KKK men. White people who were in contact with any blacks had a reason to fear the KKK because they would be after them as well for being what they called â€Å"nigga lovers†(6). The Black Americans tried to fight back using non-violent methods. The NAACP asked Washington for new laws to help combat the KKK violence but received very little help. In the 1920’s Black Americans started to turn to the â€Å"Back to Africa† movement which told blacks that they should return to their native America. This was started by Marcus Garvey but the whole movement faltered when he was arrested for fraud and sent to prison. If African Americans were to move back to Africa, they would be giving the â€Å"white America† exactly what they asked for(6). African Americans drew to church. Going to church brought everyone closer to God despite everything that was going on in the 1920’s. In 1865, blacks started to create independent black churches. The African Methodist Episcopal and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion churches claimed southern membership in the hundreds of thousands, far outstripping that of any other organizations. They were quickly joined in 1870 by a new southern-based denomination, the Colored (Christian) Methodist Episcopal Church. The church was founded by indigenous southern black leaders. Finally, in 1894 black Baptists formed the National Baptist Convention which was an organization that is the largest black religious organization still today in the United States(8). The blossoming of the Harlem Renaissance was during 1918 through 1937. Harlem is located just north of Central Park. Harlem formally was a white residential district but by the early 1920’s, it was the becoming of a virtually black city. Harlem was a catalyst for artistic experimentation and a nightly popular nightlife destination. This was also an economic opportunity in New York(8). The Harlem Renaissance was a phase of a larger new Negro movement that emerged in the early 20th century. The movement raised issues affecting the lives of African Americans through various forms of literature, art, and drama. Its influence spread throughout the nation and beyond that included writers and philosophers. Between the 1920’s and 1930’s, about 750,000 African Americans left the south and migrated to the north to take advantage of this movement. The Harlem Renaissance appealed to a mixture audience. The literature appealed to the African American middle class and to whites. Many critics point out that the Harlem Renaissance could not escape its history and culture. Its attempt to create a new one separates from the foundational elements of White, European culture. Social foundations of this movement included the great migration of African Americans from rural to urban areas(8). The Harlem Renaissance was exposure to the African American Art and culture. It is also unusual among literary and artistic movements for its close relationship to civil rights. The Harlem renaissance set the stage for the civil rights movement of the 1950’s and the 60’s. This was very much black culture exposure. The African American artists intended to express themselves freely, no matter what the black public or white public thought. Since the 1980s, New Orleans has been the area for a new school of jazz players, among them trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and his brothers, saxophonist Branford Marsalis and trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis. New Orleans has brought widespread attention to jazz and a new appreciation of the city and its jazz tradition(7). In the 1890’s it was the beginning of the Mississippi Delta Blues. The blues is the generation of American Music. By the 1900’s New Orleans Jazz was introduced. Jazz was first originally accepted in France before anywhere else. Jazz was played by whites and blacks. Both races played jazz together. Jazz was for the middle class African American people(7). In conclusion, during the years of 1870 and 1920, African Americans still encountered a lot of continued discrimination against blacks in American and the separation of race. Through the Jim Crow laws and the segregation, Blacks kept it together through religion, and even music. When looking back at our history, African Americans had a great deal to do with the shaping of America today. Bibliography 1) â€Å"Jim Crow Law (United States [1877-1954]). † Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n. d. Web. 09 May 2013. 2) â€Å"Primary Documents in American History. † 15th Amendment to the Constitution: Primary Documents of American History (Virtual Programs & Services, Library of Congress). N. p. , n. d. Web. 09 May 2013. 3) Fifteenth Amendment. † History. com. A&E Television Networks, n. d. Web. 09 May 2013. 4) â€Å"Compromise of 1877. † History. com. A&E Television Networks, n. d. Web. 09 May 2013. 5) â€Å"Compromise of 1877. † Information about The. N. p. , n. d. Web. 09 May 2013. 6) â€Å"The KKK and Racial Problems. † The KKK and Racial Problems. N. p. , n. d. Web. 09 May 2013. 7) â€Å"A History of Jazz Music. † A History of Jazz Music. N. p. , n. d. Web. 09 May 2013. 8) Notes.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Can videogames cause an andrenaline response Essay

Abstract Can video games cause an adrenaline response? Our group thinks that playing video games will affect your adrenaline response because we think it will increase your breathing rate, heart rate, and pain tolerance.For this experiment, Richard and Matthew played Black Ops 2 and then we tested their reflexes, breathing rate, and pain tolerance. We compared it to the test we took before playing the game and the results was the breathing rate, reflexes, and heart attack increases which proves our point that video games does affect an adrenaline response. Introduction Your body works in many ways to help keep homeostasis, where all internal processes are stable and constant. Your body uses the sympathetic nervous system to help deal stress and stressful situations. The nervous system is arranged with a fight or flight response, also called the acute stress response, to increase your ability to survive when in danger. The response is provoked instinctively in reaction to a recognized threat survival than to motivate consciously or by choice, and alters your body’s systems to ready you to either to fight the danger or to avoid by running away. When your mind is focused on watching a horror movie or playing a videogame with intense action, even though you might not be in real danger, your adrenal medulla gland still continues to start up because of your stressed state. It releases hormones and a surge of adrenaline that could help you confront or escape by increasing blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate, transformation of fat into available energy, and dilating pupils. All of these factors function together to raise your strength and speed. Dilated pupils help you see more clearly, and muscle tension and increases blood flow readies your muscles for action and heighten agility. During an adrenaline response, your body responses increases perspiration to prevent overheating due to the raised rate that you’re expending energy. Your body even increases how fast your blood coagulates so that if you’re injured, you’ll experience less blood loss. Decreased or no awareness of pain, called analgesia, is also an effect of these life preserving hormones. Method 1. First, we have to collect information about the test the subjects. We  will collect their ages, genders, and the experience they had with the game. 2. Then, we will collect the subject’s breathing rate by counting the number of breaths the person takes in one minute. 3. We will also take the subject’s pulse rate counting the number the of times the heart beats in one minute. 4. After that, we will test the subject’s reaction time. We will use the ruler test and test him four times and find the average. 5. We will then tell the subject to play for 10 minutes, and after he is done, we will measure his breathing rate and record it down. 6. Then, we will tell the subject to continue for 5 minutes. We will pause the game and take the subject’s pulse rate and reaction time. 7. Then, we will resume for another for another five minutes and we will poke him 15 times for pain tolerance and ask him after he played if he felt anything. 8. Finally, we will record all of the data and use the same steps for testing the second subject.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Classic education and universities. A road to survival

Classic education and universities. A road to survival Is traditional university losing its grip? The idea of a research university became obvious when Prussian college professor, Wilhelm von Humboldt, proposed a new system, which had to deal with student’s personal experience rather than boring lectures. In the meantime, empirical learning grew to be popular among his younger colleagues, causing Humboldt to expand his strategy and place all his hopes and dreams on the role of research in an institution. Instead of usual academic writing, students were given the task to develop their own approach to educational methods and choose what’s best for them, based on the system of simple observation. Individual projects were presented weekly, and Humboldt could witness an increasing progress in the student’s thinking. Apart from that, he revolutionized the understanding of a university as a public institution. Before that, teachers were mainly focused on the works of ancient authors and considered tradition to be the best learning method and source. Copying the canon was a usual practice, and students summarized what was previously said with the help of their professors. Nothing was left to the learners and their experimental values. Later, in the 1950s, universities in the UK and North America were largely influenced by the teaching models, borrowed from Humboldt. Research centers opened across the country, and students flooded colleges to establish their own projects and become educated academically. With the enhancement of the typical teaching-only model of learning, though, these tendencies vanished into thin air, and lecture theatres became popular once again. There are institutions where face-to-face delivery still remains the norm, while other forms of interaction between a teacher and a student are considered to be ineffective, but generally, online communication wins the hearts of students as the time goes. Campus-less establishments So, what do all these tendencies mean at the end of the day? Will classic universities close and give way to a more modernized system of education, involving online delivery and campus-less teaching? We cannot say for sure, but there have been numerous expressions of gratitude from students, who had an experience in online learning. They were allowed to equal educational facilities and high class diplomas, whereas in other cases the tuition fees would be too unaffordable to handle. Some teachers claim, however, that you should pay your price for using online resources and neglecting the traditional, overcrowded lecture room. With the development of digital learning, we start to forget the empirical experience seminars provides on a daily basis, and regular news updates keep us away from vital information, necessary for successful learning. In the meantime, blog writers and students, who are too focused on using apps for their classes instead of actual listening, are in great danger. They may lose their connection with reality and an ability to evaluate material, based on the source and structure. This is a tendency that is not uncommon among younger learners with their dedication to tweeting and scrolling through the news on Facebook. One may wonder whether the same students will comprehend given information and analyze it according to the teacher’s learning scheme. Unfortunately, most of them have a short attention span, which does not help in case one needs to use a clear and focused approach. Tweeting a sentence differs greatly from making notes on your own, and teacher-student communication cannot be replaced by online resources, no matter how good or mind-blowing the strategy is. The truth about colleges and universities remains the same these days: you have to combine online communication with the real one, and develop a strong sense of academic-led dialogue, where digital sources act as background information. The main values of the traditional institutions have not changed, and we cherish research and analytical thinking as core principles of learning in college.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Author Technique on ACT English Passage Strategy

Author Technique on ACT English Passage Strategy SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Author technique is a specific type of reading comprehension question that appears frequently on the ACT English section. Author technique questions require you to analyze a specific sentence and determine if it fulfills an author's stated purpose. Read this article for a thorough explanation of author technique and guidance on how to figure out author technique questions. In this post, I'll do the following: Define author technique questions. Provide examples from real ACTs. Offer detailed strategies for correctly answering these questions. What Is Author Technique on ACT English? Author technique questions ask you to determine if a sentence or phrase fulfills the author's stated purpose. Each author technique question is constructed in the same way. Knowing the basic construction of author technique questions will allow you to easily identify them and use the same efficient process for correctly answering them. General Construction of Author Technique Questions Author technique questions are phrased in this way: Which one would best fulfill (some stated purpose)? A portion of a sentence will be underlined, and you have to determine if the given phrase or the other answer choices will best fulfill the purpose given in the question. This type of question requires you to analyze phrases and determine whether they would satisfy the stated goal. Now, let's look at examples of author technique questions from actual ACTs. Real Examples of Author Technique Questions Here are examples of author technique questions from the ACT English section. Example #1 By nightfall a controlled inferno roars in the kiln. The writer would like to indicate that at this point thefire is extremely intense. Given that all the choices aretrue, which one best accomplishes the writer’s goal? F. NO CHANGE G. the fire is stronger than everH. there is more heat being producedJ. a kind of intense blaze takes place Example #2 As the potter takes bricks away to create an opening into the oven, an expanding view of gleaming shapes rewards the artist for months of hard work. The writer would like to suggest the potter’s cautiouspace and sense of anticipation in opening the kiln. Given that all the choices are true, which one bestaccomplishes the writer’s goal? F. NO CHANGEG. removes bricks by handH. removes one brick at a timeJ. experiences great anticipation and removes bricks Example #3 Dickinson stayed in contact with correspondents for many years. Given that all of the choices are true, which one bestdevelops the paragraph’s focus on the roles that lettersplayed in Emily Dickinson’s life? A. NO CHANGE B. Her personal interests also included keen observationof the natural world around her. C. Though she produced volumes of letters, none were shared publicly until after her death. D. She enjoyed hearing their news and reflecting with them on political events. Now, let's go through the process to correctly answer these questions. Follow these steps! Strategy for Author Technique Questions #1: Determine What the Question is Asking Here's our first example question again. Example #1 By nightfall a controlled inferno roars in the kiln. The writer would like to indicate that at this point thefire is extremely intense. Given that all the choices aretrue, which one best accomplishes the writer’s goal? F. NO CHANGE G. the fire is stronger than everH. there is more heat being producedJ. a kind of intense blaze takes place The question is asking which answer choice does the best job of indicating that the fire is extremely intense. The correct answer choice will make it obvious to the readerthat the fire is extremely intense. #2: Check the Answer Choices to See if They Acomplish the Intended Goal For our example, go through each answer choice and determine if it indicates that the fire is extremely intense. The answer choice has to match the goal as closely as possible. The fire can’t be somewhat intense. We’re looking for extremely intense. First, look at the original sentence. Does â€Å"a controlled inferno roars† accomplish the goal of showing that the fire is extremely intense? Yes. An inferno is a large, intense fire. And the verb â€Å"roars† further indicates that the fire is extremely intense. However, go through the rest of the answer choices quickly just to make sure there isn’t a better answer. Answer choice G, â€Å"the fire is stronger than ever,† indicates that the fire is more intense than before, but it doesn’t directly state that the fire is extremely intense. Answer choice H, â€Å"there is more heat being produced,† does not even reference the intensity of the fire. Answer choice J, â€Å"a kind of intense blaze takes place,† is the trap answer. It has the word â€Å"intense† in the phrase, but we’re looking for a phrase that shows that the fire is extremely intense. A â€Å"kind of intense† fire is not extremely intense. #3: Eliminate Wrong Answer Choices Usually, it’s easier to eliminate the obviously wrong answer choices first before eventually arriving at the right answer. For our example, H could be eliminated right away since there isn't even a reference to the fire. Then, after looking more closely at the other answer choices, you should be able to eliminate G and J. #4: Consider the Tone and Conciseness of the Answer Choices Not only should the answer choice fulfill the purpose of the author, but the resulting sentence should be grammatically correct and match the essay’s tone. Typically, sentences in ACT English are moderately formal. They’re not extremely formal or very casual. Also, the ACT stresses that sentences should be as concise as possible. For our example, we didn’t really need to consider tone and conciseness, but if you were considering answer choice F, â€Å"a kind of intense blaze takes place†, itsconstructionmakes the phrase sound awkward and wordy. You could convey the same meaning more succinctly. #5: Select the Correct Answer In our example, we are left with answer choice F, NO CHANGE. Going through all of these steps should take roughly 15-30 seconds. We'll go through this process again with another question from a real ACT. Another Actual ACT English Example Try to figure out the answer to the following author technique question. At one point, Emily sent a draft of her poem â€Å"Safe in TheirAlabaster Chambers† to Susan, who read the poem. Given that all the choices are true, which one wouldmost clearly describe an interaction between Susan andEmily during Emily’s writing process? A. NO CHANGE B. liked the poem tremendously. C. considered and thought about the poem. D. praised the poem but suggested revisions. First, we determine what the question is asking. We need to choose a phrase that suggests interaction between Susan and Emily during Emily’s writing process. Therefore, if a phrase doesn’t show interaction between the two, it can be eliminated. The original phrase, â€Å"read the poem," doesn't show interaction. If Susan â€Å"liked the poem tremendously," that doesn't show interaction between them either, so we can eliminate B. If Susan â€Å"considered and thought about the poem," that doesn't demonstrate any interaction so answer choice C can be eliminated as well. However, if Susan â€Å"praised the poem but suggested revisions†, that does describe an interaction during the writing process. If she â€Å"suggested revisions,† Susan told Emily how to change the poem to make it better. That's an interaction during the writing process. The answer is D. Quick Review of General Strategies for Author Technique Questions #1: Determine What the Question Is Asking #2: Go Through the Answer Choices to See if the Phrase Fulfills the Stated Purpose #3: Eliminate Wrong Answer Choices #4: Consider the Conciseness, Tone, and Formality of Answer Choices, if Need Be. What's Next? If you haven't done so already, I strongly suggest that you check out these articles on the best way to approach ACT English passages and five critical concepts to ace ACT English. Both posts provide you with extremely helpful strategies that will allow you to maximize your ACT English score. For those of you looking to improve your ACT English grammar skills, you may want to read up on punctuation on the ACT. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this English lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: