Thursday, December 26, 2019

Application Of A Computer Programmer - 907 Words

Introduction of the role: Typically, Fujitsu seeking programmers received a bachelor s degree in computer science, and learning to write computer code and debug programs. Some people also need the relevant industry, it plans to enter the courses - finance and healthcare. Other students may get a liberal arts degree, majoring in business administration and perhaps computer science specialization. Job description: Computer programmer, any computer language of a typical day s work may involve the need to prepare their work. For example a java program it needs coding and debugging a computer programmer know the coding for given program when the programmer also known as a patch, and find this problem solve the errors. Software developer’s programmers often work side by side, the language of computer programmers and software systems will be able to understand the translation. More and more programmers in dealing with mobile applications and other Internet-based software applications duties. Ethical and Unethical behavior: Connection between programmer and client and system: Some strict regulations for the establishment and maintenance of Morel rules and regulations collaborative efforts, often a lot, and people. Critics noted that â€Å"the case of an attack, a computer determines the quality of moral or ethical . Undoubtedly, the State must exist in order to prevent negative consequences and technical systems, but no one in this particular area is able to draw the lineShow MoreRelatedAnnotated Bibliography On Computer Software Engineering827 Words   |  4 Pagesyear 2008 there were 426,000 computer programmers employed. Computer programmers write the program the computer uses to function. The computer programmer follows the specifications given to them by the computer software engineer. Specialized knowledge and experience with a language or operating system could lead to a computer programmer becoming a computer software engineer. Programming skills and programming experience is highly valued in this field. Computer programmers must constantly upda te theirRead MoreThe Life and Work of a Computer Programmer Essay1263 Words   |  6 PagesThe purpose of a computer programmer is to design and develop applications to perform the needs of a consumer. This occupation is essential to modern day life due to all of the computers that are in use today. Computer programming is a fulfilling career goal because of the ability to be on the cutting edge of technology, design software for computers, and have a wide range of benefits. Computer programming consists of many duties. Duties of a computer programmer include but are not limited to:Read MoreDecision Of Wanting Computer Programming As A Job1482 Words   |  6 Pagesfor more people to build, write programs, higher quality, and repair computers; therefore, numerous growth of technology and high demand of programmers. Regardless, of what they do computer programming has requirements; such as, specific duties, and certain working environments that some may not find suitable. This paper will elucidate the important essentials to understand preliminary to making the decision of wanting computer programming as a job. Read MoreA Career as a Computer Programmer Essay1093 Words   |  5 Pages Becoming a computer programmer would be great because there are many options in this career by having the ability to produce an operating system, or a game for the world. Computer programmers have many opportunities in life to find a job they would love. Programmers can work independently, or in a big company. Programmers have and are creating the future for computers. Computer programmers have a wide range on what they can do. Computer programmers write the detailed list of instructionsRead MoreEssay on Cobol1212 Words   |  5 Pagesinsurance companies. Today, COBOL is rarely used to write new software applications. It has been replaced by the C/C++ programming language, but up until the 80’s all business software was written using COBOL. This includes but not exclusively accounting, payroll, and large bank applications. COBOL is still used today due to the high cost in upgrading software, and recent studies show that as many as twelve million COBOL applications are still used today. Also, a good majority of these are proprietaryRead MoreA Comparison Between Computer Programming And Java1327 Words   |  6 Pages A Comparison Between Computer Programming: Java and C++ in games industry 1.Introduction I chose this topic because these languages are a relationship between programmers and computer without those languages can t use the computer. Moreover, considered one of the models that I will study in September at Swansea University. This is why I find this topic so interesting as it given a lot of detailed information about two programming c++ and java in usesRead MoreWriting Notes And Playing Video Games Essay784 Words   |  4 Pageshard day at the office and you boot up your computer, but today you say to yourself, I m tired of writing notes playing video games, I want to create something! Your girlfriend or your wife walk by you as you stare at the wall and she says, what are you dreaming about? Then you tell her that you really wanted to be a computer programmer instead of a shoe salesman. Then she says to you, you should have gone to college a few years to learn a computer language! But your 50 years old now and youRead MoreThe Link Between Production And Implem entation1684 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is the link between production and implementation? I feel it can be described as a Development Environment. Can Development Environments manage various computer languages, in order to teach the fundamentals of programming? IDEs or Integrated Development Environments are applications that can help assist developers(programmers) with developing software. The first developmental environments were command based, and didn’t look like the menu driven, graphical interfaces of today. In the programmingRead MoreComputer Programs And Software Applications1098 Words   |  5 Pages1) Programmer 2) A programmer’s job is mostly project based. They create applications, using their knowledge of code, and remove all the bugs before setting it forward to the company. A programmer works closely with analysts and management to understand about a problem in the code, and create/edit the expected outcome towards a company. Some duties include: Correcting errors by making appropriate changes and then rechecking the program to ensure that the desired results are produced. ConductingRead MoreTop Highest Pay Jobs For Information Technology Grads Essay1074 Words   |  5 PagesBureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment opportunities in the information technology field have been continually expanding for the last 20 years. The BLS stages that the fasted growing and highest paying information technology jobs include computer programmers, systems analysts, software developers and support specialists. The field of information technology offers the best career flexibility, so graduat es may find themselves working in jobs related to business, science, market research, media communications

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Critical Analysis of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte...

Critical Analysis of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† is a detailed account of the author’s battle with depression and mental illness. Gilman’s state of mental illness and delusion is portrayed in this narrative essay. Through her account of this debilitating illness, the reader is able to relate her behavior and thoughts to that of an insane patient in an asylum. She exhibits the same type of thought processes and behaviors that are characteristic of this kind of person. In addition, she is constantly treated by those surrounding her as if she were actually in some form of mental hospital. Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s state†¦show more content†¦The reader gets a first glimpse at her insanity as she constantly jumps from one subject to another. Gilman’s thought process is much like that of an insane being as she begins to let her thoughts run together in a mass of confusion. For example, at the beginning, Gilman is writing about a discussion with her husband, John, when suddenly she skips to a description of the old house: â€Å"But John says if I feel so I shall neglect proper self-control; so I take pains to control myself-before him, at least, and that makes me very tired. I don’t like our room a bit. I wanted one downstairs†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Gilman 470). This sense of confusion throughout the story relays to the reader that Gilman is indeed severely mentally confused and ill. According to several doctors in the medical journal Psychological Assessment, some of the characteristics of mentally ill patients during interpersonal and person al behavior include interruptions and ignoring personal boundaries (Kosson 91). These characteristics are seen in Gilman’s conversations with herself. Throughout the story, Gilman spends the majority of her time napping and writing in one confined space: a room upstairs, which has been chosen for her by her husband. The reader discovers throughout the story that she is actually locked in this room by her husband and his sister, Jennie. She is encouraged by them to sleep and take things easy in order to heal herself. In this way, Gilman’s husband andShow MoreRelated A Critical Analysis of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman1237 Words   |  5 Pages A Critical Analysis of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman The Yellow Wallpaper written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a riveting story of a dejected woman locked away as if she were insane. Her passion is to write and by doing so we are able to follow her on a journey in which she is victimized by those closest to her. The significance of the story is tremendous as it delves into the underlying issues of a womans place and feminism in the 19th centuryRead MoreA Critical Analysis Of The Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman1051 Words   |  5 Pages Patel 1 Aditi Patel 3/14/16 English 102 Esposito, Carmine. A Critical Analysis of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman Charlotte Perkins Gilman was a famous social worker and a leading author of women’s issues. Charlotte Perkins Gilman s relating to views of women s rights and her demands for economic and social reform of gender inequities are very famous for the foundations of American society in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In critics GilmanRead MoreCritical Analysis Of The Yellow Wallpaper By Charlotte Perkins Gilman1258 Words   |  6 Pages Critical Essay #1 Yellow Wall Paper This gothic horror tale of nineteenth century fiction, written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in 1892; during a time that women writers were starting to come out and write about key issues in their treatment. She craftily sets up or spins the story with a setting of isolation and a character who feels trapped, by a husband who chooses not to know her; yet does not listen to her and keeps her trapped on an island, all in her best interest. The tone is filled withRead MoreConcentrated Analysis of the Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in Light of the Critical Theory Infection in the Sentence: the Woman Writer and the Anxiety of Authorship Written by Gilbert and Gubar.1126 Words   |  5 Pagespaper will involve concentrated analysis of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in light of the critical theory Infection in the Sentence: The Woman Writer and the Anxiety of Authorship written by Gilbert and Gubar. The theory provided in Infection in the Sentence: The Wo man Writer and the Anxiety of Authorship will be briefly discussed in relation to The Yellow Wallpaper’s main heroine character and functionality of a madwoman in the fiction. This critical theory provides a perfect backgroundRead MoreThe Yellow Wallpaper, By Harriet Beecher Stowe1603 Words   |  7 PagesThe Yellow Wallpaper is a feminist piece of literature that analyzed women’s struggle in the 1900s, such as medical diagnosis and women’s roles. Over the years, women struggled to attain independence and freedom. In order to achieve these liberties, they were females who paved the way and spoke out about these issues to secure equal rights for women. In addition, these powerful females used their vulnerability to challenge the male domination through their literary work. The Yellow Wallpaper is aRead Moreâ€Å"the Yellow Wallpaper† an Opinion on the Critical Essay â€Å"Haunted House/Haunted Heroine: Female Gothic Closets in â€Å"the Yellow Wallpape r†Ã¢â‚¬  by Carol Margaret Davison1177 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† An opinion on the critical essay â€Å"Haunted House/Haunted Heroine: Female Gothic Closets in â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†Ã¢â‚¬  by Carol Margaret Davison Rebecca Olds V00698066 English 125 Y. Levin April 2nd, 2009 â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a short story written in the late 1800’s about a woman with post-partum depression who becomes increasingly mad because of society’s, as well as her husband’s, repression. The critical essay â€Å"Haunted House/HauntedRead More The Movement for Womens Rights Inside The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman1634 Words   |  7 PagesThe Movement for Womens Rights Inside The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman Women have been mistreated, enchained and dominated by men for most part of the human history. Until the second half of the twentieth century, there was great inequality between the social and economic conditions of men and women (Pearson Education). The battle for womens emancipation, however, had started in 1848 by the first womens rights convention, which was led by some remarkable and brave womenRead MoreEffects Of Repressing The Yellow Wallpaper 1520 Words   |  7 PagesThe Yellow Wallpaper In her story, The Yellow Wallpaper, Charlotte Perkins Gilman expresses exasperation towards the separate male and female roles expected of her society, and the evident repressed rights of a woman versus the active duties of a man. The story depicts the methods taken to cure a woman of her psychological state during Gilman’s time, and delineates the dominant cure of the time period, â€Å"the resting cure,† which encouraged the restraint of the imagination (The Yellow Wallpaper: LookingRead MoreCharacter Analysis : Character s Behavior1377 Words   |  6 PagesCharacter analysis is the critical evaluation of a character’s behavior, role in the story and the struggles they experience as the story unfolds (Fleming). The character in a story is normally described in detail, meaning that the reader knows their age, ethnicity, and distinctive physical features important to the story line. Analyzing the character’s behavior, personality, motivation and relations hip with others enables one understand the external and internal qualities (Fleming). The characterRead MoreLiterary Analysis : The Yellow Wallpaper992 Words   |  4 PagesLiterary Analysis: The Yellow Wallpaper In the story The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman she writes of a woman severely oppressed in her marriage. The women in the story is an open mind individual. John; her husband is a psychologist and thinks that his wife has a mental disorder because of all the free thinking and puts her through the rest cure. Through analysis of the story, we can see that this story displays a creepy tone in order to depict a serious matter at a time when women’s

Monday, December 9, 2019

Business Management Qantas Airways Limited

Question: Discuss about theBusiness Managementfor Qantas Airways Limited. Answer: Introduction The following assignment presents the concept on industrial conflict considering the selected organization Qantas Airways Limited. Conflict is a situation of disagreements in the beliefs and actions among two or more individuals or within the group members of the organization. Accordingly, industrial conflict arises between the employees and management of the organization with respect to the employment relationship considering the different aspects (Todd 2015). The assignment covers the application of relevant models and theories for the purpose of industrial conflict at Qantas among the organizational management employees. It highlights the organizational background by considering the issues on salaries, leadership and teamwork between the employees and management. Additionally, the issues on conflict management have been discussed by applying Lewin theory and Stage theory. Discussion Qantas Airways Limited is one of the largest airlines by the size of fleet as well as the third oldest organization in the airline sector across the world. Having its headquarters at Mascot, Australia with the fleet size of around 118 and revenues amounted to $15.8 billion in the recent financial year. The organization reported its operating income amounted to $975 million while the total assets amounted to $17.5 billion and the number of employees around 28,622 in the current year. However it was noted that the organization experienced an industrial dispute during the year 2011 between the company and number of trade unions which was commenced at the end of the year 2010. The issue was raised for the agreements of enterprise with the intention of launching its diversified airline in the region of Asia (Qantas.com 2016). Industrial conflict is a phrase that explains the expressions of disagreement among the employee- management relationship considering the contract or agreements of the employment. Conflict or disagreements at industrial level can be categorized into two classes known as informal and formal. Informal conflict on industry is said to be directly related in the context of employee grievance in an expressive manner that relates to negligence, absenteeism, frequent change of job and such other actions (Roche 2015). On the contrary, formal conflict happens through trade- union or through any employee representative in a strategic manner that results in strike and lockouts. However, Mac Ginty and Firchow (2016) argued that the conflict circumstances generate a form of competition among the employees and management within the organization assist in improving the overall performance standard of the organization. Whereas, Jess, Woodall and McFarlane (2015) stated that the negative impact of ind ustrial conflict situation forms troubled situation in the internal organization which affects the growth and sustainability. As mentioned, Qantas one of the largest airline organizations faced several consequences of industrial conflict during the year 2011. It resulted in employers lockout, intervention of ministry as well as orders from Australian Fair Works. Such industrial conflicts resulted in suspension of operations of the aircraft that were ready to take off and even the continued flights were made stop to the next destination. It was observed that the conflict affected around 68,000 to 80,000 clients on the very first day due to the cancellation of 600 flights including the cost of airlines exceeding $20 million for each day. Further, Australian Fair Works contended that the actions on industrial dispute between the management and trade union should be terminated with regard to the damage in the tourism and other sectors (Qantas.com 2016). For better understanding and resolving the conflicts at industrial level a theory by Lewin has been developed based on 3- stage model. First stage of the theory in the change of management is known as Unfreeze that involves the acceptance of necessary changes. This stage incorporates a breakdown of existing status in the conflict before the creation of new and developed ways to operate the business activities. In order to form a successful organization, the management is required to challenge the existing business beliefs, values and actions (Dyer and Song 2015). In case of industrial conflict at Qatar, the existing disagreements between trade unions and management required to be analyzed and challenged to make the necessary changes for the betterment of both the organization and employees. In the first of the procedure of change, existing activities are difficult to mould therefore, the management of Qantas was should apply the process of unfreeze by re- examining its employment pol icies for the benefit of the organization as well as the workers. Next stage of the theory is Change where individuals or disputing parties start resolving the existing uncertainties by taking and considering new means in the activities. It involves the formation of new direction and participation of members in the process of change (Lehr, Akkerman and Torenvlied 2015). It is essential to understand the benefit of change for employees and company by involving the communication and exchange of necessary information. Considering the conflict at Qantas, it can be said that the trade union members and management should engage in the process of communication and discussion about the changes in the employment policy. The third stage of the theory known as Refreeze which involves formation of change and new working ways among the conflicting parties. It creates stabilization and consistency in the employment relationship that are to be incorporated in the business activities. Accordingly, the conflicts on lockouts or strikes at Qantas should be resolved by way of communication between laborers and management (Cox 2015). Thomas Kilmanns model is developed to analyze and manage the industrial conflict through different stages over the time. The theory has been based on certain assumptions where each stage places formation for the next one and all the individuals go through those stages in the similar way. There are five ways to manage the conflicts between management and employees in the industry by following different approach i.e. collaborative, compromising, accommodating, competing and avoiding approach. Collaborative approach requires to consider the ideas and opinions of all employees at the same situation and time giving the equivalent importance to each workers by the management (Leon-Perez et al. 2015). Compromising approach is a stage where a decision on conflict matter is partially acceptable which requires some compromise in the interests of employees. On the contrary, accommodation approach requires primary focus on resolving the conflicting situation even when the management fails to sol ve the conflict in a regular manner. Competing approach of organizational conflict management sticks to a specific decision to resolve the issues that requires the use of knowledge on the business actions on part of the management. The last stage of the model known as avoiding approach, which involves organizational management denies to consider any specific decision in solving the conflict issues. It was argued by Montada (2015) that the avoiding approaches to manage industrial conflict is very critical and effective at the specific time while the quality of result not significant. In order to resolve the industrial conflict at Qantas, the management could consider the approaches developed by Thomas Kilmann. Analyzing the conflict of the company during 2011, three primary approaches of the model can be applied to resolve the Qantas issue. These are collaborative approach, competitive approach and compromising approach. As the issue was among trade unions and organizational management that resulted in lockouts and strikes, the appropriate approach would be compromising approach. The organizational management developed the employment policies in order to perform the business activities in a systematic manner. However, due to the stringent policies employees lost their interest in performing the business activities which created the friction. Hence, compromising approach could be used to by the organization to avoid the misunderstanding and compromising the interests of both the employees and management (Ellegaard and Andersen 2015). It would assist in satisfying the interest of both the disputing parties either partially or completely as well as by implementing the new policies. The critical situation in the organization occurred during the declaration of lockouts and disruption of aircrafts from operation. Hence, to manage this conflict among the organizational management and employees the organization can implement competitive approach since it involves the execution of decision by any means. Additionally, organization can use the collaborative approach that helps in appropriate solution of the industrial conflict in various aspects that allow both the parties to state their views (Perdue 2015). Conclusion Considering the above discussion it can be concluded that industrial conflict occurs in the organization when there are disagreements in actions and thoughts between the individuals or groups. The assignment covered the industrial conflict at Qantas which occurred during the year 2011 between trade unions and organizational management affecting the overall business performance. Further, it has been noticed that the industrial conflict at Qantas affected the performance standard as well as resulted in huge loss from operation during the period. Accordingly, the study covered different theories and models to present the understanding of conflict management that are Lewin theory and Thomas Kilmann model. Identification of the conflict situation at Qantas and appropriate ways to resolve the situations has been made by applying the concept of selected theories. Evaluating the level and nature of conflicts and friction in the organization compromising, collaborative and competitive approac h could be used to resolve the issues. Reference List Cox, A., 2015. The pressure of wildcat strikes on the transformation of industrial relations in a developing country: The case of the garment and textile industry in Vietnam.Journal of Industrial Relations,57(2), pp.271-290. Dyer, B. and Song, X.M., 2015. The relationship between strategy and conflict management: A Japanese perspective. InProceedings of the 1995 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference(pp. 126-132). Springer International Publishing. Ellegaard, C. and Andersen, P.H., 2015. The process of resolving severe conflict in buyersupplier relationships.Scandinavian Journal of Management,31(4), pp.457-470. Jess, T., Woodall, P. and McFarlane, D., 2015, July. Overcoming limited dataset availability when working with industrial organisations. In2015 IEEE 13th International Conference on Industrial Informatics (INDIN)(pp. 826-831). IEEE. Lehr, A., Akkerman, A. and Torenvlied, R., 2015. Spillover and conflict in collective bargaining: evidence from a survey of Dutch union and firm negotiators.Work, Employment Society,29(4), pp.641-660. Leon-Perez, J.M., Medina, F.J., Arenas, A. and Munduate, L., 2015. The relationship between interpersonal conflict and workplace bullying.Journal of Managerial Psychology,30(3), pp.250-263. Mac Ginty, R. and Firchow, P., 2016. Top-down and bottom-up narratives of peace and conflict.Politics, p.0263395715622967. Montada, L., 2015. Justice, conflicts, and the justice of conflict resolution.Distributive and procedural justice, p.255. Perdue, B.C., 2015. A Model of Industrial Buyer-Seller Negotiations. InProceedings of the 1985 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference(pp. 252-255). Springer International Publishing. Qantas.com. 2016. Flights to Australia | Australia travel | Qantas. [online] Available at: https://www.qantas.com/travel/airlines/home/in/en [Accessed 23 Oct. 2016]. Roche, W.K., 2015. The emergence of a dual system of dispute resolution: private facilitators in Irish industrial relations.Industrial Relations Journal,46(4), pp.293-311. Todd, P., 2015. Introduction: Australian industrial relations in 2014.Journal of Industrial Relations,57(3), pp.325-332.

Monday, December 2, 2019

The Leveraged Buyout of Rjr Nabisco Essay Example

The Leveraged Buyout of Rjr Nabisco Paper The Leveraged Buyout of RJR Nabisco In 1988, a war was launched for the control of RJR Nabisco. It ended at the end of the year when KKR won the bidding war with a $ 109 per share offer and took RJR Nabisco private. Before the details of the leveraged buyout (LBO) are discussed, it is important to understand what made RJR Nabisco so attractive. RJR Nabisco was a conglomerate company that was involved in mainly two industries. It had divisions in the tobacco and food industries. In the tobacco division, RJR was the manufacturer of some very successful cigarettes. It also had some very popular brands in its food division such as the Oreo. Before the leveraged buyout war began, the company was not performing as well as it was expected to. Furthermore, according to the movie, â€Å"Barbarians at the gate†, RJR was supposed to launch a new type of smokeless cigarette. However, focus groups had demonstrated that the product was less than desirable. In addition, they had already spent more than $ 350M in research and development for this product. The management team was anticipating that the market would react negatively on the company’s stock price after the launch of the cigarette. Due to the fact that, Ross Johnson, the CEO of RJR Nabisco and other executives had access to information that the market had not yet received, they sought to evade the market reaction by taking the company private. By going private, the management could gain more freedo m on the control of the company without being pressured by shareholders. We will write a custom essay sample on The Leveraged Buyout of Rjr Nabisco specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Leveraged Buyout of Rjr Nabisco specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Leveraged Buyout of Rjr Nabisco specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Thus, they did not have to be concerned about the stock price and could concentrate on the firm’s operations. Amongst the different strategies that they could have used, RJR was a perfect candidate for a LBO. First off, RJR had a stable cash flow from its divisions which was also sheltered from business cycles. 3 They also had low capital expenditures and debt and a lot of unused debt capacity. 3 Furthermore, using more debt would provide tax shields. 3 For these reasons, RJR Nabisco was very attractive for a LBO because it could mainly use its operating cash flows to pay down its debt.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Polygraph Testing

Polygraph Testing A polygraph test sometimes known as a ‘lie detector test’ is an examination procedure used to detect lies. This test is done using a machine known as a polygraph. It registers the body’s involuntary responses to an interrogator’s questions. This in turn ascertains the deceptive behavior of the individual being examined (Kozel, Padgett George, 2004).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Polygraph Testing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Usually, the polygraph test assesses three parts of a human beings system. A forensic Psych physiologist usually analyses several moving lines from a computer, which shows the behavior of the body responses. These lines always differ depending on the emotional reaction of the individual to the questions. Polygraphs are commonly used in criminal investigations, but nowadays government bodies as well as organizations use polygraphs on their potential emplo yees. The first lie detector was invented in 1917 by William M. Marston. In 1923, the struggle to reveal verbal deception through observation on systolic blood pressure was stopped by courts. The D.C court of appeals stated that Marston’s lie detector machine did not give sufficient scientific support. Marston’s invention shed light to the invention of a more advanced polygraph in 1921 by John Augustus Larson. However, this medical student from the University of California got a helping hand from a police officer who was based in Berkeley Police Department in California. Since that time many devices have been made. An example is Berkeley Psychograph which is a blood pressure recorder that was made by C.D Lee later in 1936 and the Darrow Behavior Research photograph developed in 1941. John Reid came up with a device in 1945. It documented any energetic activity. My Opinion The fundamental idea of using the polygraph is to detect lies. This ideology is feasible since whe n someone is cheating, there is always a tendency to become measurably nervous. It has been argued that polygraphs are reliable if well-trained polygraph examiners are used to carry out the procedure. This is because a highly trained polygraph examiner is an expert in both interrogation and technical operation. These qualifications together with experience enable the polygraph examiner to detect the truthfulness of an individual. A recent survey carried in Michigan State, showed that a great number of agencies using polygraphs support its use since it discloses information that cannot be got by any other methods. The survey also shows that background information can be established easily when polygraphs are used to examine individuals and these therefore deters undesirable interviewees. Additionally, the survey also shows that it is a quicker means of selection. Polygraph testing has however been criticized by many people in U.S.A. This makes polygraph testing a controversial matter between the government agencies and the public. Several human rights societies among other institutions argue that polygraph testing can be a source of tremendous anxiety.Advertising Looking for research paper on common law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is therefore possible individuals hiding nothing may fail the test. Furthermore, polygraph examinations are interrogations that can scare innocent people who end failing them for no apparent reason. This results into denial of justice and even employment for organizations which use this kind of selection method. Polygraph testing is essential in the law enforcement arena; the procedure can help the authorities achieve their goals in handling cases by carrying out productive interrogations. Polygraphs are accurate since subjects who believe that the device is perfect would rather confess than wait for the device to ‘detect the truth’. It is also com mon for people lying to show the same physiological behavior and vice versa. The test may therefore give desired results and help in the smooth running of law enforcement. It is argued that unless someone is a trained and experienced criminal, a polygraph test evaluation may expose him or her. He continues to argue that since an individual undergoes the test twice or less in his life, it is hard for him to lie but instead say the truth. Polygraph tests deliver facts than lies in the course of an interrogation. Provision of useful information is consequently achieved. Bar-Hillel and Ben-Shakhar assert that many people who expect to be tested would prefer saying the truth than to be embarrassed on their dishonesty (p.78). My Recommendations Polygraph testing is known to provide little basis for accuracy and should not be heavily relied on. Other supporting selection methods should be included in examinations. This would in turn yield the required results. Physiological responses analy zed by polygraphs can at times reflect the opposite of the real scenario due to many factors that may be having adverse effects on the subject. For instance, health factors control the human body. If at all an individual is sick, it is possible that there may be an interference with their body’s normal functioning. This is bound to give wrong signals during a test. Polygraphs should not be used in future since physiological responses measured by the tests are never uniquely correlated with deception. Some responses can consciously be controlled and in turn have an effect on the polygraph measures. References Bar-Hillel, M. Ben-Shakhar, G. (1986). The Prior Case against Graphology. In B. Nevo (Ed.), Scientific Aspects of Graphology (pp.76-80).Chicago: Charles C.Thomas Kozel, F.A., Padgett, T.M. George, M.S. (2004). A Replication Study of the Neural Correlates of Deception. Behavioral Neuroscience. London: Prentice Hall.Advertising We will write a custom research pape r sample on Polygraph Testing specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Saturday, November 23, 2019

The Protruding and Dominant Meanings of Boss

The Protruding and Dominant Meanings of Boss The Protruding and Dominant Meanings of Boss The Protruding and Dominant Meanings of Boss By Mark Nichol Boss has two distinct meanings, and though one might seem to be able to draw a connection between them- they both refer to something that stands out among others- they have different etymological origins. The earlier, and less prevalent, meaning is â€Å"protuberance,† from a Latin word of uncertain origin by way of the Old French term boce, meaning â€Å"swelling.† The word usually pertains to the protruding central component of a shield, which helped the bearer ward off blows from an opponent. The derived verb emboss and adjective embossed, formed by the attachment of a prefix meaning â€Å"in† or â€Å"into,† refers to raised ornamentation or inscription in general. Boss also refers to the hub of a propeller, a projecting stone block in a wall or other architectural element, a similar naturally occurring feature in geology, or a pad used in some crafty endeavors such as ceramics and glassmaking. Interestingly, bocle, a variation of the Old French precursor, is also the source of buckle, both a word referring to a ring of metal (or other material) used for fastening or the act of fastening something to it and a word meaning â€Å"bend out of shape,† and buckler, the name of a small, round shield (and the resulting term swashbuckler, referring to a literary genre involving feats of derring-do; the term is perhaps inspired by the image of a buckler-wielding hero). The dominant meaning of boss, that of â€Å"supervisor,† is from the Dutch word baas, meaning â€Å"master† (and possibly originally meaning â€Å"uncle†). The term was used to refer to the person in charge of a Dutch ship. (In English, the technically correct word is master, though it has been largely supplanted by captain.) The adoption of the Dutch term into English may be influenced by the assimilation of Dutch colonies in North America into the British colonies in the 1600s, with the attendant infiltration of Dutch vocabulary into American English, but it also may reflect an effort among Americans after the Revolutionary War to distance themselves from a term used by the English, and later from one that slave owners expected their slaves to use (though some slaves addressed their owners as â€Å"boss† as well). Boss also entered the language as a slang adjective meaning â€Å"excellent.† This first occurred in the late 1800s, but it returned to use in the 1950s and again in the 1970s, in similar usage as a synonym for cool. Another adjectival form is bossy, originally from the sense of â€Å"swelling† and meaning â€Å"projecting† or â€Å"decorated with bosses† but subsequently assigned to the later meaning, referring to someone who is domineering. And although the plodding, stubborn, mooing behavior of cattle may be interpreted as being bossy, that word as an endearing proper name for a cow is unrelated; that term stems from the Latin word bos, meaning â€Å"cow,† from which beef and bovine are derived. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Definitely use "the" or "a"10 Techniques for More Precise Writing"Wracking" or "Racking" Your Brain?

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Daubert Standard Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Daubert Standard - Assignment Example From this essay it is clear that the Daubert standard states that the evidence should be reliable in nature; this means that the testimony provided by the expert witness should be obtained through a scientific method. According to the Supreme Court, an expert’s testimony is reliable if the scientific method used is testable, can be proved as false, and can be tested to be proved right or wrong. The testimony is even considered as reliable if it has been previously reviewed or is going to be reviewed in future by peers and it has an error rate attached to it already and the testimony or the finding should be acceptable by the community of science.This study outlines that  the crime scene investigators found two different sets of paints on the victims jeans, one paint was from the wall of the victim’s house and the second paint was from an unknown source. The forensic lab decided to figure out whether both the paints were from the same source or not. They developed a hy pothesis stating that both paints were from different sources and then they developed a null hypothesis stating that both the paints were from similar source.  The lab conducted various scientific tests to validate their hypothesis and prove that the paints were from different sources. The tests proved that the paints actually were from two different sources and the paints are not same. This test could have even proved the other way around that the paints were from the same source if other scientifically validity tests were used.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Leonhard Euler Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leonhard Euler - Essay Example Nevertheless, aided by his phenomenal memory he continued to publish his results by dictating them† (Weisstein) .This paper briefly explains the life and contributions of Leonhard Euler Euler was born on 15 April 1707 in Basel, Switzerland and died on 18 September 1783 at St. Pietersburg in Russia. During his life span he has rewritten or modified some of the established principles in Mathematics and Physics. Euler started his formal education in Basel, and at the age of thirteen he enrolled at the University of Basel. He got his Master degree in Philosophy in 1723 for his comparative study of the philosophies of Descartes and Newton. Even at the time of attending his Master degree classes, he got part time lessons from famous Physicist of that time Johann Bernoulli. In fact Bernoulli was instrumental in shaping the prowess of Euler. Even though, Euler was interested in studying theology at this point of time, Bernoulli convinced his father and prepared the way for converting Euler as a great scientist as we know (OConnor and Robertson). â€Å"Eulers health problems began in 1735 when he had a severe fever and almost lost his life. However, he kept this news from his parents and members of the Bernoulli family back in Basel until he had recovered† (OConnor and Robertson). Euler left Basel and arrived in St Petersburg on 17 May 1727. He joined the St Petersburg academy of science which helped him immensely in polishing his ideas in Physics and Mathematics. On 7 January 1734, Euler married Katharina Gsell. He had 13 children even though only five of them survived the childhood. Euler spent most of his adult life in Russia and Germany. He arrived in Berlin in 1741. He spent around 25 years in Berlin and wrote around 380 scientific articles during his stay at Berlin. Many books written on calculus, planetary orbits, motion of moon, etc during this period. Even though, Euler has contributed immensely to the development of the Berlin academy, he forced to

Sunday, November 17, 2019

3 Types of Love in Romeo Annd Juliet Essay Example for Free

3 Types of Love in Romeo Annd Juliet Essay Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, a play of two young lovers from opposing families is mainly based on the theme of love and hate. Love is presented right from the start and perhaps the most obvious subject is different kinds of love that involved in this play. Shakespeare used the characters and imagery to portray courtly love, dutiful love and romantic love. Shakespeare used the relationship of Romeo and Rosaline, Paris and Juliet to present courtly love. Romeo is terribly in love with Rosaline but the love is not returned which turns out Romeo unrequited love to Rosaline. Shut up his windows, lock fair daylight out and makes himself an artificial night. (l, i, 134-135) The imagery made a depressed atmosphere, Shakespeare created a difference between light and dark, also portrayed the miserable and sorrowful feeling of Romeo. Same as Romeo, Paris loved Juliet very much. So will ye, I am sure, that you love me. (V, i, 26) Paris is accepted by Capulet and glad to marry Juliet but he doesnt know that Juliet is married to Romeo secretly by Friar Lawrence. Dutiful love is a major love that Shakespeare have presented throughout the play, specially in the Capulet family. Ill look to like, if looking liking move, but no more deep will I endart mine eye than you consent gives strength to make it fly. (l, iii, 99-101) Juliet have always been faithful and dutiful to her parents but became independent after meeting Romeo. Not proud you have, but thankful that you have. Proud can I never be of what I hate, But thankful even for hate that is meant love. (Ill, iii ii, 146-148) Shakespeare have presented dutiful love from Juliets words and sayings, he also contrasted the change of Juliets love to her parents before and after meeting Romeo. Parental love is a kind of dutiful love shown in Romeo and Juliet. Capulet and Lady Capulet wants their daughter to marry Paris Marry, my child, early next Thursday morn the gallant. young and noble gentleman, the county Paris, at Saint Peters Church, shall happily make thee there Joyful bride. (Ill, iiiii, 112-115) The loving parents arranged the marriage to lift out sorrow and to decide the best for Juliet, but unfortunately their love is not what Juliet expected. Shakespeare also used the presented love in the characters speeches. Shakespeare wrote romantic love in several levels. Shakespeare sets the lovers in to opposing families, therefore, the couple feels that things will go unsatisfactorily for them. Then true love of Romeo and Juliet then increased by the feud where Shakespeare included Tybalt to compared dutiful love and romantic love. In the end, Romeo and Juliet killed themselves due to the strong love they both felt for each other. From fatal the fatal loins of these two foes a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life (Chorus, prologue, 5-6) Shakespeare portrayed the two lovers as stars and also beauty and love of Juliet as sun It is the East, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair

Thursday, November 14, 2019

What is the Caribbean? :: Geography Caribbean History Islands Essays

What is the Caribbean? Many ask themselves, What is the Caribbean? What makes up the Caribbean? and How has each island created their identity due to their history? Sidney Mintz in the article, "The Caribbean as a Social-cultural Area" approaches a more social interpretation, Antonio Benà ­tez-Rojo in the article "From the plantation to the Plantation" approaches a more humanistic interpretation while Michelle Cliff in her novel Abeng and her article "If I could write this in fire" takes on a more personal view. While both Mintz and Benitez try to interpret for the whole Caribbean, Cliff uses her homeland of Jamaica to help point out or disagree with some of the important issue of the Caribbean. Benitez discusses the Caribbean according to the role of the plantations. Mintz follows a guideline of nine major features and Cliff's use of personal struggle to better understand her identity and use of Jamaica's history help to better understand Jamaica as part of the Caribbean. The first similarity of the Caribbean which Mintz points out is how the historical conditions are well known. He writes, "They consist in the expansion of Europe to the New World, the common historical patterns of conquest. colonization, peonage or slavery, and the development of multi-racial and multi-cultural societies throughout this area" (19). Benitez-Rojo goes on to be more precise, he writes, "So if it's clear that there are certain regular and common features, held in place by experiences more or less shared- European conquest, the native people's disappearance or retreat, African slavery, plantation economies, Asian immigration, rigid and prolonged colonial domination..." (34). Even though both Benitez and Mintz can make these claims because it is proven in history, Cliff writes on behalf of Jamaica's history due to Spain's discovery and conquest. Cliff challenges the readers to think more about the identity of Columbus, she mentions that Columbus may have been a Jew, "He ca me from Genoa- perhaps entering Spain as a Marano, that group of Sephardic Jews forced to hide their religion and their identity behind a pretense of Christian worship... was he in search of a safe place for Jews, a place out of the Diaspora" (67). Cliff has made readers think twice on the purposes of why these sailors discovered new colonies. She writes, "For what purposes did these men find themselves on their expedition. So many intertwining to be unraveled" (67). She implies that the history is not as straightforward as Mintz and Benitez mentioned.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Managing The Human Resources Essay

INTRODUCTION: This assignment is based on a case study titled ‘Hot Work at the Aluminium Smelter in Lynmouth’, and it examines the current HRM principles being used within the organisation. The HR values that are being investigated are HRM or people management values, team effectiveness and the effect of motivation, communication and the culture in the organisation, and leadership qualities. The overall aim of this assignment is to provide appropriate business solutions that help in improving the effectiveness of the organisation, from the perspective of a HR consultant. HRM & PEOPLE MANAGEMENT VALUES: Armstrong (2000) argues that personnel practioners are often confused when asked about the difference between HRM and personnel management. According to Storey (1995) HRM is said to be fundamentally unitarist. This makes the management at Lynmouth more HR than personnel, as although the union’s membership levels were low and their influence was weak, they were recognised by management in respect of white-collar staff. Also teamworking was introduced with the cooperation of the plant’s trade union, and they were asked to recommend the number of posts required for the new line that was to open in 2000. This shows that the management did consider the unions before reaching a decision. The climate of employee relations could be characterized as suspicious and mistrustful, indicating to a model of personnel management (Sisson 1994). In HRM, rules, procedures and contracts are an obstruction to effective performances and there is an emphasis on strategy and devolved responsibility to line management (Storey 1996). At Lynemouth, there were rules and guidelines set for the team leaders and employee’s worked according to shifts, and pay was not performance related. Read more:  Personnel vs Human Resources Although these values point towards personnel management (Sisson 1994), Lynemouth also inculcates HRM values. Despite each plant having specialist staff that kept the plant within its operating limits, team leaders worked as line managers (Storey 1996) and were responsible for the coordination and scheduling of work. Also there are few job categories and teamwork is preferred to division of labour (Storey 1995). There is a great deal of task flexibility (Sisson 1994) in the teams, and in 2000 they were given greater autonomy. Boxall & Purcell (2003) states that HRM can be interpreted as having a ‘soft’ developmental humanist approach or a ‘hard’ situational contingent approach. The soft version emphasizes a people-centred approach to HRM, whereas the hard version emphasizes a resource-based approach (Thornhill & Saunders 1998). Although the organisation appears to be soft with the implementation of teams, they can be viewed as being hard economically, as the organisation aims were resource focused, there appeared to be low trust between employees, and there was also functional flexibility within the teams (Kane et al. 1999). Responsibility for hiring new staff, and for assessing applications for internal transfers, were devolved to shop-floor workers, thus making them more flexible. A hard approach is often seen as an essential part of cost-minimization strategy (Kane et al. 1999), which appears to be the situation at Lynemouth. TEAM EFFECTIVENSS & THE EFFECT OF MOTIVATION: A team is a work group or a unit with a common purpose through which members develop mutual relationships for the achievement of goals/tasks (Harris & Harris 1996). Vyakarnam et al (1999) states that a number of studies have confirmed that successful ventures are often established by teams rather than a single person, and the core competence of a successful team is to build and manage relationships around a common vision. The management team at Lynemouth haven’t clearly described the team goals or each individual’s specific task. It is essential that the first step in creating a team is to define the goal or goals that create the direction for the new group (Twomey & Kleiner 1996; Arroba 1996). Harris & Harris (1996) explain that teams are successful and effective when they overcome difficulties, achieved through interdependence. Teams also promote a sense of confidence and direction among the team members and helps becoming more flexible in nature (Arroba 1996). Among shop-floor workers at Lynemouth with regard to satisfaction and commitment, there was a greater sense of autonomy and participation. With regard to work organisation, there was an increase in multi-skilling, and there were clear examples of improved flexibility. For example, team members would work a crane as required, rather than waiting for a dedicated crane driver. The major difference between successful teamwork and unsuccessful teamwork is largely based upon team members sharing common goals and working together to achieve them (Tarricone & Luca 2002). They also state that ineffective communication, lack of resources and lack of trust are the key attributes that hinder the effectiveness of a team. At Lynemouth, the workers were clear that the divide between manager and worker was as sharp as ever and that the enforcement of discipline was not part of the team’s duties. There appeared to be low trust between them, and also communication with regard to specific tasks seems to be lacking. It is also advisable to establish a sense of urgency so that the teams don’t get complacent (Twomey & Kleiner 1996). Ritchie & Martin (2001) states that money and tangible rewards, the physical conditions and the structure are the three key factors motivating people in a working environment. Although teamwork was favourable from a shop-floor point of view, middle managers and technical staff had reservations about teamwork, feeling undervalued and lacking determination. Macaulay & Cook (2001) states that rewards and recognition processes help to focus attention on priorities, thus motivating individuals. Group leaders felt that the work they were being given was not sufficiently demanding, and technical staff felt that that their job territory was under threat. There seems to be a need for rules and guidelines in the work place, for direction and certainty (Ritchie & Martin 2001). Thompson (2004) concludes that people could be motivated further and made more effective if they were given appropriate encouragement and attention. COMMUNICATION & CULTURE: According to Connolly (1996) communication is a critical issue and everyone wants better communication within their team, between teams and across their organization. Employee communication should play a strategic role in an organization to work effectively (Barrett 2002). In the early 1990’s there was a wide perception at Lynemouth that communication was poor, and the climate of employee relations could be characterized as suspicious and mistrustful. Barrett (2002) also emphasizes that without effective employee communication, change is impossible, and in 1997 with Lynemoth’s future in doubt, the management realized the importance of communication and set about to win employee consent by reforming the communication system. With regard to this, teamwork was introduced with the cooperation of the plant’s trade unions, which encouraged further development in employee relations. However, with the success of teamwork, white-collar staff felt undervalued. Peng & Litteljohn (2001) asserts that structural arrangements may facilitate communication on the one hand, and create barriers for communication on the other. Group leaders felt that their status and authority were being eroded, and technical staff felt that their job territory was under threat, and changes were made without consulting the people involved, and there was a feeling that the appraisal system was not adequate, as the management did not seem to listen. Connolly (1996) states that to enhance communication, both the employer and the employee should realize the importance of effective communication. The author concludes by saying that perhaps the most effective ways of improving communication are also the simplest – taking the time to really notice the employees, listening to how they speak and more importantly to what they say. The management could create a system where employees are rewarded for their good work, as Storey (1995) states that the way in which employees are rewarded is central to the regulation of employment relationship. Handy (1986) states that every organization is different, and each organization has a different culture – sets of values and norms and beliefs. In 1990, many workers had been with the plant since it opened, and labour turnover was low. Majority of the workers were male, with few women being employed in clerical posts. There is a close and sometimes unclear relationship between organisational culture and it’s climate (Wallace, J et al. 1999). Although the climate of employee relations could be characterised as suspicious and mistrustful at Lynemouth, work organisation was considered to be fairly conventional. Handy (1986) argues that if organizations are to survive and meaningful jobs are to be created for all those who want to work, then both organizations and individuals will have to change the way they perceive jobs and careers. He also states that fewer, better-motivated people could create much more added value than large groups of unthinking, demotivated individuals. Lynemouth, with the introduction of teamworking could be seen as incorporating these values. However, the management at Lynemouth should create meaningful jobs for all employees. The structure of Lynemouth’s employees could be characterized under senior managers, middle managers and workers. Handy (1986) argues that organizations are not owned by anyone, but are a community of people who could be called citizens of the community rather than employees. Ogbor (2001) asserts that organisational culture should discourage dysfunctional work behaviours, and commit members of the organization to do things for and with one another that are in the best interests of the organization. LEADERSHIP QUALITIES: The American general, Dwight Eisenhower, once said that the essence of leadership is to make people do what you want them to with as much will, determination and enthusiasm as if they had decided for themselves (Popper & Zakkai 1994). Cacioppe (1997) suggests that recent reviews of the research and theories on leadership have consolidated the key areas of leadership into personality, transactional and transformational forms of leadership. He also states that honesty, inspiration, competent, fair-mindedness and supportiveness are the characteristics that people most admire in leaders, where as Tait (1996) suggests that vision, interpersonal skills, character and drive are the four attributes considered to be necessary personality traits for business leadership. Transactional leadership is based on the interplay between the leader’s guidance or direction and socio-emotional support, and the readiness or developmental level that followers exhibit on a particular task, function, or objective (Avery and Ryan 2002). The third major approach is the Transformational leadership which communicates a vision that inspires and motivates people to achieve something extraordinary (Cacioppe 1997). Transactional leadership remains highly popular among practitioners and it could be applied at Lynemouth. It appeals to managers because of its intuitive simplicity, ease of use, and perceived relevance to managerial roles (Avery and Ryan 2002). In 2000, with the end of direct supervision, management appointed team leaders from existing team members, following a formal application procedure. Team leaders were made responsible for team briefing and the coordination and scheduling of work, and they did receive an additional weekly allowance of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½100. The management at Lynemouth could also try to incorporate the transformational leadership values by providing every individual and team with a vision and also motivating them, thus improving leadership effectiveness at the team levels (Cacioppe 1996). Silverthorne (2000) believes that the readiness and willingness of subordinates to perform tasks are the important aspects that contribute to a leader’s effectiveness. CONCLUSION: This assignment investigated the current HRM principles being used within the organisation. A few key points in improving the effectiveness of an organisation are effective teams, effective communication between the teams and good leadership skills. Lynemouth could improve the effectiveness of their organisation by motivating each individual, improving the communication between the employers and the management, and also by providing individual, team and organisational goals for the leaders to follow. REFERENCE: Armstrong, M 2000, ‘The name has changed but has the game remained the same?’, Journal of Employee Relations, vol. 22, no. 6, pp. 576-593. Arroba, T 1996, ‘Why are common objectives so uncommon in top management teams?’, Journal of Team Performance Management, vol. 2, no. 1, pp 17-21. Avery, G.C & Ryan, J 2002, ‘Applying situational leadership in Australia’, The Journal of Management Development, vol. 21, no. 4, pp 242-262. Barrett, D.J 2002, ‘Change communication: using strategic employee communication to facilitate major change’, Corporate Communications: An International Journal, vol. 7, no. 4, pp 219-234. Boxall, P & Purcell, J 2003, Strategy and Human Resource Management, Palgrave, New York. Cacioppe, R 1997, ‘Leadership moment by moment!’, Leadership and Organization Development Journal, vol. 18, no. 7, pp 335-345. Connolly, C 1996, ‘Communication: getting to the heart of the matter’, Journal of Management Development Review, vol. 9, no. 7, pp 37-40. Handy, C.B 1976, Understanding Organisations, Penguin Group, London. Harris, P.R & Harris, K.G 1996, ‘Managing effectively through teams’, Journal of Team Performance Management, vol. 2, no. 3, pp 23-36. Kane, B et al. 1999, ‘Barriers to effective HRM’, International Journal of Manpower, vol. 20, no. 8, pp 494-516. Macaulay, S & Cook, S 2001, ‘Rewarding Service Success’, Journal of Team Performance Management, vol. 5, no. 1, pp 4-8. Ogbor, J.O 2001, ‘Critical theory and the hegemony of corporate culture’, Journal of Organizational Change Management, vol. 14, no. 6, pp 590-638. Peng, W & Litteljohn, D 2001, ‘Organisational communication and strategy implementation – a primary inquiry’, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 13, no. 7, pp 360-363. Popper, M & Zakkai, E 1994, ‘Transactional, Charismatic and Transformational Leadership: Conditions Conducive to their Predominance’, Leadership and Organization Development Journal, vol. 15, no. 6, pp 3-7. Silverthorne, C 2000, ‘Situational leadership theory in Taiwan: a different culture perspective’, Leadership and Organization Development Journal, vol. 21, no. 2, pp 68-74. Sisson, K 1994, Personnel Management – A comprehensive guide to Theory and Practice in Britain, 2nd edn, Blackwell, Oxford. Storey, J 1995, Human Resource Management – A critical text, Thomson, London. Storey, J 1995, ‘Is HRM catching on?’, International Journal of Manpower, vol. 16, no. 4, pp 3-10. Storey, J 1996, Blackwell cases in Human Resource and Change Management, Blackwell, Oxford. Tait, R 1996, ‘The attributes of leadership’, Leadership and Organization Development Journal, vol 17, no. 1, pp27-31. Tarricone, P & Luca, J 2002, ‘Employees, teamwork and social interdependence – a formula for successful business?’, Journal of Team Performance Management, vol. 8, no. 3, pp 54-59. Thompson, J. L 2004, ‘Innovation through people’, Journal of Management Decision, vol. 42, no. 9, pp 1082-1094. Thornhill, A & Saunders, M.N.K 1998, ‘What if line managers don’t realize they’re responsible for HR?’, Personnel Review Journal, vol. 12, no. 6, pp 460-476. Twomey, K & Kleiner, B.H 1996, ‘Teamwork: The essence of the successful organisation’, vol. 2, no. 1, pp 6-8. Vyakarnam, S et al. 1999, ‘Exploring the formation of entrepreneurial teams: the key to rapid growth business?’, Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, vol. 6, no. 2, pp 153-165. Wallace, J 1999, ‘The relationship between organisational culture, organisational climate and managerial values’, International Journal of Public Sector Management, vol. 12, no. 7, pp 548-564.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Forced Community Service Persuassive Essay

Benchmark Essay Courtney Ceurvels Purple 6/12/12 Students shouldn’t be required to perform seventy five hours of community service. This is because the work wouldn’t be done well if the students were forced. Also time would be taken away from clubs, sports, social life and school work. Then again it will make the town look better. If students were forced to do volunteer work to complete schooling then it would most likely not be done well.Being forced the students won’t get the same lesson and/or experience from it. Never mind the work wouldn’t be done as well because they don’t want to do it. Then if they don’t want to do it, the work won’t be done to the best of their ability. Also forcing 75 hours of volunteer work would take time away from school work, sports, clubs and social life. Most kids have sports practice or club meeting after school hours & then have t complete school work after that.With a schedule already that packed the n adding more responsibility to a student’s life could effect their sleeping habits and cause stress. Volunteer work could also lower grades and the sport skills of students if they miss practice or studying time over community service work. Some people might say that it would make the town a better place to make the students more involved. Also some might complain that it would keep kids out of trouble, when really all you’re doing if giving them another way to get in trouble.Since kids are forced to do the work and some are already extremely busy then they won’t complete their hours and then that would effect them receiving a diploma. This is why students shouldn’t be required to perform 75 hours of community service for schooling. The students are already too busy with their school work, clubs, sports and social life. They would have a bad work ethic since they were being forced, also it wouldn’t have the same meaning/lesson. The only pro is tha t it would help the town but in this situation, the cons greatly outweigh the pros.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Free Essays on Amazon.com

IT’S A JUNGLE OUT THERE Amazon.com is a company that sells all kinds of books and most recently music through their website at discounted prices. It was founded by Jeff Bezos and began taking orders in July of 1995(Derie). Since then, Amazon has acquired five businesses that range from virtual database technology to videos while expanding to the European market. Its massive amount of sales can be attributed to its low competitive prices and ease of shopping conveniently from home. The business level of Amazon.com is cost leadership. Best selling books are sold at a 30 to 40 percent discount and other books are discounted at 10 percent (Bade). Amazon.com’s corporate strategy was in the form of single business to dominant all of business, but has since moved towards unrelated because they are offering more than just books at their website, ranging any where from kitchen and house ware to toys and games, DVDs, and herbal supplements. Amazon.com has increase in size since it began operations in July 1995, doubling in size every 2.4 months with an 838 percent increase in sales form 1996 to 1997. To keep up with this extraordinary growth, Amazon had 800 employees on its payroll as of August 1998(Bade). Amazon.com has plans in the works to capitalize on its increased market share by expansion into European e-commerce with already having 22% of sales from outside the United States. By acquiring previously established global companies, Amazon’s expansion into international localities should be smooth. Part of Amazon’s cooperative strategy is strategic alliances through acquiring businesses to expand into new product and market areas. They differentiate themselves while at the same time achieving their strategic mission: convenience, selection, service, and price. This has also been Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos’ intent form the initial thought and continued to this day. The general external environment for Amazon.... Free Essays on Amazon.com Free Essays on Amazon.com IT’S A JUNGLE OUT THERE Amazon.com is a company that sells all kinds of books and most recently music through their website at discounted prices. It was founded by Jeff Bezos and began taking orders in July of 1995(Derie). Since then, Amazon has acquired five businesses that range from virtual database technology to videos while expanding to the European market. Its massive amount of sales can be attributed to its low competitive prices and ease of shopping conveniently from home. The business level of Amazon.com is cost leadership. Best selling books are sold at a 30 to 40 percent discount and other books are discounted at 10 percent (Bade). Amazon.com’s corporate strategy was in the form of single business to dominant all of business, but has since moved towards unrelated because they are offering more than just books at their website, ranging any where from kitchen and house ware to toys and games, DVDs, and herbal supplements. Amazon.com has increase in size since it began operations in July 1995, doubling in size every 2.4 months with an 838 percent increase in sales form 1996 to 1997. To keep up with this extraordinary growth, Amazon had 800 employees on its payroll as of August 1998(Bade). Amazon.com has plans in the works to capitalize on its increased market share by expansion into European e-commerce with already having 22% of sales from outside the United States. By acquiring previously established global companies, Amazon’s expansion into international localities should be smooth. Part of Amazon’s cooperative strategy is strategic alliances through acquiring businesses to expand into new product and market areas. They differentiate themselves while at the same time achieving their strategic mission: convenience, selection, service, and price. This has also been Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos’ intent form the initial thought and continued to this day. The general external environment for Amazon....

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Exactly What to Expect From AP Language Multiple Choice

Exactly What to Expect From AP Language Multiple Choice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Perhaps because the free-response section of the AP Language and Composition exam is worth more than the multiple-choice section, some teachers spend much more time preparing you for free-response than multiple-choice. While it's great to be prepared for the essays, this might leave you feeling like a lost and confused lamb when it comes to the AP English Language and Composition multiple choice section. But never fear, the guide is here! This guide will give a brief overview of the AP Language and Composition multiple-choice section, the eight question types you can expect to see on the test, three preparation strategies, a slate of AP practice question resources, and finally some tips for success on test day. The Multiple-Choice Section: An Overview Section I of the AP English Language and Composition test is the multiple-choice section. This section will have 52-55 questions testing you on how well you can read and understand nonfiction passages for their use of rhetoric. On the exam, you will be presented with four to five nonfiction passages. You will receive a bit of orienting information at the beginning of this passage, for example "this essay originally appeared in a major national newspaper in the 1980s." Each passage will have about 10-15 questions associated with it. The AP Lang multiple choice section is worth 45% of your total exam score. You will receive one point to your raw score for every question you answer correctly. However, as on other AP exams, your raw score will be converted to a scaled score from 1-5. But what's actually on the multiple-choice section? The next section explores what kinds of questions you can expect to actually be asked on the exam. The 8 Types of Multiple-Choice Questions There are eight kinds of multiple choice questions on the AP Language exam. In this section, I'll go over each type, provide an example question, and walk you through answering it. All of the example questions come from the "Course and Exam Description." You can find the original passages these questions are referring to there as well. Type 1: Reading Comprehension As you might expect, reading comprehension questions are about testing if you understood the passage on a concrete level: what does this particular sentence mean in a literal sense? And so on. You can usually identify them from phrases like "according to" and "refers." To succeed on these kinds of questions, your best strategy is to go back and re-read the part of the passage the question is asking about. Do so carefully, and when you then answer the question, focus on what the passage is actually saying outright. Don't infer on reading comprehension questions! Example: Let's go back and look at Lines 23-26 to answer this question: "But ‘books are not about schedules,' author Stephanie Nolen argues; rather, they are ‘about submerging yourself...about getting consumed.'" To return to the question, what is her "primary criticism of book clubs," then? Well, she says, "books are not about schedules." So, they shouldn't have to be a scheduled-in obligation. The only answer that choice that resembles what she actually says in the passage is that the problem with books clubs is that they (A), "are too programmed." Type 2: Implication This question style moves beyond basic, concrete reading comprehension into the realm of implication. Implication is what the author seems to say without actually coming out and saying it directly. However, even though the answer may not be written out clearly in the passage, the question will still have a clear correct answer based on textual evidence. You can identify implication questions from phrases like "best supported," "implies," "suggests," and "inferred." As for reading comprehension questions (and indeed, all multiple-choice questions on the AP) turn and look back at the relevant part of the passage before you answer. Then ask yourself: Which interpretation put forth by the answer choices does the passage *most* support? Example: First, we need to find where in the passage names for hurricanes and tornadoes are discussed. We can find this in lines 14-17: "A tornado, although more violent than a much longer lasting hurricane, has a life measured in minutes, and weathercasters watch it snuff out as it was born: unnamed." What answers about why tornadoes are unnamed and hurricanes are named are at all supported by this line? Choice (A), "there are too many of them," is clearly incorrect as the line says nothing about the frequency of either weather event. Choice (B) says, "their destruction is not as great as that of hurricanes." This is a trap! You may know based on your own knowledge that hurricanes generally incur much greater damages overall than tornadoes, but the passage doesn't say that. You have to choose an implication that is actually supported by the passage, and the passage doesn't say which causes more destruction. Choice (C) says "they last too short of a time." The passage does say that hurricanes are "much longer lasting" and that the life of a tornado is "measured in minutes." This could be a reasonable answer, but let's make sure it's the best one before we select it. Choice (D) says "they move too erratically to be plotted" and Choice (E) says tornadoes "can appear in any area of the world." It doesn't matter if either of those statements is true since the question asks what the passage implies, and the passage does not discuss either their movements or where they appear. Thus, (C) is the answer most supported by the passage. It's a trap! Don't be fooled. Type 3: Overall Passage and Author Questions Overall passage and author questions want you to identify key, overarching elements of the passage or author's views, like the purpose of the text, the author's audience, the author's attitude toward the subject, and so on. These questions are identifiable because they won't refer back to a specific place in the text but will instead ask general questions that apply to the entire excerpt. These questions can be a little more difficult to answer than those where you can look to a specific place in the text to answer your questions. You'll really need to have an overall impression of the passage based on its overarching details. It might be helpful to jot down a couple overall impressions of the excerpt right after you read it, to refer back to when faced with overall passage questions. Example: This passage is about the rise of book clubs. The first paragraph gives examples to demonstrate that book clubs have become a popular phenomenon. The second discusses book club backlash and some book club guides. The third paragraph asserts that book clubs are positive and sharing literary experiences is a good thing. Which of the answers fits with the passage? Answer (A) can be eliminated right away because there is no personal narrative. Answer (B) can also be eliminated because the passage begins with an example about Oprah, not any "empirical" (numbers-based) data. Answer (C) can be eliminated because the passage never introduces any questions related to the practice of book clubs. Choice (D) could be good- the first two paragraphs give mostly description, and the third and final paragraph gives an evaluation. Choice (E) doesn't fit because there is no initial condemnation of "the practice" (i.e. of book clubs). So (D) is the correct answer. Type 4: Relationships Between Parts of the Text Another question type will require you to identify or describe a relationship between two specific parts of the text. This could be paragraphs or shorter line segments, or a specific part of the passage compared to the rest of the passage or the passage as a whole. My advice for answering these questions is similar to my advice for most questions- go back and read the parts of the passage in question! You may want to jot down an overarching impression of what each part of the text is accomplishing or saying as you do, which should help you compare them and identify the relationship. Example: Because this passage is only two paragraphs long, this question is essentially asking us about the relationship between the first and second halves of the passage. What is the main idea of each of the sections? Well, the first paragraph describes essentially what makes a strong writer. The second paragraph establishes that Carlyle is "such a writer" and then discusses some of his works and why they are important. When we look at the answer choices, what matches up best with our main idea descriptions? Clearly (A), which describes how the first paragraph describes the strengths of a writer (which we know Carlyle has based on the topic sentence of the second paragraph), and the second describes Carlyle's "legacy." What kind of relationship do the parts of the text have? Type 5: Interpretation of Imagery/Figurative Language This type of question is concerned with the underlying meaning or implication of imagery or figurative language used in the excerpt. What is the author trying to accomplish with this particular phrase or this metaphor? Again, it is critical that you go back and read the part of the passage that the question refers to, or you will be completely lost on these questions (more so than on most others). You may want to re-read a few lines before and after as well so you can get a sense of the imagery in context. Example: For this to make sense, we need the entire sentence the "acorns" appear in: "It is an idle question to ask if his books will be read a century hence: if they were all burnt as the grandest of Suttees on his funeral pile, it would only be like cutting down an oak after its acorns have sown a forest." What could this mean? Well, acorns come from oak trees and make more oak trees. So this must refer to something that comes from Carlyle and is somehow a replication of him or his works. The best choices if we think about that, then, would be (A) his children, or (C) the ideas in his books. However, since the passage doesn't mention anything about his children that would be an irrelevant detail and can't be what the acorns represent. So the answer must be (C). Type 6: Purpose of Part of the Text These questions will ask you to choose the answer that best states the purpose that a given part of the text serves in the piece. What is the author hoping to accomplish with this specific example/sentence/device? These questions can usually be identified because they will ask specifically about purpose or function of a specific moment. To address these questions, you will need to, of course, re-read the part of the text in question. Think about what point the author is trying to make in that specific moment, and how that would serve their larger argument. All parts of a given text will serve the larger argument if they are well-constructed, so if it seems like an interpretation of the text presented in the answer choices doesn't work with the main argument, eliminate it. Example: These lines read, "You may meet a man whose wisdom seems unimpeachable, since you find him entirely in agreement with yourself; but this oracular man of unexceptionable opinions has a green eye, a wiry hands, and altogether, a Wesen, or demeanor, that makes the world look blank to you, and whose unexceptionable opinions become a bore; while another man who deals in what you cannot but think ‘dangerous paradoxes,' warms your heart by the pressure of his hand, and looks out on the world with so clear and loving an eye, that nature seems to reflect the light of his glance upon your own feeling." This sentence is really overwhelming, so let's try to break it down and re-write it in a simpler way. "You might meet a man who seems wise because he agrees with you, but this man might eventually become a bore; while a different man who presents challenging ideas may warm your heart and eventually convince you." This fits into the larger argument because Carlyle is the writer who presents challenging ideas, and this piece is in praise of Carlyle and his legacy. Let's go through the answers and see which choice fits best. Choice (A) describes a contrast between a writer who reinforces reader viewpoints and one who challenges them. This sounds like it could be right- let's keep it. Choice (B) describes an analogy between kinds of people and types of writing they prefer. There's no analogy in these lines, so we can eliminate (B). Choice (C) says that these lines challenge the idea that writers modify their ideas to appeal to readers. But since this passage overall refers to Carlyle's legacy and doesn't give any indication that he modifies his views to appeal to readers, so we can eliminate it. Choice (D) doesn't even refer to writers, and Choice (E) doesn't work because the lines say nothing about good and evil. So (A) is the best answer choice. Good and evil? Aren't all these questions evil? Type 7: Rhetorical Strategy For these questions, you'll need to identify the specific rhetorical strategy used by the author in the specific place in the passage. Essentially, you'll be identifying the particular argumentative "move" that the author is deploying to try to convince the audience of their position. Example: The passage identified in the question says: "The character of his influence is best seen in the fact that many of the men who have the least agreement with his opinions are those to whom the reading of Sartor Resartus was an epoch in the history of their minds. The extent of his influence may be best seen in the fact that ideas which were startling novelties when he first wrote them are now become common-places. And we think few men will be found to say that this influence on the whole has not been for good. There are plenty who question the justice of Carlyle's estimates of past men and past times, plenty who quarrel with the exaggerations of the Latter-Day Pamphlets, and who are as far as possible from looking for an amendment of things from a Carlylian theocracy with the ‘greatest man', as a Joshua who is to smite the wicked (and the stupid) till the going down of the sun. But for any large nature, those points of difference are quite incidental. It is not a theorist, but a s a great and beautiful human nature, that Carlyle influences us." So which of the rhetorical strategies in the answer choices makes the most sense? Choice (A) says the author berates Carlyle's opponents. This doesn't seem accurate- while she mentions those who disagree with him, she doesn't berate or insult them. Choice (B) says she acknowledges but discredits other arguments. While, again, she acknowledges that there are those who disagree with Carlyle, she doesn't really mention their specific arguments or discredit them. Choice (C) suggests she claims most people don't recognize Carlyle's genius. This can't be right; she says "few men will be found to say that this influence on the whole has not been for good" and describes how many of his ideas are now "commonplace." Choice (D) says she cites facts. She doesn't- she gives examples of his works and describes reactions. Thus, choice (E), which says she gives examples that reflect his influence, is correct. This is the best choice as the passage repeatedly emphasizes that even those who don't agree with him are affected by his thoughts. Type 8: Style and Effect The last question type asks you about stylistic moments in the text and the effect created by those stylistic choices. Essentially, what does the author accomplish by making that particular stylistic choice? To address these questions, re-read the sentence or moment in question with an eye for how it sounds and feels. Don't just think about what it says- what does it evoke? Example: The sentence says, "‘Oh God, that I were a writer!' She cried. ‘Surely a writer could not string words together about Henry Irving's Hamlet and say nothing, nothing.'" The stylistic choice in question is the italicization of "nothing, nothing." We may notice that this mirrors the italicization of "writer." Italics generally indicate emphasis- so what's the effect of emphasizing "writer" and "nothing, nothing"? Be careful here, because it might be tempting to choose (B) - indicate a sarcastic tone. This kind of emphasis is often used to communicate sarcasm. However, that doesn't fit with the rest of the passage, or the fact that she "dropped her pen in despair" just before. The best choice is (A), that it emphasizes her frustration. With the eight question types addressed, we can move on to more general strategies to prepare to take the multiple choice section of AP Language and Composition. You are the general of your own AP preparation army! How to Prepare There are several key strategies you can use to prepare yourself to rock the multiple-choice section of the AP Language and Composition exam. #1: Read and Engage With Nonfiction A key prep strategy is to read nonfiction of all different types, particularly nonfiction that argues a position or advances an agenda of some kind. When you read, you should work on identifying and understanding how the author makes use of rhetorical strategies and techniques. Ask yourself: What is the author's argument? What evidence do they use to support their position? What is the nature of their evidence- anecdotes, statistics, illustrative examples? What rhetorical techniques and strategies do they use to build their argument? Are they making particular kinds of appeals? Is their argument strong? If yes, what makes it strong? If no, what makes it weak? Constantly considering these questions as you read will help you learn to analyze passages quickly and informally, which is an essential skill for answering multiple-choice questions focused on rhetorical analysis. #2: Learn Rhetorical Terms and Strategies In order to analyze works, of course, you need to know rhetorical terms and strategies. You will undoubtedly learn many techniques and strategies from your teacher, and you should definitely review those before the exam. You can also check out my essential list of 55 AP English Language terms you need to know. Make sure you aren't just memorizing the terms and the definitions, but that you can actually identify all of the techniques at work in the things you read! #3: Practice Answering Multiple-Choice Questions To succeed on the multiple-choice section, you need to practice answering multiple-choice questions! This will help you get familiar with the feel of the multiple-choice section and identify any gaps in your understanding. The next section will suggest tons of sources for practice multiple-choice questions. A whole pile of practice questions! Practice Question Resources There are a variety of practice test resources you can use to hone your multiple choice skills. The best multiple-choice practice resources come from the College Board. This is because they write the AP exam, so their practice questions are the most like real AP multiple-choice questions. Unfortunately, there are not as many official resources for the AP Language and Composition exam as there are for some other tests. However, once you run out of official College Board practice questions, there are still some unofficial resources that you can use for multiple choice practice. In this section I'll go over both. Official Multiple-Choice Resources The College Board offers both complete released exams and sample multiple-choice questions. Complete Released Exams Complete official exams are a great resource if you can find them, because they will have complete multiple-choice sections for you to practice with. Unfortunately, the College Board has not released any official previous exams for AP Language and Composition, as they have for many other tests. You may, though, still be able to find complete official exams from past years by Googling "AP Language complete released exam" or similar variations on that. You might also ask your AP teacher if there are copies of old AP exams you can use for practice. They often have access to past exams and may be able to loan them to you. Sample Questions From the "AP Course and Exam Description" The AP Course and Exam description for AP Language and Composition includes 50 sample multiple-choice questions. This is actually only two questions short of a complete multiple choice section, so this a pretty sizable collection of questions to add to your practice bank. Better get a safe so you can put it in the bank! Unofficial Multiple-Choice Practice Resources There are tons of sites out there offering free multiple-choice practice questions and quizzes for the AP Language and Composition exam. But they aren't all created equal! In this section I'll highlight just several of these resources that are most worth your time. For an even more comprehensive list, see my list of all practice tests available for AP Lang and Comp. College Countdown Complete AP Language Practice Test This site has a complete unofficial practice test. You can ignore the essays for the purposes of multiple choice practice. The wording of questions on the multiple-choice section aren't exactly the same as on a real AP exam, but the tasks are very similar and the passages are well-selected. This is a great source for sample multiple choice questions once you run out of College Board official options. McGraw-Hill AP Practice Quiz McGraw-Hill, an academic book publisher, offers this free 25-question multiple-choice "diagnostic quiz." It has difficult, well-written multiple-choice questions that really look and feel like real AP questions. The passages do open in another window, which is slightly awkward and annoying, but the questions are so good that it's worth it! The quiz is supposed to be 25 questions, but you could theoretically get more than 25 questions from this resource since every time you open a new test window you get a subset randomly selected questions from a question pool. Albert English Language Practice Albert has a decent number of small multiple-choice quizzes that offer practice questions analyzing the rhetoric of various notable nonfiction passages. The style of the questions is a little more informal and to the point than genuine AP questions published by the College Board, but they are still good practice for answering multiple-choice questions about rhetorical techniques deployed in a passage. So when you've exhausted your other resources this is still a solid multiple-choice practice question source. In order to answer questions, you need to sign up for a free account. It then costs "credits" to answer questions. You can both buy additional credits and earn credits for answering questions correctly, so if you are good at answering questions, you can use this service for free pretty much indefinitely! Otherwise I don't really advise buying credits since there are frankly better paid resources available (like review books). Review Books Most review books also have practice multiple-choice questions designed to mimic College Board questions and are a good resource when you've used all of your official and unofficial free questions. However, not all review books are of equal quality, and some have questions that are downright poor quality. Be sure to look at reviews and flip through the book to check out its questions and how they compare to College Board questions before buying if you can. As a starting place, Barron's and the Princeton Review are usually reliable review book sources. You might need a nap after you do all of these questions. Test Day Tips Here are four key strategies to help you succeed on the multiple choice section on test day. Interact With the Text When you are initially reading a passage, do some preliminary marking up! Underline things that seem particularly significant, like a thesis statement or major shift in the text. Make notes of motifs or confusing sentences. These marks will help you familiarize yourself with the text and navigate it when you come back to answer the questions. Identify Main Ideas Once you finish reading a passage through, quickly jot down the main idea/argument of the piece, the author's purpose, and the intended audience. This will help you answer overarching passage questions. Additionally, preemptively identifying these points before addressing the questions should help make many of them more clear and help you keep the passage framed in your mind as you work through questions. Always Re-read Never rely on your memory when the question is about a specific place in the text: always go back and read the line in question. If the answer still isn't clear once you've consulted the text, read a little bit around the specified line for more context and clarity. Eliminate Off-Topic Answers An easy trick to eliminating wrong answers for many questions is to simply identify answer choices that are clearly off-topic. At a first pass these might not be obvious, since they may use a word or phrase from the passage and will sound stylistically similar to the other choices. But a closer look will reveal that the answer has nothing to do with the paragraph or passage topic! Here's an example: The sentence says, "‘Oh God, that I were a writer!' She cried. ‘Surely a writer could not string words together about Henry Irving's Hamlet and say nothing, nothing.'" We might see the words "writing" in answers (C) and (D) and think they are on topic- after all, Ellen Terry wishes she "were a writer." However, the very point of the sentence is that she is not a writer. So does it make sense for the effect to have to do with writing parts for actors or how to succeed at writing? No! Those answers are completely off-topic. A highly professional and profound production of Hamlet. Key Takeaways The multiple-choice section of AP Lang and Comp has 52-55 questions and is worth 45% of your exam grade. There are eight types of questions you can expect to see on the AP Language and Composition multiple choice exam: Reading comprehension Implication Overall passage and author questions Relationship between parts of the text Interpretation of imagery/figurative language Purpose of part of the text Rhetorical strategy Style and effect The multiple-choice section of the AP Language and Composition exam can be challenging for students who are more used to literary close-reading than rhetorical analysis. However, you can learn to succeed! Here's how to prepare: Read and engage thoughtfully with nonfiction so you can identify essential rhetorical elements quickly and thoroughly. Learn rhetorical terms and strategies and both how to identify them in other works and how to use them in your own writing. Practice for the multiple-choice section! There are a number of resources, both official and unofficial, where you can get practice AP language and composition multiple-choice practice questions. There are some official resources from the College Board and some unofficial free online resources, though you should always be careful to thoroughly investigate unofficial material for quality. Once it's time for test day, here are four strategies to succeed on the multiple-choice section: Interact with the passages as you read them for the first time. Identify the main ideas- the author's purpose, argument, and audience- right after the first time you read the passage. Always go back and re-read the part of the passage in question- don't rely on memory! Watch out for answer choices that are clearly off-topic and eliminate them! Ready like a freshly baked muffin! What's Next? If you need more help with AP Language and Composition, we have a total list of practice tests and a complete guide to the exam. In addition to our guide to AP Lang terms, we also have several more detailed articles about specific literary devices that might prove helpful. We recommend reading through our posts on point of view, tone words, personification, and the literary elements you'll find in every story. For analyzing poetry and poetic prose, we have specific articles on assonance and iambic pentameter, with explanations and examples of each. Taking other APs? See six tips for acing your AP exams, our five-step AP prep plan, and our guide to finding the best AP practice tests. Wondering if you can retake AP exams? We have the answer! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: