Incredible Facts About Interesting Topics for Exploratory Essay

Incredible Facts About Interesting Topics for Exploratory Essay The exploratory essays are usually assigned to the students when there's a demand for them to understand something independently, as opposed to learning it within a conventional way from the teachers. The overarching aim of the exploratory essay isn't to make the targeted audience share your views. Make an effort to concentrate on your strengths and pick interesting topics if it's possible. If you're really trying hard to select a theme or topic, don't hesitate to acquire assistance from professional and affordable reliable essay writing service such as EduBirdie. Interesting Topics for Exploratory Essay - Overview The principal obstruction that's burdensome for nearly all students is the selection of the topic they wish to expound on. To choose which subject you're likely to discuss, it's essential to see the complete collection of good persuasive speech topics from the special area of study. Therefore, if you'd like to have nontrivial expository essay topic that demands thorough research, choose something which refers to a technological subject of study. At times the students just are not able to cope with the structure and guidelines of any specific essay. You may be certain that you've got a specific plan of your essay in your head, but trusting yourself in this kind of situation isn't the very best idea. Make sure that you've a point at the very beginning as you are going to have to prove it in your assignment. Don't forget you ought to pick out a topic that you haven't invented on your own out of your own emotions only in case you've got no other way out. Or else it might just be lack of time and the ideal approach to fulfill the early deadlines is getting assistance from the expert. The Little-Known Secrets to Interesting Topics for Exploratory Essay Since you can notice, nearly all of the topics mentioned in the aforementioned list focus do not own a definite answer. If you still don't understand what essay topics to write about, have a look at this thought-provoking list there are lots of suggestions to consider and choose. Another helpful suggestion is to get a meaningful and significant topic the student will be willing to work on. You should also think of developing some intriguing topics of your own. Creating an exploratory essay might appear tricky or complicated but in fact it's not if you know the fundamental rules of its composition. Brainstorming will certainly be convenient. It can give you a number of great ideas, so you will be able to choose one that makes you excited more than others do. Use an Exploratory Essay Example as Reference Hiring an expert writing agency to supply original exploratory essay examples is a remarkable way of learning how your assignment ought to be structured. The goal of the expository essay is to expand the info on this issue in a logical method. An exploratory essay is a normal procedure in organizati ons when they're taking a look at a particular issue from various perspectives and attempt to collect as much information on the subject since it's technically possible. Some scholars are confident that such expert essay doesn't persuade the audience in the trustworthiness of the submitted effects. Moreover, you've got to use effective and persuasive words to show the trustworthiness of the investigation. Therefore, if you're requested to draft an exploratory essay in your school, college or university, it's vital to decide on a topic that supplies you with the scope to learn more about the subject vividly and above all learn some helpful lessons while working on the essay. During education for a student, an individual might need to compose an exploratory essay. Many times a student avoids essay writing in their regular path of study. He needs to be so careful when selecting a topic for a good descriptive essay. So now you are aware of how to pick a very good topic for your essay. If this is the case, you could have a great beginning to your expository essay. Pick the one which you liek to compose an ideal expository essay! Examine the list to choose the topic which can help you compose a creative essay for your middle school class. What Does Interesting Topics for Exploratory Essay Mean? The most suitable choice selection is about locating a perfect idea for your exploratory essay writing. Thus, to compose a great essay you must brainstorm all thoughts concerning your life experiences. You as a person who is writing an exploratory essay should broaden your imaginativeness considerably more than that which you usually have. The important consideration to remember is these expository essays are based on facts as opposed to the writer's beliefs or feelings. Proofreading permit you to receive rid of stupid mistakes. In the event you require essay writing assistance from the experienced essayist then Students Assignment Help can supply you best essay writing services. Exploratory essays regularly think about the strengths and weaknesses of various diverse solutions to a perplexing issue. Find relevant and trustworthy sources of information you will use in your essay. Another good idea is to receive some completely free essay examples of different kinds and on various subjects to find a general idea of the way in which a thriving debatable paper looks. Also, it's hugely important that you know how to choose exploratory essay topics for this sort of paper. It is very important to decide on a strong topic for your paper. At any time you catch yourself feeling captivated by an individu essay or article, take a good look at it. You can begin with an intriguing anecdote or quote, as long as it's acceptable for the topic available. One of the very first suggestions for your term paper is something very similar to what your friend wrote. Do your best and hunt for relevant sources to wind up with something interesting and suitable. Should you need research paper writing servicesfrom the expert helpers then Students Assignment Help may be a very good choice for it. Exploratory essay is a well-known assignment that's given both in schools and colleges. Be certain you have read assignment carefully! You may always order your ideal essay here. While the majority of the essay types demand the writers to stay objective and utilize evidence to achieve the goal, you begin an exploratory essay without any specific end in mind. You shouldn't overlook the overall structure of your essay. It's also advisable to constantly work to increase your writing style and produce your essay attractive to read and simple to navigate.

Gun Control And The American People - 1236 Words

Gun Control and the American People: Should Gun Control Measures Be Stricter? There have been many highly publicized gun-related incidents, such as the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, that have renewed that call for even stricter gun control measures for both politicians and members of the media. The push for greater controls on firearms is bad policy with regards to the protection of our rights as U.S. citizens, our safety from those mean us harm, and the maintenance of an important economic market for providing legal firearms for both sport and protection. Rather than making gun ownership harder for law abiding U.S. citizens, we should be more aggressively enforcing the gun-related laws currently in place, while looking for ways to make legal gun ownership less complicated and burdensome. This will help protect the constitutional freedoms of future generations while making us safer now. The Second Amendment was adopted on December 15, 1791 as part of the Bill of Rights established for citizens of the new United States of America. The founding fathers thought that the right to bear arms was so important in the creation and perpetuation of a free nation that they made it second only to the rights of freedom of religion, free speech, freedom of the press and â€Å"the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances† as provided for in the First Amendment. (LII). Having won their freedom only eight yearsShow MoreRelatedArgument Paper On Gun Control1354 Words   |  6 PagesPosition Paper on Gun Control While Americans were contemplating gun control proposals in the wake of mass shootings at a Colorado School, another gunman massacred 50 people in a club in Orlando. This incident brought heated political exchanges between President Obama and Trump, the Republican presidential candidate. It is estimated that in 2015 alone, there were more than 351 mass shootings in the United States. This is a worrying trend that should be reversed as soon as possible. SurprisinglyRead MoreGun Control Laws Should Have A Good Middle Balance1569 Words   |  7 PagesWhile some people say it takes away their rights , Gun control is a good thing because Less crimes will be committed by firearms, Gun control is good for everyone s safety , and Countries with stricter gun control has less death by firearms .America has the highest amount of gun related deaths each year in the world. â€Å"In Germany 381, in France 255, in Canada 165 in the United Kingdom 68, in Australia 65, in Japan 39 and in the United States, 11,127† (Moore Michael, 51:15-51:48). Since the UnitedRead MoreThe Highest Amount Of Gun Control Laws1362 Words   |  6 PagesDanzo Research Paper America has the highest amount of gun related deaths each year in the world. â€Å"In Germany 381, in France 255, in Canada 165 in the United Kingdom 68, in Australia 65, in Japan 39 and in the United States, 11,127† (Moore Michael, 51:15-51:48). Since the United States has the highest number of deaths, it is important to have gun-control laws that restrict people from owning dangerous firearms like machine guns. Gun-control laws should support both sides of the debate. Of courseRead MoreGun Control Versus Gun Rights1645 Words   |  7 Pages2017 Gun Control versus Gun Rights Gun control is a controversial topic that is widely discussed in the United States. The call for gun control came during the 1960’s when many famous figures were assassinated. Today Gun Right’s Activist believes we should not infringe on the Second Amendment. While Gun Control Activist believe we should take precautions to protect people from gun violence. The republicans typically are against gun control while democrats are for gun control. Gun control is a hotRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control Laws861 Words   |  4 PagesThe government has the responsibility to protect people. Currently, the gun violence has threatened the American public safety, people used gun to kill many people for their own interests. The United States constitution believes Americans have their own gun to protect themselves. Some people said guns will protect their life easily. Whether, America should have strict gun control laws or not bring about the debate in society. Gun issue is not only a big problem from United States, it’s also aRead MoreGun Control And The United States Essay1358 Words   |  6 Pages Every law-abiding American citizen should have a choice to own a gun, and it should not matter if their reason is for protection, for sport or simply to collect. Gun control is a concern that needs to be one of â€Å"less talk and more action†; in addition, it needs to be an issue where both parts of the Congress join together to find a solution to the growing problem of gun violence in the United States. Furthermore, the American people need to demand action from their state’s senators and representativesRead MoreGun Rights And Gun Control994 Words   |  4 PagesIn recent times, gun control is becoming a social issue in the US after the many incidents or accident happened related to the gun owner’s kill’s people at the social places. Gun rights means the every person have right to take or carry guns for their self protection is created controversial issue related to criminal justice that needed the requirement for the gun control to stop people from killing each other. Moreover, on 2 Dec, 2015, two suspects those opened fire in a California social serviceRead MoreGun Control Laws Should Be Legal Essay1345 Words   |  6 PagesGun control has been a hot topic in your society recreantly everyone has a different view on gun control. There are two sides to the argument people that are for gun control and people that are against gun control. The media talks about the two biggest factors the National Rifle Association and the Second Amendment the right to bear arms. But the most important question is whether gun-control laws actually reduce gun crimes or murder rates in general. Most people believe that having a fewer numberRead MoreAmerica Needs Gun Control Essay1149 Words   |  5 PagesFor years proposals for gun control and the ownership of firearms have been among the most contro versial issues in modern American politics. The public debate over guns in the United States is often seen as having two side. Some people passionately assert that the Second Amendment protects an individuals right to own guns while others assert that the Second Amendment does no more than protect the right of states to maintain militias. There are many people who insist that the Constitution is a livingRead MoreGuns : The Root Of All Violence?1678 Words   |  7 PagesGUNS: THE ROOT OF ALL VIOLENCE? The United States has fought many wars in its history and continues to fight at home. Although there has not been an actual war in our mainland since the American Civil War of 1861, our longest war has been within our communities and laws, an enduring war against guns and its violence. The noise of gunshots may sound different in a military warzone between nations, radical groups or in a civil war; however, a similar outcome subsists, the loss of lives caused by man

Alasdair Macleans poem Question and answer and Sonnet 43 by Elizabeth Barret Browning Essay Example For Students

Alasdair Macleans poem Question and answer and Sonnet 43 by Elizabeth Barret Browning Essay Love poems can be written in many different ways. Elizabeth Barret Browning. Modern day love poems can be completely different to traditional and old love poems. A modern day love poet is Alasdair Maclean. He has written many modern love poems, such as, Question and Answer, and hes still doing them to this day. Elizabeth Barret Browning is also a love poem writer but all her love poems are traditional and classical as she was a writer in 1850s. She has also written many love poems in her lifetime including, Sonnet 43, which has an idealistic view of love. Alasdair Maclean chose a very short and simple but puzzling title of his love poem, Question and Answer, from this Maclean gives nothing away about the poem. Before you read the poem, theres no link to the theme of the poem which is love. The title isnt emotional just like the poem which is strange as love is an emotion! The poem starts of in direct speech, with the question, Do you love me, which immediately creates questions in our mind, such as, who is talking to who and what type of relationship they have. One thing you can tell straight away is that the relationship is insecure and that the poem is about love. In line three there is another sentence which is even more demanding than the last one, say you love me, this makes the audience wonder what type of person she really is. Does the person saying it give any choice? As he/ she give no choice, it makes them sound rude and demanding. This sentence is also in direct speech but the poem is in direct speech. This means that everything in speech marks is what the speaker was thinking in his mind. This makes the poem very effective as we will be informed of his feelings. Therefore, in the poem, most feelings that are talked about are about one person. There is a sudden change in the poem when Maclean changes the subject from a relationship (love) to a childhood event. When he, was very young, he, saw a rat caught in a trap. This is an example of assonance as the vowel, a, is repeated in rat and trap. It almost sounds as if the speaker thinks its funny. He even remembers the rat, squeling and snapping. The use of onomatopoeia lets us almost hear it as we read it which helps us get a clearer view of the rat trying to escape. Next the speaker says that, the cage was lowered into the water. This sentence is short which refers to the way the rat was killed, which is slowly without giving the rat a chance to escape. The word, lowered, has a long, l, sound which again reflects the death of the rat. The speaker, for the third time, uses a long sentence which mirrors the death of the rat. There is clear imagery when the speaker tells us that, the dead rat clung to the roof. The imagery and the use of strong emotional words like, clung, and, dead, make it seem realistic as it probably was a horrible sight, especially for a young child to see a rat cruelly being killed. The long sentence is a snapshot moment of the speakers life when, he, was very young. Its a snapshot moment of his life because its full of lots of descriptive words and its one of his memories. The subject then suddenly changes for the second time from the rat story to his relationship. Its obvious the speaker is comparing the rat in the cage with him, he feels trapped just like the rat. .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494 , .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494 .postImageUrl , .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494 , .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494:hover , .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494:visited , .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494:active { border:0!important; } .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494:active , .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494 .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6d9040a1736a35ce30e232797a7f5494:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Investigating the grammatical features of a child EssaySomeone else in the poem, unknown to the reader, asks the speaker demanding question about his love to her which makes him feel this way. We find out that he doesnt express his feelings to the other person though. He tells us this when he mentions that, all this I say to myself. Nearer to the end of the poem, he reveals to the reader that he does reply to the other person that he loves, her but he sounds as if he had been forced to say it because he says it, sullenly but truthfully. He sounds like hes been forced to say it because he says it in an almost rehearsed, rude way, the words you want to hear. It has that rhy thmic beat to it. She then turns her back for sleep. It makes the reader wonder if she believed him because he says she is only, satisfied. It didnt seem as he wanted to say it. In the final sentence, the speaker fully expresses how his lover has made him feel. He tells us he feels like the rat, feeling the taste of the wire. To the audience, the speaker seems to be a very sensitive and sad person. It sounds as if he over exaggerated his feelings, how can you feel so trapped and left in the darkness by someone asking a question? He even mentions that he feels, the cold water flow over, him. Its a very sad and gruesome ending and it leaves us with many unanswered questions about their relationship. I think that Maclean wanted us, the audience, to realise that love cant be taken and if it does, then it wont work out. So he gave us an example of what would happen when someone tries to take it; you feel trapped. Therefore indirectly, he is giving us a message that love should be given, not taken. The theme of the poem is lobe although there isnt any secure lobe in the poem, it teaches us about love. As Alasdair Maclean is a modern day poet (still alive now), who knows that this type of thing, someone trying to take someone other person love happens quite often these days. Browning also starts of her poem with a question just like Maclean but unlike MacLeans poem, the audience notice straight away that her poem is about the love (it has a love theme). In the second line, she exclaims that she will, count the ways, in which she loves her husband. This sonnet is about her lobe to her husband so we know who she is talking to whereas in MacLeans poem, it is not clear who he is talking to. The immediate response to most readers would be that this is a boring poem which just lists the way someone loves someone else. But the poem is not like that, Browning writes in such a way that it doesnt sound like a simple list. You have to find the inner meaning of each sentence to find the inner meaning of each sentence to find a reason for her love. As love cannot be measured in numbers, she cleverly states that she loves her husband, to the depth and breadth and height, her, soul can reach. She gives her lobe 3 dimensions which makes her love seem intense. She emphasis the point of her love more by splitting each word with the word, and, instead of using commas. She did this as it makes the sentence even longer increasing her love to him. Maclean doesnt tell us any reason why he loves his lover although he does admit he loves her. In MacLeans poem, the speaker is having his love taken from him whereas the speaker in this poem (Browning) is giving her love. For the second time, Browning gives us a measurement of her love when she says she loves him to the height, her soul can reach. .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b , .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b .postImageUrl , .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b , .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b:hover , .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b:visited , .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b:active { border:0!important; } .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b:active , .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u75d7139bd2207948b0b4a9f40306309b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Compare and Contrast the way in which the poets of 'Funeral Blues' and 'First Love' portray their experiences of love EssayThis could also mean that she has some religious belief. In the next line theres another sense of religiousness when she mentions, ideal grace, as it refers to God. She even lets us know that she cant live without him, when she states that he is her, most quiet need. It also makes her seem strongly attracted to him from all the reasons so far, including this one. Next, theres another piece of evidence which shows that Browning is giving her love. She loves him, purely, so that must mean she has no obligations to her love and that its pure love. To back up the point that she loves him, purely, she tells us that she loves him with her, childhood faith. She is comparing her love she has to him with the belief a small child has because they have strong beliefs and they require no proof for them. In, Question and Answer the speaker also refers his feelings to a childhood event, but in a depressing and negative way. The last sentence stands out in this poem, just like in, Question and Answer. In this poem Browning claims that she will love him, better after death. It could mean that she will keep loving him more and more as the days go on. It makes the audience think that her love is eternal. It could also be interpreted as, yet another religious belief. On the other hand, Maclean completes his poem horribly and sadly about his feelings. It also leaves us with many unanswered questions, whereas Brownings poem assures us with no doubts that, she loves him truly. I think that the one main difference between the two poems is the type of love. Browning loves her husband, freely, and the speaker in Macleans poem is being forced to love someone. I think the message Browning wanted to get across to us is that love should always be given and not taken or expected back. I think this because she never talks about what her husband thinks about her. She also shows that there can be no limit to how much you can love someone, so she may have wanted us to know that. So people who read any one of these poems, get the same messages and thoughts. Love should be given, not forced to give or taken. I therefore think that the theme of love is explored in opposite ways although it seems like both poets are trying to give us the same message. The first one is more like a story, telling us what will happen if you take love and the other one tells us what its like when you do the opposite. I learnt that you should never take love from someone as it is a very special feeling therefore it should be given. From the first poem I realised how it can make you feel if your love is taken from you. From the second poem (Brownings), I found out what it feels like for the person that is giving the love to someone else. Browning seemed extremely happy giving her love to her husband.

Preciousness Essays - , Term Papers, Research Papers

Preciousness Preciousness is a story that goes beyond the struggles of a teen-aged girl's life, but it also portrays themes of basic life. Themes like, ?letting go? and ?cultural differences? apply to almost all people in one way or another. For that reason, Preciousness is not just a story about a young girl's life, but it's a story about all of our lives. Throughout the story, the reader is presented with a series of conflicts the girl faces. Her main problem was that she had a problem with men and boys. She felt that they were evil and only wanted one thing. I feel that she lived in her own world, where she made all the rules. ?...she swallowed her coffee which the maid, scratching herself in the gloom of the kitchen, had reheated. She scarcely touched the bread which the butter failed to soften.?1 This was extremely unhealthy for her, physically and mentally. Not eating healthily will make a person weak and can lead to many diseases. She did this to have men and boys avoid her, which was also unhealthy. Man or woman, one cannot avoid life and its people. I don't feel it is possible to be psychologically fit if a person cannot interact with a certain group because of a fear they have. Being scared of a certain person in that group is normal, but the entire group is a bit extreme. Life is a learning experience, but you can't fully experience life if you avoid certain things in it. One has to face reality at some point in life, it can be done the easy way, by accepting reality, or done the hard way, by denying the truth. The main character of the story decided that it would be better if she did things the hard way. The rising action, when the two boys were approaching here on an early morning, lead to a major problem. At the climax, the two boys groped the girl. At that moment, her bubble, malignantly protecting her from the world of reality, exploded. The destruction of her bubble led to an amazing revelation that changed her life. She was no longer a girl, but a young woman. I feel that this was when she started accepting the truth about life and about whom she had become. She then understood that you couldn't avoid life. I think that there was more than one main theme in this story. Prejudice, fear, and hate are three themes that can be closely linked together. These factors play a large role in the story and in our lives. Like the girl in the story, we tend to make assumptions about other people before we actually know it's true. The main character assumes that all men and boys want that one thing. She feels that it is her place to classify other people, in this case, men. ?Afraid they would ?say something to her,? would look her up and down.?2 Even though the men didn't care about her, she still had a fear of them. People fear what they don't understand and have no control over. The girl had no control over the men and boys, so she feared what they might say or do to her. She is fearful of putting trust into men, scared of how they might take advantage of that trust. As the days built up, she developed a hatred of men. She knew that they ?knew.? I believe that neither side really knew anything truly significant about each other. The girl couldn't have known what the men knew and what they were thinking. The men probably didn't know much about the girl either. I think that the girl surrounded herself in a bubble that was much worse than reality. Repression was also a very considerable theme. For the whole time, she repressed her true self. She tried to hide what she was becoming, which was a woman. She had to learn to let go of her childhood and start accepting the responsibilities of being older and more mature. This is something everyone has either gone through, is going through, or will go through in life. It's a force of nature, like a hurricane or earthquake. It

The Hot Zone by Richard Preston.

The Hot Zone by Richard Preston. The first chapter, titled "Something in the Forest", begins by introducing Charles Monet, a Frenchman with an innate likeness for animals and birds, but very little concern for that of humanity in general. A person of few companions, of which consisted mostly of the female gender and his pet crow, Monet spent most of his time alone in his small home, and as a result, very little was known about his history or reason for choosing to reside in Kenya. As the Christmas break approached, Monet made the decision to spend his vacation on Mount Elgon and asked a fellow lady friend to accompany him. While on the mountain, they ventured through Kitum Cave and admired the crystal-encrusted walls, mummified elephant corpses and the pillars covered in bat guano. Once their trip to Mount Elgon came to an end, the two friends went their separate ways and back into their normal routines of life.Claude Monet, photo by Nadar, 1899. Franà §ais : Cl...However, something prevented Monet from living as h e once did. At first it was a severe headache, but as time passed, his personality changed drastically and his face became an expressionless mask. His few friends noticed the change and urged him to go to a hospital to cure him of his illness. After the first hospital he went to could find nothing wrong with him, he was sent to the best private hospital in East Africa, the Nairobi Hospital. The chapter ends with Monet waiting patiently for medical attention in the waiting room of the hospital. Feeling weak and dizzy as a result of the presence of his unwanted "visitor" taking control of his body, Monet falls to the floor while excreting large amounts of blood, as well as the lining to his intestines."Jumper", the second chapter of Part One, begins with medical assistants rushing...

Auschwitz Facts

Auschwitz Facts Auschwitz, the largest and deadliest camp in the Nazi concentration and death camp system, was located in and around the small town of Oswiecim, Poland (37 miles west of Krakow).  The complex consisted of three large camps and 45 smaller sub-camps.   The Main Camp, also known as Auschwitz I, was established in April 1940 and was primarily used to house prisoners who were forced laborers.   Auschwitz-Birkenau, also known as Auschwitz II, was located less than two miles away.  It was established in October 1941 and was used as both a concentration and death camp.   Buna-Monowitz, also known as Auschwitz III and â€Å"Buna,† was established in October 1942.  Its purpose was to house laborers for neighboring industrial facilities.   In total, it is estimated that 1.1 million of the 1.3 million individuals deported to Auschwitz were killed.  The Soviet Army liberated the Auschwitz complex on January 27, 1945. Auschwitz I – Main Camp The initial environs where the camp was created had formerly been a Polish army barracks.The first prisoners were primarily Germans, transferred from the Sachsenhausen Camp (near Berlin) and Polish political prisoners transferred from Dachau and Tarnow.Auschwitz I had a single gas chamber and crematorium; however, it was not heavily utilized.  After Auschwitz-Birkenau became operational, the facility was turned into a bomb shelter for Nazi officials who were located in offices in the vicinity.At its peak, Auschwitz I contained over 18,000 prisoners – mostly men.Prisoners in all of the Auschwitz camps were forced to wear striped attire and have their heads shaved.  The latter was presumably for sanitation but also served the purpose of dehumanizing the victims.  As the Eastern Front came closer, the striped uniforms often fell by the wayside and other attire was substituted.All of the Auschwitz camps implemented a tattoo system for prisoners who remained in the camp syste m.  This differed from other camps which often required the number on the uniform only. Block 10 was known as the â€Å"Krankenbau† or hospital barrack.  It had blacked out windows on the first floor to hide evidence of medical experiments that were being performed on prisoners within the building by doctors such as Josef Mengele and Carl Clauberg.Block 11 was the camp prison.  The basement contained the first experimental gas chamber, which was tested on Soviet prisoners of war.  Between Blocks 10 and 11, a closed courtyard contained an execution wall (the â€Å"Black Wall†), where prisoners were shot.The infamous â€Å"Arbeit Macht Frei† (â€Å"Work Shall Set You Free†) gate stands at the entrance of Auschwitz I.Camp Commandant Rudolf Hoess was hanged just outside Auschwitz I on April 16, 1947. Auschwitz II Auschwitz Birkenau Built in an open, swampy field less than two miles from Auschwitz I and across the main set of railroad tracks.Construction on the camp initially began in October 1941 with the initial intended purpose of being a camp for 125,000 prisoners of war.Birkenau had approximately 1.1 million people pass through its gates during its nearly three-year existence.When individuals arrived in Auschwitz-Birkenau, they were forced to undergo a Selektion, or sorting process, in which healthy adult persons who were desired for work were permitted to live while the remaining elderly, children and ill people were taken directly to the gas chambers.90% of all individuals who entered Birkenau perished – an estimated 1 million people total.9 out of every 10 people killed in Birkenau were Jewish.Over 50,000 Polish prisoners died in Birkenau and nearly 20,000 Gypsies.Separate camps were established within Birkenau for Jews from Theresienstadt and Gypsies.  The former was established in the event of a Red Cross visit but was liquidated in July 1944 when it was evident that this visit would not occur. In May 1944, a train spur was built into the camp to aid with the processing of the Hungarian Jews.  Prior to this point, victims were unloaded at a rail station between Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II.Birkenau contained four, large, gas chambers, each of which could kill up to 6,000 individuals per day. These gas chambers were attached to crematoriums that would burn the masses of dead bodies. The gas chambers were disguised as shower facilities to deceive the victims in order to keep them calm and cooperative throughout the process.The gas chambers utilized pruissic acid, trade name â€Å"Zyklon B.†Ã‚  This gas was commonly known as a pesticide in orchards and for prisoner clothing.A portion of the camp, â€Å"F Lager,† was a medical facility that was used for experiments as well as limited medical treatment of camp prisoners.  It was staffed by Jewish prisoner-doctors and staff, as well as Nazi medical staff.  The latter was primarily focused on experimentation.Pr isoners in the camp often named sections of the camp themselves.  For example, the warehousing portion of the camp was known as â€Å"Kanada.†Ã‚  An area slated for camp expansion that was swampy and mosquito-ridden was called â€Å"Mexico.† An uprising occurred in Birkenau in October 1944.  Two of the crematoriums were destroyed during the uprising.  It was staged largely by members of Sonderkommando in Crematoriums 2 and 4.  (The Sonderkommando were groups of prisoners, mainly Jewish, who were forced to staff the gas chambers and crematoriums.  They received better food and treatment in return, but the gruesome, heartbreaking work caused them to have a four-month turnover rate, on average, before meeting the same fate as the victims they processed.) Auschwitz III Buna-Monowitz Located several miles from the main complex, Auschwitz III bordered the town of Monowice, home of the Buna synthetic rubber works.The initial purpose for the camp’s establishment in October 1942 was to house laborers who were leased out to the rubber works.  Much of its initial construction was funded by IG Farben, a company that benefited from this slave labor.Also contained a special Labor Education Department to reeducate non-Jewish prisoners who did not follow camp structure and policy.Monowitz, like Auschwitz I and Birkenau, was surrounded by electrified barbed wire.Elie Wiesel spent time in this camp after being processed through Birkenau with his father. The Auschwitz complex was the most notorious in the Nazi camp system.  Today, it is a museum and educational center that hosts over 1 million visitors annually.

Age And Acquisition Of English As A Foreign Language Essay

Age And Acquisition Of English As A Foreign Language - Essay Example The ‘age factor’ has at all times been one of the chief issues in terms of research and investigations focused on the acquisition of second/foreign language. Nonetheless, the crucial point has now shifted from investigating the question of whether there exists a crucial phase, as observed during the 1970s and 80s, to the suitable time to begin education in L2. Such a trend is mainly applicable in foreign language acquisition perspectives across Europe and visibly apparent in countries like Spain where the age of instruction for teaching English was significantly reduced from 11 years of age to 8 years by the Reforma. It is hence, highly likely that advance improvements might press forward the starting age for learning a foreign language to age 6. Although these changes fail to consider the conclusions from current research, they do, however, replicate the common fear regarding the significance of languages, particularly English, in our every day lives. This book review i s, as a result, of supreme significance to teachers as well as students of English as a second/foreign language. It accumulates certain chosen contributions in two parts. The first part deals with "Theoretical Issues" discussed in three chapters which present a general idea about the role of age in learning languages. Chapter 1 in part 1 titled â€Å"Critical Period or General Age Factor(s)† written by David Singleton provides a methodical introduction to the CPH Critical Period Hypothesis as well as the theory of CP Critical Period.

Role of government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Role of government - Essay Example In the 19th century, the government had little concern about the economy of the country. The government only ensured that its people had sufficient food and basic necessities (Zeckhauser and Leebaert 84). However, current governments are concerned with the improvement of the economy. The government takes the responsibility of funding projects that will benefit the citizens an also generate income to the nation. Unlike the olden governments, the current government also invests in other nations so that the country has a larger income. The government facilitates international trade that has an economic benefit for the nation. The changes have come as a result of the economic competition between countries and the desire for development. The government protects the rights of all people regardless of their race or gender. Current governments are focused on gender and race equalities and hence the laws that are developed and enforced have a lot of respect for gender and race equality. This has come up as a result of modernization and evolvement of cultures. The government plays a vital role in enforcing rights and freedoms of its citizens. The governments of the 19th century favored the natives, but the situation has long changed due to the pressures for equality. The modern governments are very helpful in preparation for disasters and offer a lot of help when natural disasters hit (Zeckhauser and Leebaert 171). The current governments have implemented programs and set up departments that deal with natural disasters. Through such departments, the government is able to help its people during disasters. The situation was different during the 19 century since technology levels were low, and the government roles were not well defined. Programs such as the FEMA have been developed specifically to ply for the needs of the citizens during disasters. The government has made an improvement in its role in the medical and education sectors. In the past, the role

Health Information Essay Example for Free

Health Information Essay Not only is that important it also needs to be accurate and reliable medical information. All of the above information is not only very important it also impacts the HIPAA privacy rule. The Office for Civil Rights is responsible with its enforcement of the HIPPA Privacy Rule. Not only does it need to be enforced it needs to be constantly upheld at all times. This is necessary to protect both the patient and the medical professionals from unauthorized use of their health records and to allow medical providers access to secure, safe, accurate, and reliable medical information. The demand for information has risen from not only third party payers but in fact has risen from governmental entities. Patients now have to consent in order to accept health care treatment. As a result from the demand for patient information has brought forth a huge development between the law and medicine. There’s also the term informed consent. This is used in law to indicate that the consent a patient gives falls under certain minimum standards. Any informed consent can be said to have been given based upon a clear appreciation and understanding of the facts, implications, and future consequences of an action. Any patient who is concerned must have adequate reasoning faculties and must be in possession of all relevant facts at the time the consent was given. Both of these are needed in order to give an informed consent. To understand the responsibilities that confidentiality and informed consent place on health-care providers, The United States Congress created the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1996. This act provides protection of health care coverage for workers, and also protects the privacy and security of medical information. The HIPAA laws allow authorized medical professionals or healthcare organizations to have access to your private medical records. Anything a doctor, nurse or other health professional has written or discussed about your personal medical treatment is confidential. Medical data that is being held by your health insurance company is also kept confidential and also any billing information which is submitted by patients or a medical facility or your health insurance company. HIPAA restricts who can and can’t request access to patient medical information. It is very important that your medical provider have access to all of your health history. There are entities that can access your medical information without your written consent such as: employers, workers compensation are all exempt. School districts, state agencies, and law enforcement agencies or institutions are exempt from HIPAA laws and are not required to follow the privacy and security rules. It is very important that you fully understand your HIPAA rights before anyone consents to release any medical information to organizations that are not required to follow the privacy and security rules HIPPA has put in place to protect confidential information. ROI policies and processes need to be adaptive. The process should be changed to meet new regulatory requirements and technology. Changes to the HIPAA rules regarding the accounting of health information disclosures expected this year have the potential to dramatically expand HIM and ROI responsibilities and pose operable disputes. Health information exchanges are pushing the frequency and scope of how patient information gets transferred. All HIM professionals must continue to remain aware and on top of all changes to ensure HIPAA compliance and change processes accordingly. The HIPAA privacy rule has received both positive and negative effects on the release of patient information by healthcare facilities. The intention of HIPAA was to protect patient privacy and to promote security and confidentiality of all patient information; it has had some unintended consequences for facilities. Some of these unintended effects, discovered about some issues directly related to the release of patient information which has had an impact with the implementation of HIPAA. The biggest issues that were found were. Increases in the public’s misunderstanding about release of patient information, lack of an umbrella policy, regulation defining infractions, enforcement that allows individual institutions to make their own version, and challenges to health information management professionals in controlling safeguards related to release of information given the transition to electronic health records and the increased involvement of information technology. The findings from this research suggest there is a need for additional clarification of the regulations that are governing HIPAA, and its standardized instructions and extensive training of its healthcare workers. I have learned so much about how the release of information impacts the HIPPA Privacy Rule. I do believe the most impact comes from the public because most people don’t understand new health care practices such as: record keeping, obtaining verbal or written consent.

The Pitiful Characters of Othello :: Othello essays

The Pitiful Characters of Othello      Ã‚   In Othello, no "good" love exists between any of the characters. Shakespeare creates a cast of romantic and platonic couples whose affection is weak and unsustainable. Iago, not Othello, is master of this play; he establishes all the action. There is an underlying weakness and depravity in all the characters, or Iago would never have been able to ruin so many lives. But Iago is unswayed by the external; his black heart is his only guide.    When Iago tells Roderigo to awaken Brabantio and set the wheels of distrust in motion, he is loud and boisterous, even vulgar. He says, "Rouse him...Do, with like timorous accent and dire yell as when by night and negligence, the fire is spied..." (1.1 75, 82-84). Iago is interested only in the act of alarm. We imagine him lurking around the canals, sticking his bony finger into every soul to testing their limits and act accordingly. He has no conscience. For Iago, there is nothing bigger than he to temper his need to destroy.    Iago's bad behavior sets the tone for all other interactions in the play. He has no need for honesty or affiliation; he uses his wife to further his plot, betrays Roderigo, cares nothing for Cassio, and loathes Othello. He is a foil for characters who may know right from wrong but are not passionately committed to acting for good or evil. Shakespeare mirrors this noxious model in other characters' relationships. Desdemona rebels against her father; the Duke takes Othello's side; Roderigo is so lovesick that he will stoop to any level to win Desdemona. Even in the primary romantic relationship, Othello's and Desdemona's, the love is flimsy and easily broken.    Neither Desdemona nor Othello gush about the heavenly course their love has taken - never do they claim to be "star-crossed lovers." The origin of their love lies in the myths that Othello has fashioned from his travels and conquests, not in common interests or a compatibility of spirit. Desdemona can only imagine what Othello's life is like; she is too passive to ever truly live. Though some may argue that this love is mature and doesn't need Romeo-style proclamation, it is clear that Shakespeare has built their relationship on sand.

Explaining Basic Accounting Concepts and Business Structures Essay

Explaining Basic Accounting Concepts and Business Structures I will explain the basic accounting concepts and business structures from the following topics: GAAP sources and hierarchy; Good accounting information using the qualities of accounting principles; Difference between Accrual based accounting and cash basis of accounting; Types of business structures and the features of each structure. 1. GAAP sources and hierarchy Generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) is the set of accounting principles, standards and procedures that companies use to prepare their financial statements. GAAP principles are the bases of financial reports and the guidelines of United States accounting practices. There are four categories of sources of GAAP hierarchy as follows: Category (A): FASB Standards, Interpretations, and Staff Positions; APB Opinions; AICPA Accounting Research Bulletins. Category (B): FASB Technical Bulletins (no longer issued), AICPA Industry Audit and Accounting Guides, AICPA Statements of Position. Category (C): FASB Emerging Issues Task Force, AICPA AcSEC Practice Bulletins. Category (D): AICPA Accounting Interpretations, FASB Implementation Guides (Q and A), widely recognized and prevalent industry practices. The category (a) of the GAAP hierarchy has a higher authority than a FASB Technical Bulletin, which is in category (b).The hierarchy is important because it gives the out layer for companies to search for the specific accounting transactions. For example, if a specific transaction can not be covered in category (a), then companies will turn to categories (b) for selecting and applying appropriate accounting principles, then (c) and (d). 2. Good accounting information using the qualities of accounting principles Good accounting information should be understandable. If no one can not understand the accounting information presented, it becomes useless to lose all of the other qualities. The good accounting information should be Reliable and Relevant. Reliability means verifiable, representation faithfulness, and free of error and bias. If the accounting numbers are wrong, there is no any meaning to use the information. Relevance means predictive or feedback value presented on a timely basis. The internal managerial accounting reports are different from the external financial reports. The relevant information is needed to prepare the different kinds of reports. The good accounting information should be Comparability and Consistency. The good information can be used to identify the differences and similarities between companies. The company consistently use the same accounting treatment for better auditing purposes. 3. Difference between Accrual basis accounting and cash basis of accounting The revenue recognition principle and the expense matching principle are two key elements for Accrual basis accounting. Company uses accrual basis accounting to recognize income when goods are shipped or services are rendered, and to recognize expense when it is obligated to pay it. On the contrast, cash basis accounting recognizes the revenue and expenses when the cash is received and paid. The cash basis accounting is prohibited under GAAP because it does not record revenue and expense when earned and incurred. It will misstate the actual income and expenses incurred and can not reflect the real business operation during the accounting period. 4. Types of business structures and the features of each structure There are three types of business structures-Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, and Corporation. Sole proprietorship is a business owned by one person. It is the simplest form of business ownership. The sole proprietor is in direct control of all affairs and entitled all profits and losses and is free to transfer his interest in the sole proprietorship at will. The disadvantage is that the sole proprietor would be fully responsible for all debts and obligations related to the business. The business would have difficulty in raising capital. Partnership is a business owned by two or more persons associate a partner. Partnership can bring broad resources and unique skills. All the partners share profit and losses, share the right to manage and make major business decisions, have unlimited personal liability for obligation of the partnership. For tax advantage, the partnership does not pay federal income tax; rather, partners file their own individual tax return. Disadvantage is that partners are fully and personally liable for the debts if their partnership. Corporation is a legal entity distinct from its owners (called â€Å"shareholders† or â€Å"stockholders†) and manager. It is easy to raise fund. The major advantage of corporation is that the owners are not personally liable for the obligation. Stockholders are free to transfer their ownership interests. Corporation must pay income taxes on any profits that it makes, and stockholders generally do not have to pay income tax on its profits until they are distributed as dividends. The corporate tax rate generally is lower than the personal tax rate.

The Role of Technology in the Development of the United States in the 20th Century

In the past hundred years, it is no question that the advancement and development of the United States has grown exponentially. A great deal of this advancement has been due to the growth in technology that makes life easier, more efficient, and healthier. All of these things combined together, gowing in the 20th century, has made the United States one of the largest world powers and one of the most desirable places to live. There are some things, on the other hand, that technology has affected that really hinders not only the United States, but the planet as a whole.Most of these problems are environmental, which can be detrimental to the planet in the long run, despite the current outcomes. Practices including deforestation and over-fishing contribute to this. However, this technology, when compared to the good and the bad, has definitely left behind a positive mark behind it because of the obvious evidence that technology, such as automobiles, computers, and space exploration, hav e greatly impacted the present day America we are living in today. Today, in the 21st century of America, we are a thriving country, rich with technology.We live in a society where an automobile is almost a necessary factor through daily life because without a car or public transportation, most individuals would not be able to actually get to their job. The creation of the automobile has impacted the place we live so much because the citizens of the United States can work in jobs in a much larger radius from their home, which turns out to be very efficient for both the companies employing these people as well as the employee himself because he has more option for places to work, all because of the automobile.We also live in a society where computers are abundant, so much so that in almost all workplaces there are elements of computers and internet. Also, without these computers and information systems, there would be no online courses or universities for students to take. Online cou rses have had a very positive impact on our country because students can get an education with the ease and the comfort of their own home, all while maintaining a very low price. This makes enrolling in a university more attractive to someone on the fenceof going to university, so in the big picture we have more Americans learning at some kind of institution making our nation smarter and more advanced than it has ever been. This is all due to the growth in the automobile industry and the computer and information systems industry growing in the 20th century. Without these industries growth, our lives today would be very different. Some industries growths, however, will lead a very different outcome in the long run. Paper companies are using methods to chop down trees at a very large rate, in favor only of the paper industry.This is greatly hurting the planet because of the mass deforestation the paper companies are creating. These trees and forests are a necessity for daily life on e arth and without the forests, our future as humans on this earth will be a lot less thriving than the position we are in today. Another example is over-fishing in all bodies of water. Fish are a renewable resource , however, they need to time to reproduce and grow. Fisheries are capturing these sea creatures at such a rate that the fish are not able to fully recover from the over-fishing these companies have done.These two problems are very similar to each other and provides a common theme with the negatives of our new technological growth. The 20th century led our nation to this problem because we have just gotten carried away when it comes to the use of natural, renewable resources. We just have to remember that moderation is key, because with moderation, the trees will be able to grow back and recover from the deforestation and the fish will be able to reproduce at a greater rate. In closing, the pros of the technological growth of the 20th century greatly outweigh the cons.The c ons are a much easier problem to fix because the nations companies that deal with renewable resources just have to take these resources in moderation, otherwise these necessities for life will not be around for much longer. New technology, like the automobile and computers, instead of diminishing our country, have brought light and a new hope to our country, as well as the world because these industries are growing at an enormous rate because almost everyone in America as both a computer and a car.One of the biggest things that we have to look forward as a country is space travel which began in the 20th century when America put a man in orbit and the first man on the moon. The technology that got America to the moon has greatly affected the space technology we have today. It has influenced the 21st century buzz of putting a man on mars as well as warp drives. These are both very exciting things America has to look forward to and we can do that all thanks to the 20th century technolo gy.

Constructing an Inductive Theory in Sociology

Constructing an Inductive Theory in Sociology There are two approaches to constructing a theory: inductive theory construction and deductive theory construction. Inductive theory construction takes place during inductive research in which the researcher first observes aspects of social life and then seeks to discover patterns that may point to relatively universal principles. Field research, in which the researcher observes the events as they take place, is often used to develop inductive theories. Erving Goffman is one social scientist that is known for using field research to uncover rules of many diverse behaviors, including living in a mental institution and managing the â€Å"spoiled identity† of being disfigured. His research is an excellent example of using field research as a source of inductive theory construction, which is also commonly referred to as grounded theory. Developing an inductive, or grounded, theory generally follows the following steps: Research design: Define your research questions and the main concepts and variables involved.Data collection: Collect data for your study using any of the various methods (field research, interviews, surveys, etc.)Data ordering: Arrange your data chronologically to facilitate easier data analysis and examination of processes.Data analysis: Analyze your data using methods of your choosing to look for patterns, connections, and significant findings.Theory construction: Using the patterns and findings from your data analysis, develop a theory about what you discovered.Literature comparison: Compare your emerging theory with the existing literature. Are there conflicting frameworks, similar frameworks, etc.? References Babbie, E. (2001). The Practice of Social Research: 9th Edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Thomson.

High GPA but Low ACT Score What Do You Do

High GPA but Low ACT Score What Do You Do SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You do great in school, but you just can’t get that score you want on the ACT. If you're a great student but not as great a standardized test taker, don't worry: you aren't alone. In this post,I'll let you know what ACT scores qualify as low, what message those scores send to admissions officers, andwhat you can do to improve your chances of getting into a good school. What Is a Low ACT Score? Before we even discusswhat to do with a high GPA and low ACT score, are you certain your ACT score is low? You should not simply compare your ACT scores to your friend's score or classmates' scores. The ACT score you want should depend on which university you hope to attend.If your ACT score is already in the ACT score range for your target school, then your ACT score is not low. Search for â€Å"[College Name] ACT† to find out the 25th/75th percentile foryour target schools. The 25th percentile score means that 25% of the students attending have a score at or below that number (this is below the average for admitted students). The 75th percentile means that 75% of students have a score at or below that number (this is above average for admitted students). The 25th/75th percentile reveals the scores of the middle 50% of applicants admitted to the college. If you score at the 75th percentile for a college and have a high GPA, you have an excellent chance of being accepted. However, if you're at the 25th percentile, you will need to have a strong application to increase your chances of being accepted. As an example, NYU has a 25th/75th for the ACT of 28 to 32, and Harvard has a 25th/75th of 32 to 35. You may think, why won’t I be accepted to Harvard with a 32 when 25% of Harvard freshman scored below that? In actuality, the 25% below a 32 were most likely admitted because they are a unique applicant such as an athlete (or a student with some other special talent such as being a world-class flute player), a legacy, or thechild of a significant donor. "Hi, I'd like to donate a building or three?" In writing this article, I am assuming you are a â€Å"normal applicant†(not one of the types listed above).To have the best shot of getting in, you want to get a high ACT score to go along with you high GPA, and a high ACT score is one that is at or above the 75th percentile for the colleges you hope to attend. If your score is below the 25th percentile for the school you hope to attend, you may still have a chance of getting in. Do you know that some colleges â€Å"superscore† the ACT? This means they will combine your highest individual section scores from each ACT and recombine it into a new superscored composite ACT score. For example, if you took the ACT 3 times and your best English score was on your 1st test date (33), your best Math score was on your 2nd test date (31), and your best Critical Reading and Science scores were from your 3rd test date (36, 36), you can combine those 4 best section scores into a brand new composite score (34). Your superscored composite ACT score may end putting you in the 25th/75th percentile range for your target college!For further explanation of superscore and for a list of the college that superscore the ACT, see our other article: Colleges that Superscore ACT: Complete List If your ACT score does not meet the 25th/75th percentile for your target school even with superscoring, there is good news and bad news: The Good News: Your GPA Matters More Than Your ACT Score Your transcript is the most important part of your college application because it shows that you have worked hard during all four years of high school.I considera high GPA to be between 3.5 and 4.0 on a 4.0 unweighted scale for the reasons stated in our other article. However, highly competitive universities such as Harvard and Yale will want you to have an even higher GPA, in the 3.85 to 4.0 range. I am using unweighted GPArather thanweighted GPAsince unweighted GPA is the more commonway to measure academic achievement in high school. While your GPA is important, it is even more important that you took challenging classes in high school and still got a high GPA. If you don’t believe me, here it is from Stanford’s admissions office, â€Å"We expect you to challenge yourself throughout high school and to do very well. The most important credential that enables us to evaluate your academic record is the high school transcript.† An admissions officer will only consider your high GPA impressive if you took the hardest classes (AP or IB) offered at your school.Easy classes and a high GPA will not impress an admissions officer. I will explain this more in-depth below. The Bad News: A Low ACT Score WillHurt You Admissions offices require applicants to take the ACT because they see this test as an equalizer among applicants (click here for further explanation of why students take the ACT). Each applicant had a different high school education. Even students applying from the same high school may have taken different classes or had different instructors. The one thing all applicants have in common is that they took the SAT or ACT.Every student took the â€Å"same† standardized test (or at least, similar enough tests to be compared even though each testing date technically has a different test) While your GPA and transcript are very important, your low ACT score may make an admissions officer question if your grades were â€Å"inflated† (which some teachers do) or ask if you took easy classes. They may think that your low ACT score is a better signifier of how prepared you are for higher education. What Will the Admissions Officer’s FirstImpression of Your High GPA/Low ACT Score Be? To be perfectly frank, an admissions officer will probably, at first, think that your teacher inflated your grades or that you chose to take easy high school classes, and they may wonder if your low ACT score is a more accurate indicator of your academic potential. But don’t worry! Admissions officers will dig deeper. Most admissions officers know the high schools in the US very well. At the majority of colleges, each admissions officer is assigned a state or region, and he or she is responsible for reading all of the applications from students in that area and for visiting the high schools in that area (so, if your high school had a visitor talk about admissions at a specific college - that person will most likely be reading your application for that college). Since the admissions officers visit these high schools and read the applications from students at these high schools, they know the academic reputations of these high schools.The admissions officers will know if your high school is considered very academically rigorous or if your school has a reputation for being easy and inflating grades. When reading your transcript, an admissions officer will be able to tell if you chose to take the easier classes and avoided the AP or IB classes that your school offered (if your school offers AP or IB). If you did take the easier classes, the admissions officer will likely then think your low ACT is a more accurate depiction of your academic potential than your GPA. If you did enroll in very rigorous courses throughout high school (tons of AP or IB classes, if offered at your high school) and you have a high GPA, then the admissions officer will know that and may excuse your low ACT score. Still, your chances of getting in will be higher if you can get a higher ACT score to match your high GPA. What Can You Do to Raise Your Low ACT Score? Raising your score on your low ACT score will give you your best chance of getting into your target school. If you are applying right now and don't have time to retest, skip below for advice on what you can do to boost your chance of admission. If you do have time to retest, I will try to help you diagnose the issue thatcaused the low score onyour last test(s). Did You Practice? If you never practiced for the ACT, that is probably the issue. The ACT is a very fast test. You need to know the ACT test format before taking the ACT so that the format will not slow you down. Learn about ACT scoring, the length of the ACT test, and the ACT test instructions. I would recommend taking a minimum of four full-length, timed practice tests to ensure you have the pacing down.If you need help finding practice tests, check outComplete Official ACT Practice Tests, Free Links. When you sit for multiple practice ACTs, you will start to feel comfortable with the format and will learn how to pace yourself. Note: Do not just take the practice ACTs and forget about them. You should be reviewing the questions you got wrong and learning from thosemistakes. For a guide to how to review your practice tests, check outThe Best Way to Review Your Mistakes for the SAT/ACT. What Was Your Practice Approach? If you practice by yourself, what tests are you using for your practice? You need to practice with official past ACT tests. Because the ACT is very different from other tests, you have to use actual ACTs to get the actual feel of the test. If you need help finding practice material here are Complete Official ACT Practice Tests, Free Links.If you still want more material, check out The 10 Best ACT Books Recommended for ACT Prep. If you are using old ACTs for your solo study, are you checking your wrong answers? This is the key to success on the ACT: you need to determine where you went wrong and learn from it.If you do not, you will not learn anything from the tests and you will continue making the same mistakes. If you want guidance on reviewing your tests, check outThe Best Way to Review Your Mistakes for the SAT/ACT. Do You Have One of the Following Issues? Issue #1: You have not learned the strategies for the ACT or gotten the timing down. To help solve this issue, you should check out the other free guides offered here at PrepScholar. Issue #2: You aren't familiar with the math and English concepts needed to succeed ACT. You do not have the geometry formulas memorized, or you do not know the grammar rules. Not knowing contentis a less common issue but a very important one to address. Take the time to learn this content because masteringit will have a huge impact on your score. Issue #3: If you feel like you know the strategies and content and are still not improving, you may be having trouble focusing. To help solve this issue, you probably need more personalized prep and should consider hiring a tutor or using an online resource such as PrepScholar. If You PreppedWith a Tutor/Class/Online Program and Are Not Seeing Improvements, You May Be Having One of the Following Issues: Issue #1: Your help is not personalized to your needs. It/he/she is not trying to fix your unique weaknesses, but rather is just using the same material for everyone. Try to find a more personalized tutor/class/program. Consider trying our PrepScholar ACT prep program. We do the heavy lifting for you, by splitting up our prep material into specific skills. We'll detect your weaknesses automatically and give you focused lessons and quizzes to improve those skills. Issue #2: The tutor/class/ online program is not working you hard enough (not making you do ACT practice tests or not making you stick to the timing). You should be using a prep person/program that will force you to take timed practice ACTs and stick to a study schedule. You should try PrepScholar’s ACT prep program;our program keeps track of your time spent studying each week, times you during all practice tests, and asks you to commit to a study schedule. Issue #3: You may have test anxiety. As a tutor, I saw this in some students. If you are scoring high in your practice, but on the actual ACT not achieving the same score because you are anxious or can’t keep your pacing and can’t finish. This isn’t a simple issue to fix. While all of the studying (learning the test format and pacing) should help reduce your worry, it may not solve the problem entirely. You should know the ACT is just a test and will not determine your future as shown by these celebrity ACT scores. Also, maybe meditate to try to relax you before the ACT. If You're Applying to College Right Now and CannotRetake the ACT, What Can You Do? You have some options if you need to submit your applications and think you do not have time to retest: Option #1: You can strengthen the rest of your college application. Focus on the positives! You have an awesome transcript, so try to make the rest of your application as awesome. Read our other article for advice on how to build the most versatile college application, including advice on writing your essay, getting letters of recommendation, and more. Option #2: You can check outtest optional schoolsor schools thathave guaranteed admission based on GPA or class rank. Many colleges out there no longer require the SAT or ACT to be considered for admission. Consider applying to some of those schools, at least as backups. Option #3: Check out schools with late deadlines. A lot of schools accept applications later in the year and will give you time to study andretest for the ACT. Some schools take applications as late as September for that fall semester. Consider retesting and applying to some of these schools. What’s Next? Need help raising yourACT score? Check out guides to the ACT Reading, Math, English, and Science sections.Taking the ACT very soon? Read our guide to cramming for the test. Not sure where you want to go to college? Check out our guide to finding your target school.Also, figure out yourtarget ACT score. Thinking about getting a job while in high school? Check out our guide to the 8 best jobs for teensand learn how to find yours! Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by ACT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

Literature Review on preassigned article on amniotic stem cell Essay

Literature Review on preassigned article on amniotic stem cell - Essay Example By thoroughly addressing and examining this article, we will not only be able to better understand the purpose of the article and the general point of view of the author, but as well we will gain a more knowledgeable and informed understanding in regards to the issue of amniotic stem cell lines and their purpose in general. The aim of this paper is to show how stem cells are believed to hold greater therapeutic promise for a wide ranger of serious diseases and types of injury, and as well to discuss all of the key and related issues in this regards, particularly in correlation with this article. This is what will be dissertated in the following. The basic purpose of this article is to basically explain about amniotic fluid and stem cells, and how stem cells are incredibly valuable for research and as well what methods are used in order not only to find proper stem cells, but as well the methods that are used in order to research and use these stem cells. We can see that the authors were trying to demonstrate methods of how similar human stem cells are to that of mice and rats, for instance, and how this data aids in the stem cell for research process overall.

Starting Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Starting Business - Essay Example Technology-based start-ups are generally strategically and operationally agile which give rise to innovation. On the other hand, start-ups ventures have scarcity of resources and often struggle to arrange funds and other operational requirements that they need to get their ideas to market. Establishing a new company presents a lot of challenges especially in its early stage. Principal reasons of opening a company in 2002, according to National Institute of statistics and economic surveys (INSEE) were: Buyout of a company, though less riskier task, involves a lot of intricacies. Raising the funds is major challenge of any buyout. Following elements make a buyout a cumbersome and time consuming business process: Finance: Financing a buyout involves various issues such as the true value of the company and evaluation of the companies involved and the market credibility of buying company which determines the amount they can raise from market and as debts from banks. There are various ways to raise finances for funding a buyout such as debt funding, private equity financing and vendor financing. A buyout involves complex taxation issues. No two buyouts are quite the same and their tax implications vary correspondingly. The buyout benefits will diminish if proper consideration is not given for its tax consequences for individual investors, the buyout company, and the vendor. Cultural assimilation: adoption of employees to the management owner plays an important role in success of a buyout. These issues become starker if an established company is buying an already established company. Retaining existing competent workforce Retaining key personnel of the company being purchased is also an important issue which needs to be addressed in an urgent basis. Rumors may spread that the business is about to close, in this case some of the capable workforce may leave the company. Assuring workforce that their interests will be taken care of requires a clear communication with employees and their associations. Employee's protests, in several cases, can stall the buyout process. Some of the other concerns related to buyout of an existing business include the potential for inheriting: An obsolete product or mature market: If a proper assessment is not done there are chances that you purchase a company whose products are not in demand or market for the product that company is producing is mature. This makes the purpose of a buyout obsolete. Existing operational inefficiencies, obsolete equipment, or a bad optimal location for the business: This issue again adversely affects the purpose of a

Program Evaluation Paper Part III - smoking cessation Term - 1

Program Evaluation Part III - smoking cessation - Term Paper Example The program is extensively large since the target population is the entire populace of smokers in the US (Goel , 2008). This is however not a shortfall since the subject of smoking itself does not require a lot of study since the outcomes of a small comparison group will suffice. The subject being an addiction means that what will be displayed in one smoker will most likely be homogenous among all other smokers. Obtaining information would be considered rather easy. The records of those who have previously been enrolled in smoking cessation programs in health facilities will be found to be useful. Smokers would also voluntarily provide information. As mentioned before that the programs have been in place for some time, information from previous evaluations that were done on a smaller scale will be used as a baseline for this evaluation. This approach of employing surveys will involve distribution of questionnaires to people who smoke or are affected by smoking. The main components of the questionnaires will be finding out how many people admit to being a smoker. Another question would be to find out those who have considered quitting and also to find out what is the biggest challenge that they face when trying to stop smoking. The respondents will be samples collected from different geographical locations to ensure that the sample population is representative of the whole population. It will also be important to have questionnaires designed differently to be filled out by health providers. These questionnaires will be primarily used to find out professional opinions that will be crucial in developing and implementing the smoking cessation program. (Auxin, 2006) Examination of archival documents will also be a vital source of information. These types of source will be used mostly where information like national smoking prevalence is required. Existing records will have to be the latest and most credible. An important

Value Management And Its Application In The Construction Industry Construction Essay

Value Management And Its Application In The Construction Industry Construction Essay The construction industry the world over is often perceived to be the life wire of its respective economy as it cuts across all aspects of human activities (Ayangade, 2009) and the Nigerian construction industry is not an exception to this. Its contribution ranges from enabling the procurement of goods and services to the provision of buildings and other infrastructure, thereby providing employment opportunities to its labour force while contributing immensely to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). According to Ayangade (2009), the contribution of the Nigerian construction industry is yet to measure up to those of the western world like the UK and Australia due to its developing nature among other reasons discussed below. As noted by the same researcher (Ayangade, 2009), whereas the construction industries of other developed countries are responsible for about 22% of their respective GDPs, the Nigerian case is different as it contributes slightly below 16% to its economy. However, this could be said to be complemented by the relatively higher employment (20%) it provides for its whooping 140 million citizens compared to the 12% as in the case of developed countries. Mbamali (2004) attributed this to relatively lower use of mechanization within construction in Nigeria and the high dependency of the Nigerian economy on the oil sector. Obiegbu (2005) noted that the construction industry, unlike other sectors, is a complex one and requires articulate professionals who are ready to live up to its clients expectations. Clients in the construction industry may either be private individuals including corporate bodies or public organisations which include the government. In Nigeria the federal government is often seen to be involved in the most complex projects with about 38.4% of the market (Ayangade, 2005). This is followed by the state government which is responsible for about 19.2% of the projects in the industry, though there is still some form of partnering between different classes of clients. The players in the industry are a disparate group of individuals often assembled into temporary teams and may comprise of quantity surveyors, architects, Engineers, Estate surveyors Valuers, project managers, contractors and sub-contractors, suppliers, labourers and artisans. Activities in the construction industry are carried out on a project basis and could be within an organisation or part of a programme (..reference). The Project Management Institute (PMI) (2004) defined a project as a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product, service or result. The product, in the context of the construction industry, may be a building, services installation or other infrastructural project. Hence the relevant mix of professionals is often assembled together with the aim of achieving this goal. This group of professionals is expected to possess the relevant skills, knowledge, tools and techniques to achieve the project goals. The application of these variables, skills, knowledge, tools and techniques, with the aim achieving the required objective is referred to as project management (PMI, 2004). According to Obiegbu (2005), the contractual procurement strategy, which he defined as a basis for clients action in defining the procedure to be followed fr om the inception of the project to handover, plays an important role in the performance of the industry. Some of the contractual arrangements which are often referred to as procurement routes may include, but are not limited to, the following: Traditional procurement route Design and build Management contracts 2.1.1 Nature and Performance of the Nigerian Construction Industry the economic resources often wasted in cost and time overruns, substandard work and shoddy workmanship, client-contractor-practitioners acrimonious relationships and non-performance of projects as envisaged by clients and end users Olatunje (2009) The above quote highlights the perception of the Nigerian construction industry presented by Olatunje (2009) highlights issues researched by other authors such as cost and time overruns (Aniekwu and Okpala, 1998, Oyedele Tham, 2007, Dlakwa Culpin, 1990), project abandonment (Sonuga et al, 2002, Adams, 1997) and both client and contractor dissatisfaction (Olatunje, 2009). The quote also echoes findings from Egans (1998) research into the UK construction industry. The Egan report has been formative in the UK construction industry but also for the Nigerian industry, which is fashioned after the UKs (Mbamali, et al., 2005, Oyedele Tham, 2007). The Nigerian construction industry has similar contractual arrangements as the industry in Britain which has been found to be more unsuitable for developing industries like Nigeria than it is for its own industry (Edmonds Miles, 1983, Sonuga et al, 2002). The most common procurement route used in the Nigerian construction industry is the traditional route (Ayangade, 2009). This implies that much risk is placed on the Architect to deliver the project as he is left to advise, organise and lead other project consultants to conceive and develop the project design. This procurement route has faced a lot of criticism including the separation of the design stage from actual construction. Wells (1986) found that the divorce of design from construction and the use of competitive tendering, which is based on lowest cost, are noted constraints that affect the performance of the Nigerian construction industry. Aniekwu and Okpala (1988) referred to these as systemic issues in the industry which result from the application of contractual arrangements unsuited to the Nigerian industry. Some of these issues may be accommodated by appropriate conditions of contract but these factors are considered to be withholding the development of the industry. Aniekwu and Okpala (1988) also identified some of the structural issues affecting the industry to include access to finance and lack of proper communication among consultants, contractors and the client at the early stages the project and during construction. Oyodele and Tham (2005) noted that lack of proper communication in the industry, boosted by its high level of fragmentation, has left it awash it with delay, cost and time overruns in addition to the disturbing rate of fluctuation in the prices of materials offered by the economy. The findings of the Building Research Establishment associated more than 50% of the construction defects with mistakes in project drawings and documentation due to inadequate interaction among the proj ect professionals. This is in line with the recommendation of the National Economic Development Office (1987) on the need for more accurate designs in the industry as this is responsible for nearly two-thirds of poor quality work in the industry. 2.1.2 Project Management in the Nigerian Construction Industry Odusemi et al, (2003) found that Project Management is still in its early stages of development in the Nigerian construction industry. The service is offered but only alongside other consultancy services. This is not assisted by the fact that PM is learned experientially and is not represented by established professional bodies, although many consultants are members of the Association of Project Management (APM) and the Project Management Institute (PMI). This has left the industry struggling with the challenges of satisfying the needs of its clients and the public as a whole. As noted by Oyodale and Tham (2005), the complexities presented by the industry can only be tackled by its professionals. Aibinu and Jagboro (2002) concluded that, considering the contribution of the construction industry to its nations economy, improved services in the form of greater efficiency and timeliness would certainly yield a positive impact. The research called on the need for innovative research that will improve management skills and ability, buildability, design quality, integration and communication and client focus so as to deliver value for money. 2.2 VALUE MANAGEMENT 2.2.1 Value Concept Historically, value is viewed from an economic perspective, hence its expression as a ratio of costs to benefits (Kelly et al, 2004). The concept of value is based on the relationship between satisfying needs and the expectations and the resources required to achieve them (British Standard, 2000). The above statement implies that for value to be correctly defined there ought to be some needs that are desired to be satisfied; which are then weighed against the required and available resources to achieve them. This however does not equate reduced cost to enhanced value. For instance, as illustrated in figure 2.1 below, a project manager may decide to commit more resources in the short run (which would obviously increase cost) with an intention of increasing his revenue (improved value) in the long run. Value can thus be increased when the clients satisfaction increases and the cost in terms of resources either diminishes, or increases to a lesser extent (Tassinari (1985, p37). Figure 2.1 showing the relationship between resources and customer satisfaction. (Adapted from British Standard, 2000) A need is that which is desired or necessary to perform a particular function and will differ depending on the nature of the client or the perspective from which it is defined (British Standard, 2000). This explains why value is often seen to be a subjective term (Thiry, 1997). According to Kelly et al (2004) producers and dealers may both view value as the price of a physical object while the consumers or users would see value from its performance perspective which changes with time. McGeorge and Palmer (2002) illustrate this using a modern home which has a little battery operated radio in addition to internet, phone, and television. Of course, the small radio would be perceived to have little or no value until a snow storm cuts the house off from the electric power supply which will render the radio as the only source of communication. The above example by McGeorge and Palmer (2002) shows the effect time and innovation can have on a clients interpretation of value and how it can change given a particular situation. The small battery operated radio was initially of very high value when it was the only available option but diminished with the invention and/or acquisition of internet, phone and television by the household. However its appreciation changed when the situation change. According to Zimmerman and Hart (1982Shona Flannery2010-07-24T16:24:00 p) as cited in Thiry (1997), if a design has not changed in 18 years, the product is either excellent or management has failed to improve it. However one knows that neither of these two conditions mentioned in the above statement is obtainable in the present construction industry due to its highly competitive nature. Most times clients interpretation of value is when it meets or exceeds their expectations. Kelly and Male (2007) described this using the Kanos model as shown in figure 2.3 below. Figure 2.2 Kanos Model, reproduced from Kelly and Male, 2007 As shown on Kanos model above, there are three levels of satisfaction factors; basic, performance and delighter, each having some effects on the quality characteristics including customers satisfaction. According to Kelly and Male (2007), Kanos model (figure 2.2) does not only portray the importance of achieving a clients immediate expectations from a project but also the need to go the extra mile to improve it beyond the clients expectations as this gives them a delighter satisfaction. The possible benefit from this is that projects would not become obsolete within a short period of its completion as its performance would still exceed the customers demand, thereby assuring the client of continued good value for his money. Kanos model also creates room for improved projects through innovative services and products as what was once a delighter over time goes down to basic and forms a baseline below which the client becomes d issatisfied. According to Harty (2009) one of the driving forces behind the value management concept is that it encourages innovation through research which is in line with the recommendations of Egan (1998) to improve the performance of the construction industry. 2.2.2 Defining the Client Value System Clients in the construction industry have been described as a heterogeneous group made up of private or public organisations operating in different environments with diverse reasons for their existence (Kelly et al 2007). Some of these are multinational organisations competing at the global level who already have reputations to protect while some are small upcoming organisations who are still very much profit driven. Viewed from another perspective, some of these clients are more experienced than others irrespective of their sizes or the sector in which they operate. It then follows that clients are unique in their own ways and have individual, respective requirements which determine their needs and hence what is of value to them. This is referred to as the client value system. Harmonizing and prioritizing these diverse views of stakeholders in a particular project at the project briefing stage sets the clients value system and ensures that value for money (VfM) is achieved, (OGC, 20 07). The client value system is thus seen as a basis for making decisions as to the allocation and use of resources available for a project, thereby addressing the usual mismatch between the clients actual intent and his capability (Thiry, 1996). According to Kelly et al (2004, p157) one of the most important considerations of value management is the recognition of the uniqueness of each clients value system. This creates demand for the construction industry as it is focused on the customers by making explicit what value means to the each individual client. Sequel to this, Kelly et al (2004) identified some measurable criteria which form a typical construction client value system to include time, capital costs, operating cost, environment, exchange, flexibility, esteem, comfort and politics. 2.2.2.1 Time Refers to the period from when the project was conceptualized to the period when it is completed and absorbed into the clients organisation. Often time is assessed on a continuum from when it is of essence to the point where it could be compromised (Kelly et al, 2004). For instance a project to build a sports bar for the 2010 world cup delivered just a day past the commencement of the tournament, may drastically affect its value. Hence it is necessary to determine what time means to the client. 2.2.2.2 Capital expenditure (CAPEX) Are those costs associated with the capital cost of a project, measured on a continuum between the budget being considered tight and not able to be exceeded to there being flexibility in budgeting (Kelly et al 2004). Simply put, CAPEX is what it cost to put a project on ground, from inception to handover. However, Elinwa and Joshua (2001) stated that it is sometimes difficult to separate the capital costs of some projects from its operating costs due the platform on which it was procured. For example a primary health centre to be procured through PFI, it may not be so easy to pin point the capital costs as it forms part of the total lease package. 2.2.2.3 Operating expenditure (OPEX) Spending on construction projects is not one off expenditure as the building requires to be operated, maintained and repaired throughout the life span of the building. According to Kelly et al (2004), OPEX can be defined as those costs associated with operation and maintenance of a completed project as it becomes a part of the clients organization; measured by the extent to which it is minimized to its point of being flexible. This depends on the use to which a building is being put to. For instance where the building is for residential purpose, the operating costs may include utilities, cleaning, repairs, maintenance, caretaker and security. This may be expanded to include photocopying and internet facilities and other office services for a commercial development. 2.2.2.4 Environment This defines how important achieving an environmentally friendly project is to the client. Kelly et al (2004) defined environment as the extent to which the project results in a sympathetic approach to its immediate and extended physical environments in terms of energy consumed in putting it up and in operating it. The yardstick here is the level to which the project complies with the Kyoto Agreement and Agenda 21 issues including other environmental regulations. This explains a clients interest in having a sustainable development which is resources conscious. 2.2.2.5 Exchange or resale This refers to the monetary value of the project were it to be sold, rented or valued as part of an organisations assets. Where the project cannot be traded on the open market value or there is no intention to resell ab initio, this will be indicated in the organisations value system (Kelly et al, 2004). The continuum here is between the returns from the project being of importance to the returns being of not of much or no importance to the client. 2.2.2.6 Flexibility As recommended by Egan (1998), there is a need for construction projects to be at a par with improvements in technology and changes in market demand. Hence flexibility as a value criterion is the extent to which a project parameter has to reflect this ever changing environment at its design stage (Kelly et al 2004). For instance, the nature of the healthcare industry involves constant improvements in technology and hence healthcare facilities must be compatible with the incorporation of these changes. However, flexibility depends on the nature of the project and is measured between being very easy to change its function to being impossible. 2.2.2.7 Esteem This refers to the amount of immediate resources that a client wants to forgo for attributes like prestige, aesthetic and appearance rather than performance (Thiry, 1996). Some projects may not be viable based on other value criteria but of high value to the client on esteem grounds. For instance, some projects undertaken by some countries could be just aimed at creating awareness and putting the countrys name on the map as in the case of the worlds tallest building in Dubai. 2.2.2.8 Comfort In the context of a building this refers to the physical and psychological comfort of the building as a place for working and living with its influence on human performance (Kelly et al 2004). Simply put, it refers to the ease with which the project supports the business carried out in it or other uses to which it is being put. 2.2.2.9 Politics This is external to projects and refers to the level of resources that the client wants to commit to the community, popularity and good neighbour issues which often determines how important they Shona Flannery2010-07-24T17:55:00 who?are to him (Kelly and Male, 2007). This is measured by the motive to be popular with the local community or not having any concern with them at all. In a study conducted to determine clients assessment of architects performance in Nigeria in terms of delivering value for money, Lukmon et al (2007), identified a set of 28 similar but correlated criteria which they grouped under quality of project, buildability, client focus and management skills. 2.2.3 Historical Background of Value Management A project is defined as an undertaking aimed at achieving a specific objective usually measured in terms of performance, budget and schedule, (Morris and Hough 1987). Hence project is an investment undertaken to add value to the core business of a client (Kelly et al, 2004). Value Management, as a management technique, offers the most logical approach to delivering VfM to clients (Shen and Liu 2003); Kelly and Male, 2007). Its strength may be attributed to its approach of identifying and/or verifying a clients value system among the relevant stakeholders at an early stage of the project, so that these may be reflected in the project design. According to Thiry (1996) the origins of VM can be traced back to the 1940s in what he described as more for less in the USA manufacturing industry. During World War II Lawrence Miles, an Engineer with General Electric, was faced with some strategic problems in producing some components which were easily produced in the past. As a way around this Miles, who before then has been dissatisfied with the cost of production in the industry, came to realise that most times circumstantial innovations result in better performance and reduced cost. This prompted Miles to ask what function does this component perform and how else can we perform that function (Dallas, 2006Shona Flannery2010-07-24T17:59:00 p). Miles questions gave rise to the concept of function analysis which was aimed at identifying and analysing the intended functions to determine if the materials for the proposed solution can be substituted with less expensive ones. Not long after, people started to adopt the technique of focusing on the intended function not the process which soon developed into what is today referred to as Value Analysis (VA). In many cases people perceived the technique as a cost reduction technique at the expense of improved functionality which is a total misconception of the technique (Kelly and Male, 1993). However, the technique was so successful that in less than 10 years it was adopted in the US Department of Defence to deliver VfM and from then on other industries in the USA have adapted it for application at different phases of their projects. Value Management (VM) as it came to be called, refers to a structured management of the total value equation throughout all stages of the project (Kelly et al; 2004). Figure 2.3 shows different stages and segments of the development of value management. Figure 2.3 The metamorphosis of Value Management, adapted from Dallas (2006) As illustrated in figure 2.3, Miles action in the 1940s was focused on getting alternative materials or components to perform the required function which was the beginning of value management. This was later perceived as a cost cutting technique before the adoption of a holistic structured approach to improving value (Kelly and Male, 1993). Following the development and positive impacts of value management in the US manufacturing sector, the technique was adopted into the US construction industry as a means of delivering VfM to its clients in the 1960s. Fong and Shen (2000) noted that VM was first introduced in the US construction industry in 1968 and its application in the Chinese construction industry is recorded to occur 10 years later (Shen and Liu, 2004). According to Kelly et al (2004), the value management technique was first used in the UK 30 years after it was introduced in the US manufacturing industry at the Xerox headquarters, an American company. From then on VM has grown to become widely accepted in different parts of the world as a logical means to achieve value for money (Fong, 2004; Kelly et al, 2004; Ellis et al, 2004) including in Africa (Bowen et al, 2008). 2.2.4 Benefits of Value management Value management is a proactive, problem solving service, which maximizes the functional value of a project through a structured team which makes explicit the clients value system and weights further decisions against the value system.(Kelly et al, 1998). VM aims to justify the place of a project in a clients organisation at an early stage and develops a strategic plan against which it is built on to deliver value for money. VM is often misconstrued to being a cost reduction exercise, hence seen to be synonymous with value engineeringShona Flannery2010-07-24T18:14:00 . According to Dallas (2006) cost reduction, which is an obvious output of a value management exercise, cannot after all be seen as its main motive. As illustrated in figure 2.4 below, VM incorporates value engineering and value analysis in its value definition exercise and so could be perceived to be a universal set for the three concepts. Figure 2.4 shows the relationship between Value Management, Value Engineering and Value Analysis, adapted from Connaughton and Green (1996) VM looks at a project from a holistic point of view (time, whole life cost and performance) in the context of its usage which properly fits in the definition of value for money (). Connaughton and Green (1996) identified the following benefits which a properly executed Value Management exercise can yield: The need for the project is made explicit and verified by available data. The project objectives are identified and discussed openly to reach a consensus. Rational, explicit and measurable decisions are guaranteed after alternatives have been considered. Project designs are developed from the agreed framework, which are evaluated on the basis of the agreed performance criteria. There is greater participation from stakeholders which guarantees their buy in. There is improved communication and teamwork spirit throughout the project. Improved innovation with better quality definition in the project. Unnecessary cost is eliminated which may lead to a reduction in cost. Properly executed, value management when employed at the early stages of a project can help eliminate unnecessary cost to the tune of 10% to 25% savings on the proposed capital cost of project (Ellis et al, 2004). This is considered to be reasonable compared to the actual cost of the VM exercise, which is estimated at about 0.5% to 1% of the projects cost (REF). 2.3 APPLICATION OF VALUE MANAGEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Any construction project should be only commissioned following a careful analysis of needs since failure to think through project requirements will almost certainly cause problems for subsequent design and construction stages. For that reason, the Construction Industry Board recommends that value management be incorporated as an integral part of the construction process (Baldwin 1998). The value management approach may differ between countries depending on the nature of their construction industry or the chosen procurement route in a particular project. However, this does not dispute the fact that the VM technique can be gainfully applied at any stage of a construction project, as clients/contractors are often faced with the challenge of finding an optimum balance between cost, time, quality and performance criteria (Fong 2004). In the UK, the USA, Australia and other countries where the value management technique is well established, VM is applied through a process referred to as the value management study (British Standard, 2000) or value management process (Kelly et al; 1998) via a workshop approach facilitated by value manager or experienced team facilitator. A value management study, as defined in BS12947, involves the application of value management to a particular business case identified within a VM programme. Baldwin (1998, as cited in Kelly et al, 1998) noted that VM is not a question of brainstorming and problem solving, rather it requires a structured methodology in order to have the required outcome. Figure 2.5 overleaf depicts a simple VM study plan developed for the European Value Management standard (British Standard, 2000). Figure 2.5 shows a simple VM study plan, adapted from the British Standard (2000) The VM study plan represents a systematic approach to ensuring that appropriate techniques and skills are utilized in the value study. According to the British Standard (2000), as shown in the VM study plan above, a VM study should aim to achieve the following objectives; Identify the objectives and targets the intended study is set to achieve; as this may differ from the project objectives. Formulate the relevant approach needed to achieve the objectives, including team selection and training (where necessary). Identify the relevant functions which will lead to the achievement of the objectives. Identify some basis for measuring changes in performance and use of resources. Set targets for performance and use of resources for the above identified functions in a way peculiar to the organisations. Identify innovative ways of arriving at the targets through the application of the above methods. Evaluate the proposal for improvement. Implement the proposal which have been chosen by the decision makers Monitor and measure the outcomes in relation to the target. Feedback results for continuous improvement of VM programme. There are different approaches to value management studies in different countries with regards to team compositions and workshop procedure. For instance in the American construction industry, VM studies are typically carried out by an independent workshop team who will have to sell their ideas to the project team later on. This is different from the UK practice where the existing project team is fully involved in the study. In a benchmarking exercise carried by Kelly et al (1998), the use of an existing project team in conducting value management studies appeared to be the preferred approach due to the following advantages accruable to the project; Cost of the study is relatively minimized Time spent project briefing the study participants is reduced Waste of resources on previously considered but failed ideas are eliminated Offers better opportunity for developing project teams during the workshop More opportunity to explore all available options Implementation is more guaranteed as team members have already accepted ideas which they generated as a team, thereby reducing the development period. However, generic VM workshop strives to add value to a project by considering the project on its whole life basis. Kelly et al (1998) who were in support of this view identified the five key value opportunities at which VM technique can be employed to include pre-brief workshop, proper Shona Flannery2010-07-24T18:44:00 ?workshop, sketch design workshop, final working design and implementation workshop. 2.3.1 Pre-brief workshop The Value Manager or Facilitator meets with the project sponsor/client to clarify the place of the project in his organisation or programme. This will give the two parties a better understanding of the functional expectations of the project so as to help form a basis for the project briefing workshop and the clients value system. This may yield solution/s to the clients problem, for example, whether a new building is needed or renovation of existing one will achieve the same objectives. 2.3.2 Proper workshop Proceeds from the identified solution in the pre-brief phase and aims to identify the clients value system. This workshop offers an opportunity to facilitate the project team, understand their dynamics and guide them to achieve the desired goal. Though it is expected that the workshop has an agenda, this should not be too detailed, thereby making the timings tight, as this may divert the focus from achieving the objectives of the workshop to exhausting the items on the agenda. The tactical skills of the Facilitator are very much needed at this stage of the workshop if its participants are to be productive and should be as brief and focused as possible. 2.3.3 Sketch design workshop Sets a base for the detailed drawings and represents the design teams perception of the