Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Admissions Data

Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Admissions Data The Virginia Military Institute is a selective school that accepts roughly half of applicants each year. See what makes it unique and what it takes to attend this college. About VMI Established in 1839, the Virginia Military Institute is the oldest public military college in the United States and one of the countrys six Senior Military Colleges (with The Citadel, NGCSU, Norwich University, Texas AM, and Virginia Tech). VMI is not for everyone, and students should be ready for a disciplined and demanding college environment (new cadets are called Rats). Unlike students at the U.S. military academies, students at the Virginia Military Institute are not required to serve in the armed forces after graduation. VMI ranks highly among public undergraduate institutions, and the schools engineering programs are particularly strong. In athletics, most teams of the VMI Keydets compete in the NCAA Division I Southern Conference. Will you get in if you apply? ​Calculate your chances of getting in with this free tool from Cappex. Admissions Data (2017) Virginia Military Institute Acceptance Rate: 53Â  percentGPA, SAT and ACT graph for VMITest Scores: 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 560 / 640SAT Math: 540 / 640What these SAT numbers meanSouthern Conference SAT score comparisonTop Virginia colleges SAT comparisonACT Composite: 23 / 28ACT English: 22 / 28ACT Math: 23Â  / 27What these ACT numbers meanSouthern Conference ACT score comparisonTop Virginia colleges ACT comparison Enrollment (2017) Total Enrollment: 1,722Â  (all undergraduate)Gender Breakdown: 88 percent male / 12 percent female100 percent Full-time Costs (2017–18) Tuition and Fees: $18,214 (in-state); $43,902 (out-of-state)Books: $1,000 (why so much?)Room and Board: $9,236Other Expenses: $2,150Total Cost: $30,600 (in-state); $56,288 (out-of-state) Virginia Military Institute Financial Aid (2016–17) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 89Â  percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 69 percentLoans: 76Â  percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $14,434Loans: $8,265 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors: Civil Engineering, Economics, History, International Relations, Mechanical Engineering, PsychologyWhat major is right for you? Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Graduation and Retention Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 87Â  percentTransfer-out Rate: 20 percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 63Â  percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 77Â  percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports: Football, Lacrosse, Rifle, Soccer, Baseball, Basketball, WrestlingWomens Sports: Rifle, Water Polo, Swimming, Track and Field, Soccer If You Like VMI, You May Also Like These Schools Old Dominion University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphJames Madison University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of North Georgia: ProfileERAU - Daytona Beach: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphCollege of William Mary: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphNorth Carolina State University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUS Naval Academy: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph Virginia Military Institute Mission Statement mission statement from vmi.edu/about/ It is the mission of those at Virginia Military Institute to develop educated, honorable men and women, prepared for the varied work of civil life, imbued with love of learning, confident in the functions and attitudes of leadership, possessing a high sense of public service, advocates of the American democracy and free enterprise system, and ready as citizen-soldiers to defend their country in time of national peril. Data Source: National Center for Education Statistics

Saturday, November 23, 2019

How to Succeed in Your Literature Class

How to Succeed in Your Literature Class Listening,  reading, and being prepared for your class can make a dramatic difference in how you understand the books, poetry, and stories for your class. Heres how to succeed in your literature class from high school through college. Be on Time Even on the first day of class, you might miss out on important details (and homework assignments) if youre even 5 minutes late for class. In order to discourage tardiness, some teachers refuse to accept homework if youre not there when class starts. Also, literature teachers may ask you to take a short quiz, or write a response paper in the first few minutes of classjust to make sure that you did the required reading! Buy the Books at the Beginning of the Term Or, if the books are being provided, be sure you have the book when you need to start your reading. Dont wait until the last minute to start reading the book. Some literature students wait to buy some of their books until half-way through the semester/quarter. Imagine their frustration and panic when they find that there arent any copies of the required book left on the shelf. Be Prepared Be sure you know what the reading assignment is for the day, and read the selection more than once. Also, read through the discussion questions before class. Be Sure You Understand If youve read through the assignment and the  discussion questions, and you still dont understand what youve read, start thinking about why! If youre having difficulty with the terminology, look up any words you dont understand. If you cant concentrate on the assignment, read the selection out loud. Ask Questions! Remember: if you think the question is confusing, there are probably other students in your class who are wondering the same thing. Ask your teacher; ask your classmate, or ask for help from the Writing/Tutoring Center. If you have questions about assignments, tests, or other graded assignments, ask those questions right away! Dont wait until right before the  essay is due or just as the tests are being passed out. What You Need Always make sure you come to class prepared. Have a notebook or tablet to take notes, pens, a dictionary, and other critical resources with you at class and while you are doing work at home.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Marketing planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing planning - Essay Example The time when company started its business, only 20 smoothies were sold and this figure has increased up to 420,479 smoothies’ everyday which is a considerable achievement. Increasing sales, revenues and consumption of smoothies indicate that the quality of products offered by the company has been remarkable because of which Innocent Drinks is able to achieve a lot. Products offered by the company are made up of natural fruits and the quality management team makes sure that the fruits are fresh so that the quality of the products is maintained. Product life cycle is defined as the stage of the product as the life of the product increases, it moves from growth stage to maturity stage and then it starts declining (Kotler, 2009). Smoothies are at present during the growth stage of product lifecycle (Innocent). Products offered by Innocent Drinks are also at present in the growth stage and the increasing demand of smoothies represents further growth of the product. As the products offered by the company are still growing and generating substantial amount of revenues for Innocent Drinks. The market as well as the company is growing at the moment however major portion of the industry has been captured by Innocent Drinks with approximately 71% of the total market share. At a time when the market growth rate would decline, then Innocent Drinks can be considered as cash cow. Perceptual mapping shows that the products offered by Innocent Drinks are considered as of high quality and at the same time the prices of these products are believed to be relatively higher than the prices of competitors. Although some competitors are offering it at a lower price, but then the quality of products offered by these competitors is a question mark thus Innocent Drink is able to provide quality products at a relatively higher price. According to Ansoff Matrix the

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

The Ku Klux Klan in the Reconstruction Era Research Paper

The Ku Klux Klan in the Reconstruction Era - Research Paper Example Members of the Ku Klux Klan waged underground campaigns of intimidation and violence against white and black Republican leaders and, despite the Congress’s legislation that aimed to curb Klan terrorism, the KKK organization carried out its primary goal of establishing white supremacy by ensuring Democratic victories in state legislatures particularly in the southern states around 1870’s. The Ku Klux Klan has persisted over the decades, sometimes declining in influence, only to re-emerge later, renewed and powerful than before, thereby leading to the different chapters of the organization that have no connection with one another; this paper provides a detailed account of the Ku Klux Klan particularly in the reconstruction era. The reconstruction era The Reconstruction era in the US refers to the period 1865 to 1877, following the American Civil War, during which many efforts towards addressing the inequalities of slavery together with its socio-economic and political leg acy (Ramold 164). Conventionally, the reconstruction period is a time when vindictive radical republicans imposed black supremacy upon the defeated Confederacy, though, the late 2oth century reconstruction period is an experimental moment for interracial democracy. ... ttance into the Union; the laws and constitutional amendments that laid the foundation for the most radical phase of the reconstruction era came in place from 1866 to 1871, granting freedmen equal rights under the constitution. Following these reconstruction amendments, blacks were voting and taking political office; a politically mobilized black community coupled with their white allies brought the Republican Party to power, with a redefinition of government responsibilities. The Ku Klux Klan in the reconstruction era had one primary objective, which was to trounce the Republican attempts to establish equal political and economic rights for the blacks through intimidation and violence that was directed to both white and black Republican legislatures. The Ku Klux Klan fired violence was so pervasive that Congress had to pass the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, granting authorization for military protection of the blacks against the Klan violence and terrorism. The reconstruction era was a significant mark in the history of civil rights movements in the US (Wiesenberger 951), though, most historians remain highly critical of this period’s failure to curb white supremacy effectively. The Ku Klux Klan then The Ku Klux Klan was a construct of the former Confederate soldiers and it was very active in the period following the Civil War, lasting throughout the reconstruction era; the group was largely comprised of Democratic ex-Confederate veterans, poor white farmers, as well as, white southerners, who were sympathetic to the declining white supremacy. The Ku Klux Klan of the reconstruction era was a highly organized entity that spread fear and violence systematically; the Ku Klux Klan system was largely a militant politico in nature, and it was meant to influence power

Sunday, November 17, 2019

The Media Impact on Youth Violence Essay Example for Free

The Media Impact on Youth Violence Essay When we were children, there were only thirteen channels on television, only one house phone, there was no cellular phones and no computer but a typewriter in the house. We played outside, hopscotch, jump rope and stickball. Was not allow to watch primetime Television including the news, we was told its was for grown-ups. My, how times change from then to now, everywhere you turn you have access to some sort of media outlet, television with over hundreds channels in every language, almost everyone has a smart cellular phones, hand held video games, computers are made portable as laptops, tablets and iPads. Not to mention every social media you can think of, Facebook, twitter, Instagram, Myspace, and so forth. In today`s world the media is like a double edge sword and has been blamed for numerous of society’s down falls including youth violence, that has become one of the largest discussions in America. The media outlet have been accused for starting street arguments among rap artist, youth homicides, gun violence in schools and street gangs’ wars. Even though society shouldn’t be held accountable for the behavior of youth people, the media increases violence behavior because of the availability of media access and lack of parental control on the media. Youth violence can start at a very early age and continue onto adolescence and young adulthood. This behavior can be harmful to the youth involve in the violence or the victim. Youth violence is define in the CDC report, bullying, slapping, hitting, and causing physical and bodily harm to another person with or without weapons. Rampantly, youth violence is sweeping across United States becoming the second largest killer of youth (Prevention, 2012) ages 15 to 24. According to the recent study done by the CDC, â€Å"Understanding Youth Violence† (2012): â€Å"4,828 young people aged 10 to 24 were victims of homicide—an average of 13 each day—in 2010.1† â€Å"Over 707,000 young people aged 10 to 24 years had physical assault injuries treated in U.S. emergency departments in 2011—an average of 1,938 each day.1† â€Å"In a 2011 nationwide survey, about 33% of high school students reported being in a physical fight in the 12 months before the survey.† â€Å"About 5% of high school students in 2011 reported taking a weapon to school in the 30 days before the survey.† â€Å"In 2011, 20% of high school students reported being bullied on school property and 16% reported being bullied electronically.† â€Å"Each year, youth homicides and assault-related injuries result in an estimated $16 billion in combined medical and work loss costs.† â€Å"Understanding Youth Violence† (20 12): In the past, the two famous rap artists were victims of violence that led to their murders because of propaganda that generated finance in the music media and taken serious by the listening audience, which was mostly adolescence and young adults. The two victims were Christopher â€Å"Biggie Smalls† Wallace and Tupac Shakur. These artists lived two coast apart. Tupac was from the West Coast and Christopher was from the East Coast, which turned into an â€Å"East Coast and West Coast Beef.† As we take off the vial of truth, of how this started the bottom line is gang related. These artists used the music media as a source for their personal turf war. Music, a weapon for the war to fuel the misrepresentation and represents their gangs, â€Å"Bloods and Crips.† Street gangs are the response to direct interferences and indirect factors. People react differently to gangs; most people are in denial or in shock (Justice, 1999). Gangs are the urban answer to the community trying to solve an economic and demographic problem that they think, can be solved with violence. Their community is in a state where children grow up with no father and seek male guidance from the gang leader that in their eyes seem like the answer because he has money, and respected in the streets; this is what children in the urban community thinks is the way of life, money, power, and respect. Behind this concept, violence seems to be the answer to all problems. As, stated above the media would take this economic problem and call it â€Å"Black on Black Crime† and make it look like the people are just killing each other and the media sometimes glorify and make the gangs look like the thing to be because the street credit the media created for the person/s is rampant. Recently, school across the country in suburban America has been face with the increase in school violence. Let us look at the recent school shooting in Sandy Hook Elementary, CT, a community that was not affect by the inner city demographic such as impoverish neighborhoods, but are not invincible to the social and public media as this tragic news went viral throughout the airwaves. Cyber bullying also has become a source of youth violence, through the Internet, and cellphones, young people has found ways to hurt their peers by sending threating messages, posting rumors and harassing messages on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Cyber bullying can cause anxiety, depression, and been link to suicides. Young people has found this new platform in the media to humiliate there friends and impose emotional violence on another (Prevention C. f., 2012). My son was victim of cyber bullying that was also gang related. Facebook was as the medium to instigate and carry out actions that resulted in my son being shot. He was victimized electronically, which made him react with words in a rap and the counter-reaction resulted in gun violence. The media can be blame for the increase in youth violence especially, living in today`s cyber revolution, with ready available wifi and news at your fingertips. It difficult to block out and stay ignorant to the violence in the world around us, children’s cartoons, movies, video games and music videos has become the entertainment for adolescence and young adults, with action fights, aggressive behavior, and foul language which basically co-sign the glamorous world full of acceptable bad behavior. The violence in the media has because an enormous entertainment business, from Monday Night Raw on cable television to Assassin’s Creed, one of the top ten bestseller video game. The video games industry in the past decade only has become one of the largest part of world entertainment industry. The numbers tell us in grossing over twenty something billion dollars in 2011 in American sales alone, which make it clear that this industry is one of the key player in media entertainment environment. From the first release of Atari, game system in the early in the mid-70s to Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStations, and Microsoft Xbox, video games has definitely come a long way. The household entertainment budget show over forty percent of American households has a gaming system and because of the inappropriate and violence content, such as shooting, murders, theft and fighting. Some experts like David Welsh believes that video games can be bad for children`s health increasing the heart rate and blood pressure in children who spend more than eight hours a week on the game console.{The impact of Media on Children and Teens}. As well as increasing aggressive behavior among youth, for example the recent story in Washington in the media, about a fourteen-year-old boy shooting his parents, because they took away his video games. Most parents today toil to find a suitable balance between keeping up, and staying ahead of the children`s entertainment agenda with an ever-growing worlds of technology and media this has become quite difficult. With devices like smartphones and video game console that can access the Internet like a computers, and with the constant availability to media, parents are face with the struggle of not know whether or not their children is being exposed to appropriate content. This twenty first century has become more difficult to raise a child than the nineteen century, back then society was about up bring, decency and respect. Today`s society has though out yesterday`s value and is focus on what sells, indecency, profanity, sexuality and violence makes money and that’s the bottom line. This new society, most parents are single and overworked, lacking the resource of childcare, are force to use the media as a 24 hours babysitter. We do needs to protect our children from the money hungry media that is victimize our children at the expense of lining their pockets, by setting limits of television, gaming and not give a children a cell phone until they are mature and responsible enough to use it, but how can we be without being in two places at once. In conclusions as the media impact on youth violence will continue to be an ongoing discussion in America, whether it`s lack of parent superior or the media has no consideration and has no respect for society. We trusted the media for years and have brought them into our living rooms to entertain and some cases educate our families. Simply, due to evolution they have fell short of that responsibility, the constant changing technology of electronic gadgets and the overwhelming access to the media via the worldwide web giving entree to social networks, video games and cyber bullying and unlimited access to movies. With this new age society, we have forgotten how to raise our own children and left them in the hands of technology. As well as myself, have been guilty of handing my toddler the iPad to keep her quite at times. If we continue to depend on technology to raise our children, not spending that one-on-one time that is needed, our children would not have any social skills and a lack empathy for others which; leads to actions without thinking logic of consequences, which is not learned on television and the video games. A parent has to take the responsibility back to raise his or her own children and not use technology as babysitters. Furthermore, wasn’t that the way our parent was raises fifty to sixty years ago and there was very low crime and little to none youth violence, because there was limited or no media access. References Gentile, D. A., Humphrey, J., Walsh, D. A. (Jun 2005). Media Ratings for Movies, Music, Video Games, and Television: a Review of the Research and Recommendations for Improvements. Adolescent Medicine Clinics. Walsh, D. (2002). A Normative Study of Family Media habits. (Parentfurther.com, Interviewer) Justice, U. D. (1999, August ). Addressing community gang problems: A model for problem solving. Retrieved from Office of Jusitce Programs: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/programs/yvp_gangs.htm Prevention, C. f. (2012, October 23). Electronic Aggression. Retrieved from CDC.gov: www.cdc.gov/volienceprevention/youthvolience/electrionicaggression Prevention, C. f. (2012, Oct 19). Understanding Youth Violence. Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/voilenceprevention: http://www.cdc.gov

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Freedom from Reality Essay -- Mark Tw

In Mark Twain’s, Huck Finn, Huck seeks to escape oppression from his father and manages to fake his own death and run away. Just after his escape, Huck meets Jim, a familiar runaway slave to who he regretfully decides to help. Along their journey they travel down the Mississippi River which comes to serve as an asylum away from the influences of society. While the river initially appears to offer freedom from the wrongs of society, it ironically brings them closer towards the oppression of southern society. Initially the river offers Huck and Jim physical and mental liberation from society. Searching for freedom, Huck and Jim learn that they need to use the river as their path to freedom. On the river, they find beauty, peace, and also discover that they make their own rules: Sometimes we'd have that whole river all to ourselves for the longest time†¦maybe you could hear a fiddle or a song coming over from one of them crafts. It's lovely to live on a raft. We had the sky up there, all speckled with stars, and we used to lay on our backs and look up at them, and discuss about whether they was made or only just happened. (1325) In this passage, we see how life on the river opens them up to pondering new ideas and discovering new found appreciation for nature. Through a physical separation they are able to appreciate the friendship and liberation that nature offers. They recognize that they are away from society and now have only the stars, the sky and the river to guide them. This physical separation also gives them a sense of mental separation, where they are able to make their own rules and become open to ideas. When Huck says, â€Å"I was boss of it, it all belonged to me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1267), we see that Huck fee... ..., Huck’s journey down the river opens his eyes to the ugliness of human nature and the danger in losing sight of reality. Huck’s illusion of the river as being a genuine escape from society is cut short by the quick invasion and the steady influence southern society has. The invasion of southern society to life on the river tears down the physical and mental barriers and once again attempts to enslave them to the influences of society. Until that point, their journey down the Mississippi is just another one of Tom’s adventures. It is through this placement back into the realms of reality that Huck and Jim finally are able to challenge ideas of not only southern society but also human nature. Works Cited Clemens, Samuel. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter, et al. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Lexington: Heath, 1994.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Disney: An organisational culture Essay

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the corporate culture of Disney. Within the discussion, a number of topics will be addressed that include: formal statements prevalent in the organization and their impact to the organization, a description of the environment and the statement it makes relative to the organization, the types of language or sayings used in the organization, the type of role modeling, training and teaching that is emphasized, rewards used to motivate employees, stories and legends that are familiar to employees and customers, outcome measures used by leaders within the organization, how leaders respond to critical incidents or crisis, workflow and organizational structure, an evaluation of organization systems and procedures and the types of organizational goals and associated criteria used for the selection of employees. Disney philosophy The mission of The Walt Disney Company is to be one of the world’s leading producers and providers of entertainment and information. Using their portfolio of brands to differentiate their content, services and consumer products, they seek to develop the most creative, innovative and profitable entertainment experiences and related products in the world (Disney.com). This mission statement originated from the original business philosophy of Walt Disney which was: (a) quality will out! (b) give the people everything you can give them; (c) keep the place as clean as you can keep it; (d) keep it friendly; (e) make it a fun place to be (Johnson, 1991). According to Rick Johnson in his article A Strategy for Service (1991), Walt Disney was committed to the single goal of creating happiness for customers whom Walt called guests. He knew that if guests were happy, they would return. Disney also understood that one bad guest experience or disappointment would conversely keep that guest from returning. The focus of Disney corporate culture is guest driven service. In order to ensure there is no deviation from the goal, Disney has created a corporate culture in which the employees or â€Å"cast members† live while at work. It is the Disney way of life which places service to guests above all else. Disney’s legendary customer service is so renowned that today, companies from all areas of business engage in Disney training to improve their customer service. Another key element of Disney culture is to foster creativity and to sustain innovation (Lynch 2001). Disney knew that when employees were encouraged to â€Å"think out of the box† and that their ideas were respected, they would consistently deliver. Disney was known for seeking input from all levels within the organization because he believed good ideas could come from anywhere. The Disney environment Disney opened his first theme park in 1955. His goal was to provide a good show through themed entertainment. Disney essentially transformed his legendary animated movies into reality. The entire park became a stage filled with props and actors. When guests entered Disneyland, they were no longer the audience; they became part of the show. In order for this to be successful, Disney understood he had to control the environment so to speak so that the experience was replicated. He believed that by controlling the environment, the reactions of the guests within the environment could be predicted (Johnson 1991). Disney also understood he had to control the response of his employees to the guests. Being a director and movie-maker, Disney’s view was that it would not be unlike controlling the action in a play or movie in which the cast members have a script and an expected set of actions. Disney took this philosophy a step further by making every employee a cast member. Cast members have a script and a set of standards that are acted out every time they go to work at a Disney location. It is easy to understand why Disney was so successful in consistently delivering the Disney experience. Disneyspeak corporate language Disney created an entire corporate culture by transforming his movie productions into real life experiences for people. One of the ways in which Disney was able to accomplish this feat was by expressing his expectations through the development of a unique corporate language referred to as â€Å"Disneyspeak† (Edginton, 1998) that set the stage and expectations for his vision. In the world of Disney, people were no longer customers, they became guests. Disney teams were charged with the study of â€Å"guestology† (Johnson 1991) which was to develop programs and actions that would consistently exceed guest expectations. Employees became cast members who are literally cast in a role for daily performance (Edginton, 1998) designed to create â€Å"magic moments† for the guests. All of this conveys the message that guests are at the center of all actions and interactions. Cast members understand that attention to detail is critical and that their role is to â€Å"sell the vision† to every guest. Disney empowers cast members with the service theme of â€Å"creating happiness† and provides extensive training, communication and support systems to ensure cast members can make the best decision with every guest encounter (Johnson 1991). Role modeling, training and teaching It seems that Walt Disney is established upon the training, teaching and role modeling among their employees to have good customer service. Everyone who has ever been to a Walt Disney theme park is often warmly welcomed by greetings from such role models handed down through the years to children and adults alike of characteristics like those of Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck. These three characters are the main role models of how the rest of the staff should be trained and taught to handle their guests at the Disney Park it appears. This example is not to say that their reputable service is necessarily grounded in stone rather it is ever evolving based upon the premise of their well-known hospitality. The whole concept of their welcoming practices seem to revolve around what their guests would expect and is developed through this whole company as a result of the efforts pertaining to their Public Relations. Employee rewards and recognition Some of the incentives and rewards that the managers and staff receive are warm and generous letters from their visitors and guests as evidenced by the following statements. â€Å"Staff members at Disney receive plenty of training, support, and recognition from their leaders and they don’t stay around long if they don’t buy into the Disney culture† (Amusement Business, Vol. 115 Issue 49, p3, 2p). â€Å"A great deal of passion goes into training and that results in happier employees†, so it seems that the rewards and status symbols that are used to motivate the employees of Disney is a culture and tradition of understanding and compassion that are handed down from employee to employee based on the Disney model throughout the years. In addition to the compassion and understanding, there is much room for growth and promotion as an incentive for those who work hard and do well. Weiss, one of the head managers at Walt Disney walks through the park among the buying public guests to make sure that everything is going smoothly. Additionally, he strives to make himself as accessible to his employees at Disney as possible which helps to promote the communication among the employees that they are working in a compassionate and understanding environment. His style of management functions as incentives and rewards which motivate the Disney staff. Disney legends The Walt Disney collections, Walt’s masterworks, and Walt’s thought are among the stories, legends, and myths familiar to employees and customers. The story of Pinocchio was heartwarming of a unique friendship. The artwork picture of Pinocchio underlined Walt’s belief of designing his animated characters to look real as if they were made of flesh and blood. The animation of â€Å"Bambi† was an interesting picture which took over Pinocchio. Bambi, a deer, was an animated character with an anatomy. The animation of Bambi was an improvement in quality of artwork in all his pictures. Bambi’s mother who was killed off-screen is remembered as one of the most powerful moments of any Disney film. The Golden Age of Animation (1937 – 1942) also called the â€Å"creative explosion† marks the most creative periods in the history of Disney Studios on animation motion pictures. The release of â€Å"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs† and â€Å"Bambi† films during this five year period remain the most memorable periods in history and a lasting tribute to the remarkable career of Walter Elias Disney. In a study by the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, children who watch animated films produced by Disney Studios are exposed to a greater incidence of mental illness than they may have experienced if they had watched similar films on TV (Lawson, and Fonts. 2004). Organizational activities, processes and outcome measures In its efforts to uphold excellence, and integrity in all its professional relationships, Walt Disney undertakes the following business activities described below. The Disney Studio Entertainment is the foundation on which the Walt Disney Company was built. The Studio Entertainment is known for its rich legacy of quality creative content and exceptional storytelling. At the heart of the Studio Entertainment are the renowned animated features and live-action motion pictures. The Studio Entertainment distributes its pictures under Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Miramax Films, and Buena Vista Home Entertainment. The Disney name has now become associated with quality entertainment for the whole family. The Disney Parks and Resorts has become one of the most popular amusement parks known to tourists in recent times. It is the home of the Disney’s beloved characters-Mickey Mouse, Pinocchio, Cinderella and the whole lot. Among the Parks and Resorts are Disneyland in Anaheim, California, Disneyland in Orlando, Florida, Tokyo Disney Resort, and Disneyland Resort in Paris. In all, there are 10 theme Parks on three continents with the 11th Park in Hong Kong to be opened in September 2005. In addition, 35 resort hotels and two luxury cruise ships is part of entertainment offerings in Hong Kong. The Disney theme parks and resorts celebrate Disneyland 50th Anniversary, an 18 month celebration which is scheduled to begin May 5, 2005. The Disney Consumer Products began merchandising in 1929 with the appearance of Mickey Mouse on the cover of a children’s writing tablet. Among its products are apparel, toys, home dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½cor, and books to interactive games, foods and beverages, electronics and fine art. DisneyStore.com and Disney catalog are the direct marketing tools used by Walt Disney Company. Disney Media Networks include the television, radio, cable, and the internet landscape. ABC entertainment, ABC Daytime, ABC News, and ABC sports appear on the television media. For the cable network are Disney channel, ABC Family, and Toon Disney. And for the radio media are Radio Disney and ABC News Radio. A fund with the American Red Cross has been set up by the Walt Disney Company with an initial donation of one million dollars and having its employees as contributors. The first quarter of 2005 financial results for the Walt Disney Company will be announced live beginning Monday January 31, 2005 at 4:30pm (E ST) through February 7, 2005 at 4:00pm (PST). Disney leadership reaction to critical incidents and crisis The Business leaders at Walt Disney pay attention to the world around them almost as much as they mange their organization. In doing so, DisneyHand a worldwide outreach of The Walt Disney Company brings the magic of Disney to those affected by incidents beyond their control. Along with cast-members (called Disney VoluntEARS), outreach helps in the areas of compassion, partnering with organizations that serve children, families, or others facing crises. In fiscal year 2004, DisneyHand donated more than $165 million in cash. Disney VoluntEARS also contributed more than 450,000 hours to help that in need (Business Wire 2001). In September 2001, DisneyHand committed to contributing 5 Million Dollars to the DisneyHAND Survivor Relief Fund. (Business Wire 2001) These donations went to providing assistance to victims and their Families of the New York and Washington D.C. 9/11 attacks. In doing so, Disney and DisneyHand display a culture of empathy and solidifies its corporate culture of ethical practices, and giving to the community. DisneyHand also creates the perception of an organization interested in more then just making money. The Disney staff embraces a philosophy that when they react to the incidents that happens around them, they can help in the best way with their own contributions. Workflow and organizational structure Workflow can be defined as the process used by an organization to manage operational task. McShane and Von Glinow define â€Å"Organizational structure as the division of labor as well as the patterns of coordination, communication, work flow, and formal power that directs organizational activities† (McShane & VonGlinow, 2003, p. 506). The workflow and structure of an organization helps to define week or strong organizations. Disney’s main strength comes from its organizational structure and workflow of managing the process of creativity and innovation. In doing so, they foster a culture that ensure controlled risk taking. Walt Disney has a structured methodology in its workflow and organizational structure. To ensure all employees and the organization follow this physiology, Disney uses the following five phased model: 1. Define the Culture – For the Organization and In every venture taken a. If a new theme ride is proposed, does the attraction fit within the Disney Culture 2. Align the ideas – To the Organizational Mission Statement and Strategic Direction a. Does a new movie or show parallel Disney’s Vision, Mission, and or Strategic Plan 3. Design the Process – Where ideas flow easily from conception to deployment a. Disney has open lines of communication between all employees from the CEO to a part time worker 4. Refine the Product of Service – Continually improve the idea a. Disney is always asking their customer what they can do to enhance their products. Then they add these enhancements to meet customer expectations. 5. Create Fail Safes – Embrace the concept of successful failures a. At Disney there are no bad ideas, and ideas that are not successes in the market place are opportunities to learn what the customer wants Organizational systems and procedures The Walt Disney Company incorporates Business Standards and Ethics training into its system to provide education and training for domestic and international employees. Disney wants to insure that all of its employees act ethically and legally, and remain in compliance with the company’s Standards of Business Conduct. Disney works towards keeping its communication open among its staff. Disney believes that open communication creates better teamwork and a healthy environment. According to Risk Management Society Publishing Inc. (1993), â€Å"Walt Disney has one of the most sophisticated risk management programs in the US. Disney has a separate loss control, safety, environmental health and industrial hygiene departments. All Walt Disney facilities worldwide are equipped to handle these functions in one form or another.† Walt Disney still holds true to its core mission that it started with, and that is providing quality entertainment for everyone around the world. In a quote from the Vice President and Principal Creative Executive at Walt Disney Imagineering, Sklar (2003) states â€Å"From the beginning, starting with Walt Disney, we have had five things that make me proud to be part of this Company: high-quality products, optimism for the future, great storytelling, an emphasis on family entertainment and great talent, passion and dedication from our Cast Members.† Disney’s values are their driving force that makes them retain the trust of the public and their shareholders. Those values are innovation, quality, community, storytelling, optimism and decency. Employee selection and replacement Walt Disney is committed to treating their employees and cast members with fairness, dignity, and respect. Disney provides equal opportunity for everyone without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, or any of the other basis that are prohibited by state or federal law. Disney strives to help their employees develop and advance based on their abilities. They want to be able to attract and maintain an employee work force that is reflective of their guests, business partners, shareholders, and communities where they do business. They also want open opportunity so that everyone is advantaged based on their potential and never disadvantaged because they are part of a certain group or class. Disney strives to maintain an organization that is diverse and professional. Conclusion Walt Disney is a company that stands behind its name and its employees. Disney devoted his life to creating magic moments for his guests through the highest level of customer service. Walt Disney is devoted to environmental causes through conservation, action, and education. They are also committed to the highest standards of business excellence. The Disney Corporation is made up of six components, which help them remain consistent in the business standards that they have set for themselves. The six components of their business are their Business Standards and Ethics guidelines, corporate governance, community, environment, international labor standards, and safety.    References Business Wire Sept 18, 2001 p0018: BURBANK, California. Disney Online retrieved January 25, 2005 from http://corporate.disney.go.com. Edginton, D. (April 1998). The magic of management. Des Moines Business Record, 94,15, 10-12. Retrieved January 25, 2005 from EBSCO Database University of Phoenix Apollo Library. Lawson, A. & Fonts, G. (2004). Mental Illness in Disney Animated Films. Retrieved January 29, 2005, from EBSCO database University of Phoenix Apollo Library. Johnson, R. (September/October 1991). A strategy for service – Disney style. The Journal of Business Strategy, 13,5, 38-44. Retrieved January 26, 2005 from EBSCO database University of Phoenix Apollo Library. Lynch, L. (2001). Sustaining innovation Walt Disney instilled how. T &D, 55,6, 44-50. Retrieved January 26, 2005 from EBSCO database University of Phoenix Apollo Library. O’brien, T. (December 2003). Weiss sees employees as Disney’s Magic Makers. Amusement Business, 00032344, 12/8/2003, Vol. 115, Issue 49. Risk Management Society Publishing Inc. (1993). Risk Management, April (1993). 40, 31. Retrieved January 29, 2005, from InfoTrack One File University of Phoenix,Apollo Library. Sklar, M. (2003). Retrieved from The Walt Disney Company website on January 29, 2005, from http://corporate.disney.go.com.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Waltham Motors Division

Question 1: Using budget data, how many motors would have to be sold for Waltham Motors Division to breakeven? In order to calculate the breakeven point, we use the following equation and budget data: Breakeven Sales*Unit Price-Unit Variable Cost= Fixed Costs Breakeven=Fixed CostsUnitary Price-Unitary Variable Cost Breakeven point=260,000864000/18000-512800/18000=13,226 units Q2. Using budget data, what was the total expected cost per unit if all manufacturing and shipping overhead (both variable and fixed) was allocated to planned production? What was the actual per unit cost of production and shipping?The results for the total expected cost/unit with budget data is: Expected Cost/Unit= Manufacturing Overhead(variable and not variable)+Shipping Overhead# of Units= =484,000+148,000+28,80018,000=$36. 71/unit The results for the total expected cost/unit with actual data is: 404,000+149,200+28,00014,000=$41,51/unit Q3. Comment on the performance report and the plant accountant’s analysis of results. How, if at all, would you suggest the performance report be changed before sending it on to the division manager and Marco Corporation headquarters?The accountant is making a big mistake by comparing absolute numbers from Budgeted costs and revenues with Actual costs, since the actual number of units sold is less than the Budgeted amount. Therefore, a more detailed analysis must be done, and calculate the costs per unit, as Table 1 shows: Table 1 From this new data on Table 1, we can make the following observations about the accountant’s comments: * The only cost that was underestimated (Favourable = F) is the Indirect Labour, so the first comment about being under budget on every single cost except for supervision is wrong. The operating income has decreased, which is expected given the decrease in number of motors sold (4. 000), but based on the report we still cannot tell whether that is the only reason. This also leads to a difference between the actu al price ($49) and the budgeted price ($48). * The current static budget needs to be changed into a flexible budget so the budgeted data can be recorded taking into account the actual units produced, that is, 14. 000 units. Q4. Prepare your own analysis of the Waltham Division’s operations in May.Explain in as much detail as possible why income differed from what you would have expected. As suggested in Question3, a new Flexible budget is calculated, so now it is possible to calculate the variances between the Flexible budget and the Actual Results and Static budget we had before. The data is show below in Table 2: Table 2 From this table we can see how the unfavourable Static budget variance = 98400 seen in the accountant’s Performance Report is now divided into the Flexible budget variance = 20. 356$ (2) and the Sales volume variance = 78. 44$ (3): Flexible budget variance: is the difference between the actual result and the corresponding flexible-budget amount. This variance is subdivided into: * Sales variance $14. 000 Favourable. This is due to a higher price charged for the motors (49$ instead of the 48$ budgeted), maybe because of changes in prices of the competitors as well. * Variable costs variance is Unfavourable by $27. 556, the different components of this variance are: * Direct Material variance: Unfavourable by of $1. 00, we need to find out whether this is due to Price and/or Efficiency variance. The accountant indicates that the actual price for direct materials is $5. 7/unit (5% less than budgeted), but the budgeted price was $6/unit. On the other hand, the standard quantity is 14. 000 units while the actual quantity is 85. 400/5. 7=14982. 45 units, therefore: * Price variance = $89. 894,75 – $85. 400 = $4494. 76 Favourable. This reflects the company saved money with the decreased prices of raw materials * Efficiency Variance = $84. 00-$89. 894,76 = $5894,76 Unfavourable. Since this amount is larger than the Favourable am ount of the Price variance, we can conclude that the overall unfavourable 1. 400$ Direct material balance is due to Efficiency Variance. There are many reasons that might cause this inefficiency coming from the production manager or the purchase manager, such as bad quality of the raw materials bought (which were cheaper after all), or waste of these during the production process. * Direct Labour variance: Unfavourable by $22. 000.Again, we need to find out whether this is Price and/or efficiency driven. We know that according to the accountant information, the actual price is $16,4/unit while the Standard price is $16/unit. On the other hand, the Standard Quantity is 14. 000 units while the actual Quantity is 246. 000/16,4=15. 000 units. Therefore: * Price Variance = 240. 000-246. 000 = $6000 Unfavourable. This reflects the increase in medical benefits noted by the accountant. * Efficiency Variance = 224. 000-240. 000 = $16. 000 Unfavourable.The accountant does not mention anything that can tell for sure the reasons for this lack of efficiency, so we can only guess some reasons such as a change in the labour force to an unskilled one. * Idle Time and Cleanup Time: Unfavourable by $3. 000 + $1. 600 respectively, might be due to different reasons such as low efficiency in the cleanup process, or bad shape of the machines used to manufacture the motors that turned into a lot of idle time compared to the one budgeted. The idle time must be monitored since it can lead to further decrease of Labour efficiency. Indirect Labour and Miscellaneous supplies: Favourable by $400 + $40 respectively, might be due to many reasons but the amounts are too small to make up for the unfavourable amounts found in the rest of the variable costs. It might be a coincidence, but there was a favourable Price efficiency for Direct Material, so maybe the Purchasing department is doing a good job. * Fixed costs variance * Supervision unfavourable by $1. 200 might be due to low efficiency of the supervising staff as noted in the accountant comments. * Shipping costs variance: Unfavourable by $5. 00 probably because of additional shipping due to bad quality of products that have to be returned and shipped again, or just because of bad efficiency in the shipment process by not using full capacity of transportation. Sales-volume variance: it is the difference between the flexible-budget amounts and the static budget and it arises solely because of the difference between the actual quantity of motors produced and the amount budgeted (expected) to be produced by the company. In this case there is a variance of $78. 044, and we can assume it is because of the key contract that was lost.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

aluminum essays

aluminum essays Aluminum is the third most abundant element in the Earth's crust and was probably formed during the birth of our solar system through collisions of hydrogen atoms under intense heat and pressure. Aluminum never occurs as a metal in nature and is only found in the form of its compounds, such as alumina, because of its strong affinity with oxygen. It is this special bond for oxygen that explains why it withstood all attempts to prepare it in its elemental form until well into the nineteenth century. The aluminum industry was founded in 1854, but it was not until the late 1880's that a method was found to bring down the prices and permit aluminum to be used in a wide variety of ways. Most of the aluminum in the world today is made from Bauxite. It was first discovered in 1821 near Les Baux, France. It was formed by the weathering of aluminous rocks such as feldspar, nepheline, and clays. During the weathering, these rocks are decomposed and leached out, leaving behind a residue of ore rich in alumina, iron oxide, and silica. Most of these large Bauxite deposits are found in the tropical and the subtropical climates, where heavy rainfall, warm temperatures, and good drainage combine to encourage the weathering process. Because Bauxite is usually found near the surface, it is mined by open-pit methods. After the extraction of the Bauxite, it must be converted to Alumina by the Bayer Process, a process patented in 1888 and is still used today. This process begins when bauxite is smashed by being mixed with soda ash and lime in a ball mill. Water is added to turn the mixture into a slurry, which is drained from the ball mills into tanks or digestures. In these tanks, which are injected with steam, the alumina is turned into a creamy slurry and poured into a settling tank. In these tanks, the heavier metals and sand sink to the bottom, while the alumina remains on top. Once this tank is cleared of all the solids, the liquid is poured ...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

6 SAT Essay Examples to Answer Every Prompt

6 SAT Essay Examples to Answer Every Prompt SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Just as with most essays, the major secret to excelling on the SAT essay is to pre-plan the examples and evidence you want to use. "But wait!" I hear you cry. "Can you do that on the new SAT essay? Isn’t the point of the essay that you’re supposed to be using information from the passage in your answer, which you don’t know about ahead of time?" The answer: Yes and no. While the specifics of each example will obviously change, depending on the passage, the types of examples you choose to discuss (and the way you explain each example builds the author’s argument) can be defined, and thus prepared for, ahead of time. In this article, we give you 6 good SAT essay examples you’ll be able to find in nearly every prompt the SAT throws at you. By assembling a collection of these reliable types of evidence that can be used to answer most prompts, you'll cut down on planning time and significantly increase the amount you can write, making you able to walk into every SAT essay confident in your abilities. feature image credit: 1 to 9 mosaic, cropped/Used under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Before You Continue If you haven’t already read our introduction to the SAT essay prompt, read it now. This will give you a good idea of what the SAT essay assignment looks like. Then come back to this article. Why You Can Prep SAT Essay Examples Before Test Day The SAT essay prompts have several important things in common: They’re all passages that try to convince the reader of the veracity of the author’s claim They’re all around the same length (650-750 words) They’re all meant to be analyzed and written about in a relatively short period of time (50 minutes) This means that you can have a pretty goodidea ahead of time of what types of argument-building techniques you might see when you open the booklet on test day. The main techniques the author uses aren't going to be overly complex (like the first letter of every word spelling out a secret code), because you just don’t have the time to analyze and write about complex techniques. Because of that, you can prepare yourself with SAT essay examples that’ll be likely found across persuasive passages about many different issues. Naturally, for each passage you're going to want to play to its particular strengths- if there are a lot of facts/statistics, make sure to discuss that; if it dwells more on personal anecdotes/appeals to emotion, discuss those. However, if you struggle with analysis in a short period of time, memorizing these categories of examples ahead of time can give you a helpful checklist to go through when reading the SAT essay prompt and point you in the right direction. Below, we've chosentwo examples of evidence, two examples of reasoning, and two examples of stylistic/persuasive elements you can use as stellar evidence to support your thesis. For each example below, we also show you how you can use the type of evidence to support your thesis across a range of prompts. This flexibility should prove to you how effective pre-planned examples are. So, without further ado, onto our list of multipurpose support for any SAT Essay prompt. Examples of Evidence The most basic way author builds an argument is by supporting claims with evidence. There are many different kinds of evidence author might use to support her/his point, but I'm just going to discuss the two big ones I've seen in various official SAT Essay prompts. These two types of evidence are Facts and Statistics and Anecdotes. Example Type 1: Facts and Statistics Employing statistics and facts to bolster one's argument is one of the most unassailable methods authors can use to build an argument. This argument-building technique is particularly common in essays written about scientific or social studies-related topics, where specific data and facts are readily available. How Can You Identify It? Statistics usually show up in the form of specific numbers related to the topic at hand- maybe as percents, or maybe as a way to communicate other data. Here are a couple of examples of statistics from an official SAT essay prompt, "Let There Be Dark" by Paul Bogard: Example: 8 of 10 children born in the United States will never know a sky dark enough for the Milky Way Example: In the UnitedStates and Western Europe, the amount of light in the sky increases an average of about 6% every year. Factual evidence can also be in the form of non-numerical information. Often, you'll see facts presented with references to the research study, survey, expert, or other source from which they're drawn. Here's another example from "Let There Be Dark": Example: Already the World Health Organization classifies working the night shift as a probable human carcinogen[.] Why Is It Persuasive? Facts and statistics are persuasive argument building techniques because the author isn't just making up reasons for why his/her argument could possibly be true- there's actually something (data, research, other events/information) that backs up the author's claim. In the case of the examples above, Bogard presents specific data about issues with light pollution (8 in 10 children won't be able to see the Milky Way, light in the sky increases 6% annually) to back up his statements that light pollution is real, then goes on to present further information that indicates light pollution is a problem (working the night shift puts humans at risk for cancer). By presenting information and facts, rather than just opinion and spin, Bogard empowers the reader to connect the dots on her own, which in turn gives the reader ownership over the argument and makes it more persuasive (since the reader is coming to the same conclusions on her own, rather than entirely relying on Bogard to tell her what to think). Example Type 2: Anecdotes Another form of evidence that is often used as an alternative to actual facts or statistics is the anecdote. This type of evidence is most often found in speeches or other sorts of essay prompts that are written as a personal address to the reader. How Can You Identify It? An anecdote is a short story about a real person or event. When an author discusses own personal experience or personal experience of someone they know or have heard of, that's anecdotal evidence. Here's an example of (part of) an anecdote from an official SAT essay prompt that was adapted from a foreword by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter: One of the most unforgettable and humbling experiences of our lives occurred on the coastal plain. We had hoped to see caribou during our trip, but to our amazement, we witnessed the migration of tens of thousands of caribou with their newborn calves. In a matter of a few minutes, the sweep of tundra before us became flooded with life, with the sounds of grunting animals and clicking hooves filling the air. The dramatic procession of the Porcupine caribou herd was a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife spectacle. We understand firsthand why some have described this special birthplace as â€Å"America’s Serengeti.† Why Is It Persuasive? Even though anecdotes aren't statistics or facts, they can be powerful because it’s more relatable/interesting to the reader to read an anecdote than to be presented with dry, boring facts. People tend to put more faith in experiences if they can personally connect with the experiences (even though that doesn't actually affect how likely or not a statement is to be true). In the example above, rather than discussing the statistics that support the creation of wildlife refuges, Jimmy Carter instead uses an anecdote about experiencing the wonder of nature to illustrate the same point- probably more effectively. By inviting the reader to experience vicariously the majesty of witnessing the migration of the Porcupine caribou, Carter activates the reader's empathy towards wildlife preservation and so makes it more likely that the reader will agree with him that wildlife refuges are important. caribou, the hairy eyeball/Used under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. I find this caribou highly persuasive. Examples of Reasoning All authors use reasoning to some extent, but it’s not always a major part of how the author builds her/his argument. Sometimes, though, the support for a claim on its own might not seem that persuasive- in those cases, an author might then choose to use reasoning to explain how the evidence presented actually builds the argument. Example Type 3: Counterarguments and Counterclaims One way in which an author might use reasoning to persuade the reader to accept the claim being put forward is to discuss a counterargument, or counterclaim, to the author's main point. The discussion (and subsequent neutralization) of counterarguments is found in prompts across all subject areas. How Can You Identify It? A counterargument or counterclaim is simply another point of view that contradicts (either fully or partially) the author's own argument. When "some might claim," "however," or other contrast words and phrases show up in an essay prompt, the author is likely presenting a counterclaim. Here's an example of an effective presentation (and negation) of a counter claim from an official SAT essay prompt, "The Digital Parent Trap" by Eliana Dockterman: â€Å"You could say some computer games develop creativity,† says Lucy Wurtz, an administrator at the Waldorf School in Los Altos, Calif., minutes from Silicon Valley. â€Å"But I don’t see any benefit. Waldorf kids knit and build things and paint- a lot of really practical and creative endeavors.† But it’s not that simple. While there are dangers inherent in access to Facebook, new research suggests that social-networking sites also offer unprecedented learning opportunities. Why Is It Persuasive? So how does bringing up an opposing point of view help an author build her argument? It may seem counterintuitive that discussing a counterargument actually strengthens the main argument. However, as you can see in the brief example above, giving some space to another point of view serves to make it seem as if the discussion’s going to be more â€Å"fair.† This is still true whether the author delves into the counterargument or if the author only briefly mentions an opposing point of view before moving on. A true discussion of the counterargument(as is present in Dockterman's article) willalso show a deeper understanding of the topic than if the article only presented a one-sided argument. And because the presence of a counterargument demonstrates that the author knows the topic well enough to be able to see the issue from multiple sides, the reader's more likely to trust that the author's claims are well-thought out and worth believing. In the case of the Dockterman article, the author not only mentions the opposite point of view but also takes the time to get a quote from someone who supports the opposing viewpoint. This even-handedness makes her following claim that "it's not that simple" more believable, since she doesn't appear to be presenting a one-sided argument. Example Type 4: Explanation of Evidence In some cases, the clarity with which the author links her evidence and her claims is integral to the author's argument. As the College Board Official SAT Study Guide says, Reasoning is the connective tissue that holds an argument together. It’s the â€Å"thinking† - the logic, the analysis - that develops the argument and ties the claim and evidence together." How Can You Identify It? Explanation of evidence is one of the trickier argument-building techniques to discuss (at least in my opinion), because while it is present in many essay prompts, it isn't always a major persuasive feature. You can pretty easily identify an author's explanation of evidence if the author connects a claim to support and explains it, rather than just throwing out evidence without much ceremony or linking to the claim; however, whether or not the explanation of the evidence is a major contributing factor to the author's argument is somewhat subjective. Here's a pretty clear instance of a case where an author uses explanations of each piece of evidence she discusses to logically advance her argument (again from the Dockterman passage): And at MIT’s Education Arcade, playing the empire-building game Civilization piqued students’ interest in history and was directly linked to an improvement in the quality of their history-class reports.The reason: engagement. On average, according to research cited by MIT, students can remember only 10% of what they read, 20% of what they hear and 50% of what they see demonstrated. But when they’re actually doing something themselves- in the virtual worlds on iPads or laptops- that retention rate skyrockets to 90%.This is a main reason researchers like Ito say the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation of a two-hour screen-time limit is an outdated concept: actively browsing pages on a computer or tablet is way more brain-stimulating than vegging out in front of the TV. IMG_6800_v1, cropped/Used under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Why Is It Persuasive? Unfortunately, the explanation the Official SAT Study Guide gives for how to discuss an author's "reasoning" is a little vague: You may decide to discuss how the author uses (or fails to use) clear, logical reasoning to draw a connection between a claim and the evidence supporting that claim. But how exactly you should go about doing this? And why is it persuasive to clearly explain the link between evidence and claim? In general, when an author explains the logic behind her argument or point, the reader can follow along and understand the author’s argument better (which in some cases makes it more likely the reader will agree with the author). In the Dockterman example above, the author clearly lays out data (Civilization leads to improvements in history class), a claim (this is because of engagement with the game and thus the subject material), provides data that back up that claim (retention rate skyrockets when students do things for themselves), and links that smaller claim to a larger concept (actively browsing pages on a computer or tablet is way more brain-stimulating than vegging out in front of the TV).This clear pattern of data-explanation-more data-more explanation enables the reader to follow along with Dockterman's points. It's more persuasive because, rather than just being told "Civilization leads to improvements in history" and having to take it on faith, the reader is forced to reenact the thinking processes that led to the argument, engaging with the topic on a deeper level. Examples of Stylistic/Persuasive Elements This final category of examples is the top layer of argument building. The foundation of a good argument is evidence, which is often explained and elucidated by reasoning, but it is often the addition of stylistic or persuasive elements like an ironic tone or a rhetorical flourish that seals the deal. Example Type 5: Vivid Language Vivid language is truly the icing on the persuasive cake. As with explanations of evidence, vivid language can be found across all topics of essay prompts (although it usually plays a larger role when the passage is lacking in more convincing facts or logic). Modal logic honey cake, cropped/Used under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Vivid language: truly the persuasive icing on your SAT essay prompt cake. Your delicious, delicious SAT cake. Mmm! How Can You Identify It? Vivid language is pretty easy to spot- it shows itself in similes, metaphors, adjectives, or any words that jump out at you that don’t seem to have purely functional purposes. Here are a couple of examples- the first is Paul Bogard again: †¦show that what was a very dark country as recently as the 1950s is now nearly covered with a blanket of light. This example is relatively restrained, using the metaphor of "a blanket of light" to add emphasis to Bogard's discussion of light pollution. A more striking example can be found in another official SAT essay prompt, adapted from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speech "Beyond Vietnam- A Time To Break Silence": Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money like some demonic destructive suction tube. Why Is It Persuasive? Vivid language is an effective argument building device because it puts the reader in the author’s shoes and draws them into the passage. If used in moderation, vivid language will also make the topic more interesting for the reader to read, thus engaging them further. In the excerpt taken from Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech above, the phrase "demonic destructive suction tube" is startling and provocative, meant to rouse the audience's indignation at the injustice and waste of the Vietnam war. If King had left out the second part of the sentence and only said, "Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money," his point would not have had as big of an impact. Example Type 6: Direct Addresses and Appeals to the Reader The last category I'll be discussing in this article are direct addresses and appeals to the reader. These stylistic elements are found across all sorts of different passage topics, although as with the previous category, these elements usually play a larger role when the passage is light on facts or logic. How Can You Identify It? Direct addresses and appeals to the reader are wordings or other stylistic devices specifically designed to provoke a response (often emotional) in the reader. This category covers many different elements, from appeals to emotion to rhetorical questions. Here's an example of an appeal to emotion, taken again from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speech: Perhaps a more tragic recognition of reality took place when it became clear to me that the war was doing far more than devastating the hopes of the poor at home. It was sending their sons and their brothers and their husbands to fight and to die in extraordinarily high proportions relative to the rest of the population. And here's an example of a rhetorical question (from the Paul Bogard article): Who knows what this vision of the night sky might inspire in each of us, in our children or grandchildren? Why Is It Persuasive? Appealing to the emotions, as Martin Luther King, Jr. does in his speech, is an alternate route to persuasion, as it causes readers to emotionally (rather than logically) agree with the author. By describing how the war was causing "their sons and their brothers and their husbands to fight and die," King reminds the reader of the terrible costs of war, playing upon their emotions to get them to agree that the Vietnam War is a mistake, particularly for the poor. Rhetorical questions, on the other hand, get the readers to step into the author's world. By reading and thinking about the author's question, the reader engages with the topic on a deeper level than if the reader were just given a statement of what the author thinks. In the case of the Bogard example above, the rhetorical question draws the reader into thinking about his/her descendants, a group of people for whom the reader (presumably) only wishes the best, which then puts the reader into a positive mood (assuming the reader likes his/her descendants). Review As you can see,these examples of different argumentative techniques can be extracted from a lot of different article types for a wide range of topics. This is because the examples themselves are so meaningful and complex that they can be used to discuss a lot of issues. The main point is, you don't have to wait until you see the prompt to develop an arsenal of types of argument-building techniques you can use to support your points. Instead, preparing beforehand how you’ll discuss these techniques will save you a lot of time and anxiety when the test rolls around. DSC_1003, modified/Used under CC BY-NC 2.0. Eh? Eh? ROLLS around? Get it get it #sorrynotsorry What's Next? If you're reading this article, you probably want to excel on the SAT essay. We've written a bunch of detailed guides to make sure you do. Start to scratch the surface with our 15 tips to improve your SAT essay score. Follow our step-by-step guide to writing a high-scoring essay and learn how to get a perfect 8/8/8 on the SAT essay. Took the old SAT and not sure how the new essay compares to the old? Start with our article about what’s changed with the new SAT essay, then follow along as weinvestigate the SAT essay rubric. Want to score a perfect SAT score? Check out our guide on how to score a perfect SAT score, written by our resident perfect scorer. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Social media plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Social media plan - Essay Example In principle, numerous firms have embraced the intensive use of the internet for online business operations. The online market is already flooded with firms, which contest for brand recognition and customer loyalty. In addition, with the constant advancements in IT, internet marketing has opened numerous marketing prospects and has become the trend for a number of companies. Gaining competitive advantage being the target of every firm, a well-organized online marketing strategy is critical for the success of the French bookshop. The proposal assumes that the clients know the firm’s products and care about its products. The other assumption is that the Consumers know the products they want and have time to research on the available products. The plan also assumes that consumers will find the entire French Bookshop’s information on the digital landscape. In addition, the clients are assumed to make rational decisions in purchasing the firm’s products. The proposal also assumes that the clients will market the organization’s products by spreading the information about the products of the firm. Studies indicate increasing trends in the online markets within emerging economies. The use of the mobile devices and internet technology has also increased among the younger generation. The firm will take advantage of these inclinations to introduce new products in the target market and create a global brand for its new products (Kotler & Armstrong, 2013). Therefore, the target market for the French Bookshop will mainly consist of young people between the ages eighteen and forty years. The market will consist of individuals who are young, outgoing and full of life. In addition, the French Bookshop will utilize premium tactics to appeal to the specific consumer division thereby augmenting the volume of sales. Studies show that the younger populace between the ages of 24 and