Japanese views on Gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Japanese views on Gender - Essay Example The post-war educational reforms in 1949 had opened all forms of higher education to women but the ‘gender-track’ in Japan continues. Higher education in Japan serves only two functions – general education and professional education and there is significant difference in the higher education of men and women. Women were given education enough for them to fulfill their assigned roles as women, which is why their education was limited to home sciences and humanities. Women are still confined to Junior colleges or women’s colleges or to some particular fields of specialization. Women however became conscious and entered the field of high education and started fighting for their rights as equals. With changes in education, legislation and work force, women’s attitudes and values changed. This affected women’s self-concepts and perception of abilities. According to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, Japan is a collectivist society, an extremely masculine country. Inequality and gender discrimination in Japanese society remains pervasive due to persisting assumptions about the sexual division of labour. Women have made progress in the education the business world but obstacles towards equality persist. While women’s consciousness has been stirred and they have also entered the field of politics, it is argued that gender issues should not be seen as a simple issue of improving the status of women. Women are becoming engaged in politics and standing for election. They have also been forming associations to act together on issues such as day-care, maternity leave, and sexual harassment policies but they encounter political constraints when it comes to decision making.

Organizing Relationships Traditional and Emerging Perspectives on Workplace Relationships Essay Example for Free

Organizing Relationships Traditional and Emerging Perspectives on Workplace Relationships Essay Business ethics               One of the issues that have raised concerns in business nowadays is the relationship between senior employees, and the junior employees of the opposite sex. For years, senior employees such as managers and directors have been accused of sexually or emotionally abusing the junior employees working under them. Some are even accused of threatening to dismiss the employees who decline their request for sexual favors from them. Though this may be seen as sexual harassment, the case might be something different from that. Simply because the relationship is between senior and a junior employee, it may not be right to rush to a conclusion that the boss is sexually or emotionally exploiting their subject. It may be a relationship that has developed naturally due to the level of intimacy of the two employees of the opposite gender.            The controversial nature of this issue is clearly portrayed in the mail online article of November 13th, 2013. The article explains that the report of a study carried out by business week has shown that most of these relationships between employees have nothing to do with harassment. During the survey, it was found out that most of the people working in the offices would be up to a sexual relationship with someone from their office if they got the chance. Of the 2500 respondents interviewed during the survey, 85 percent said it was right for employees within the company to be allowed to have sexual relationships. Some even confessed of sexually admiring their coworkers. After all this, why does the Human Resource department discourage intimate relationships between their employees of opposite gender? The answer is that they conclude that one of the parties in the relationship is sexually harassed, especially if one of the parties is the boss of the other.                Some people may accuse me of supporting the behavior of the bosses to engage in sexual relationships with their colleagues. But if we consider some working conditions in some organizations, we see that the relations originate absolutely from intimacy and not harassment. Consider the case of a male manager, who works with a lady as the personal secretary. It is very possible for the two to engage in an affair due to the intimacy created by the working conditions. The two attend meetings together, go for lunch together, spend time together in the office, sometimes they go together to attend meetings far from their place of work, and many other closely spent times. From all these close relation, is it not against the laws of nature for something more than boss-secretary relationship to happen? Ironically, when a relationship develops between the manager and his secretary, the manager will be accused of sexually harassing the secretary! In my opinion, the boss wo uld be emotionally harassing the secretary if he chose to ignore the feelings that develop after been together almost all the time.               It may also be arguable that boss-subject relationships may adversely affect the performance of the employees. Employees may be reluctant in their work simply because the boss, who is supposed to supervise their work, can not condemn them because of the existing bond. This may be the idea behind the fight by the human resource department against sexual relationships at the workplace. However, this may not always be the case. This relationship may boost the performance of an employee who will always be trying to be the best to impress the boss. The article workplace relationships on Wikipedia explain of a theory, Workplace Relationship Quality and information Experiences, which originated from a study conducted by Patricia Sias. The theory states the most productive employees are the ones with high access to information about their workplace. It is obvious that the employees with a relationship more than the ordinary workplace relationship have a higher access to business information. I may, therefore, be right to say that the boss-subject relationships can play an important part in boosting the productivity of the employees. The article further describes relationships at the workplace as â€Å"workplace romance†. It explains that though these relationships may not make the workplace so comfortable for other employees; it plays a very important part in the working of the parties involved in the affair. It increases performance due to high motivation and overall job satisfaction.               Even though some senior employees in some business organization sexually exploit their junior colleagues, let us not mistake every relationship for sexual exploitation or harassment. It is good to appreciate that these bosses and their subjects are just ordinary people and what makes their difference is only the working position and titles. When there is a relationship between two junior employees of opposite gender, this is taken to be an ordinary love relationship. Why then do we have to treat the seniors differently? Aren’t they the same as the juniors? What marks the difference is only job level. It is, therefore, necessary to analyze the situation before concluding that a boss is sexually harassing a junior workmate. References Sias, P. M. (2009). Organizing relationships traditional and emerging perspectives on workplace relationships. Los Angeles: SAGE. (https://www.goodreads.com/user/new?remember=true) Sias, P. M. (2008). Organizing Relationships Traditional and Emerging Perspectives on Workplace Relationships.. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications. (http://www.amazon.com/Organizing-Relationships-Traditional-Perspectives-Workplace/dp/1412957974) Source document

Faust as a Tragic Hero Essay -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe essays pape

Faust as a Tragic Hero   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the story of Faust, written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust is whirled into an adventure of sin and deceit. The further Faust follows the devil the closer he comes to his own demise, taking down with him the innocent Gretchen. As Faust goes on he embodies the characteristics of a tragic hero in a sense that he is borderline good and evil, constantly battling his conscience. The one major flaw that initiates his self-destruction is the fact that he feels he is extremely intelligent and can not be out witted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Faust is a man of privilege, his father having been a doctor and himself a respected scholar; but he is essentially a desperate character, continuously yearning for more than this world has to offer. He is an extremely well educated man as well as wise in the ways of the world. As a result of his exceeding knowledge he becomes grossly cynical in his old age. His quest for greater knowledge and power leads him into the realm of sorcery and witch craft.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Faust’s dealings with darkness eventually lead him to deal with the ruler of all that is wicked and deceitful, the devil himself. Naturally Faust, longing for more than earthly pleasures, is compelled to accept Mephistopheles’ promises of complete contentment and satisfaction. Faust’s ego is such that he feels he can not be out witted even by the most skillful and cunning deceiver to ever walk the face of the earth. Soon Faust is on a journey leading to more misery and t...

Juno and the Paycock :: English Literature

Juno and the Paycock â€Å"O’Casey’s women in Juno and the Paycock are strong and admirable characters†. Juno and Mary Boyle’s lives aren’t very pleasant in this 1920’s play which is separated into three acts which contain a mixture of both tragic and humorous elements. Juno, the wife of Captain Boyle, is the mother of two children who are in constant need of attention from her. Furthermore, as the play continues this need of attention grows with the facts of financial difficulties, the pregnancy of Mary (daughter) and also her son’s, Johnny, death in the end. O’Casey clearly shows that Juno certainly has her work cut out for her, as she is not only the one person in the family who has a job, but also she is the house-wife and must render her family by making all the meals, going to buy the groceries, doing any form of house work and looking after the family in general. For example, on page 8 she says, â€Å"I killin’ meself workin’,† and also on page 12 she says, â€Å"Your poor wife slavin’ to keep the bit in your mouth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  these two references show just how hard Juno works to keep her family happy and alive. This is not made any easier when Mr. Boyle spends any money Juno has saved, in hope for any decent future for the family, on alcohol in the local pub. Therefore Juno cannot afford any type of luxuries for herself as she definitely does deserve it. The poverty is evident on page 12 in Juno’s comment to Mr. Boyle, â€Å"eat your breakfast†¦ it may be the last you’ll get for I don’t know where the next one is goin to come from.† But even this will not cause concern for Juno’s principles when on page six we learn that Juno is against Trade Unions, â€Å"When the employers sacrifice wan victim, the Trade Unions go wan betther be sacrificin’ a hundred.† Then Mary tells her that, â€Å"a principle’s a principle†, but Juno stays realistic and thinks well it’s all good and well having principles – if you can afford them. She is the one who seems to keep the family as a unit and this is evidently shown when Juno says, ‘I don’t know what any o’ yous ud do without your ma’. Juno is a well respected member of the family and might even be superior to Mr. Boyle and Joxer, a family friend, because when the pair is talking on page nine, Mrs. Boyle enters and both are said to be ‘stupefied’. After this, she offers him an egg, and he makes the excuse that he’s in a desperate hurry – this may be

Horse Colic

The term colic refers to pain in the abdomen of horses. It is not a single disease, but is the manifestation of a considerable number of diseases: all of which produce pain, and some of which are potentially deadly. Making a specific diagnosis to determine the actual cause of the colic can be extremely difficult for veterinarians at times. Because of the multitude of possible causes, it is of value to examine several excellent recent research reviews which looked closely at the classification of colics, and at the causative factors, incidence and mortality associated with these diseases. The majority of cases of colic occur due to unknown causes, but are primarily presumed to be associated with intestinal muscle spasm or the accumulation of abnormal amounts of gas in a portion of the intestine. In general, colic results due to the distension of the bowel by ingesta, fluid, gas, or due to a functional impairment of the normal intestinal motility. In more severe cases, abdominal pain may be the result of damage to the intestinal wall by reduced blood supply (ischaemia), inflammation, death of tissue (infarction) or oedema (swelling and increased fluid). The causes of colic can be classified by well recognised pathological categories, including obstruction, strangulation, enteritis/colitis, peritonitis, as well as by the site involved – stomach, small intestine, caecum, large colon, small colon, peritoneum, and other organs including liver, spleen and kidney Rather than simply listing the types of colic which can occur, it is now of value to look at what we do actually know about causes, prevalence and risk factors, as well as strategies to prevent colics. Nathaniel White, DVM, of the Marion Dupont Scott Equine Medical Center, Virginia, reviewed the risk factors in the USA in 2002, in his publication â€Å"Prevalence, demographics and Risk Factors for Colic, www. ivis. org, with the following comments and observations; Out of 100 horses in the general population, 4-10 cases of colic are expected in one year. About 10-15% of the colics are repeat cases, with some horses having 2-4 colic episodes yearly. Horses that have had a previous colic are three times as likely to have a second colic compared to a horse that has never had colic. Most colic signs were simple colic or ileus (no contractions of the gut) with no specific diagnosis entered in 80-85% of cases. In one study, 30% of horses with colic were identified by owners but never seen by vets because the colic was short lived or resolved by the owner. Studies of colic cases seen by vets reported a predominance of simple obstruction or spasmodic colic. Impaction colics made up about 10% of cases, and obstruction or strangulating diseases requiring surgery made up from 2-4% of cases. Universities report that simple colic and impaction colics are the most commonly reported. When a specific gut location can be identified by veterinarians, the large colon is the most commonly affected, followed by small intestine, caecum and small colon respectively. Diseases which cause strangulation (twisted bowel) have the highest fatality rate- with the large colon torsions being more common than small intestine torsions. Colic is responsible for more deaths in horses than any other disease except old age. In normal farm horse populations, horse mortality from all types of colic was 0. 7 deaths per 100 horse-years, with a colic case fatality rate of 6. 7%. Risk Factors For Colic In some colic cases the cause may be evident, such as in grain overload, but even in these cases, the exact mechanism which initiates the problem is often unknown. By looking at known risk factors we can begin to reduce the incidence by eliminating possible risk factors. There are internal and external risk factors for colic: Breed While no breed is immune to colic, several studies suggest that Arabian horses have more colic episodes, while some other studies suggest that Thoroughbreds have more. Standardbreds and Warmbloods tend to have more inguinal hernias due to the increased size of their inguinal ring. Age Young and older horses appear to be less at risk of simple colic, so middle aged horses are most at risk. Weanlings and yearlings are most likely to suffer ileocaecal intussusceptions. Diet Diet has long been blamed for colic. Course roughage with low digestibility or particularly coarse fibre is observed to cause impaction colic. Grain overload significantly increases the risk of colic and laminitis. Feeds such as lush clover and lush pasture have been implicated in causing bloat. Information on feeding here When investigated by controlled studies, increased amounts of grain, and changes in the type of hay and grain fed during the year both increased the odds of colic compared to horses without grain or changes in feed. One study also reported that daily feeding of concentrate from 2. to 5kg/day and >5kg/day to adult horses increased the risk of colic by 4. 8 and 6. 3 times respectively, compared to horses fed no concentrate. Interestingly, controlled studies confirm that pellet feeds and sweet feeds were associated with an increased risk of colic compared to no grain fed or single grain diets. Grain diets are also known to decrease the water content in the colon contents due to a decrease in fibre which binds to water in the colon. Grain diets are also known to travel through the stomach much more rapidly than fibrous diets. Grain in the diet increases gas production, and is much more likely to produce an environment needed for bloat and intestinal displacements. The horse stomach is relatively small, and is designed to take in small quantities of food often. Horses are herbivores, and naturally spend a large part of the day grazing, continually taking in small quantities of food. When more intensive management, including work and training programs, stabling, and feeding 2-3 times daily, occurs, the normal feeding habits of horses are disrupted to varying degrees. Intensive stabling and work often require higher energy levels in feedstuffs to allow the horse to cope with increased work requirements. The higher energy levels are provided by high grain and concentrate components in the ration, often at the risk of reducing roughage and fibre levels to inadequate volumes. The horse digestive system is designed to utilise roughage and fibre, and any deficiency of fibre will result in digestive disturbances, including colics. It is highly important to continue regular feeding habits of horses, maintaining regular feed volumes and feeding intervals. Do not work horses hard after a full feed. Never give large quantities of food to a horse not accustomed to it. Make feeding changes gradually. Do not allow an overheated horse to drink cold water until it has cooled off sufficiently, or the cold water will almost certainly predispose the horse to colic. Water horses before feeding. Allow access to water again immediately after feeding. Horses prefer clean, fresh water available at all times. A horse will drink anywhere from 22 to 68 litres of water daily, depending on weather conditions, diet and workload. Do not feed horses directly off the ground, especially in sandy or fine gravel regions, as the uptake of sand will predispose horses to sand colics and impactions. Avoid sudden feed changes. These will rapidly induce colic in most horses. Mouldy feeds, such as hay, are potentially deadly to horses, and regularly cause colic. Check hay thoroughly, especially any lush, moist hay which may have been baled while too wet. Never feed mouldy hay to horses. Environment & Management Housing and confinement on farms in the Virginia study were not risk factors for colic. It does however seem logical that changes in diet or feeding routine are associated with risk of colic. Certainly large horse properties report that the routine of feeding grain after being brought in from pasture to stables increases the colic risk – specifically for bloat and displacements. Altering this routine by keeping horses turned out after feeding grain decreases the rate of colic. Similarly, when hay is available to horses on lush pasture, the hay will be consumed as part of the diet and colic rate is decreased. Sand colic and impactions are seen where horses graze on pastures grown on sandy soils, or where horses are forced to eat off the ground with predominantly sand or fine gravel. Previous colic Horses with a history of colic are at higher risk for more colic episodes Parasites Internal parasites are related to increased colic risks in many studies. Gut obstructions due to ascarids in foals, tapeworm related colic and strongyle infections have all been reported as causing colics. Many reports confirm a decrease in colic after controlling small strongyle infections on properties with previously high colic incidences. Tapeworm infestations have been related to increased colic, specifically with colic associated with diseases of the ileum and caecum including increasing the rate of serious intussusception at the ileocaecal region. The general use of ivermectin over the last 20 years has seen a reduction in reports of colic associated with thrombosis of the cranial mesenteric artery due to Strongylus vulgaris larvae. Pregnancy Mares are reported to have a higher risk of colic by colon displacement during late pregnancy and lactation, particularly from 60 to 150 days after foaling. The actual reasons for this are not known, but calcium levels and alterations in diet including increases in energy due to the higher levels of concentrates in the diet to support lactation may be related to the increased risk. Exercise Racehorses, event horses and endurance horses all have an increased risk of gastric ulceration which can be linked to some colic episodes. These horses are often on high grain/low roughage diets which tend to produce gut acidosis and predispose to colics. Transport and Traveling Transport increases the risk of colic in several studies. Many vets commonly administer a laxative to horses prior to transport to prevent colic from impactions. These colics may be due to variations in feeding routine, fluid intake, dehydration, etc. Weather Many veterinarians frequently associate weather changes with increased frequency of colic, but many studies can find no confirmation of this. Prognosis and Strategies to Prevent Colic In a second paper, â€Å"Prognosis and Strategies to Prevent Colic†, Nathaniel White discussed the survival issues with colic cases, stating that predicting survival in horses with colic is often challenging. Any horse which does not respond to initial therapy may be regarded as having a much more serious prognosis. In an effort to assist veterinary practitioners and owners, White attempted to apply previous knowledge of outcomes for specific diseases. Case fatality for specific colic diseases varies from a few deaths in cases of simple colic to as much as 75% in some forms of strangulated intestine. Simple obstructions of the large colon such as displacements and impactions have low fatality rates (

How to Write a Book Proposal a Master Guide (with Template)

How to Write a Book Proposal a Master Guide (with Template) The Complete Guide to Writing a Book Proposal Last updated: 08/15/2018Have you got a nonfiction book idea and dream of securing a million-dollar deal - all before writing the book itself?Well, we’ve got two words for that: book proposal. In the nonfiction world, publishers will ask an author to submit this vital document (and not the entire book). However, if you want it to emerge unscathed from the slush pile, your proposal must be clear, thoroughly researched, and ironclad.To sculpt your proposal into its best self, we've recruited the aid of the top developmental editors on our marketplace -    and provided a book proposal template for you.Now, this guide and the book proposal template complement one another, so you’ve got two ways to go about this. If you’d like to refer back to the template as you read this guide, you can go ahead and download it in the Book Proposal Template section.Or, if you've already written your proposal and want to know how to submit it, check out this three-step guide.And, be fore you get too far, it's also worth knowing that writing a book proposal is not the same as a query letter - which is what you would write to attract a literary agent's attention.What is a book proposal?The book proposal is a 15-50 (or so) page manuscript that a writer uses to pitch a nonfiction book to publishers. Though it’s written in place of an actual book, it should build a complete argument for the book idea. Chiefly, a good proposal will cover:what the book is about,why you're the perfect person to write this book,who will buy the book, andhow you are going to convey the message.If you successfully execute this, the sum of the proposal’s parts will convince a publisher to invest in you and your goal: a published book.Here’s another way to think about it. You’re convinced that your book idea is a diamond in the rough, right? Well, you’ve first got to refine it to the point that its cut catches the eye of even the most cynical publisher. N ow, the book proposal is going to be the dais on which you display your diamond so that it glows. Everything you wanted to know (but never asked) about book proposals #PubTips What must a book proposal show a publisher?Publishers read thousands of proposals a week. (We say this without exaggeration.) They’re forgoing tea parties to read your proposal. That means that they want to see the potential in your book - and that they will be wondering one thing more than anything else. Can this book make us money? Already written a book proposal that you now want to perfect? Consider working with a professional developmental editor to make every component of your book proposal airtight and cogent. They charge between $500 and $2,000.Not started writing your book proposal yet? Consider taking on an experienced ghostwriter to write the whole proposal for you. They charge between $2,000 and $20,000."Proposals can range anywhere from a few thousand dollars up to $20,000. It all depends on the amount of idea developing and writing that's needed." - Stacy Ennis, GhostwriterPublishing professionals possess decades of experience reading, editing, and re-tuning book proposals. There’s no real replacement for their insight and training. It’s a worthwhile investment, especially for anyone who wants to hear those magic words, â€Å"Let’s get you on a book deal.†What's your experience writing proposals been like? Do you have any additional questions about the book proposal temp late? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!Huge thanks to editors  Jeff Shreve, Geoffrey Stone, Patrick Price, Jennifer Barclay, Fran Lebowitz, Elizabeth Evans, Laura Yorke, Katharine Sands, and Jaimee Garbacik as well as  ghostwriters Andrew Crofts  and Stacy Ennis for their input and suggestions!

ACT vs. TOEFL What to Know About Each Test

ACT vs. TOEFL What to Know About Each Test SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re an international student or non-native English speaker applying to college in the United States, then this guide is for you! To get into college, you’ll likely have to take two admissions tests: the TOEFL and the ACT. This guide is specifically geared toward students interested in taking the TOEFL and ACT (if you’re taking the SAT, then check out this guide instead!). Read on to learn what colleges require, how the TOEFL and ACT compare, and what you can do to prepare for both. What Tests Do Colleges Require? U.S. colleges require two tests for admission from non-native English speakers. One is the TOEFL, which demonstrates your English language skills. The other is the ACT, which demonstrates your reasoning and problem-solving skills. It’s important to note that you always have options. Instead of the TOEFL, you could take the IELTS, and instead of the ACT, you could take the SAT. This guide, as mentioned above, is focused on the TOEFL and ACT. Colleges vary in their policies, and some will waive the TOEFL if you’ve taken English classes throughout high school or achieved a certain score on the English and Reading sections of the ACT. Before you take any unnecessary tests, make sure you understand college requirements. Read on for advice on where to find admission test requirements. How to Find Colleges’ Testing Requirements If you’re a non-native English speaker applying to college, chances are that you’ll take both the TOEFL and the ACT. Colleges vary in their policies, though, so you should do your research before registering for any tests. Typically, you’ll find the information you need on the admissions section of a college’s official website. More specifically, you should go to the section for international applicants. Even if you’re a U.S. citizen, this international applicant section is usually where colleges publicize their TOEFL policies. To give you one example, let’s say you go to Boston University’s page for â€Å"Freshman Applicants - International.† There you’ll find this message: â€Å"BU requires the SAT or ACT with writing. The TOEFL or IELTS is also required if your first language or the primary language spoken in your home is not English.† On BU’s website, you see that you’ll need to take both the ACT and the TOEFL. If you go to a college’s website and can’t find these details, you should definitely contact the admissions office via phone or email. Whether you’re researching a college’s website or talking to its admissions office directly, you should askthree main questions. 1. Which Tests Are Required? First, you need to research the admissions testing requirements of your school. What tests do they want to see from non-native English speakers? Do they require the ACT, or are they a test-optional or test-flexible school that will let you send AP scores instead? Don’t assume that all colleges are the same. They might all have different policies! Check the requirements of each college that you’re interested in individually. 2. DoYouRequire a Minimum TOEFL Score? Many schools require a minimum TOEFL score from applicants. ATOEFL cutoff is an essential piece of information. Even if the rest of your application’s great, it won’t matter if you don’t have the requisite TOEFL score. To give a few examples, Northeastern and UMass Boston want to see at least a 79 to 80 on the TOEFL iBT. More selective schools, like NYU, American University, and Harvard, want to see at least 100. As you research colleges of interest, find out if they post a TOEFL cutoff, again by visiting the website or calling up the admissions office. Then set your target TOEFL score at least ten points higher than the minimum to present yourself as a competitive candidate. 3. Will You Waive the TOEFL If I Get High VerbalScores on the ACT? Finally, the last piece of information you should seek is whether there are any circumstances when a college waives its TOEFL requirement. There are some schools that will consider a high score on the ACT English and Reading sections sufficient evidence of your English language skills. Since these sections test your reading comprehension and grammar skills, they can sometimes act as a stand-in for TOEFL scores. Columbia, for example, will waive the TOEFL requirement if you score a 29 on the verbal sections of the ACT. Johns Hopkins eliminates its TOEFL requirement if you score a 30 on ACT English and Reading. You might notice that some schools publicize an SAT minimum, but not an ACT minimum in relation to the TOEFL. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t waive the TOEFL with a certain ACT score; it just reflects the fact that the SAT was a more popular test with international applicants in past years (and that colleges don’t update their websites often enough!). If you see that a college of interest posted an SAT cutoff but not an ACT one, definitely give the admissions office a call to ask about this. Since colleges accept the SAT and ACT equally, they should have a similar policy for both tests. Once you’ve figured out all the answers to all of these questions (whether or not a school requires the TOEFL, if it calls for a minimum score, and if it waives the TOEFL in the case of high ACT verbal scores), then you can go on to plan your test dates and prep schedule. Read on to learn more about both admissions tests, starting with the TOEFL. Throw on your thinkingcap. It's time to learn about both tests. TOEFL and ACT: Learn About Both Tests If you’re taking the TOEFL and ACT to apply to college, then your first step in preparing should be learning about both tests. Below you’ll find an overview of each in terms of its structure and skills tested. While the two tests have some overlap, they’re largely unique exams that require their own individual approach. Let’s start with the TOEFL and go over its structure and content, along with tips onhow to prepare. TOEFL: Structure, Content, and Prep The TOEFL is a test of your English language skills. Most students will take the TOEFL iBT, or internet-based test, on the computer. The score range for the TOEFL iBT is from 0 to 120. A few countries offer it on paper. The TOEFL PBT, or paper-based test, has a score range from 310 to 677. Regardless of the test type, it will contain four main sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. Below is the full structure of the test. TOEFL Structure The TOEFL tests the four main skill areas of English language: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing, in that order. The length of the first two sections, Reading and Listening, actually varies depending on whether or not you get extra experimental questions. These extra questions won’t be scored, but you won’t know which ones they are, so you’ll have to treat every question equally. This chart shows the length of the TOEFL sections, along with a brief description of the tasks in each. Order Section Time Limit Questions Tasks 1 Reading 60–80 minutes 36–56 questions Read 3 or 4 passages from academic texts and answer questions. 2 Listening 60–90 minutes 34–51 questions Listen to lectures, classroom discussions and conversations, then answer questions. Break 10 minutes - - 3 Speaking 20 minutes 6 tasks Express an opinion on a familiar topic; speak based on reading and listening tasks. 4 Writing 50 minutes 2 tasks Write essay responses based on reading and listening tasks; support an opinion in writing. Total: 3 hours, 20 min - 4 hours, 10 min (break included) Each section is scored between 0 and 30 points. Your total score is the sum of your section scores, so the maximum possible score is 120. While the chart has a brief description of tasks in each section, let’s take a closer look at the content in each, along with a few official sample questions! TOEFL Content As you read above, the TOEFL tests your English language across four main skill areas. You’ll find that some sections integrate more than one skill. For instance, the Speaking section features a reading and a listening task. Let’s delve into each section in the same order that they appear on the test, starting with Reading. TOEFL Reading The Reading section of the TOEFL features three to four short passages, most of which are taken from college-level textbooks. The passages may be expository, argument-based, or historical; you won’t find any fictional prose. Each passage is followed by questions about elements like the main point, key details, relationships between ideas, and vocabulary. The questions fall into three types: multiple choice, sentence insertions, and Reading to Learn questions. The multiple choice tend to be straightforward reading comprehension questions, about you about the meaning of a passage or details or vocabulary words within it. Here are two examples that refer to a preceding passage (not pictured here). The first example question asks about a vocabulary word, while the second asks you to make an inference. The word â€Å"perspective† on line 46 is closest in meaning to sense of values point of view calculation complication Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 3 about the location of the meteorite impact in Mexico? The location of the impact site in Mexico was kept secret by geologists from 1980 to 1990. It was a well-known fact that the impact had occurred in the Yucatn region. Geologists knew that there had been an impact before they knew where it had occurred. The Yucatn region was chosen by geologists as the most probable impact site because of its climate. The second question type, sentence insertions, ask you to add a sentence to a paragraph and indicate where it would fit best. Your goal is to clarify the meaning or organization of the selected passage. Reading to Learn questions are the most involved of the three types. They ask you to sort given information into a chart. You might place it into certain categories or put it in chronological order. Since these questions are multi-part, they may grant partial credit. Once you learn about the ACT, you’ll notice some similarities between the TOEFL Reading and ACT Reading and English. Reading comprehension questions are similar, and the sentence insertions resemble similar questions on the ACT English section. The next section on the TOEFL, though, is completely unique, as you’ll see below. Listening's next, you say? I'm all ears. TOEFL Listening As its name indicates, this section is meant to measure your listening comprehension of the English language. You’ll listen to selections from academic lectures or conversations. The conversations usually take place between students or between a professor or coach and a student. You can take notes throughout listening to the recordings. Then you’ll answer questions about what you heard. Multiple choice questions, like those in the Reading section, ask about main points, key details, vocabulary words, and cause and effect. You’ll also get a few questions that ask you to list events in order. Here are a couple examples of Listening section questions that are based on a conversation between a player and a coach. Who is buying new jackets for the team? The coach The captain of the team A former player A group of basketball fans There are two answers for the next question. Mark two answers. Why is the woman surprised to learn that she has been chosen as the new team captain? She is not the best player on the team. Her teammates did not tell her about the decision. She does not have many friends on the team. She has missed a lot of practices. Note that the second example asks you to mark two answers, meaning you need to pay attention to directions when answering each question type. After the Reading and Listening sections, you’ll get a ten-minute break to stretch and reenergize. Then it’s on to the Speaking section. TOEFL Speaking This section will get you talking. While the other sections are focused on your receptive skills, this one’s aimed at your productive skills. You’ll record your oral responses onthe computer. This section contains two independent speaking tasks and four integrated speaking tasks. Independent speaking tasks ask you to speak for 45 seconds on a familiar topic. Here, you can talk about your own ideas, opinions, observations, or experiences. You’ll have 15 seconds to prepare your answer. The following is an example of an independent speaking task: Independent speaking task: Some people think it is more fun to spend time with friends in restaurants or cafà ©s. Others think it is more fun to spend time with friends at home. Which do you think is better? Explain why. Integrated speaking tasks are based on a passage and/or a recording. You’ll read and/or listen and then answer a question. The question might ask you to summarize the selection or suggest solutions to a featured problem. For your first two integrated speaking tasks, you’ll have 45 seconds to speak and 30 seconds to prepare. For your next two integrated speaking tasks, you’ll get 60 seconds to speak and just 20 seconds to prepare. The following example is based on both a short passage and a listening task about a student association and its purchase of a new sound system. Integrated speaking task: The man expresses his opinion of the Student Association’s recent purchase. State his opinion and explain the reasons he gives for holding that opinion. Your responses should be structured and thoughtful, almost like giving an oral essay. As for written essays, they’ll be your task in the next and final section of the TOEFL, the Writing section. The TOEFL Writing section ties several skills together, including writing, reading, and listening. TOEFL Writing This last section on the TOEFL shares some similarities with the Speaking section, in that it presents you with an integrated writing task and an independent writing task. The integrated task asks you to read a passage and listen to a lecture or conversation. Then you’ll get 20 minutes to summarize the two selections and perhaps compare and contrast them. Here’s an example of an integrated task that refers to a lecture and a reading passage. Integrated writing task: Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they oppose specific points made in the reading passage. The independent task asks you to present your opinion and support it with examples. You’ll get 30 minutes to write your response. Here’s a typical example of an independent task in the Writing section. Independent writing task: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A teacher’s ability to relate well with students is more important than excellent knowledge of the subject being taught. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. You’ll seea word counter beneath each text box that tells you how many words you’ve written. Your responses will be graded on organization, grammar, usage, and accuracy. This section, along with the others, is challenging, even for students with an advanced grasp of or even fluency in English. Like the ACT and any other college admissions test, the TOEFL calls for a lot of preparation to do well. To help you start planning your approach, let’s go over some strategies for prepping for the TOEFL. Prepping for the TOEFL First and foremost, the TOEFL requires a certain level of English. Testmakers suggest that you’ve studied English for at least two years before taking the test. Even if you’re fluent, you should still take time to prep for this unusual test. You can use TOEFL books, as well as online sample questions from the test-makers. To improve your reading comprehension skills, try reading passages from college-level textbooks. A lot of students particularly have a tough time with the Speaking section, which asks you to give structured responses in 45 to 60 seconds. As you practice for this section, check out the rubric and evaluate your efforts. You should give yourself plenty of time to prepare, starting perhaps at least three months before your test date. You might start even earlier to give yourself additional test dates in case you want to retake the TOEFL to improve your scores. As you prep, take timed practice tests under simulated testing conditions to measure your progress. Analyze your results to figure out your strong points and weak areas and learn how to improve. At the same time as you prep for the TOEFL, you may also be studying for the ACT. While there’s some overlap between the TOEFL and the verbal sections of the ACT, the two tests still require their own approach, as you’ll see below. Before discussing some ACT study strategies, let’s go over the structure and content of the test. While the TOEFL tests your English language skills, the ACT brings other subjects into play, like math and science. ACT: Structure, Content, and Prep While the TOEFL is a test of your English language skills, the ACT is more geared toward academic skills and college readiness. It has two verbal sections, the Reading and English, but it additionally has a math and a science section. The ACT has had increasing popularity with international students in recent years largely because of its Science section. The SAT tends to be more verbal, so many non-native English speakers appreciate the ACT’s emphasis on math and science. Below you’ll find the full structure of the ACT. ACT Structure The ACT has four main sections, English, Math, Reading, and Science, in that order. It also features an optional fifth section, Writing, that asks students to write an essay. Each section is scored between 1 and 36, and your total score that takes into account all the sections will also range between 1 and 36. The chart below shows the structure of the entire test and number of questions in each section: Order Section Time in Minutes # of Questions 1 Reading 65 52 2 Writing and Language 35 44 3 Math No Calculator 25 20 4 Math Calculator 55 38 5 Essay (optional) 50 1 Total: 3 hours, 50 minutes (3 hours without essay) 154 (+ 1 essay prompt) Now that you know the overall format of the ACT, let’s take a closer look at each section of the test. ACT Content The test has four or five main sections, depending on whether or not you take the ACT with Writing. Your decision about whether to include the Writing section should mainly be based on colleges’ requirements. If you’re not sure what colleges you’re applying to, you might as well include the Writing section so you don’t prematurely limit your options. Unlike the TOEFL, the ACT is a paper-based test. There aren’t any options to take it on the computer. Your first section will be English, so let’s take a closer look at the skills it tests and question types. ACT English The ACT English section will give you five passages alongside multiple choice questions. These questions test your understanding of English grammar and usage. They might test grammar rules like parallel structure or verb tense, along with your understanding of punctuation, word choice, paragraph structure, or rearranging sentences and paragraphs for the best organization. All of the questions are passage-based and in context. You won’t be asked explicitly about a grammar rule, but rather asked to demonstrate your understanding by fixing an error in the passage. Here’s an example taken from an official ACT practice test. The questions above ask about word choice, usage, commas, and verb tense. Note that questions give you the option of No Change, as not all of the selections will actually contain an error. After showing your grammar skills, you’ll move onto math. Hopefully, you've been paying attention in math class! The ACT tests geometry, algebra, and trigonometry. ACT Math ACT Math is a time-intensive section, asking you 60 questions in 60 minutes. Math questions ask about pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, complex numbers, and data analysis. You won’t get any formulas, so you’ll have to show up with a working knowledge of any formulas you might need. Here are a few examples of ACT math problems: As you can see, some of these questions are word problems, meaning that your English reading comprehension skills will need to come into play. It’s a good warm-up for the next section, which is all about your reading comprehension. ACT Reading The ACT Reading section will give you four passages, one of which may involve a set of paired passages, followed by ten questions each. The passages will be taken from prose fiction, social science, humanities, and natural science. The prose fiction passage, by the way, is unique to the ACT; you won’t get any prose on the TOEFL. The multiple choice questions might ask about main idea, details, vocabulary, function, development, or inferences. Here are a few example questions that are based on a preceding passage. This section requires you to comprehend the passage in a detailed way while also reading quickly under time constraints. After Reading, you’ll move onto ACT Science. The Science section is actually more similar to the Reading section than you might think. Read on to learn about their similarities. ACT Science You don’t have to show up to the ACT with a lot of scientific knowledge. This section is more about testing your scientific skills. Rather than demonstrating preexisting knowledge, you’ll have to show that you can read scientific passages, interpret data from graphics, and evaluate experimental designs. So how is this Science section similar to Reading? It will give you seven passages, and you’ll be asked to interpret them and make predictions. Three of the passages involve data representation, three are research summaries, and one presents conflicting viewpoints. You’ll interpret graphs and data trends, compare scientific opinions, and evaluate the design of experiments. In the example below, the questions ask you to read selections, interpret hypotheses, and represent information in a graph. The various excerpts and graphs in the ACT Science section may be related to biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, or basic math. After the Science section, you might be all done with the ACT. If you registered for the ACT with Writing, though, then you have one last section to complete. The optional ACT Writing section asks you to write an essay in 40 minutes. ACT Writing (Optional) As you read above, the TOEFL Writing section asks you to complete two writing tasks. In ACT Writing, you’ll just write one essay, and you’ll have 40 minutes to do so. Your writing prompt will ask you to evaluate multiple perspectives on an issue and present your own stance. You’ll support your opinion with examples. Here’s an example of an ACT Writing prompt that’s based on a short passage and three different perspectives about public health. Essay task:Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on the conflict between public health and individual freedom. In your essay, be sure to Analyze and evaluate the perspectives given State and develop your own perspective on the issue Explain the relationship between your perspective and those given Your perspective may be in full agreement with any of the others, in partial agreement, or wholly different. Whatever the case, support your ideas with logical reasoning and detailed, persuasive examples. As with your TOEFL Speaking and Writing tasks, you can study the rubric that graders use to score your ACT essay. Read on for a few other strategies for preparing for the ACT. Prepping for the ACT As with the TOEFL, you should start prepping at least threemonths before the ACT. If you take it early, then you’ll have extra test dates in case you want to improve your scores. Your first step in preparing for the ACT should be learning all about the structure and content of the test in detail.Then you might takea diagnostic practice test to measure your starting level. Analyze your results and figure out which sections, question types, and concepts you should study most to improve. Like the TOEFL, the ACT requires a strong working knowledge of English. It also tests your math and science skills. Make sure that you use high-quality, ACT-specific materials that break down each and every concept you need to know. In addition to setting your own personal goals, you should also research colleges to figure out what scores they expect from applicants. While colleges don’t usually have a cutoff ACT score, the way they do with the TOEFL, they do publicize the average ACT scores of accepted students. In closing, let’s review the main similarities and differences of these two admission tests, the TOEFL and the ACT. TOEFL and ACT: Similarities and Differences The TOEFL and ACT are largely different tests, with the TOEFL meant to test your English language level and the ACT focused on reasoning and problem-solving skills. One especially big difference is that the ACT has a math and science section, while the TOEFL is completely focused on English language. The tests do have some overlap, especially between the TOEFL Reading section and ACT Reading and English section. Because the ACT verbal sections require a strong level of English, some colleges will waive the TOEFL requirement with high ACT verbal scores. Unlike the TOEFL, the ACT has a math and science section that requires you to manipulate numbers and interpret data. Both tests require you to have a strong grasp of the English language, whether you’re recording an oral essay during the TOEFL Speaking section or interpreting a scientific passage on the ACT Science. As timed tests, both also require you to practice time management strategies and your ability to work efficiently under pressure. Before you start exploring prep materials to learn more about both tests, let’s review the main points you should remember about the ACT and the TOEFL. If your sights are set on a U.S. college, then you'll need to take the TOEFL and ACT to get there. ACT and TOEFL: Key Points Most U.S. colleges require the ACT (or SAT) from all applicants. Non-native English speakers must additionally take the TOEFL (or IELTS) to demonstrate their English language skills. These tests are meant to show that the applicant has the language and academic skills to succeed in college-level classes. Before you start signing up for any tests, make sure to research college requirements. Every college sets its own policy, and there are some that will waive the TOEFL with a high ACT verbal score. At the same time, your college planning might not line up exactly with your test prep. You should start prepping early, like in 10th grade, to leave yourself plenty of time to improve and take the test again if necessary. At this point, you might not know exactly what colleges you want to apply to. If you’re set on studying in the US, then it’s a good idea to take these admissions tests so you don’t limit your options. For the most part, it’s safe to assume that colleges want you to send TOEFL and ACT scores with your application. Start early, study smart, and work toward achieving your target TOEFL and ACT scores. Then you’ll be able to apply to any college you want! What’s Next? Are you an international student preparing for the ACT or SAT? Check out our guide for international students taking either of these admissions tests. You can also find the full list of international test dates here! Is the ACT your admissions test of choice? To help you prepare, we’ve put together comprehensive study guides for each section of the ACT. Check out our study guides for ACT English, ACT Math, ACT Reading, ACT Science, and ACT Writing! Are you figuring out where to apply? This in-depth guide will help you choose colleges for your college list. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically. Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Rebecca Safier About the Author Rebecca graduated with her Master's in Adolescent Counseling from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has years of teaching and college counseling experience and is passionate about helping students achieve their goals and improve their well-being. She graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University and scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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Three cultures essays

Three cultures essays The three different cultures that I will be discussing are those of the Babylonians, the Athenians, and the Romans. Each of these cultures had their own primary interests. These cultures will be described according to the following documents: the Code of Hammurabi for ancient Babylonia, the Funeral Oration of Pericles for Athenian Greece, and the Constitution of Rome for the Republican Rome. Some of these cultures also borrowed ideas from earlier cultures. The code of Hammurabi has many laws that tell us how the Babylonians thought and lived their daily lives. This law lists many offenses and the penalties for each. The code focuses on theft, womens rights, childrens rights, mens rights and slaves rights. All of the groups in Babylonia had their own rights and obligations. Slaves had some rights and they could eventually obtain freedom. Women were able to hold public positions and practice trades. The men of Babylonia were in charge of their households, but did not have authority over their wives. After reading the code of Hammurabi, I personally thought women were not given the benefit of the doubt. They were always found guilty and punished. They had to prove their innocence by being thrown into the Euphrates River. It was believed that this river was a judge of the people that were accused of committing crimes. Men, on the other hand, would be punished only if they were caught. For example, If a man violate the wife o f another man, who has never known a man, and still lives in her fathers house, and sleep with her and be caught, this man shall be put to death (Hammurabi, 2). This is basically saying that if the man is caught, he will be punished. After reading Pericles Funeral Oration, we can see why Thucydides believed Athens was the greatest of the Greek poleis. Their democratic government is a great example to the other governments. Even the poorest citi...

The Death of Ivan IIych Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Death of Ivan IIych - Essay Example Ivan Ilych's life has been simple, because he lacks spiritual growth and lives like a philistine, and ordinary, because he experienced no suffering until his sickness and he relies on sycophantic decorum to fill his life; and the outcome of simplicity and ordinariness is a terrible life, because he learns that he has not fully lived intrinsically at all. Ivan Illych's life has been simple, because he lacks spiritual growth. Ilych measures the quality of his whole life through his material possessions and social status. He overly concerns himself with his belongings, because he desires to be perceived as a wealthy man: â€Å"†¦with his new and fashionable portmanteau, linen, clothes, shaving and other toilet appliances, and a travelling rug, all purchased at the best shops† (Tolstoy Ch.2). He believes that a wealthy man is more powerful and loved. Furthermore, his social relations are valuable to him, as they â€Å"†¦[inspire] general respect† (Tolstoy Ch.2). T his is similar to how I used to be concerned of the latest gadgets. I felt accepted when I had the most up-to-date technologies. I also have a friend, who is consumed with the desire of having social connections for the purpose of showing off. These are trite reasons for choosing how people should live. The absence of spiritual goals is all the more present in Ivan’s life. He lives for the pursuit of influence and wealth and he ultimately neglects the importance of developing his â€Å"inner hold† (Frankl 77). Furthermore, Ivan’s life is horribly simple, because he is a philistine. As a philistine, he has â€Å"no interest in culture, the arts, or fashion except as a show to others, but without authentic passion he can only define himself by the things he buys for himself† (Breakthrough Writing Lesson #2). He is materialistic and provides only the material needs for his family and himself. Frankl notes the facileness of such simple, material pleasures. He recounts the story of a woman, who discovered her â€Å"inner self† as she converses with a tree (75). She confesses to be a spoiled woman, but she changes completely when she realizes the importance of more complicated and deeper matters- the nourishment of her soul. As Frankl focuses on the significance of a spiritual life, which makes living more meaningful and complex, Ivan lives in the far opposite side of living, one that is simple to the point of being subhuman, because of the attendance to pure physical needs. Frankl understands the primitive nature of human existence: â€Å"It can be readily understood that such as state of strain, coupled with the constant necessity of concentrated on the task of staying alive, forced the prisoner’s inner life to a primitive level† (Frankl 36-38). Ivan is a prisoner of materiality, while the Holocaust victims were prisoners of human racism and xenophobia. Ivan Ilych's life has been ordinary too, because he experienced no suffering until his sickness, and he relies on sycophantic decorum to fill his life. He lives a comfortable life, up until his sickness. He focuses on material wealth and its accumulation. When he learns of dying, he abhors

Islam's Cultural Unity and Political Diversity Essay - 2

Islam's Cultural Unity and Political Diversity - Essay Example All who devote their faith to Islam must, therefore, heed its teachings on injustice. Justice is a virtue that if upheld by most societies of the world, the world can be a much peaceful community. Since the time of creation, justice has been preached to the world by both religious and unreligious means. The big problem is that injustice still runs the society to date. It is not news to hear a person being prosecuted without trial today or a person mobbed to death because of an accusation of theft, burglary and so forth. Injustice has grown to a level that is almost irreversible. Beefed with the various discriminations based on race, religion and political affiliations and interests, injustice all over the world is the order of the day. Despite the good teachings of Prophet Muhammad, (peace be upon Him) and the Quran people have chosen to ignore the lessons and go on with wrongdoing. From the Quran teaching on peace, it is clear that one should not personal interests to hinder justice. Those who believe in the good teachings should stand with integrity and shun injustice with actions and not mere words. In so doing, they could help many people to get justice as so required. Prophet Muhammad also teaches us about justice. He tells us that among the six things that would guarantee us Paradise, is getting our hands off injustice. In the clip number two, Yusuf Hamza brings out how injustice is in play in the world today. In the third minute of the discussion, he narrates how the western countries and the other powerful states play the blame game of wars. He says that the powerful countries have always accused the Islamic countries to be producing weapons of mass destruction. He argues that the weapons are made by the mostly the Western nations and sell them to the Islamic countries that are then triggered against themselves to use the weapons. What the Western countries are doing is not just in the face

Sociological Concepts on War in the Middle East Essay

Sociological Concepts on War in the Middle East - Essay Example Wars can be considered as a serious social problem as it has been responsible for many sociological issues. The wars that have been fought result in degeneration and loss of life and property. During war people become disheartened and they resort to all kinds of violations to correct the authorities in power. People become the preys of exploitation and anarchy in times of war. The social challenges that the wars raise are matchless with out any remedies. People are grabbed by the aftermath of the war by becoming widows, orphans etc. The social threat that the war raises is dissatisfaction and degeneration of the society and people. The status of people gets degenerated and they have to suffer a lot to get out of the social evil of wars. Due to the anarchy during the times of the war people get addicted to alcohol and many other drugs. The wars that are fought in the Middle East had great lessons to teach the modern world. But people are indifferent to the adverse impacts of war. They behave as if they are ignorant of the aftermaths of the war. The loss of life and property due to never ending war is quite beyond the imagination of human beings. The paper is dedicated to the analysis of global images of sociological concepts on war in the Middle East. Apart from war there are a number of other social problems that the word faces today. All these social problems are social issues that every country suffers in the present day. Though there are a number of corrective measures adopted by the authorities they are not adequate to meet the essential requirements. Any country that suffers from any of these social problems can not be considered secure as it lags much behind social progress that of the expected rate. These social problems stand as a hindrance to the growth and development of the country. If a nation wants to attain fast development in every field it should be free from all these negative factors. The social problems are actually the negative factors that pull the countries backward from development. The major social problems that many nations suffer are poverty, unemployment and under employment, beggary, prostitution, war etc. . (Jamail). The image shows how adversely common people are affected by the social problem war. They are a few social problems that deserve mention. There are a number of other social problems to be mentioned. But comparatively they are less severe than those mentioned above. Poverty is a social evil that grabs the society in the modern world. It is a global issue to be taken care of and to be removed. Whole world is now under the clutches of poverty. The rate at which poverty grows is highly alarming and authorities try to find remedy for the social evil of poverty. But no remedial measure is sufficient and foolproof as it lacks popular support. Unemployment and underemployment are other two social evils which put much burden on people. When people have no jobs they would resort to meanest things to find a living. It affects the status of the country and its people. Begging is another social issue that almost all the developing countries face. Poverty and unemployment are the two reasons responsible for begging. The authorities can reduce the number of people who have resorted to begging by providing more and more job opportunities. The main reason behind the global social problem of prostitution is the lack of employment and less salary of the employed persons. People who resort to

Performance management and strategic human resource management Essay

Performance management and strategic human resource management - Essay Example Performance management and strategic human resource management The paper identifies that total performance management is a means of linking up a firm's strategic goals and strategic human resource goals with the actual performance of members of the organisation. This is done through the creation of metrics that reflect the realities of the firm's strategic plans and its implications in reality. Performance management is different from performance appraisal because the latter is an isolated process that does not integrate elements of the firm's strategy. The research studies the linkage between strategic human resource management and corporate strategy. It establishes that performance indicators set in the strategic plan forms the impetus for performance management. And this includes the direct targets and expectations of the human resource management unit and component. The study also concludes that workers are essential in all performance management processes and drives. Workers need to be given important information and sensitization before pe rformance management processes commence. Once it is done, workers must be made to give their feedback on how to improve the system and enhance the processes. This enables a firm to attain optimal and improved results from their performance management processes and systems. Performance management is a critical aspect of strategic human resource management. Its predecessor, performance appraisal was somewhat isolated. However, performance management is born out of strategic human resource management. Strategic human resource management is defined as an approach to human resource management that has the goal of using people most wisely with respect to the strategic needs of the organisation.

Financial Valuation Techniques Research Proposal - 1

Financial Valuation Techniques - Research Proposal Example The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has global assets which are worth more than $1120 billion. The RBS is the 2nd biggest private bank in Europe, and the 6th biggest in the world. RBS is the 14th biggest company in the world (Forbes Global 2000). Apart from this RBS are an enormously important private investor of oil and gas extraction. This is not only high levels of funding for oil and gas projects, but RBS are ‘the oil and gas bank’. They are the central driver of development of the oil and gas industry. The position of RBS on global climate change is far less liberal than many other banks. In spite of stating that the bank â€Å"distinguish the considerable global threat laid by climate change†, RBS has reported it as ‘preposterous’ to admit liability for the climate affects ensuing from their loans to fossil fuel projects. Barclays is a financial services group based in UK. It is also an international banking organisation having branches all over As ia-Pacific, Europe and South America. The company is primarily engaged in banking, investment banking and investment management. With regard to market capitalisation, Barclays is one among the top ten banks in the world. Barclays also provides interconnected global services to translational corps and financial institutions all over the world. It is a leading UK retail and business bank with around 76,200 employees and with operations.Both the banks have grown to be really big so it is very difficult and complex to study its operations in a comprehensive way.

Performance management and strategic human resource management Essay

Performance management and strategic human resource management - Essay Example Performance management and strategic human resource management The paper identifies that total performance management is a means of linking up a firm's strategic goals and strategic human resource goals with the actual performance of members of the organisation. This is done through the creation of metrics that reflect the realities of the firm's strategic plans and its implications in reality. Performance management is different from performance appraisal because the latter is an isolated process that does not integrate elements of the firm's strategy. The research studies the linkage between strategic human resource management and corporate strategy. It establishes that performance indicators set in the strategic plan forms the impetus for performance management. And this includes the direct targets and expectations of the human resource management unit and component. The study also concludes that workers are essential in all performance management processes and drives. Workers need to be given important information and sensitization before pe rformance management processes commence. Once it is done, workers must be made to give their feedback on how to improve the system and enhance the processes. This enables a firm to attain optimal and improved results from their performance management processes and systems. Performance management is a critical aspect of strategic human resource management. Its predecessor, performance appraisal was somewhat isolated. However, performance management is born out of strategic human resource management. Strategic human resource management is defined as an approach to human resource management that has the goal of using people most wisely with respect to the strategic needs of the organisation.

A Comparative Analysis of the Foreign Policy Process between France Essay

A Comparative Analysis of the Foreign Policy Process between France and Germany - Essay Example As observed by Philip Gordon, â€Å"Franco-German military cooperation in the postwar period seems to have taken place despite important differences in perspective between the two countries, not because of a fundamental rapprochement of views† (Krotz, 2001, p. 3). He added that â€Å"at both public and elite levels, French and German attitudes toward security and defence were highly different† (Krotz, 2001, p. 3). However, as stated, France and Germany, despite of their different approaches to foreign policy were able to build an alliance and become a major force in the European Union (EU). This essay analyses the similarities and differences between the foreign policy process in France and Germany. Comparing and Contrasting French and German Foreign Policy In analysing the specific similarities and differences between the foreign policies of France and Germany, it is important to take into account the historical foundation of the Franco-German relations. The assumption that a strong diplomacy in Europe should be based on compromise between France and Germany is firmly embraced throughout the German political community. The ‘rapprochement’—reconciliation—between Germany and France was established in 1963 through the Elysee Treaty (McCarthy, 2001, p. 118). Nevertheless, contrary to their strong alliance in the economic sector, a strong cooperation has been problematic in the security and defence arena. The Franco-German relationship throughout the Cold War was mainly rooted in the effort of Germany to discreetly take part in security and foreign policy, which allowed France to control the arrangement. The eastward territorial expansion and reunification of Germany thus brought about a level of apprehension in France that Germany would reassess their alliance, specifically when dealing with the objectives and interests

The Interview Process Essay Example for Free

The Interview Process Essay I have client, a native of India and her name is Vibhuti. She came here to the United States to find work so that she can help her family out financially and give them a better life. Vibhuti is not able to speak English very well, nor is she familiar with the traditions that we have as Americans. She has two children, ages 5 and 2, and with her broken English, she is having a hard time finding a job. She came to our Organization to seek help in obtaining a job, medical insurance, and help with food as she is still trying to find work to support her needs as well as the needs of her family. Interview Process The first time that I met Vibhuti was during our initial interview. During the interview, I was able to assess vibhuti’s weaknesses and strengths and we were able to talk about her needs, what types of services that she can use and how we can help her. The interview was helpful in giving me more information about her. I was able to explain to Vibhuti our organizations policies as well. After getting to know each other, I went ahead and gave Vibhuti an assessment to figure out what her strengths were as well as what type of job might interest her. The results of the assessment that she was given will be used for our future planning when it comes to finding employment for her. For the food and medical assistance, I was able to gather the information needed from her in order to start some emergency assistantce for Vibhuti and her family immediately. The most challenging part for the both of us, is finding her a job that can support her and her family. The assessment is the second part of the interview process. The last part of the interview would be the closure but we can do the closure once all of Vibhuti’s needs are met, including finding a job. During the interview process, I assured Vibhuti that all of the information she provided to our organization would be kept confidential as part of our confidentiality agreement as well as our commitment to our clients’ privacy.  Everything that Vibhuti had or will say, will be kept confidential unless the information can be used to save someone from harm or even death, a matter of life and death is the only reason that could make her information become more public. In case such a need arises, there is a written consent form that she would also needs to sign, informing her that some information she divulged will be used publicly. Active Listening and Questioning During the Interview Process, I used my skills in active listening to make sure that I heard and understood everything that Vibhuti said. I made sure that Vibhuti seen and felt how interested and invested I was with her problems and how willing I was to help her in any way that I could. I also made sure to keep direct eye contact with Vibhuti as well as give simple responses while she was talking in order for her to be aware that I was indeed listening to everything that she was saying, this also helped her to keep talking and telling me things about her and her family so that I could better understand the situation at hand. There are times when Vibhuti stopped talking because she was gathering her thoughts, I was able to use that time to write down some simple notes about our interview. During the interview, I also used closed and open ended questions. An example of a closed ended question that I asked because I needed a specific answer was: â€Å"how many people are living in your home?† One of the examples of an open ended question that I asked Vibhuti was: What types of feelings and emotions are you experiencing since you have relocated to the United States? By asking her this type of question, it allowed her to elaborate a little more about herself and how she was feeling about everything, this allowed me to narrow down what types of other services that she may be in need of. At times during the interview, there were instances when I was unable to completely understand what Vibhuti was saying, so in order to clarify things, I paraphrased what she said. This not only allowed her to know that I was hearing everything that she was saying as well as give her the chance to help me understand anything that may have been misunderstood. Strength Based Approach The interview that was conducted gave me an idea of what types of services  that Vibhuti will need as well as give me and idea of what her strengths are. After we went over what her strengths and interests were, we were able to formulate a plan that would help her get started in a positive direction to achieve the goals that she desired. Since she will be utilizing her strengths, she said that she felt more confident and she feels that she can do any job that we help find for her. One of Vibhuti’s strengths is her willingness to do whatever it takes to help her family and her eagerness to start right away with meeting her goals. During the interview, I also learned that Vibhuti is fluent in two other languages, this definitely plays a big part in her strengths, and it opens up more doors for her when it comes to obtaining a good job. I can say that the interview that I had with Vibhuti went very well, not only for the client, but for myself as well. I was able to learn more about her Indian culture and open the lines of communication between us in order to start the helping process. Reference Chapter 2, The Assessment Phase: The Helping Process – Assessment to Termination Mc Clam, T., Woodside, M. (2012)

Security Features Of Network Hardware Devices Computer Science Essay

Security Features Of Network Hardware Devices Computer Science Essay Describe the security features of network hardware devices. All network hardware devices need to have security functions which would prevent unauthorised access to systems and data and helps stop viruses malicious software from accessing the network. Network hardware devices include: Workstations Modems Routers Wireless Routers/WEP (Wireless Access points) Each network hardware device comes with its own security features. Workstation Workstations rely greatly on software to protect them from network threats. Anti-virus software programs help keep workstations safe and a software firewall is deployed to keep ports closed even if a program tries to open them. Keeping ports from being opened is like keeping a door closed; nothing can go in or out. This reduces the threat from unauthorised access. Routers To access the security settings of a router, a username and password is needed. If this is not configured anyone who gains access will be able to administer the network as if it was owned by them. This is set buy the administrator or the ISP. Wireless Routers/WAP (Wireless Access point) Wireless routers are more venerable to unauthorised access. This is because the LAN (Local Area Network) does not need to be accessed physically. If the wireless functions of a router are not configured properly, the network can be accessed and configured in administrative mode by anyone. This is a serious security risk. The wireless access can be controlled by configuring an encrypted password, setting a SSID (Service Set identifier) and choosing whether it is visible or not. If it is not visible, people will not be able to search for the access point; they will have to know the SSID before hand. For password encryption WEP and WPA can be used. WPA is more secure than WEP. Doing this stops unauthorised users from accessing the network. M2 Configure a networked device or specialist software to improve the security of the network. I have been asked to implement security to the plan below. This is the network security set-up of a bank. I have been given the task of creating a detailed diagram coupled with a full write-up including any evidence of how the network security has been improved. I will analyse the potential risks of each asset in this network to find out what types of threats the business may face and what can be done to defend or prevent these threats. Mainframe with customer accounts Customers are able to log directly onto the extranet using their personal details. This means that they are essentially giving away their personal, confidential information. Although an extranet is a private network it uses the internet for its external access feature. When sending information across the internet without the right protection, information could be intercepted and taken for later use. Information can even be altered at the time of sending for example a hacker might change the address that a customer wants to send money to in order to commit fraud. This is called the man-in-the-middle attack. If the website does not use encryption, people may start attempting to target the sites vulnerabilities. Depending on how popular the service is the likelihood of an attack can vary. The can be easily prevented by using a secure HTTPS connection on the website when dealing with personal and private information. This will also prevent the man-in-the-middle attack as time-stamps are used. This means if information transfer has been delayed, it may be altered so it is ignored. The network set-up can be made more secure by adding a dedicated firewall in between the extranet and the external customers. Although a firewall has already been installed, alternative routes can be taken to avoid the firewall. An example of when this will happen is when the connection is cut between the firewall and extranet, an alternative route may be taken when accessing customer details. Internal Bank Systems and All other bank data Because there is not firewall installed between the internet and extranet, malware and/or spyware may make it through the network, through the Internal Bank Systems and into the server that holds all the other bank data. This data can range from customer accounts to the banks future strategies and projects. This makes the bank venerable to hackers and even competitors as this information can be used for fraud and blackmail or it can be taken secretly by another bank to give the competitor an extra edge in the market. If the internal bank systems are taken over externally, money transferred illegally and records deleted, this would cause a huge problem for the banks as well as all of its customers and employees. Although it is not likely that other banks will hire hackers to attack the network, it is common for hackers to try to find information or ruin a banks system. This is popular and is also often seen in films. This can be prevented by installing anti-malware/spyware software on the server and installing a dedicated, properly configured firewall between the extranet and internet. External Access via Customers Advice can be given to customers to prevent Phishing and other threats. If the customer is knowledgeable in this area they will notice that it is a risk. This can be stopped by informing the customers that they should only go directly to the site before logging in and not to follow email based links. Firewall Its all good having lots of firewalls installed on the network blocking every possible entrance but if they are not configured correctly they may let in experienced hackers. In some cases the user cannot access the internet with a program they use often and so they open a bunch of ports on the firewall so they can access the internet. This is unprofessional and doing this greatly increases the risk of unauthorised access the network. A network administrator should be contacted in this type of situation to open the port needed and minimised network traffic. If unnecessary ports are open the bank will be extremely venerable to a Distributed Denial of Service Attack (DDoS). This type of attack in often aimed towards commercial websites that sell/provide goods and/or services. This attack involves a computer sending a virus to a large number of other computers. The virus will have a trigger. When this trigger is set off (by time or by another computer,) all of the computers infected will flood the victim server(s) with network traffic in order to shut down the server and their service. Here is a diagram that shows how this process takes place. If the server was turned off for even 5-10 minutes a vast amount of customers would complain. This bank may be targeted because if it is popular and well known. This type of attack can also be prevented by using a dedicated firewall that examines network ports to determine whether it is from a reliable or safe source. If it is a malicious packet it is dropped immediately. After receiving a packet it will send in on to the main server only if the packet is safe. Wireless Access point with WEP Wireless routers are more venerable to unauthorised access. This is because the LAN (Local Area Network) does not need to be accessed physically. This is done by using an encryption algorithm called Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). As this security measure has become used more, it has been examined by hackers and now had been cracked. For this reason the newer, more secure security method should be used; Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2) If the wireless functions of a router are not configured properly, the network can be accessed and even configured in administrative mode by anyone. This is a serious security risk. The administrator needs to set an admin password and username in order to prevent this. I have produced an improved network diagram using the countermeasures mentioned above. This new network had improved the network security in every aspect above. I have done this by configuring all devices, installing security software on relevant devices and installing two extra firewalls. M3 Explain the similarities and differences between securing a wireless and wired network system. Wired and wireless networks are very similar in a logical diagram but physically can be very different. Wireless networks can go further than a wire, for example they can go through walls and building floors. Because of this wireless and wired network security is very different is some ways. Physical security Securing a traditional wired network, physical aspects of the network have to be looked at. For example servers have to be located in secure rooms with locked doors and wires have to be protected using wire covers. Below are examples of the kind of products that professional networks will have installed. Wire networks also need physical security but they can still be accessed wirelessly, because of this a password has to be used to restrict unauthorised access. This can be implemented using Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) or the more secure Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2). The network SSID (Service Set identifier) can be configured to an unsearchable setting. This prevents people even knowing that the wireless network exists. The SSID would have to be known in order to connect to the network in this case. Speed One of the main disadvantages to wireless networking is the reduced speed. Wireless Ethernet is either 11Mbps (802.11b) or 54Mbps (802.11a) or 160 Mbps (802.11n) whereas Wired Ethernet is can be from 100Mbps to 1Gbps (1000Mbps) or more! Performance Although the speed of wireless has been greatly increased due to the introduction of 802.11n, it still cannot keep up with the demand for bandwidth in networks today. If multiple people are gaming over the internet, sharing/downloading files and using bandwidth the network may be overloaded. With wired Ethernet 1Gbps can handle the large bandwidth demand and provide a good service to all users on the same network. Connection Both wired networks and wireless networks can communicate across a peer-to-peer network. This can be used to store and share data, communicate privately or transfer files. Although with a wireless connection files over 100MB problems have been said to occur. Client servers are used to centrally store client data and programs on a server giving them access from multiple locations. This is not possible over a wireless connection as a high performance and high bandwidth is needed. Protocols For communication wired and wireless systems have to use different protocols. Both use standard protocols such as HTTP, UDP and TCP. But for wireless connections encryption has to be used. This is because anyone can interrupt a wireless signal without being noticed.

Why I Live at the P.O. Essay -- Literary Analysis, Eudora Welty

Why I live at the P.O. was written by Eudora Welty in 1941. Sister, the first person narrator, who is a flat character in the story, causes external conflicts within her family as a result of her inner-conflicts. Such as lack of self-confidence and a demanding need to be the center of attention. Due to the conflicts she deals with inside herself, she is driven to move out of her family’s home and into the post office. In the beginning of the story the reader has sympathy for Sister due to the conflicts that are going on, but later on in the story we start to see that these conflicts were perpetuated by Sister herself. As this occurs the story takes on a comedic aspect from the view of the reader, and we lose our sympathy for Sister. Sister lives in China Grove, Mississippi presumably a very small town with only a few occupants. She lives with her mother, grandfather and uncle in their home, being the center of attention for the duration of the time until her younger sister, Stella-Rondo returns home. The return of Stella-Rondo sparks a conflict with Sister immediately because Sister is obviously envious of her and has been even before she came back to China Grove. The reader gets clear evidence of Sister’s jealousy toward Stella-Rondo when Sister says â€Å"She’s always had anything in the world she wanted and then she’d throw it away.†(594). Clearly Sister has a predisposition toward Stella-Rondo returning for many reasons, and this is the beginning of the conflict that she begins to have with herself. Stella-Rondo returns to the house with a child during the middle of dinner, and Sister is feeling greatly offended by this and shows us her arrogance and dismay that she’s losing the center of attention when she says â€Å"There I was o... ...ly marking the time, in hopes that a member of her family will come to the post office and beg for her return as she states in, â€Å"And if Stella-Rondo should come to me this minute, on bended knees, and attempt to explain the incidents of her life†¦I’d simply put my fingers in both my ears and refuse to listen.†(602). It is clear to the reader that Sister is hoping that Stella-Rondo will come for her in hopes giving her the attention she is longing for. Throughout the story, it has been Sister who has tried to persuade the reader to take her side in the debacle with her family. The truth is that it was Sister who caused the entire dispute that is going on with her obsession to compete with her sister that goes back to her childhood where she feels that Stella-Rondo is spoiled and continues to be spoiled up to the end following Sister’s desperate need for attention. Why I Live at the P.O. Essay -- Literary Analysis, Eudora Welty Why I live at the P.O. was written by Eudora Welty in 1941. Sister, the first person narrator, who is a flat character in the story, causes external conflicts within her family as a result of her inner-conflicts. Such as lack of self-confidence and a demanding need to be the center of attention. Due to the conflicts she deals with inside herself, she is driven to move out of her family’s home and into the post office. In the beginning of the story the reader has sympathy for Sister due to the conflicts that are going on, but later on in the story we start to see that these conflicts were perpetuated by Sister herself. As this occurs the story takes on a comedic aspect from the view of the reader, and we lose our sympathy for Sister. Sister lives in China Grove, Mississippi presumably a very small town with only a few occupants. She lives with her mother, grandfather and uncle in their home, being the center of attention for the duration of the time until her younger sister, Stella-Rondo returns home. The return of Stella-Rondo sparks a conflict with Sister immediately because Sister is obviously envious of her and has been even before she came back to China Grove. The reader gets clear evidence of Sister’s jealousy toward Stella-Rondo when Sister says â€Å"She’s always had anything in the world she wanted and then she’d throw it away.†(594). Clearly Sister has a predisposition toward Stella-Rondo returning for many reasons, and this is the beginning of the conflict that she begins to have with herself. Stella-Rondo returns to the house with a child during the middle of dinner, and Sister is feeling greatly offended by this and shows us her arrogance and dismay that she’s losing the center of attention when she says â€Å"There I was o... ...ly marking the time, in hopes that a member of her family will come to the post office and beg for her return as she states in, â€Å"And if Stella-Rondo should come to me this minute, on bended knees, and attempt to explain the incidents of her life†¦I’d simply put my fingers in both my ears and refuse to listen.†(602). It is clear to the reader that Sister is hoping that Stella-Rondo will come for her in hopes giving her the attention she is longing for. Throughout the story, it has been Sister who has tried to persuade the reader to take her side in the debacle with her family. The truth is that it was Sister who caused the entire dispute that is going on with her obsession to compete with her sister that goes back to her childhood where she feels that Stella-Rondo is spoiled and continues to be spoiled up to the end following Sister’s desperate need for attention. Why I Live at the P.O. Essay -- Literary Analysis, Eudora Welty Why I live at the P.O. was written by Eudora Welty in 1941. Sister, the first person narrator, who is a flat character in the story, causes external conflicts within her family as a result of her inner-conflicts. Such as lack of self-confidence and a demanding need to be the center of attention. Due to the conflicts she deals with inside herself, she is driven to move out of her family’s home and into the post office. In the beginning of the story the reader has sympathy for Sister due to the conflicts that are going on, but later on in the story we start to see that these conflicts were perpetuated by Sister herself. As this occurs the story takes on a comedic aspect from the view of the reader, and we lose our sympathy for Sister. Sister lives in China Grove, Mississippi presumably a very small town with only a few occupants. She lives with her mother, grandfather and uncle in their home, being the center of attention for the duration of the time until her younger sister, Stella-Rondo returns home. The return of Stella-Rondo sparks a conflict with Sister immediately because Sister is obviously envious of her and has been even before she came back to China Grove. The reader gets clear evidence of Sister’s jealousy toward Stella-Rondo when Sister says â€Å"She’s always had anything in the world she wanted and then she’d throw it away.†(594). Clearly Sister has a predisposition toward Stella-Rondo returning for many reasons, and this is the beginning of the conflict that she begins to have with herself. Stella-Rondo returns to the house with a child during the middle of dinner, and Sister is feeling greatly offended by this and shows us her arrogance and dismay that she’s losing the center of attention when she says â€Å"There I was o... ...ly marking the time, in hopes that a member of her family will come to the post office and beg for her return as she states in, â€Å"And if Stella-Rondo should come to me this minute, on bended knees, and attempt to explain the incidents of her life†¦I’d simply put my fingers in both my ears and refuse to listen.†(602). It is clear to the reader that Sister is hoping that Stella-Rondo will come for her in hopes giving her the attention she is longing for. Throughout the story, it has been Sister who has tried to persuade the reader to take her side in the debacle with her family. The truth is that it was Sister who caused the entire dispute that is going on with her obsession to compete with her sister that goes back to her childhood where she feels that Stella-Rondo is spoiled and continues to be spoiled up to the end following Sister’s desperate need for attention.