Learning Skills How to Write an Essay free essay sample

This form Of assessment is frequently used for session assignments and exams. Most students, some more than others, will e required to demonstrate their learning through this genre during their degree. An essay writing process to follow There are a number of steps students need to work through: Each step is important. However some students do not pay sufficient attention to the steps of question analysis, planning and editing. Perhaps this reflects insufficient time being allocated to the assignment task as a whole.Poor question analysis may result in a well-written essay but one that doesnt address the question asked or goes off on tangents. A lack of planning often results in a poorly structured essay, which is hard for the reader to follow. Failure to edit an essay results in poorly presented work containing unnecessary errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation. Page 1 of 11 Learning Skills @ CSS The basic essay structure Each section, the introduction, body and conclusion, has a specific purpose, which means the reader will be looking for expected features. We will write a custom essay sample on Learning Skills: How to Write an Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A traditional essay does not include headings.As such it will appear as a series of paragraphs, with each paragraph having a place and purpose which the writer needs to make clear in topic sentences at the beginning of each paragraph. However, lecturers are becoming more flexible in their expectations and in some cases are allowing students to use headings in their essays. This has sometimes been referred to as a report style essay. Always confirm with your lecturer if headings are allowed if you are not sure. Many students find using headings helps them structure their essay. This is true for many DE students as headings are commonly used in workplace writing.If this is true for you and headings are not allowed, use headings in your draft, then convert them to topic sentences, before you submit your essay. Referencing in an essay You will be required to reference both within your essay and at the end of our essay in a list of references. You are required to reference every time you use the work of someone else, whether you have changed their words (paraphrased) or used their exact words (direct quoted). If you are not sure what this means refer to the referencing site for further explanation and examples or to the referencing section in the online essay writing tutorial. Age 2 of 11 How should I present my work? Some students mistakenly think that presentation of an essay refers to fancy headings, clever shading and elaborate fonts. It isnt and the extra time spent wont result in extra marks in some cases quite the opposite. Professionally presented, clear, easy to read text is the key. Always refer to your subject outline for specific instructions from your lecturer. If you are still unclear, post a message on your subject forum or ask your marker. It is likely that other students may have the same questions or perhaps the question has already been answered on your forum.In the absence of any specific directions, the following points are a general guide for presenting assignments. Assignments should be typed Use 1 1/2 spacing. (Some lecturers may ask for double spacing. ) Use 2. 5 CM margins both sides or a 5 CM left margin. Markers need space to be able to include their comments. Use Times New Roman font 1 opt Include a separate title page with your name, student number, subject code and assignment question Number your pages use a header or footer with your name and student number on each page Always keep a copy of your assignments.Both, a hard copy and an electronic copy. Most importantly, always use your spelling and grammar checker, but remember that this does not pick up all errors. You must still manually and carefully edit your work. Developing essay writing skills You might like to work through the essay writing tutorial on this site. At the ND of this you will have a better idea of your needs. Enroll in Academic Skills Development, a 13 hour self paced subject designed to allow students to further develop their essay writing skills. Contact a Learning Skills Adviser if you have a question or concern.Complete English Skills for Academic Writing, a 13 hour self paced subject, if you are concerned about grammar and spelling. Take care if exchanging essays with other students before the essays have been marked. While some may consider this another form of learning, there is always the danger of work being copied. In this case both students may be failed on the assignment. It may however be beneficial to read a good assignment after they have been marked to gain a better idea of what the marker was looking for.The essay writing process Step 1 : Analyses question Some questions are written in such a way that the content and structure of the essay is outlined in the essay question. This often occurs in a long question, so dont be put off by the length of the question.. However, other questions require that you first analyses the question to determine the direction that is required and the level of analysis needed. When this occurs the following key word analysis will help ensure youth answer the question. Page 3 of 11 Learning Skills @ CSS 1.Look for the content words that determine what you will need to research: that is, what you are expected to write about. Pay attention to words that indicate the: general topic (this often assists you with a good introductory sentence for your introduction) and the focus of the question (this is, what the lecturer wants you to specifically address). 2. Note the task, or directional words, that will dictate how you are expected to approach the question. These are sometimes contained within the instructions leading up to the question. Task words are important because they determine the depth of analysis or thin king required.At tertiary level tasks words such as compare, contrast, analyses, discuss and evaluate are more common and require that you demonstrate your thinking about your research, notes describe what you found. Words such as describe, explain, and outline often accompany short answer questions. More commonly at tertiary level, you will be asked to express your point of view. In other words, you have to argue your case supporting your statements with evidence, discussion and valid reasoning. You might find the expanded list of task words and their meanings useful. 3.Finally note any limitations, that will guide your reading through time, place and of course word limit. For example, the question might ask that you restrict your answer to the Australian context, crime in rural Australia or events after 1900. Analysis of the following question might look like the is: Question: The AJAX (university admissions index) is a reliable predictor of success at university. Discuss this statement. Topic: SUCCess at university Focus: Whether the AJAX is a reliable predictor of success; not, for example, Whap are the predictors of success? Although this may be part of your answer. To discuss, that is, Investigate and examine by argument giving the reasons for and against. Present a point of view this will require both description and interpretation. Your opinion must be supported by carefully chosen authoritative evidence. University study. Note you are not limited to time or place. You might assume the lecturer wants you to concentrate on the current Australian context. However, this would be a good question to ask on your subject forum. Word count (not supplied here) will of course impact on how wide you go. For example, 1500 words will significantly restrict you. 5000 words will give you much more room to discuss this question from a number of perspectives. The term ALAI is also a guide as it is a relatively recent term replacing the term TERM. Content: Task: Limitations: Page 4 of 11 Common task words Analyses Comment on Compare Contrast Criticism Description Find the main ideas and show how they are related, what their function is and why they are important. Discuss, criticism, or explain the meaning. Note the similarities and differences of what you are being asked to compare. Compare by showing the differences. Make a judgment about the merit of theories and opinions or about the truth of statements. Back this by discussing the evidence. It is not necessary to attack it. Discuss the strong and weak points and include your own analysis. Give the formal meaning of a word, term or phrase. Give a written, detailed account or verbal picture in a logical sequence. Emphasis the important points. An explanation or interpretation is not required. Make a graph, chart, or drawing. Label it and include a brief explanation. Investigate and examine by argument giving the chosen authoritative evidence. List the main ideas in point form.Make an appraisal Of the worth Of something. Give the opinion of leading practitioners in the field of the truth or importance of the concept. Include the advantages and disadvantages. You may also include your opinion. Interpret the facts; your main focus should be on the why or how with the aim of clarifying reasons, causes and effects. Do notes describe or summaries. Use a figure, diagram or example (comparisons or analogies) to explain or make clear. Explore and clarify the meaning using examples and personal comment. Give a statement of why you think it is so. Give reasons for your statement or conclusion.Give a concise numbered list of words, sentences, or comments. Same as enumerate. Give a general summary/description containing the main ideas supported by secondary ideas. Omit minor details. Show by argument or logic that it is true. Establish certainty by evaluating and citing experimental evidence or by logical reasoning. Show the connections and how one causes, or is like, another. Examine the subject critically. Analyses and comment briefly in an organized sequence on the major points. Express the main points in brief and narrative form. Omit details or examples. Give a concise account of the main points. Omit details and examples. Give the development, process or history of an event or idea. Define Describe Diagram Discuss Enumerate Evaluate Explain Illustrate Interpret Justify List Outline Prove Relate Review State Summaries Trace Page 5 of 11 Step 2: Research After you have analyses and understood the assignment question you might be able to formulate an initial plan by brainstorming, that is, jotting down your ideas so far. Concept mapping works well when brainstorming. An initial plan will help guide your reading and note-taking. However, it is more likely that you will need to research the question in more detail before you can go much further.You will be required to read widely. Some subject outlines will advise you on how much and what to read. Reading requirements will also vary between subjects and the topics. Some topics may require a detailed analysis of a small number of texts; yet it is rarely sufficient to read only one or two books on a particular topic. A rule of thumb for first year, first semester, subjects is to include at least five sources. Another rule of thumb is to choose sources published within the past 5-10 years. Some assignments call for a mix of sources, such as books, journals, swappers, and/or websites.Journals provide more recent information, but it is often specific information. Another rule bathtub for first year students is to start with the textbook to gain an overview of the topic, then move to specifics. New students might find researching using a large library and databases a little daunting. The library has provided an online tutorial called Webbed to help you. Otherwise, contact a librarian and seek help. Do not spend hours agonizing and getting nowhere. After having found the information you are looking for, your task is to take effective notes.Do not rewrite the text, but try to make notes in your own words, and always remember to take the full reference including any page numbers. You will need this information if you decide to use this research in your essay. Some students seem to get caught on this step, research. They gather more and more research and ultimately find themselves with too many notes, confused and discouraged. If this is you, start your plan, then move to the next step. Once you get something onto paper you are likely to feel you are back in control, can see some progress for your efforts and any further research is likely to be more focused and hence productive.Step 3: Plan You are now ready to plan your essay, or if you had an initial plan, return to it and add any new points or delete any that you have now discovered are irrelevant. Planning however does not simply mean randomly gathering information to support your argument. Planning involves grouping or categorizing information into a series of points and determining a logical order in which to present your points. Your aim is to develop a logical, coherent and transparent structure. The following steps will help you do this: Formulate your thesis: Did you start your research with a thesis?Has it changed now hat you have researched the question further? Or have you developed a thesis now that you have researched your topic? What is your thesis or viewpoint? If you didnt have a viewpoint before you started your research you should have one now to help guide your response to the question. Remember, your thesis will help you structure your essay. Decide which points you wish to include in support of your viewpoint or thesis Check to see if there is a logical grouping of ideas or points Decide on an order of presentation.Order could be determined by, for example, level of importance, time in place, the question, geography or personal preference, UT it should follow the order indicated in the introduction Note if there are any points that refute your viewpoint that you should address Delete any poi nts that you now consider irrelevant. Page 6 of 11 earning Skills @ CSS This is when you can start making use of headings. Give each point you are going to include a heading. Now list these in the order in which you will present them in your essay. Does your order make sense?If not, change it. Assuming research leads to the thesis below, an essay plan for the following question might look like this: The ALAI (university admissions index) is a liable predictor of success at university. (Discuss) Essay structure Introduction Number of paragraphs 1 Content Orientate the reader to the general topic Identify the focus or purpose of the essay Outline the scope, that is, the points to be covered, in the body Thesis: The AU is a reliable predictor of success at university Body Maybe 6-8 in this simple essay What is success? Academic achievement) What is involved in order to achieve a good ALAI? How does this relate to academic success? What does the research say about the correlation between the AJAX and success? Studies? Are there any exceptions? Do they provide an effective counter argument? Conclusion Summary of main points Reaffirm thesis Step 4: Write Refer to the section on essay structure Follow your plan. Make use of headings if this helps you. Sometimes turning a heading into a question helps students keep to the point. Remove them from your final draft if traditional essay format is wanted. Take care if you change terms used in the question. For example, if the term used in your question is success and you substitute this with the term achievement, the meaning may be quite different. Remember to pay attention to your topic sentences. Make it clear to he reader what point you are making in each paragraph and why. You know what you mean, but did you tell the reader? Relate the points you are making to the question/your thesis. Do not use first person, such as l think.. , I believe.. , In my opinion , unless you are permitted or asked to do so, Do not use any colloquial phrases, informal language or cliches, such as: The union representative was a thorn in the side of the manager. Brown (2004) stuck to his ideals Smiths (2000) analysis was spot on. See full sentences to communicate your ideas. Always reference other peoples ideas whether you rephrased or directly quoted their work, and Remember this is a draft. Come back later and edit out minor errors. Page 7 of 11 Learning Skills @ ISIS Step 5: Edit This is the final step in the essay writing process and an important one.Failing to edit your work will impact on your marks despite all your hard work. Remember, professionally presented, clear, easy to read text is the key. Give yourself time to complete this step. It may mean the difference between a pass and fail or a pass and distinction. McAllen (1997) refers to two editing steps: micro and macro editing. Micro editing involves heckling that your spelling, grammar and punctuation is correct. Always use your spelling and grammar checker, but be aware that this may not pick up all errors referencing is correct and consistent.Inconsistent referencing suggests poor attention to presentation. Macro editing refers to examining the essay as a whole. Check for coherence and logic. In other words, does your essay make sense? Is it reader friendly? Put your essay aside for a day or two before you edit, otherwise you will be inclined to read what you expect to see, not what yogurt written. Often the best way to edit your work is to read it aloud or dead it to someone. Give your essay to someone else to read. Finally, refer to the marking criteria in your Subject Outline for the presentation requirements for your subject and assessment item.Refer to the general guidelines in the topic presenting your work in the learning skills website, if you are still unclear about how to present your work. At the very least you will know what questions to clarify with your lecturer. Basic essay structure 1. Introduction The introduction to your essay is an important paragraph. It is the first thing the reader sees. A good introduction should 1 . Orientate the deader to the general topic 2. Identify the focus or purpose of the essay 3. Outline the scope, that is, the points to be covered, noting any limitations and 4.Finish by identifying the thesis. An introduction is usually one paragraph, although this is not always the case, particularly with long essays. Some students define key terms in the introduction. Others signal within the scope that key terms will be defined in the essay. If this is case, do this at the beginning of the body of the essay. The decision about where to define key terms is probably guided by the length of the definition discussion. A simple definition may sit well in the introduction. A protracted definition may be distracting and better dealt with in the body Of the essay. Mints 1 and 2 above are determined by your essay question. Point 3 will be guided by the question, your research and the thesis. Point 4 is important. It identifies what you have learnt, your argument or viewpoint. The thesis will drive your essay. More information on thesis statements follows: A thesis statement is your line of argument, your viewpoint. You might agree, disagree or perhaps qualify your argument in some way so that it agrees with part of the question. For example, you might be asked to discuss this statement: The (JAW (university admissions index) is a reliable predictor of success at university.Some students may argue that it is. Some may argue that it isnt. Others may argue that it is a useful but not reliable predictor. A critical thinker might challenge the concept of success and argue that the ALAI has little to do with success in its broad sense. Page 8 of 1 1 Learning Skills @ CSS In other words, there may be a number of thesis statements or viewpoints that relate to a question. What is important is tattoo support your viewpoint with evidence based on your research. Your thesis is an expression of your learning.Thesis statements generally grow out of a consideration of many viewpoints within your research. Thesis statements can develop at any point in the research, planning and writing of your essay. If you decide on your thesis statement before your begin your research, take care that you remain open to the many points of view you will read about. Most students probably develop their thesis statement at the end of their research. The thesis statement and the topic sentences (opening sentence for each arcograph) provide the framework for your essay. For the writer, the thesis statement: serves as a planning tool. Alps the writer determine the papers real focus and clarify the relationships between ideas. Becomes a hook on which the writer can hang the sub-theses or the topic sentences that present evidence in support of the argument. Anticipates questions about the topic and provides the unifying thread between pieces of information. ( Ref: http://www. Wise. Du/writing/Handbook/Disentanglement. HTML ) Your thesis is a statement, not another question and sits in the introduction. An introduction containing these features might look like this: 2. Body The body of an essay is where you develop your essay.This occurs in a series of paragraphs with each paragraph logically flowing to the next. Thus a good use of topic sentences and correct paragraph structure are important. The first sentence of each paragraph, often referred to as a topic sentence, introduces the paragraph by stating and summarizing the main point being made in the paragraph. Topic sentences often contain transition signals, which aid in the smooth transition from one paragraph to the next. This first entente should inform the reader of the point you are making and how this paragraph relates to the question. In fact, if the reader were to scan your topic sentences, they should be able to obtain a sketch of the entire essay. This sketch should show the logical progression of the points you are making. Absence of topic sentences leaves the reader wondering what you are trying to say and why, ultimately confusing the reader. Page 9 of 11 Signposting is not limited to topic sentences. Signposting within your paragraph also aids the reader. The following example well illustrates the effective use of signposts (folded). Finally, as with all models of learning, information processing has limitations. For example, the model implies that thinking and learning occur in a serial (linear) processing form, whereas we know that thinking and learning are more complex than this (it is a recursive process). Furthermore, the model fails to take into account motivation, emotions and social interaction as elements affecting learning processes. Nevertheless, the model gives teachers many useful starters for considering how information can be structured to facilitate learning. Ref: The University Of New England http://www. Nun. Du. U/TTL/AI/paragraphs. HTML Effective paragraphs have three important qualities.

Greek and Roman Art

Greek and Roman Art Art has changed a great deal since it began many centuries ago. Centuries, however, are not necessary to notice the small changes that are evident even between cultures of similar times. Such is the case with the Greeks and Romans. Both cultures had exquisite pieces of art, but they were very different from each other. The amazing thing about art is that no matter how many differences exist, it is still beautiful in its own sense. There are also a number of similarities that are evident with these two cultures as well, but the point that will be focused on is the differences that are found between Greek and Roman art. The pieces that will be focused on from the Greeks are Black-Figured Psykter and Red-Figured Kylix Depicting a Young Athelete, and from the Romans are Mummy Portrait of a Man and Mummy Portrait of a Young Woman.The Roman Portraits are located at The Menil Collection in Houston.Mummy portrait of a young woman, 2nd century, Louv...The Mummy Portrait of a Man is from the F ayum region in Egypt. It was painted about 150-200 B.C. It is painted in encaustic on wood, and is a Fayum portrait. The Mummy Portrait of a Young Woman is also from the Fayum region and painted in encaustic on wood. This portrait was painted about 150-200 B.C. The term Fayum portrait is actually derived from a Coptic word meaning " The land of the lake," which refers to the artificial Lake Qarun. This lake was a project of the kings of the Twelfth Dynasty, and it was this lake that made a desert area of about 100 kilometers into one of the most fertile areas in Egypt. It was such an amazing feat that the lake still to this day provides this region water keeping it fertile.The purpose...

Roman Empire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Roman Empire - Essay Example 136 ) marks a significant episode in Rome’s military history, for they nearly lost the war to Hannibal, a great Carthaginian general. With the defeat of Hannibal at Zama by the Roman general Scipio, and the experience gained during the war, Rome appears to have learnt a lot from it and harbored bitter feelings at least for Carthage for the damages Hannibal caused; ravaging much of their homeland and leaving it in a deplorable state. The effect of this was to be seen in the manner in which Rome later formulated strategies, for tactical reasons, in handling her allies and foes in an attempt to expand and consolidate her empire. Indeed, it is the Punic wars that saw the rise of the Roman Empire and echoed the thud falling of the republic. With the fall of Carthage, The Romans inflicted severe punishment on her, an attempt which was meant to ensure that Carthage remained subservient. In the treaty signed between the two, Carthage agreed to Scipio’s terms which required her to pay Rome an indemnity of 10,000 talents in the subsequent five decades. In addition, Carthage was not to enter into any war without Rome’s consent and was to surrender her navy; all her warships and elephants (Koeller 2005).This defeat, coupled with the unfriendly Scipio’s terms, humbled Carthage and the Romans felt that the punishment rendered her toothless and that she was never to bite again, leave alone bark at Rome. In using this approach, Rome successfully managed to tame and robe Carthage of her political power making her to coil her tail, but not for long. Rome was not done with Carthage just yet. In a move seen as one to expand its empire, Rome turned its rage on the Kingdoms that did offer support to Hannibal during the war. Such were the kingdom of Macedon and some parts of Greece .This also saw the Mediterranean islands and Spain cede to Rome. Another score card at Rome’s disposal that came into effect during this period was the adoption of a rapa cious and brutal foreign policy: diplomacy based on trickery rather than on true valor. Lewis and Reinhold 1990 p. 202-203 provides succinctly how Rome, with their act of deceit, hoodwinked king Perseus, tactfully, with a scheme that saw him disadvantaged in a war Rome undeservingly won. Reporting their mission to the senate, notes Reinhold and Lewis, Marcius and Atillus were acknowledged for having shown skillful management in the execution of their mandate and their mission was approved. Though not a unilateral senate decision (with the older senators not amused with this decision terming it contrary to Roman traditions), the cunning diplomacy saw the day. It is in light of the above perhaps, that ruthless oppression became synonymous to Roman rule as seen in the acts of such individuals as Servius Salpicius Galba, the praetor of Farther Spain. Galba, during the war with the Lusitanians, committed a terrible atrocity, one which Reinhold terms as ‘treacherous annihilation of a disarmed populace.’ Disguised as a peace maker and a sympathizer to the Lusitanians, Galba cunningly laid a snare in which his prey unsuspectingly got trapped. Defenseless and disadvantaged as they were, the Lusitanians were easily slewed by the Roman soldiers. This unfriendly Rome’s foreign policy subjected onto uninviting kingdoms appears to have worked in Rome’

Opinion of experinces at Commonwealth Scientific of Industrial Research Paper

Opinion of experinces at Commonwealth Scientific of Industrial Organization (CSIRO) - Research Paper Example The objective of the organization guides it toward performing certain activities. The objectives of the business in most cases are directly related to the organization’s core business activity. After going through the company’s history, I have realized that the main role of CSIRO is carrying out scientific research for Australia’s benefit and facilitating the application of the research results. Other functions include international scientific liaison, research workers training, maintenance of measurements standards, distribution of scientific and technical information and publishing scientific papers. However, the activities and products of the organization may to some extent affect the society. I believe that CIRO as a reputable organization manages its products well and engages in social responsibility. Given that nanotechnology may have a lot of implications in the future, I hope to find out from my experience in the organization what these implications will be. There are various types of businesses including sole proprietorship, partnership, and limited companies. Each of these has its advantages and disadvantages. With almost no doubt CIRO is a company. Yet again, there are various forms of partnerships that may be established at the institutional level. Organizations normally work together to achieve various goals, sometimes sharing resources and in other cases sharing knowledge. Joint ventures are, for example, established so that the companies involve benefit from each other or gain advantage where there are restrictions in case they go alone. I have learnt that CIRO engages with various organizations at different levels in the course of its duties, something that I believe is beneficial to it. I hope to establish with time which organizations CIRO engages with chiefly, and the relationships that exist between them (joint venture, partnership, research partner†¦). I believe I will appreciate these relationships

Performance Management System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Performance Management System - Essay Example This especially most applies on the part of the sales person and among installers. The sales personnel under the marketing department and installers under the technical department are mostly the ones who usually undergo special performance evaluation activities. Although, the performance evaluation activities applies to all, sales personnel and installers are mostly receiving special treatment most particularly in product knowledge activities, as they are the ones who should know more about the company’s product in great detail. This paper focuses on the prevailing performance management system at XYZ Company including the description of the said organization’s performance management system, the type of performance appraisal used, and suggestion and evaluation of the effectiveness of its appraisal and performance management process. Description of XYZ’s performance management system At XYZ, it is all the function of the Human Resource Department to create a produ ctive design and training to initiate appraisal and corrective measures as integral components of its overall performance management system. Shown in the following figure is an illustration of the overall working performance management system at XYZ. Figure 1. XYZ’s performance management system model. ... Thus, the training is appropriate for the Human Resource Department so that the right method of appraisal and corrective measures if necessary should be implemented, accordingly. With this, they could substantially make use of whatever information they obtain at an optimum level. After this, the Human Resource Department will try to delegate the actual appraisal process to the department heads and supervisors in every department. They will then analyze the results and implement corrective actions and measures if necessary. Type of performance appraisal used The XYZ Company uses graphic rating scale to evaluate the performance of the employees. Graphic rating is one of the oldest ways in the evaluation of employees’ performance that involves listing the desirable qualities that the person being evaluated should posses and be rated with from certain range of quantitative or qualitative value (Mathis & Jackson 2011). The effectiveness of the performance appraisal process XYZ eval uates performance mainly for increase of salary and other benefits. Thus, employees have this common notion that performance appraisal is tantamount to having increase in salaries and obtaining additional benefits. On the part of the company, performance appraisal is a motivating factor because only those who receive salary increase will be evaluated in their performance. Performance appraisal should be a form of self-rating in order that employees should know how well they perform and on what ground the company should guide development (Daft & Marcic 2008). Based on this concept, the effectiveness of the performance appraisal process at XYZ at some point will not be remarkable as this would not

Healthcare Technology and Big Data

Healthcare Technology and Big Data Introduction As technology advances, medical devices are able to record increasing amounts of information. These devices are also becoming much more assessable to consumers than in the past. In Adam Tanner’s article â€Å"Health Entrepreneur Debates Going To Data’s Dark Side,† he discusses the company Safe Heart. Safe Heart is developing medical devices for consumer use. These devices are able to measure values like blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, and perfusion index. Being able to collect these massive amounts of data, places these devices in the realm of big data. Although the topic of big data imposes its own issues, the medical nature of the data creates an additional set of important issues. Safe Heart is not the first organization to develop devices that collect â€Å"big† quantities of data. In recent years, many organizations have begun to capture and use large quantities of medical data. Hospitals, credit agencies and researchers have all started to use medical data to the advantage of either the patient or their own corporation. With all the data being captured, there are legal and ethical issues that become apparent. Main Issues The most prominent issue related to big healthcare technology data is a legal one. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), protects health data that is transmitted by a certain groups and organizations [1]. It states that consent must be obtained from the patient to distribute any information to a third party. The organizations included are health plans, health care clearinghouses, and some health care providers [1]. This would mean that non-health organizations transmitting health information would not be subject to HIPAA. The previously mentioned organization Safe Heart, would not be subject to HIPAA because they are not an organization covered by the act. Safe Heart would be able to transmit data in a variety of ways and not be limited by the restrictions of HIPAA. Another act that has the power to govern patient data, but is not optimized for current technologies, is the Privacy Act [1]. The Privacy Act protects data that is distributed by the federal gov ernment. To distribute data, the government must remove personally identifying information from the records [1]. After the information is removed, this allows the government to distribute massive amounts of civilian health data publically. As long as explicitly identifying attributes like name and address have been removed, the Privacy Act does not limit how much, or where the data can be distributed. There are few bounds on what the government can do, making this a pressing legal issue. Big data also imposes several ethical issues on healthcare technology. Even though health agencies may anonymize data in accordance with the Privacy Act, it is still possible to associate the data back to the individual. The Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission released a dataset in the 1990s, and they assured the public that the data had been completely anonymized. A graduate student at the time combined this dataset with voting data and was able to associate medical data back to the correct patient. Shortly after this, it was shown that an American can be identified with only their zip code, birthdate and sex [2]. This imposes a myriad of issues on medical technology companies like Safe Heart. If a released dataset is not properly anonymized, the large amounts of data collected by the devices can be associated back to the patients. This also has powerful ethical implications when considering the results of a study done by the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. This organization stud ied a collection of mobile health and fitness applications for both iOS and Android operating systems. The study found that many of the applications transmitted data, without user notification, to third parties. The data transmitted included items like latitude, longitude, and zip code data [3]. Since many of the developers were not medical entities, the data sharing is not limited. The medical data can be used for marketing of products and can be sold to third parties for other uses. This is a large invasion of user privacy and creates one more way to link consumers to their already existing medical data that has been â€Å"anonymized.† Major Stakeholders The winners here are largely marketing and advertising agencies. After buying a, or using a publically available, dataset marketers can use the few remaining pieces of identifying information like location, age and gender to target specific consumers. With improved consumer targeting, marketing and advertising agencies can increase their revenue and further their own product line. The consumers are also winners depending on how their data is handled. If the data is handled correctly, the profits from the distribution of the data would allow companies, like SafeHeart, to subsidize the cost of the medical devices [4]. Subsidized devices would allow medical technological companies to reach a broader demographic, providing increased public benefit. The data gathered by the consumer medical devices can also be used to enhance medical research providing additional benefit to the consumers [5]. Finally, the collection of data can benefit consumers because it enables improved tracking of dis eases among an entire population [6]. If diseases can be detected faster, a large portion of the public would benefit. Although consumers can reap a large number of benefits from big data in healthcare, they are losers as well. There will be many consumers who do not want their data to be affiliated with marketing or advertising agencies. To these consumers, this is viewed as an extreme invasion of privacy. In addition to the undesired sharing, these users may be subject to the re-identification process. Even though the shared medical data contains few identifying attributes, the remaining information can be used to associate the original consumer with the appropriate medical record [2]. This too in an invasion of the consumer’s privacy, contrary to many of their desires. After consumers, some medical technology entities are also losers. For companies like Safe Heart, the profit from released datasets would reduce costs to the consumer. As a medical company, improving the public’s health is one of their primary missions. The potential that consumers may be re-identified, or targeted by marketing, with the data discourages release. The apprehension to release data limits data available to researchers making them losers as well. If data were released, researchers would be able to expedite research and provide solutions to prevalent health problems [5]. Consumers may resent the release of their data, but those trying to benefit them can produce worthwhile returns. Summary Advances in healthcare technology have also given birth to an increase in the amount of big data created by medical devices. Medical big data creates a unique set of legal and ethical issues that companies like Safe Heart must, and are, considering. Legally, acts like HIPAA and the Privacy Act do not sufficiently protect the data of patients. Data can move considerably freely and it is not always transferred in a completely anonymous state. It has been shown that organizations are not handling the data in an ethical manner. The release and negligent handling of the data completely invades the privacy of the patient. For marketers, this aids when trying to increase revenue. Due to many of these issues, companies have started to limit what data they share when medical devices generate it. Without accessible data sets, progress of researchers is slowed and the standard of care for the public falls. Both the benefits and risks must be considered when medical big data is involved. Conclusions Health devices transmitting big data are already involved in our lives. It is a serious legal issue that HIPAA and the Privacy Act do not govern our health data properly. It is critical that our laws catch up with this rapidly developing technology. A reasonable person may argue that health data should be completely restricted and there should be no transmission, or distribution, at all. It is true that data laws need to be revisited and improved, but complete restriction would be an extreme waste of the potential that medical big data stores. After the laws have been optimized for the technology, the data has the ability to improve health care throughout the nation. Big data can be extremely useful for entities like hospitals. Using patient data, hospitals can monitor a patient’s condition and know more quickly when they are due to worsen [7]. Advanced algorithms can also predict and help to prevent conditions like renal failure, infections, and negative reactions to drugs [7 ]. When physicians are combined with big data indicators, more patients can be helped and conditions can be monitored more reliably than in the past. In conclusion, I think that big data in healthcare should be embraced, but not before we strengthen the laws governing it. References [1] Kalyvas, James R. and Overly, Michael R. Big Data: A Business and Legal Guide. Auerbach Publications. 55-58. [2] Anderson, Nate. â€Å"Anonymized† data really isn’t—and here’s why not. 9/8/09. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2009/09/your-secrets-live-online-in-databases-of-ruin/ [3] Njie, Craig Michael Lie. Technical Analysis of the Data Practices and Privacy Risks of 43 Popular Mobile Health and Fitness Applications. 7/15/2013 http://www.privacyrights.org/mobile-medical-apps-privacy-technologist-research-report.pdf. [4] Tanner, Adam. Health Entrepreneur Debates Going To Datas Dark Side. 9/16/14 http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamtanner/2014/09/16/health-entrepreneur-debates-going-to-datas-dark-side/ [5] Standen, Amy. How Big Data Is Changing Medicine. 9/29/14. http://blogs.kqed.org/science/audio/how-big-data-is-changing-medicine/ [6] Schmarzo, Bill. Big Data Technologies and Advancements in Healthcare. 3/25/14. https://infocus.emc.com/william_schmarzo/big-data-technologies-and-advancements-in-healthcare/

The Black Lace Fan my Mother Gave me Essay examples -- English Literat

The Black Lace Fan my Mother Gave me Commentary on â€Å"The Black Lace Fan my Mother Gave me† by Eavan Bolland The Black Lace Fan my Mother Gave me by Eavan Bolland reflects on the last of a love life of a couple during pre-war Paris using a symbol, a ‘Black Lace Fan’. Bolland achieves this through the use of weather imagery, the changing of his tense from past to present, and using literary features such as simile, metaphor, personification and repetition. In the first stanza of the poem, Bolland disconcerts the reader by using the diction â€Å"it† twice, though representing different things. The first ‘it’ represents the lace and the second ‘it’ is used to substitute the climate of the setting. â€Å"It was stifling. /A starless drought made the nights stormy.† This quotation starts building up the tension in the reader’s mind because of the suffocated feeling the poet creates by mentioning the word â€Å"stifling† in a short sentence that creates a frustrated tone. The metaphor describing the stormy night also produces a sense of insecurity through the weather imagery by expressing anxiety through contradicting dictions like â€Å"drought† and â€Å"stormy†. The first two lines of the second stanza have a repetition of the word â€Å"they† as the first word of each line. This repetition is used to create a rhythm and to describe the routine of the man and woman meeting in cafes and the woman always being early. â€Å"They met in cafes. She was always early. / He was late. That evening he was later. / They wrapped the fan. He looked at his watch.† The syntax of this quotation produces a tone that is frantic because the sentences are short and the reader tends to read that part of the poem fast, and with a jerk at the middle of each... ... express that the man was lost and was unheard of, though what happens to the man next is left to the reader’s imagination. The last stanza completely changes subject and describes the actions of a blackbird in a summer morning. The weather once again is a factor in this poem and the climatic conditions are described using the diction â€Å"sultry† and â€Å"heat†. The last sentence, â€Å"Suddenly she puts out her wing – the whole flirtatious span of it† is a personification that is used to express the symbolism of the black lace fan. Finally, this poem reflects upon the story of a loving couple and the significance of the black lace, in the woman’s life, who loses her man. The poem is expressed by the use of weather imagery, the changing of tenses from past to present, and also the use of literary features such as metaphors, simile, personification and repetition.

Compare or Contrast Public and Private Companies

In today’s highly commercial world, one of the key objectives of starting a business is to make profit. While this might be true and important to every business, â€Å"most people believe that a business should not focus solely on profitability, but on the quality of products and services it offers to its customers†.This essay will discuss the various perspectives on the topic and will to a large extent agree with the view that businesses should not just focus on profit, by looking at customer desire for high quality product and their willingness to pay, then highlighting how focus on quality can lead to lower cost of product and profitability; as well as how quality influence organisation to be socially responsible, sustainable and profitable.First, a strong reason to concentrate on improving quality of product or services of an organisation is the fact that customers desires high quality good, and are willing to pay for value added. This was corroborated by (Nagar and Rajan 2001), who found out that â€Å"poor product quality reduces customer goodwill and loyalty which in turn affects future revenues as dissatisfied customers take their business elsewhere or pay less for the firm’s product. Such a product and the firm producing it acquire a bad reputation since poor product quality leaves a lasting impression on the consumer who perceives it as a low quality brand. In order for a product to be a perceived as a premium brand, a firm must continually improve on the quality of its products or services. A satisfied customer base lead to good brand perception and will open the door to numerous repeated purchases and referrals which will in turn help the firm to grow its market share, become more competitiveness and increase its profitability.Focusing on quality significantly lowers cost of production at long run. Operations Management (Russell and Taylor, 2000) explains that, manufacturing of products to a high quality standard through implem entation of quality management system have a large impact on overall quality cost reduction, it also argues that it saves time and money by reducing the amount of defective products that could result in wastes, thereby lowering significantly the costs of production, as well as cost to re-work defective products.Without a quality management system, poor-quality and defective products may finds their way into the market, through to the customer leading to warranty claims, product returns and in extreme litigation from product liability or injury to the customer. This may have a serious financial implication to the company as the costs associated with product recall and warranties would be enormous and in extreme case the damages imposed due to litigation could make the company insolvent, leading to a total collapse.However, an opposing view on this is that profit maximization is should be the main focus of the business as long as it pays its taxes and operates within the ambit of the law (Friedman, 1962). Certainly, this view may have worked for organisations in the 1800’s; it definitely does not apply in today’s modern and globalised world. The perspective is not only very narrow in view; it also fails to take into consideration other stakeholders who are affected by its activities of, but can also affect its existence.To these types of organisations, making ethical decisions is seen only from the viewpoint costly and profit. Organisations operating for profit alone are yet to appreciate the advantages of good corporate social responsibility and capitalize on it to grow their businesses in a sustainable and socially responsible manner. This drive for profit has led many to slash of employee’s benefits and salaries benefits; pollute the environment and cause permanent damage to the ecosystem all in bid to improve their bottom-line and many have earned a very bad reputation, suffer product boycott and tarnish their corporate image.In concludi ng this essay, as much as profit is very essential to the survival of a business, I want to agree that businesses should focus more on the improving quality of its products or services. This can be clearly seen to from the fact customer expects high quality at good value always, and because improving the quality will eventually bring down cost of production for a company. As well, quality focus drives a company to take ethical decisions and operate in a socially responsible and sustainable manner.It may be tempting for a business to sacrifice quality in order maximize its profit. However, it benefits will only be in the short term. A simple focus on profit maximization could destroy the continued existence of the business, not to mention the society in which it operates. A firm aiming extreme profit might purposefully cut corners during a project, knowing it gets the perks of a better quarter for now; knowing a future management team will have to deal with the damage of spill-induce d lawsuit, fines, and a haul-up to it at the Criminal Court.

Thou lily-liverd boy!

Thou lily-liverd boy! Thou lily-liverd boy! Thou lily-liverd boy! By Maeve Maddox Maya Gharpure wants to know What does the term lilylivered mean? A lily-livered person is a coward, easily frightened. The term lily-livered is one of many vivid expressions we get from Shakespeare. It may not have originated with him, but his use of the term in the much-performed Macbeth ensured it a place in the language. In Act Five a frightened page rushes onstage to tell Macbeth that 10,000 soldiers are taking up their positions outside his castle. The boy is so terrified that the blood has drained from his face. Realizing that his fate is about to catch up with him, Macbeth attempts to conceal his own terror by lashing out at the boy with a volley of insults directed at the lack of color in his face: Go prick thy face, and over-red thy fear,†¨ Thou lily-liverd boy. What soldiers, patch? Death of thy soul! those linen cheeks of thine†¨ Are counsellors to fear. What soldiers, whey-face? Go prick thy face: go cut your face so as to draw some blood to give it color. Thou lily-liver’d boy: think Easter lily, pure white. Before its functions were understood, the liver was thought to produce blood. A healthy liver would be red, not white. In the theory of â€Å"humors,† the liver governed anger and courage. By shouting angrily at the boy, Macbeth is trying to prove that his own liver is red. those linen cheeks of thine: Macbeth is thinking of white linen. whey-face: whey is the watery part of milk that accumulates during the making of cheese. The boy’s face is not merely white; it’s a sickly white. The word patch may also be intended to convey something white as one meaning of patch is â€Å"a piece of sticking plaster used to cover and protect a wound or scar.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire YouHomogeneous vs. HeterogeneousList of Prefixes and Suffixes and their Meanings

Free Essays on The Devolution Of Human Civility At Corcyra

The Devolution of Human Civility at Corcyra â€Å"In 427, the tension in Corcyra erupted in open civil war between democrats and oligarchs.† (89, Thucydides) Thus begins Thucydides description of the civil war at Corcyra, an island off the coast of western Greece. Thucydides focuses on the different attitudes that were prevalent in Corcya during the course of the war. The civil war at Corcyra caused democrats and oligarchs to change from being relatively civil with each other to become savage, cruel, and anarchistic. As the Corcyrean oligarchs called upon the Spartans for aid and the democrats called in the Athenians, both sides gained confidence in their respective efforts, the latter gaining more confidence with their stronger ally. The war that ensued was all but chaos. Thucydides’ chapter on Corcyra is littered with phrases like â€Å"The Corcyreans went on killing as many of their own people as they took to be their enemies.† (90, Thucydides) New mentalities were adopted that could only be described as savage. People’s perceptions of each other devolved from cultured to almost barbaric. â€Å"Ill-considered boldness was counted as loyal manliness; prudent hesitation was held to be cowardice in disguise, and moderation merely the cloak of an unmanly nature.† (90-1, Thucydides) Actions or attitudes that did not display immediate and obvious support for one’s party was ridiculed, while rashness and anger were seen as masculine and admirable. â€Å"Sudden fury was accepted as part of manly valor, while plotting for one’s own security was thought a reasonable excuse for delaying action. A man who started a quarrel was always to be trusted, while one who opposed him was under suspicion.† (91, Thucydides) Every refined human emotion seemed to have the opposite effect in Corcyra during the civil war. Lines were drawn within the groups of oligarchs and democrats. All were expected to work for their alliance thinking in terms o... Free Essays on The Devolution Of Human Civility At Corcyra Free Essays on The Devolution Of Human Civility At Corcyra The Devolution of Human Civility at Corcyra â€Å"In 427, the tension in Corcyra erupted in open civil war between democrats and oligarchs.† (89, Thucydides) Thus begins Thucydides description of the civil war at Corcyra, an island off the coast of western Greece. Thucydides focuses on the different attitudes that were prevalent in Corcya during the course of the war. The civil war at Corcyra caused democrats and oligarchs to change from being relatively civil with each other to become savage, cruel, and anarchistic. As the Corcyrean oligarchs called upon the Spartans for aid and the democrats called in the Athenians, both sides gained confidence in their respective efforts, the latter gaining more confidence with their stronger ally. The war that ensued was all but chaos. Thucydides’ chapter on Corcyra is littered with phrases like â€Å"The Corcyreans went on killing as many of their own people as they took to be their enemies.† (90, Thucydides) New mentalities were adopted that could only be described as savage. People’s perceptions of each other devolved from cultured to almost barbaric. â€Å"Ill-considered boldness was counted as loyal manliness; prudent hesitation was held to be cowardice in disguise, and moderation merely the cloak of an unmanly nature.† (90-1, Thucydides) Actions or attitudes that did not display immediate and obvious support for one’s party was ridiculed, while rashness and anger were seen as masculine and admirable. â€Å"Sudden fury was accepted as part of manly valor, while plotting for one’s own security was thought a reasonable excuse for delaying action. A man who started a quarrel was always to be trusted, while one who opposed him was under suspicion.† (91, Thucydides) Every refined human emotion seemed to have the opposite effect in Corcyra during the civil war. Lines were drawn within the groups of oligarchs and democrats. All were expected to work for their alliance thinking in terms o...

Law for Business Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Law for Business - Case Study Example There have been various justifications which have been provided for this approach which include the control test, deeper pocket justification etc which have been said to be adopted by judges. (Professor Glanville Williams) 2 The three tier test which needs to be proved in order to hold an employer vicariously liable is a) offender was the employee (of that employer) b) a tort had been committed by the employee c) and it was committed in the course of employment.3 When determining the nature of the relation with the person that is whether he is an employee or an independent contractor the facts as well as the law have to be considered. However if there are written documents on whose construction it can be established then it is purely a question of law. (Davies v. Presbyterian Church of Wales)45 The distinguishing factor has been said to be contract of service or of employment which clearly point out to an employer-employee relationship allowing vicarious liability for torts of others, however if there is a contract for services then no employer-employee relationship will be found and thus no vicarious liability.6 The traditional aspect for determination of employee from independent contractor was th... Noakes)7 It needs to be pointed out tat the use of the control test has been limited because of difficulties being faced by courts, however it has not been abandoned. 8 The next important aspect which needs to examined it that of mutuality of obligations that is offer of work by employer and acceptance by employee. It needs to be pointed out that these tests are helpful but not conclusive. Therefore there are many factors which have been taken into account and the most important case can be said to be Ready Mixed Concrete (South East) Ltd. V. Minister of Pension and National Insurance9 on the applicability of such factors.10 By looking at the above case it will be presumed that Jim, the software engineer was an employee of Cobend rather than an independent contractor. The second point of the test which requires the commitment of a tort by the employee has clearly led to the employer being vicariously liable (Staveley Iron and Chemical Co. Ltd v. Jones)11 . There had been variations from this approach but it has been restored that an employer will be liable for the tort committed by the employee.12 The final requirement of 'in the course of employment' has been said to b a vexed requirement. There have been found to be many policy reasons for not holding employers liable but it has been said that if an employee has committed a tort which comes under the scope of employment then the employer will be held liable otherwise not. An important point which needs to be regarded with regards to the facts is that it needs to be established that Jim acted carelessly and therefore Cobend should be held accountable. The main points of consideration are the questions of the reason for employment of the employee and if it

The theory and practice of risk management Dissertation

The theory and practice of risk management - Dissertation Example There has been a major turbulence in the credit market which can be traced to the institutional changes brought about in the housing finance sector, in developed countries. Housing finance markets were deregulated, leading to a heighted competition in the credit lending market, and the integration of housing finance with the capital markets further worsened the crisis (Hoggarth & Pain, 2002). Also, the rapid development of technology brought about significant changes and played a key role in developing and strengthening the money market funds. The wide-scale use of technology further led to a global economic boom and helped in reducing the interest rates to a considerable extent. This increased the profitability of banks to considerable extent. Bank profitability is defined as a result of internal and external determinants (Short, 1979; Bourtke, 1989; Molyneux and Thornton, 1992; Demirguc-Kunt and Huizinga, 2000). Internal determinants include size, capital, credit risk, costs etc. T here is a positive relationship between size and profitability of banks (Akhavein et al, 1997; Smirlock; 1985). ... After the introduction of the Building Societies Act, various building societies were converted into banks, while the rest of the building societies enjoyed unlimited commercial liberty under the Act. Changes such as these, added to the already competitive market. The banking sector was rapidly transforming during this period, following such changes. It was during the period 1991 – 1996 that the mergers and acquisitions increased drastically in the UK. The new entrants in the market comprised of non-financial institutions such as football clubs and insurance companies who were given authority to enter the retail market. Apparently, such drastic changes in the banking and financial services industry, in the U.K., gave rise to critical challenges, as the external environment in which the banks operate became increasingly concentrated. Banking regulation was relatively weaker, thus increasing the vulnerability of the sector, and significantly altering its power to address the ris ks faced by it. The case of Northern Rock: The bank which operated on Northern Rock, is one such glaring example of the vulnerability of the banking sector as well as the credit crunch which ensued such rapid transformations in the U.K. banking sector. This was the oldest running bank in the country, with over 150 years of business, however, its failure posed serious questions and left doubt regarding the effectiveness of the regulatory practices. The inefficacy of the regulatory practices coupled with the vulnerability of the bank, highlighted its inefficiency of responding to the crisis, hence services of the Bank of England were sought as a last resort.