ideas essays

Andy Warhol - techniuqes/ideas essays ...The more you look at the exact same thing the more the meaning goes away and the better and emptier you feel... Andy Warhol has been quoted as saying that he was a deeply superficial person. His artworks expressed his love for American Popular Culture and his love for all things commercial. He led an art movement in the 1950s which would last two decades. Pop Art was an exploration of society in the 1950s and 60s and embraced commercialism, mass media and popular icons. Warhol exposed the public to imagery from their daily experience and forced them to become desensitized to these images. Pop art, by nature, was an art form in which it appealed to the masses therefore it took forms that were assessable to all such as advertising. Much Pop Art was transient or temporary so often took the form of a products packaging or in television. Warhol took this approach to his art making using techniques that he had learnt as an advertiser and applied them to his art, or lack of art, as some critics of the day calling it non-art. But looking at Pop Art in hindsight that was an essential characteristic. H aving the ability to turn what was considered not to be art-worthy, such as a box of soap, into a complex snap shot of society. I paint like this because I want to be a machine This statement was a far cry from the philosophies of Jackson Pollock 15 year beforehand. Pollock declared that he wished to be nature; unpredictable, various and full of energy. But unlike Pollock, Warhols artworks were more structural and had an inert qualities and a coldness to them. Warhol was indeed a machine, silk-screening hundreds and hundreds of soup cans, washing powder boxes and images celebrities including Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Chairman Mao, Muhammad Ali and Mick Jagger. And like a machine, Warhol used the same techniques of mass production and ...

Mona Liza Essays

Mona Liza Essays Mona Liza Essay Mona Liza Essay Monaliza Depina ENG Basic Composition Instructor: Carol Pepoli Essay 2 Environment Moving away from my family and friends was not easy for me. The day I moved away a lot of things were going through my mind. As I took the last look at home I remember the good and bad times that I had with my family and friends, at the time my main worry was if I would adjust to the environment and I was trying to be strong and hold my tears. Moving away was an experience that change my life as a person, it tough me how to deal with change and to adjust to a new environment. When I arrived to the United States for the first time, I stepped into a completely different environment and that was when my life started to change. I had difficulty in learning the language and adjusting myself in the new environment also I had complications and challenges at first day of school but With an inspiration and hope, I made an effort to succeed. I tried desperately to prove to my self that I can overcome the language barrier, and that I too am capable of succeeding in the new environment just like the who people came before me . So I spent countless hours studying in the library, trying to improve on my English knew soon enough, my hard work resulted in success. Though my parents decision to move to America placed me in an unfamiliar environment that stifled me from success, it also gave me a chance to grow into a more versatile person, ready to succeed in any environment. I learned how to deal with changes, It took a long time for me accept the changes. My main worry was to face the change of culture. Adjusting to a different culture can be difficult for just about anyone. What is necessary for one to feel at home in a new culture and many steps can be taken to help with differences also    many cultural barriers must be addressed before a person can feel at home with a new culture. I begin to realize is that it’s a whole new world out there and in order to survive i have to get accustomed to the new way of life which is much different from my lives before. Adjust to a new environment and become comfortable can be scared at the unfamiliar surround. What scared me the most was no having complete lacking of knowledge of the English language I failed to understand any given lessons in school or communicate with any of the students in class, that is when I realize that for me to succeed I have to face everything in a new environment. I started to adjust using clothing required participated in club so can improve my English making new friends and I stated to get excited to experience new things. I also realized that Ive proven to myself that I can achieve something no one never thought I could and its going to help me succeed in the future despite unfamiliar circumstances. Leaving ones motherland for a new country where a different language and culture was not easy however, I had never realized how hard it was to adjust to a new cultural and language environment until I immigrated to the United States.

Marriage in Indian culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marriage in Indian culture - Essay Example 1. First detail of support for A: â€Å"among the educated classes, arrangements are made by parents and/or relatives for couples to photographs exchanged† (countrystudies) for couples to have an idea who they are going to marry. b. Further detail of 1: They can also meet where there are other people or groups around especially relatives â€Å"such as going out for tea with a group of people or meeting in the parlor of the girls home, with her relatives standing by† (countrystudies). 2. Second detail for B: Because of its importance in Hindu faith, preparations are made early and it follows that most girls are married before and almost all girls married before the age of 16 while most boys are married before the age of 22 (Gupta 146). C. Supporting information for third main point: Unlike in Hindu belief that a child is unholy and incomplete until he or she is married, Muslims in India believe that it is a parent’s duty to have their daughters happily married and believed that they are incomplete if were able to do so (Ahmad 53). a. Further detail of 1: This is founded on the belief of the Sunna that the female is viewed as a Par Gaheri, a woman who was born to look after her husband’s household. The burden of obligation here is on the parent (Ahmad 53). c. Further detail of 1: But unlike the Hindu’s where the arranged marriage happens during infancy, it is different among the Muslims where the couples are already grown up where the groom has to become marketable to be acceptable to the bride. II. (Connect to larger context, refer back to introduction, or connect to audience): The practice may not be acceptable in most parts of the world but it has actually held India’s society together for

Periodic Motion Problems Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Periodic Motion Problems - Assignment Example The force applied on the spring reduces hence the tension. The spring therefore accelerate mass faster, therefore the period would be shorter. b. Taking it to the moon where gravity is weaker. (U) The gravity change would have no effect on the period taken since the mass and spring are still the same, therefore no change is expected. c. Weakening the spring (reducing the spring constant). (L) For a weakened spring, the force the spring exerts is decreased. The oscillations period would be therefore lengthened, would be longer d. Making the amplitude of the oscillation larger.(U) The amplitude does not affect frequency since the distance from relaxation position would increase the restoring force. Therefore, the frequency remains unchanged. 2. For a pendulum as in Fig 9.1.2: label how the following changes would affect the oscillation period. Label each as making the period shorter (S), longer (L), or unchanged (U). Explain your response. a. Taking it to a planet where gravity is larger.(S) Gravity affects the oscillation period from the formula of finding period using length and gravity. Therefore, as the gravity increases, the period decreases as they are inversely proportional b. Increase the mass hanging on the pendulum.(U) Period is mass independent. Therefore, at gravity all masses accelerate equally, hence the period is unchanged. c. Making the pendulum shorter. (S) The length is directly proportional to the period. Therefore a decrease in the pendulum length decreases the period d. Reducing the amplitude of the oscillation (assuming that it was not very big to start with). (U) The oscillations period remains constant due to the lack of relation to the amplitude. 3. The frequency of the tone produced by a violin string is higher (H), lower (L) or unchanged (U) if we make the following changes (note that here we are asking about the frequency, whereas on the earlier problems we were asking about the period of the oscillation, which is just the inverse of the frequency) : a. Making the string shorter. (H) The frequency of the tone is high. The shorter the string the higher the pitch, therefore the high frequency experienced. b. Making the string thicker. (L) The increased thickness increases the mass per unit length. Therefore the string moves slower which decreases the pitch, hence the frequency. c. Pressing the string down on the fingerboard.(H) The vibration reduces when the spring is pressed to the fingerboard; the active part is shortened. Therefore the pitch and frequency rose. d. Reducing the tension of the string. (L) The reduced tension of string causes slow movement of the string therefore the pitch and frequency reduced Explain your response. 4. I take a violin and make an exact co py of it, except that it is bigger. The strings are identical except for the length; they have the same material and the same tension. If the new violin is 2.30 times the size of the original, at what frequency would the string that was previously the A4 string (that is 440 Hz on a regular violin) oscillate? Use units of "Hz." Explain your response. When the size increases the pitch decreases, therefore 440Hz divided by 2.3 440Hz / 2.3= 191.30Hz 5. If your hearing cuts off at 17440 Hz, what is the highest harmonic of E5 string you can hear? The answer is an integer without units. Hint: The E5 string vibrates at 660 Hz. Explain your response. The highest harmonic is 17440Hz divided by 660Hz 17440/660=26.42 Rounding off, the highest harmonic to be heard is the 26th Harmonic 6. The frequency of the sound coming from the organ pipe is higher (H), lower (L) or the same (S) if we make the following changes to the organ: a. Moving the organ to a higher elevation. (H) The air is less dense at higher elevation, therefore the molecules move more

Project Design Plan Essay Example for Free

Project Design Plan Essay This experiment is to test the theory that the temperature of water affects the duration of time it takes to water to reach freezing? Hot water freezing faster than cold has been observed for many centuries. The earliest known reference to this effect is by Aristotle, who wrote: The fact that water has previously been warmed contributes to its freezing quickly; for so it cools sooner. Hence many people, when they want to cool hot water quickly, begin by putting it in the sun. . . (Jeng) Literature review 1. According to a study of the Mpemba effect by Monwhea Jeng Many factors impact water as it cools and eventually freezes, evaporation can contribute to a loss of mass, Hot water can hold less dissolved gas than cold water and large amounts of dissolved gas escape upon boiling, convection currents and non-uniform temperature distribution happen as water cools, the environmental of the hot sample also impacts the environment around it. Super cooling may also have an important role in the effect, super cooling occours when water freezes not at 0c but at some lower temperature. (Jeng, The Mpemba effect: When can hot water freeze faster than cold? , 2006) 2. In 1963 a student named Erasto B Mpemba noticed that placing recently a recently boiled mixture of milk and sugar into the refrigerator it froze into ice-cream faster than another students mixture that was not heated. He asked his physics instructor why this had happened and his physics instructor informed him â€Å"you are confused, that cannot happen† this response highlights the need for objectivity in scientific studies. After repeatedly asking various instructors to explain his observations Mpemba took two 50ml beakers and filled one with water from the tap and one from hot water from a boiler and put them into a freezer, after an hour he discovered that their was in fact more ice formation in the sample from the boiler. Dr Osborne visited the school where Mpemba studied and Mpemeba asked him to explain the effect, he could not but unlike previous instructors and peers Dr. Osborne conducted experiments and did infact repeat Mpemba’s discovery (Osborne) Variables The Dependent variable is the starting temperature of the water being placed into the freezer. The Independent variable time elapsed until each sample freezes The Controlled variables are temperature of the freezer, the volume of the water samples and the sample containers. Hypothesis My hypothesis is that the hot water will freeze in a shorter elapsed time than the cold water due to a combination of loss of volume during the heating/cooling process; I arrived at this hypothesis through researching the Mpemba effect and reviewing the results of other experiments. Experimental design After reading multiple possible ways to conduct experiments on the Mpemba effect I chose this design plan because the experiment could be conducted with supplies I had on hand and should be easily reproducible. I will measure the temperature with a common digital kitchen thermometer every fifteen minutes until the water sample has frozen solid enough that the thermometer cannot penetrate the ice to take measurements. The tools I will be using are 1 Plastic measuring cup,1 Thermometer, Two .30 l plastic storage containers,1 Kitchen timer, 1 Clock, 1 Range cook top, 1 Sauce pan. Threat Reduction to Internal Validity To reduce the threats to internal validity I will use the same procedure’s to objectively measure the variables of temperature and volume in my experiment. Each temperature reading will be taken using the same thermometer; each volume measurement will be taken using the same measuring cup. Identical storage containers will be used to store the water samples and they will be placed at the same time into the same freezer on the same bare shelf. Experimental procedure. Step 1 Draw two samples of tap water 250ml each and record initial temperature Step 2 pour one sample into sauce pan heat to boiling; pour other sample into .30 l plastic storage container Step 3 pour boiling  sample into measuring cup and note any loss of volume Step 4 return samples to .30l plastic storage container Step 5 measure temperatures of boiled sample and room temperature sample Step 6 place both .30l plastic storage container into freezer Step 7 measure temperature of both samples every 15 min logging results until both samples are held at or below zero degrees Celsius long enough that the thermometers temperature probe cannot pierce the surface of the sample. . Step 8 Allow both samples to thaw at room temperature and measure for any loss of volume Experiment Results In my investigation the boiled sample of water did in fact freeze faster than the colder tap water sample the greatest temperature differential during my experiment arrived in the first 15 minutes of the boiled sample being introduced to the freezer, the boiled sample entered the freezer at 99.6C and 15 minutes later the temperature was 18.1c this represents a reduction of 81.5 degrees. No notable change of temperature to the environment was recorded. The cold sample also experienced the greatest reduction in temperature in the first 15 minutes of my experiment with a starting temperature of 14.3c and 15 minutes later the temperature was 2 degrees Celsius The hot sample continued to lose heat faster than the cold sample until 120 min into my experiment where both samples reached -0.6c and were too solidly frozen to continue measurements. After both samples were too solid to continue measurements I removed both samples from the freezer and allowed them to thaw once both samples were thawed I measured the remaining water volume the hot sample lost 30% of its volume whereas the cold sample had only lost 10% Conclusion This experiment has proven my hypothesis the hot water sample did in fact freeze in a shorter elapsed time than the cold water. The hot sample also lost 30% of its volume. The experimental design was a key factor in proving my hypothesis as it controlled many of the variables that could impact the outcome of my investigation. To replicate my experiment you will need a thermometer 500ml of water, two identical storage containers and a freezer with a constant temperature of 18 degrees Celsius . I replicated my experiment using the same experimental procedure and achieved the same results with a slight variation in the loss of volume in the hot sample, in my second attempt the hot sample lost 35% of its volume. Because I achieved similar results using the same experimental design I believe my observations are valid. Works Cited Jeng, M. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/General/hot_water.html#History Jeng, M. (2006). The Mpemba effect: When can hot water freeze faster than cold? . American Journal of Physics, 514. Kurtus, R. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/mpemba.htm Osborne, E. M. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.rsc.org/images/Cool-Mpemba-Osborne1969_tcm18-222099.pdf

Animals and Man Essay -- Analysis, G.W. Leibniz

G.W. Leibniz asserts that humans are superior to all other creatures. Admittedly, Leibniz’s ideas on this matter are somewhat ambiguous, making it difficult to ascertain his exact position. In some instances within the Discourse on Metaphysics, he appears to hold that animals do not have souls. On other occasions, however, he seems to express beliefs to the contrary. For example, Leibniz first expresses doubt about souls of animals when he questions â€Å"if they [animals] have any [souls]† (Leibniz, 11). In another example, on the contrary, he hints that â€Å"the souls †¦ of other bodies are entirely different from intelligent souls† (12). This gives the impression that both other bodies and humans (â€Å"intelligent souls†) have souls albeit different to some degree. Later, however, Leibniz definitively remarks â€Å"that animals have souls† (37). In The Monadology, any remaining uncertainty vanishes. Here, he first mentions that â €Å"nature has given heightened perceptions to animals, from the care she has taken to furnish them organs †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (71). Then, a few words later Leibniz vows to explain â€Å"how what occurs in the soul represents what occurs in the organs† (71). What he implies with this passage is that animals, just like humans, have souls which are influenced and impacted by sensory perceptions. Then, in XXVI of The Monadology, he explains that â€Å"[m]emory provides a kind of sequence in souls, which imitates reason, but which must be distinguished from it† (71). Leibniz continues, providing an example of a dog remembering abuse with a stick to suggest that animals have some form of memory or perception. As a result of the memories of abuse and a recollection of the pain, the dog flees when presented with a stick. In arguing as much, Lei... ...ecies. Since humans cannot catch prey, without the use of tools or weaponry, as efficiently as a lion, the lion could then be deemed superior. Reframing what supposedly makes man superior out of an anthropocentric view hopefully elucidate the idea that no trait makes any being superior over any other. I agree with Leibniz that a mind created in the image of God should, indeed, â€Å"act with knowledge in imitation of the divine nature† (39). This includes acting as moral agents to consider the good and inherent worth of all beings. After all, in many respects, animals and man are very similar. But, assuming human superiority is an abuse of our unique position as moral agents of God. Moreover, if we believe God has infinite and perfect virtues who acts in a divine nature, then it seems that such an omnibenevolent being would not value any creature over any other.

Study the short stories of both Raymond Carver and John Cheever

It is my intention within this essay to study the short stories of both Raymond Carver and John Cheever, in doing so I propose to address the theme of masculinity which runs throughout both of the author's stories. I shall do this by considering, among other things, such subjects as Post Modernism, Dirty Realism and social climate and how these are applied to the texts Boxes and Elephant, by Carver and The Season of Divorce by Cheever. The background in which both Carver and Cheever write, is very significant to the way in which both writer's male characters are emasculated within the stories. Carver was writing in the decade of the eighties, and as such Reaganite economics had much to do with the way in which the men lost their grip on the hunter gatherer stereotype which had preceded. The traditional role of the male shifted from heavy industrial work to more emasculated work, such as secretarial/office roles, and domestic captivity therefore diminishing their agency. On top of this many men became jobless due to redundancies concerned with this shift from a blue-collar society to a white-collar society, and so this domestic captivity was enhanced. It is such men who Carver writes about in his short stories. The men who have slipped out of this â€Å"traditional male breadwinning world† Cheever again, writes men relevant to the political climate in which he both lived and set his stories in. In the post war era of the fifties, the male role had begun to become redundant, as during the war women were compelled to do work which had been traditionally thought of as male, and as such the myth that women were not equipped to cope with such jobs, was dispelled. Therefore in the post war when all of the men came back from war, there was a new air of female liberation, which they had not had to deal with previously. Given this fact men became emasculated by the new found power of the female. We can see this treatment of masculinity within Raymond Carvers short story Boxes. The narrator, who unsurprisingly is never named within the story is captive within a suburban world of women and sears catalogues, in which he seems a spectator to his own life. This can be seen through the style of the narrative, in which there seems to be a collapse of male agency. Throughout the story the narrator, seems to be completely inexpressive of his feelings: â€Å"I don't know why, but it's then I recall the affectionate name my dad used sometimes†¦ (p. 25) The use of the statement â€Å"I don't know† permeates the text, and shows the narrators lack of voice compared with the expressiveness of the women who seems to surround his life. Contrary to a narrator's role, he seems to say or think very little, and it is in fact his girlfriend, Jill who has all of the active verbs in the story: â€Å"†¦ â€Å"this is what we want†, she says. â€Å"This is more like what I had in mind. Look at this, will you† but I don't look. I don't care five cents for curtains. â€Å"what is it you see out there, honey? † Jill says. â€Å"Tell me. (p. 25) This is one of the rare occasions when the narrator expresses how he feels about the situation, but he expresses it only to the reader, and again within the story itself he has no voice. Jill's use of the word â€Å"we† expresses her dominance over the narrators character, as it shows that she makes his decisions for him and that he is not his own person but has inescapably become part of a couple, from which he can no longer be distinguished, and as it is Jill who is in the driving seat, the narrator seems to have lost his identity altogether. It should also be noted that the way in which Jill addresses the narrator seems more befitting a pet or a dog than it does someone of equal stature and respect. We can see however through this that she does not regard him as of an equal stature to herself within the relationship, or even his life as a whole. Throughout the story the narrator has no contact with anyone of the same gender at all, except those who he sees through his window. It is significant that the men, whom he watches from a distance, always stand in stark contrast to himself. I. e. he is on the inside confined by a â€Å"five roomed cottage of his very own† (Boyd), and the real men are on the outside where they are free of the constraints of domestication. Also they are always doing something masculine, whereas when he is watching them he is always doing something feminine or is feminised in some way, for example a man changes the oil in his car while he, attempts to do something masculine by finding a roach and trying to smoke it while drinking a ginger ale. This scene is highly feminised in that he tries to do something masculine but falls short, because he simply has lost the ability to be male. So where a man would smoke a roach and drink a beer, he only attempts to smoke and drinks a ginger ale instead. The theme of feminisation permeates this novel and there are many other ways in which the narrator is disempowered, which I shall not go into. The image of suburbia however, is significant to this disempowerment as the surroundings represent, among other things the bland depredation of the characters lives. It also represents a highly feminised culture. One in which the sears catalogue is the coffee table equivalent of the bible, it is second nature to be house proud and for miles around there is no refuge from the reminder of the life, in which the characters of Carver's stories live. Within another of Carver's stories Elephant, we can see masculinity and the role of the male portrayed from the point of view of a man desperately trying to hold on to the shred of power which he has, rather than succumb to powerlessness as the narrator of Boxes did. The main theme of Elephant is that of the breadwinner, however within the story this role is taken for granted, as all of his family emasculate the narrator by taking advantage of every male role that he could be classed under, as husband, father, brother, and son. Each of his family guilt trips him into giving them money except his ex wife, who doesn't need to, because it is the law that she gets his money. â€Å"That's four people, right? Not counting my brother, who wasn't a regular yet. I was going crazy with it. I worried night and day. I couldn't sleep over it. I was paying out nearly as much as I was bringing in. You don't have to be a genius, or know anything about economics to understand that this state of affairs couldn't keep on. I had to get a loan to keep up my end of things. That was another monthly payment† (p. 80) We can see from this that the narrator refuses to let his grasp of the role of breadwinner go easily, even although he does not have the ability to sustain such a role. It is the fact that the narrator is trying so hard to maintain some sort of control, that his family are taking for granted, and conversely it is this â€Å"control† which is emasculating him. The brother, plays a very important role within the story, and as such I believe that this is why Carver chose to make him stand out from the rest of his family, as more obnoxious and more amoral than the rest of the narrator's family, the reason being twofold. Of all of the narrator's family the brother is the only male to whom he is not obliged to help, and therefore the narrator grudges him more than the others. He has been emasculated by all of the women in the story, and his children, however his brother seems more than anyone to have picked up on this and be jumping on the bandwagon, and this creates a tension as the narrator feels that as a male adult he should also be a breadwinner. More importantly, however is the fact that his brother epitomises the failure of the traditional male position in life, which he fears more than anything, and as such he resents being confronted with his worst fear. Within this story, we are not given so strong a representation of suburbia, as we are within Boxes, however what we are given is a post modern minimalist image of the narrators life, in which there is very little reference to his surroundings at all. When we are given a glimpse of his surroundings however, it is a very sparse image: â€Å"I didn't bother to lock the door. I remembered what had happened to my daughter but decided I didn't have anything worth stealing anyway†¦ I had a TV but I was sick of watching TV. They'd be doing me a favour if they broke in and took it off my hands† (p. 8). The strength and impact of the story lies in the fact that there is very little to say about the narrators own life. It is empty and devoid of meaning so in order to have some use in life he feels the need to continue on his breadwinning path to destruction. The narrator lives in an emotional suburbia. Through this use of Dirty Realism to create an image of a life so futile and empty that it is barely worth living it at all. But the characters do, and it is because of this futility that many of them attach importance to minor things, such as the type of curtains they want to put up. As I have said earlier, like Carver, Cheever also portrays a portrait of the suburban American man as defeated and emasculated, and we can see this well within his short story The Season of Divorce. Within this short story traditional American masculinity, and the freedom to be a sexual predator, is displaced by the role of the husband and father and commitments to family life. The first two words in the story are â€Å"my wife† and this sets a trend for the rest of the story, in which the narrator is first and foremost part of the family unit, and secondly, if at all, a man. The main plot of the story, is about the way in which the narrator deals with another man attempting to usurp his position as husband, however the way in which Cheever has portrayed these events, creates a reversal of roles, as the man who tries to usurp his position is not put across as very predatory, and it is the narrators wife who is in the position of power. She is flattered by the attention and allows the situation to escalate. It seems that Ethel is in the male gendered role and both her husband and her suitor portray the female reaction to such occurrences: â€Å"At nine o'clock the doorbell rang†¦ e seemed distraught and exhilarated when he appeared†¦ ‘I know that you don't like me here, I respect your feelings†¦ I respect your home, I respect your marriage, I respect your children†¦ I've come here to tell you that I love your wife'†¦ ‘get out' I said. ‘you've got to listen to me'†¦ ‘I know that there are problems with custody and property and things like that to be settled'†¦ ‘get out of her, get the hell out of here' He started for the door. There was a potted geranium on the mantelpiece, and I threw this across the room at him, hitting him in the small of the back†¦ (p. 190) We can see from this passage that the reactions of both of the men, Trencher coming to talk rationally to him, and the narrator screaming and throwing a potted plant at Trencher, are both instinctively female reactions to such a situation. I believe that it is through the suburban surroundings in which they have been immersed that they have come to lose sight of what it is to be male and as such have become homogenised to the femininity of a suburban life, in which all that really exists is a home life. In conclusion, it seems that each of the central male characters within these stories, all seems to have the same fleeting moment of epiphany, in which they realise the futility of their life, but then they forget what it meant and continue on with their lives, convincing themselves that they are happy. In a typically post modern manner both authors seem to draw heavy reference from their own lives and I believe that it is because of this that both Cheever and Carver seem to be protesting against this feminisation and downfall of the traditional American male. Carver however, I believe is much more negative about the downfall of the male role, as he always ends his stories with the feeling that there is no hope: â€Å"what is there to tell?†¦ they leave the light burning. Then they remember, and it goes out. † (p. 26) Whereas Cheever in the end always reverts to a blissful ignorance on the part of the male character, and everyone lives happily ever after†¦ or do they?

Exam 1 human resource management

1. | | | According to the right of privacy, employers can conceal the nature of the job before hiring an employee. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| False | False| | | | 2. | | | The concept of â€Å"human resource management† implies that employees are interchangeable, easily replaced assets that must be managed like any other physical asset. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| False | False| | | | 3. | | | Currently, no federal laws outline how to use employee databases in order to protect employees' privacy while also meeting employers' and society's concerns for security. | |Student Response| Correct Answer| True | True| | | | 4. | | | The role of HR generalist is limited to recruitment and selection. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| False | False| | | | 5. | | | Which of the following is NOT a necessary quality of human resources? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Human resources are valuable. |    | B. | Human resources are not imitable. |    | C. | Human resources are easily retainable. |    | D. | Human resources have no good substitute. |    | | | | 6. | | | Why has the job trend shifted to broadly defined jobs? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer|A. | Emphasis on innovation and quality|    | B. | Demand for low skilled workers|    | C. | Increased focus on simplifying jobs|    | D. | Lack of competition|    | | | | 7. | | | Job design is: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | the process of defining the way work will be performed and the tasks that a given job requires. |    | B. | the process of getting detailed information about jobs. |    | C. | the process by which the organization attempts to identify suitable employees. |    | D. | the planned effort to enable employees to learn job-related knowledge, skills, and behavior. |    | | | 8. | | | Organizational development and change are areas where HR professionals generally play only a supporting role. | | Student Response| Correct Ans wer| False | False| | | | 9. | | | As a type of resource, human capital refers to: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | the wages, benefits, and other costs incurred in support of HR functions within an organization. |    | B. | executive talent within an organization. |    | C. | the tax-deferred value of an employee's 401(k) plan. |    | D. | employee characteristics that add economic value to the organization. |    | | | | 10. | | According to the Gallup survey, which aspect of their jobs are most workers largely satisfied with? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Health insurance benefits|    | B. | Retirement plans|    | C. | Relations with coworkers|    | D. | Amount of money earned|    | | | | 11. | | | The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that about one-tenth of employed individuals work in alternative employment arrangements. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| True | True| | | | 12. | | | The U. S. workforce is predicted to become mor e diverse in terms of ethnicity and racial background. | |Student Response| Correct Answer| True | True| | | | 13. | | | An HRIS can be used to perform primarily all of the following EXCEPT: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | support strategic decision-making. |    | B. | avoid litigation. |    | C. | evaluate programs and policies. |    | D. | motivate employees. |    | | | | 14. | | | When an organization undertakes a complete review of its critical work processes to make them more efficient and to be able to deliver higher quality, it is engaging in: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | outsourcing. |    | B. | high-performance work system design. |    |C. | total quality management. |    | D. | reengineering. |    | | | | 15. | | | What effect has the use of employee empowerment had upon recruiting? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | It has created an international labor market. |    | B. | It has substantially enhanced employment op portunities for women and minorities. |    | C. | It has shifted the focus away from technical skills to general cognitive and interpersonal skills. |    | D. | It has significantly reduced recruiting costs. |    | | | | 16. | | | How does e-HRM affect analysis and design of work? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. Online simulations, including tests and e-mail, can measure job candidates' ability to deal with real-life business challenges. |    | B. | Employees can review salary and bonus information and seek information about and enroll in benefit plans. |    | C. | Employees in geographically dispersed locations can work together in virtual teams using video, e-mail, and the Internet. |    | D. | Online learning can bring training to employees anywhere, anytime. |    | | | | 17. | | | Privacy, as an important issue in e-HRM, might best be addressed by which one of the following technologies? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer|A. | A website|    | B. | An intranet|    | C. | A high-performance work system|    | D. | A shared service center|    | | | | 18. | | | When two companies join forces and become one entity, it is termed a: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | partnership. |    | B. | consolidation. |    | C. | merger. |    | D. | joint venture. |    | | | | 19. | | | Independent contractors are: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | persons who work for an organization only when they are needed. |    | B. | self-employed individuals with multiple clients. |    | C. | employed by a temporary agency. |    | D. employed directly by a company for a specific time. |    | | | | 20. | | | Which one of the following technologies lets a company rent space on a remote computer system and use the system's software to manage its HR activities, including security and upgrades? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Application service providers|    | B. | Internet portals|    | C. | Shared service centers|    | D. | Business intelligence|    | | | | 21. | | | Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 applies to all organizations that employ 20 or more persons working 20 or more weeks a year and that are involved in interstate commerce. | Student Response| Correct Answer| False | False| | | | 22. | | | The Civil Rights Act of 1991: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | limits damage claims to lost benefits and attorney's fees and costs. |    | B. | requires violators to pay punitive damages that cover emotional pain and suffering. |    | C. | requires violators to pay compensatory damages, an amount beyond actual loss. |    | D. | limits the maximum punitive damages allowed, depending on the size of the organization. |    | | | | 23. | | | The EEOC is NOT the enforcement agency for the: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. |    | B. | Rehabilitation Act of 1973. |    | C. | Equal Pay Act of 1963 . |    | D. | Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. |    | | | | 24. | | | Which legislative/regulatory actions are under the direct control of the President? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Constitutional amendments|    | B. | Judicial decisions|    | C. | Legislation|    | D. | Executive orders|    | | | | 25. | | | Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from discriminating against individuals based on all of the following EXCEPT: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer|A. | age. |    | B. | race. |    | C. | religion. |    | D. | national origin. |    | | | | 26. | | | Under disparate impact, the plaintiff must prove that the employer intended to discriminate. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| True | False| | | | 27. | | | Which of the following cases would most likely be subject to a lawsuit filed under the disparate treatment theory of discrimination? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | A group of females ar e laid off due to a downturn in business. |    | B. | Black applicants are being disproportionately rejected on the basis of a psychological test. |    | C. A black applicant is turned down for a job based on a handwriting analysis. |    | D. | A woman with school-aged children is rejected on the assumption that she will frequently be absent from work. |    | | | | 28. | | | An individual wishing to file a complaint with the EEOC or a similar state agency must file the complaint within _____ days of the incident. | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | 30|    | B. | 60|    | C. | 90|    | D. | 180|    | | | | 29. | | | The three basic components of an affirmative action plan include all of the following EXCEPT: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. utilization analysis. |    | B. | measurement tools. |    | C. | goals and timetables. |    | D. | action steps. |    | | | | 30. | | | When an individual is promised a positive outcome for submission to sex, or threatened with a negative outcome for failure to submit to sex, this is referred to as: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | disparate treatment. |    | B. | disparate impact. |    | C. | reverse discrimination. |    | D. | quid pro quo harassment. |    | | | | 31. | | | In terms of the Job Characteristics Model, the degree to which a job requires completing a â€Å"whole† piece of work from beginning to end is: | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | autonomy. |    | B. | skill variety. |    | C. | task significance. |    | D. | task identity. |    | | | | 32. | | | For which of the following occupations is it easiest to implement telework? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Production technician|    | B. | Quality management|    | C. | Machine operator|    | D. | Graphic designer|    | | | | 33. | | | In contrast to tasks, duties, and responsibilities, KSAOs are characteristics about people and are not directly observabl e. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| True | True| | | | 34. | | What is the SBAR method? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Standardizing information at handoff points by describing the situation, giving the context, evaluation of the condition, and recommending action. |    | B. | Reducing the complexity of the work, making it so simple that almost anyone can be trained quickly and easily to perform the job. |    | C. | The study of the interface between individuals' physiology and the characteristics of the physical work environment. |    | D. | Enlarging jobs by combining several relatively simple jobs to form a job with a wider range of tasks.    | | | | 35. | | | In which of the following scenarios will workers be less motivated to perform the job? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | When the job requires a variety of skills to be performed. |    | B. | When the job requires completing the whole piece of work from beginning to end. |    | C. | When the job has minor impact on the lives of other people. |    | D. | When the job allows individuals to make decisions about the job. |    | | | | 36. | | | Which of the following would qualify as a compressed workweek? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. Employees are required to be at work from 10:00 a. m. to 3:00 p. m. and can choose additional hours before/after this period. |    | B. | Two part-time employees work in different shifts and share the tasks of a specific job. |    | C. | Employees are permitted to work 10 hours a day, Monday through Thursday. |    | D. | Employees can choose to work away from a centrally located work area. |    | | | | 37. | | | When job analysis information is used to judge the relative worth of different jobs within an organization, the HR activity is termed: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. performance evaluation. |    | B. | training and development. |    | C. | job evaluation. |    | D. | work redesign. |    | | | | 38. | | | Which of the following arrangements would qualify as job rotation? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | A receptionist is required to perform the jobs of file clerk and typist. |    | B. | Team members assemble components and also pack products into cases. |    | C. | Team members make decisions regarding how to resolve problems with customers. |    | D. | A manager participating in a meeting while on vacation with his family. |    | | | | 39. | | Which one of the following would be most appropriate when gathering information about clerical and technical job duties? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | A job analyst visits the workplace and watches/videotapes an employee performing the job. |    | B. | A manager/supervisor imagines what a well-done job would look like. |    | C. | A job analyst questions the peers about a particular job. |    | D. | A job analyst visits the workplace and asks employees to show what the job entail s. |    | | | | 40. | | | The Fleishman Job Analysis System provides an accurate picture of the ability requirements of a job. | Student Response| Correct Answer| True | True| | | | 41. | | | Which of the following is NOT true of outsourcing? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Outsourcing is a logical choice when firms lack experience in an area. |    | B. | Outsourcing often involves ventures with foreign companies. |    | C. | Outsourcing is currently restricted to manufacturing and low-skilled jobs. |    | D. | Outsourcing is driven by economies of scale. |    | | | | 42. | | | Several forces are drawing out older workers' careers. Which of the following is NOT one of them? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. The improved health of older people, combined with the decreased physical labor required by many jobs, makes working longer a viable option. |    | B. | The acute shortage of qualified younger workers has resulted in employers offering increased incentives to older workers to remain on the job. |    | C. | Age discrimination laws and the outlawing of mandatory retirement ages have limited organizations' ability to induce older workers to retire. |    | D. | Many workers fear Social Security will be cut, and they do not have adequate employer-sponsored pensions to cover anticipated costs. |    | | | | 43. | | How do organizations determine labor supply? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Analyzing where the need for people with the necessary skills and experience will increase or decrease. |    | B. | Analyzing job categories held in one period and the proportion of employees in each of those job categories in a future period. |    | C. | Indicating a specific figure about what should happen with the job category or skill area and a specific timetable for when the results should be achieved. |    | D. | Planning elimination of large numbers of personnel with the goal of enhancing the organization's comp etitiveness.    | | | | 44. | | | According to research on recruitment, it is clear that recruiting sources are more important than characteristics of the vacancy for predicting job choice. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| True | False| | | | 45. | | | Job applicants find companies with employment-at-will practices more attractive than companies with due-process policies. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| True | False| | | | 46. | | | The largest share of new employees hired come from which external source? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Career fairs|    | B. | Referrals|    |C. | College recruiting|    | D. | Advertisements|    | | | | 47. | | | In a survey of large well-known businesses, about one-third of open job positions were filled by: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | insiders. |    | B. | referrals. |    | C. | on campus recruitment. |    | D. | direct applicants. |    | | | | 48. | | | Overtime is most suited for short-te rm labor shortages. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| False | True| | | | 49. | | | Research demonstrates that realistic job previews significantly reduce employee turnover. | | Student Response| Correct Answer|True | False| | | | 50. | | | An organization's core competency is: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | a clear analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the organization's existing internal labor force. |    | B. | decisions about how an organization will carry out human resource management, including how it will fill job vacancies. |    | C. | a set of knowledge and skills that make the organization superior to competitors and create value for customers. |    | D. | a forecast of the proportion of employees who are members of various protected groups. |    | | | |

The Long and Short of Long- Words

The Long and Short of Long- Words The Long and Short of Long- Words The Long and Short of Long- Words By Mark Nichol Longevity, longitude, and other words with the root long- (or altered spellings of the root) are derived not from long, which stems from the Old English adjective lang, but from the Latin equivalent longus, which shares its Proto-Indo-European ancestry with the Germanic cognate. This post lists and defines words that stem from the Latin term. Longevity, from the Latin adjective longaevus, means â€Å"long life.† Longitude, meanwhile, in general means â€Å"length† or â€Å"height,† but it usually pertains to horizontal distance on the surface of Earth or any sphere (and to a line marking such a distance). The adjectival form is used in the measurement sense but also pertains to long-term research studies and to a vehicle engine that runs a lengthwise rather than crosswise crankshaft. Elongation and prolongation both refer to extension, but the former applies in a physical sense, while the latter sense is chronological. The verb forms differ, too: They are, respectively, elongate and prolong. Oblong, meanwhile, describes something that is longer than it is wide, though it can be used as a noun as well as an adjective. English borrowed longeurs, a word describing a tedious passage in a book or a play, from French. Two obscure words derived from longus are longanimity and longinquity. The former word means â€Å"forbearance† or â€Å"patience†; the element animity is from the Latin noun animus, meaning â€Å"mind† or â€Å"soul,† which is the source of animal. The latter is an archaic synonym for remoteness. Several words with disguised kinship are lounge, from the French verb s’allonger, meaning â€Å"lie at full length†; lunge, originally a fencing term meaning â€Å"sword thrust† (from the French noun allonge) with the extended meaning â€Å"sudden reach or rush†; and purloin, meaning â€Å"steal† (from the Anglo-French verb purloigner, meaning â€Å"remove†; the connection to longus is the idea of delaying something or moving it far away). Along, belong, and length are, like long, of Germanic origin, as are compound words such as longbow, longhaired, and longtime, as well as headlong, lifelong, and so on. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Cost-Effective vs. Cost-EfficientDisappointed + Preposition25 Idioms About Bread and Dessert

Western Civilization Role in the World Major Conflicts Essays

Western Civilization Role in the World Major Conflicts Essays Western Civilization Role in the World Major Conflicts Essay Western Civilization Role in the World Major Conflicts Essay World has experienced several conflicts, of all the major conflicts none had changed the world more than the world wars and the cold war. Western civilization played a great role as far as these three conflicts in the twentieth century were concerned. These wars were mainly fought in Europe and Asia. The century experienced some of the worst conflicts in the history of mankind some of which changed the face of the world for a long time. The world powers fought each others in a battle of supremacy. Different powers stood for different ideologies where each wanted to override the other as far as world power was concerned. The period preceding the first world was characterized by major changes that took place in Europe. These changes affected all the aspects of life, economically, scientifically, socially among other areas. An industrial revolution had just been witnessed in Europe and was spreading to the other parts of the world. Many western nations had been involved in the manufacture of sophisticated weapons in an attempt to protect themselves from their enemies. The First World War was by itself a show of might as far arms were concerned. The great nations took this chance to show of their technological development as well their military strength. It was during this war that Germany put to test some of the weapons that had been developed by its able military weapon technicians such as machine guns and deadly gases. On the other hand the British for the first time used tanks in the warfare. Both countries for the first time in the history of the warfare introduced new aircrafts to test their abili ty to be used in a major war. Politically alliances were being made by different Europeans power to safeguard their interests. One of the major alliances involved the Germans and the Austrians where they signed treaties creating the dual Alliance. This was to sideline Russia one of the western nations that was seen as a threat to advancement of Germany and its expansionist ambitions. This alliance later came to incorporate the Italians who were major asset to the Germans as they fought alongside in group that came to be known as the Triple Alliance. (Stefan, B 2006) The conflicts of the twentieth century especially the two world wars were mainly as a result of the ambitious plans by the German nation to expand its horizons occupying other nations and dominating them. They were aiming at imposing their rule on them and forcing these nations to adopt their ways. Russia was also interested in some parts of the continent, Austrian Hungary was busy trying to extend it power and in the process they were hiving parts of the Ottoman Empire something that did not go unchallenged. Each nation was busy trying to proof themselves to the rest; they were interested in dominating the continent. This competition was also extended to the other parts of the world especially regions where the European powers were interested in establishment of colonies. They could not agree on who should take which region. They were aiming at extending their power to these regions and at the same time introduce western civilization to areas that they considered backward. Western civilization factor did not stop at the end of the First World War, this concept continued to grow and shaping the face of the world. After the Great War nation did not stop at this point, they continued to fight for supremacy where other European nations were determined to punish Germany and her allies for the role they played in the great world war. The war had left one of the great civilizations in Europe heavily bruised such that one would have written it off. The nation was determined in its recovery program, they did everything possible to rise up and emerge as one of the most dominant power in Europe. (Stefan, B 2006) Adolf Hitler aim to make Germany the most powerful nation in Europe could have ignited another war that spread to other parts of the world and had very devastating effects than the Great War. Just like the first world nations were aiming at outdoing each other in terms of military power, economic and technological advancement. Again in the world history western civilization had led to another competition between different powers something which eventually led to a full scale war that touched every part of the world. The passive nature of the western powers at around this period allowed Germany to break most of the treaties that had been made to prevent another war. Britain was having problems at home such that whatever Hitler was doing as far as preparation for the war was concerned was not such a bother. Hitler continued to arm himself in preparing to expand his horizons making his country a powerful nation in Europe once more. He was determined to get this at all cost. Even with the end of the Second World War western civilization still strong, it was taking a new shape with the entrance of United States in the arena. A new form of conflict was emerging where two opposing ideologies were out to clash. On one side we had the communism which was threatening to dominate the world and on the other side we had the capitalism which was being propagated as part of the western culture. Soviet Union and other communist powers in the world were up against the capitalistic powers which were led by United States to a kind of welfare that has been described as cold war. This war lasted for a long period as compared to the other wars as it lasted up to the eighties when the communist powers collapsed. Germany just like in the previous wars was actively involved in this quiet warfare but in this time as a divided nation. One side of this nation, the western was inclined towards the capitalism world where the eastern part of Germany was controlled by the communist powers. (Bartlett, C (1977) The attempt to spread western civilization to the other regions and the competition that existed among the European powers led to the conflicts that had very devastating effects in the face of the world. Some of which changed the course of history and brought a new dispensation that have dominated the power circles in the world. These three conflicts brought both positive and negative effects to United States and the world at large. It is as a result of these wars that America emerged as one of the powerful nations on earth. Its might came to be recognized at the end of the world war when its intervention brought the conflict that had left Europe weary. (Bartlett, C 1977). One of the common effects of the three conflicts is the loss of lives and destruction of property. The great world war had millions of people from across the board losing their lives. This is not a small number given the world population at that time. Those who lost their lives included soldiers who were in the battlefields and civilians who were either involved in the war. Other people were killed by factors directly related to the war such as starvation and diseases which were as direct result of the war. Looking at the Second World War lives were lost too but in this case in great magnitude than in the First World War due to the level of technological advancement as far as weapons are concerned. The weapons used at this particular war were much destructive compared to those used in the previous war. This meant heavy casualties on both soldiers and civilians. It is estimated that close to fifty million people may have died in this war. This figure includes the casualties suffered a fter Japan was bombed by the United States using atomic bombs. Psychologically the effects of the world wars were similar to those of revolution in America. There was a growing sense of distrust towards political class and government officials among the people who witnessed the horror and destruction that accompanied the wars. Many people were not happy that the peacemakers had not expressed their sentiments to the fullest wondering why the war was allowed in the first place. To them it could have been avoided by all means. A feeling of disillusionment   was felt across the globe as people came into conclusion that their governments were not interested in serving them rather they were only after glory that comes with winning of a war. The loss of loved ones was disturbing to many families which were affected .The future of the families whose members were killed in the wars was not bright; they just accepted the reality grimly optimistic that their dreams will last. (Stewart, R 2003) Technology advancement was registered after the war especially on the military hardware. With the end of the First World War countries that participated engaged in military advancement each outdoing the other as far as manufacturing of the weapons was concerned. This also included technological advancement in other areas which did not involve weapons. For example production of automobiles, aircrafts, radios and other products was boosted. The advantage of mass production and use of machine in production stimulated the economies making them grow at a tremendous rate. After the end of the Second World War two super powers emerged, one would have expected that the two nations would work together to foster world peace but the two nations became hostile to each other. Each one of them started building up huge arsenals and strong ballistic missles.The two super powers were suspicious of each other. They were competing with each other as far as world power was concerned. This situation prevailed for so long such that there was a fear of a third world war erupting. This war had some effects on both countries and the world at large. One of the major effect was the collapse of Soviet Union something that marked the end of an ideology that was being spread by this mighty nation. With the collapse of Soviet Union other communist nations were not very strong to advance its course therefore the system came to an end with the death of the union. (Powaski, R 1998) Germany as a nation was once again united, ending a hostile period that characterized a former European power. Other Baltic states that were part of the Soviet Union achieved their independence and became autonomous nations. With the collapse of communism and Soviet Union America was left as the only super power in the world. This meant that the competition that ensued between the two nations in the dominance of the world was no more. This gave America chance to concentrate on other issues of importance since the threat of invasion by Soviet Union was no more. Western civilization can largely be blamed for all the major conflicts that have happened in the world. Forcing their ideals on other coupled with the competition for power among the nations has resulted to the first two major conflicts. The third conflict was mainly suspicion between east and west. The two sides could not trust each other; they were trying to spread ideologies across the world with each trying to out do the other. The two super powers were just advancing the concepts of the western civilization in different ways.

How third world countries Infrastructure have a profound effect on Research Paper

How third world countries Infrastructure have a profound effect on Logistics - Research Paper Example The logistic performance of the countries was measured on six components out of which the quality of infrastructure related to trade and transport such as ports, roads, railroads and communication technology topped the list. The other components were the efficiency with which customs and other border control agencies carried out the clearance process, the quality and competency of logistic services, ease of tracing and tracking of consignments, the ability to arrange shipments at competitive price and the reaching of the shipment within time schedule (SC Digest Editorial, 2012). Good quality infrastructure is considered to be the main requirement for sustainable development of a country. Efficient transport system and proper energy, sanitation and communication systems are needed not only for a decent standard of living but also for the economic growth and prosperity of a country (European Commission, 2014). Ondiege et al (2013) studied the less developed countries in Africa and found that they suffer from marked infrastructure deficit which has largely hampered growth prospects. Research done by Razzaque (1997) also showed that the Third World countries not only lacked logistic facilities but developing a good infrastructure in these nations was a daunting task. This was mainly due to rampant corruption, civil wars and lack of funds. In most countries the governments were also not committed enough as projects to improve infrastructure were abandoned halfway through Razzaque, 1997). In order to boost growth and development and respond to the changes in glob al businesses (developing logistics being one of them), the third world countries need to invest in infrastructure. Studies conducted by (Bhattacharya et al., 2012) show that infrastructure is one of the main determinants of logistic costs. Where logistics cost is

Critical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Critical Analysis - Essay Example this section is that the authors have titled the various sections of information within the abstract with their respective headings which makes it easy for the audience to make an objective assessment about the nature of research and its value. This is unlike most research papers in which the authors present all information under one heading of the abstract. The conventional approach towards writing the abstract is inconvenient as compared to the one adopted by the authors in this research paper. Another strong point of this abstract is that the authors have clearly depicted the audience of this research paper within the abstract, which happen to be the public relations practitioners. This increases the chances of this research paper of being read by the public relations practitioners as they will know right from the start that this is something that addresses their concern even if they may not be able to relate to the title. However, the authors could have used better words to summa rize their findings within the abstract. The statement, â€Å"Korea used a more aggressive strategy than was expected† in a way shows that the authors had preformed perceptions about the Korean strategy which might have kept them a little biased towards its analysis as compared to the other strategy. The biggest weakness of this section is that it is not there in the research paper or even if it is, it is not distinguishable from the literature review. Background of a research and its literature review are two completely different sections with the former developing a framework of thought for the audience and the latter reflecting upon the research done on the topic so far. But in this research paper, the authors have directly put the headings of the various events that have been discussed which puts the audience into confusion about whether it is background or the literature review. Nonetheless, the same point can be considered as a strength in a way because it directly gives the