Impact of Evaluations on Principal's Instructional Leadership Capacity Assignment

Impact of Evaluations on Principal's Instructional Leadership Capacity - Assignment Example Nevertheless, we review what we have gathered for their validity and reliability and identify from the research the direction for future research. Validity refers to the ability of a particular research instrument to measure what it purports to measure (Cohen et al., 2005, p. 105). Cohen et al. (2005, p. 105) clarified, however, that there are several types of validity. According to Cohen et al. (2005, p. 105), some of the concepts of validity relevant for research are as follows: content validity, criterion-related validity; construct validity; internal validity; external validity; concurrent validity; face validity; jury validity; predictive validity; systematic validity; catalytic validity; descriptive validity; interpretative validity; theoretical validity; and evaluative validity. Many of the concepts of validity mentioned are discussed in Cohen et al. (2005, p. 105-117). Meanwhile reliability refers to consistency and replicabilty over time (Cohen et al., 2005, p. 117). Accordi ng to Cohen et al. (2005, p. 117), reliability is also concerned with precision and accuracy. They emphasized that â€Å"for research to be reliable it must demonstrate that if it were to be carried out on a similar group of respondents in a similar context, similar results would happen (Cohen et al., 2005, p. 117). Some of the other concepts related with reliability are stability, equivalence, and internal consistency (Cohen et al., 2005, p. 117-120). According to Cohen et al. (2005, p.120-133), validity and reliability should be simultaneously considered in education research. My review of research done on evaluation systems for principals indicate that further research on evaluation systems for principals should be along these lines: 1. Identifying the elements of the principal evaluation systems adopted by schools making great progress in instruction work and the role played by principal evaluation. 2. Identifying whether there is a correlation between academic performance of s chools and the evaluation systems they have adopted for principals. 3. The role played by VAL-Ed or the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education or VAL-ED in improving school performance, if any. The VAL-Ed supposedly met the high standards for content validity and reliability among the principal evaluation systems investigated by the New Leaders for New Schools in 2010. 4. The constraints encountered by schools in implementing a good evaluation system for principals. II. Sun and Youngs (2009) Sun and Youngs (2009, p. 2) described their work to have used hierarchical multivariate linear models â€Å"to investigation the relationships between principal evaluation purpose, focus and assessed leadership activities in 13 school district in Michigan†. Sun and Youngs (2009, p. 2) argued that their study found that â€Å"principals were more likely to engage in learning-centered leadership behaviors when the purposes of evaluation included principal professional development , school restructuring and accountability†. However, Sun and Youngs (2009, p. 2) also clarified that when the focus of evaluation was related to instructional leadership in the school setting, the thrust of the school principal activities have been in curriculum design, teacher professional development and evaluation, and monitoring student learning. In

General psychology Essay Example for Free

General psychology Essay Introduction ALMOST CERTAINLY YOU WILL PROBABLY HAVE COME ACROSS THE IDEA OF PLAGIARISM ALREADY. PLAGIARISM IS ABOUT THE PRESENTATION OF OTHER PEOPLES’ WORK AS IF IT IS YOUR OWN, FOR YOUR GAIN. THE IDEAS AROUND PLAGIARISM ARE PRESENTED TO STUDENTS IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS SOMETIMES PLAGIARISM IS SEEN AS A DREADFUL CRIME. WE WANT TO PRESENT IT HERE IN THE CONTEXT OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF ACADEMIC HONESTY AND WHAT IS TERMED ‘ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT’. YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS BECAUSE THEY SHOULD GUIDE YOUR MANNER OF WORKING IN HIGHER EDUCATION. PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING ARE SERIOUS ISSUES IN HIGHER EDUCATION, AND PLAGIARISM, IN  PARTICULAR, IS INCREASING A GREAT DEAL AT PRESENT. WE WANT YOU TO HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS AND THE GOOD WORKING HABITS THAT ENABLE YOU TO MAKE EFFECTIVE AND APPROPRIATE JUDGEMENTS IN YOUR WORK. THIS UNIT IS DESIGNED FOR STUDENTS NEAR THE STARTING POINT OF HIGHER EDUCATION STUDIES. IT PROVIDES THE INFORMATION AND SKILLS THAT YOU NEED AT PRESENT – AND YOU WILL HAVE MORE MATERIAL ON THIS TOPIC AT A LATER STAGE, WHEN YOU NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IT. The aim of this unit is to: -HELP YOU TO GET A CLEAR IDEA OF ACADEMIC HONESTY AND ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT -CLARIFY THE MEANINGS OF ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT CHEATING AND  PLAGIARISM AND COLLUSION -PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO BE ACADEMICALLY HONEST; -IDENTIFY AND HELP YOU TO ATTAIN THE SKILLS THAT YOU NEED FOR ACADEMIC HONESTY AND GOOD PRACTICE 1 AS WELL AS PROVIDING SOME EXERCISES TO HELP YOU TO LEARN FROM THIS MATERIAL, THIS UNIT IS INTENDED TO BE A RESOURCE TO WHICH YOU MAY WISH TO RETURN FOR GUIDANCE. THE ANSWERS TO THE EXERCISES ARE AT THE END OF THE UNIT. Some points to think about AS A STUDENT YOU SHOULD LEARN ABOUT ACADEMIC HONESTY BECAUSE IT IS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION BEHAVIOUR. THERE ARE SEVERAL ASPECTS TO IT. IT INVOLVES: -ENSURING FAIRNESS TO THOSE WHO HAVE PRODUCED NEW KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS; -ENSURING THAT THE WORK THAT A PERSON SAYS IS HER OWN IS INDEED HER OWN; -THE DISCOURAGEMENT FROM CHEATING TO GAIN UNFAIR PERSONAL ADVANTAGE. THE INTENTION TO DECEIVE STAFF OR THE INSTITUTION IS CENTRAL TO THE ACTIVITY OF THE PLAGIARIST OR CHEAT. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT FAIR ON YOU, AS A STUDENT, IF YOUR FELLOW COLLEAGUES CHEAT AND PLAGIARISE AND THEREBY GET BETTER MARKS. SAM, SUZANNE, IZZY, AND KATRINE ARE IN A LEVEL 1 CLASS AT SOMOUTH UNIVERSITY. THEY ARE ALL STUDYING PSYCHOLOGY AND ARE IN A CLASS OF OVER A HUNDRED AND EIGHTY STUDENTS. THEIR SEMINAR SESSIONS ARE THIRTY IN NUMBER AND SO FAR THEY DO NOT FEEL KNOWN AS INDIVIDUALS BY STAFF. SUZANNE HAS BEEN STRUGGLING BECAUSE SHE, UNLIKE THE OTHERS, DID NOT STUDY PSYCHOLOGY AT SCHOOL. SHE HAS BEEN QUITE DEPRESSED ABOUT IT AND HAS ASKED THE OTHERS FOR HELP. THEY DID WHAT THEY COULD, BUT SHE DID NOT SEEM TO BE ABLE TO TAKE IT IN. AT TIMES SHE TALKS ABOUT LEAVING UNIVERSITY. THEY COME TO THE COURSEWORK ASSESSMENT AT THE END OF LEVEL 1 AND TO EVERYONE’S SURPRISE, SUZANNE COMES OUT WITH ONE OF THE HIGHEST MARKS IN THE CLASS. THE TUTOR PRAISES HER WORK AT THE NEXT SEMINAR AS BEING WELL CONSTRUCTED, AND PARTICULARLY WELL WRITTEN. SUZANNE IS CLEARLY HAPPY AND THEY ALL GO OUT FOR A DRINK IN THE EVENING. UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A FEW PINTS SHE LETS SLIP THAT SHE PAID ANOTHER STUDENT IN HER HOUSE (FROM LEVEL 2) TO WRITE IT. AFTER THE TIME AND EFFORT THE OTHERS HAVE PUT INTO HELPING SUZANNE, AND DOING THEIR OWN WORK, THE OTHERS FEEL CHEATED BY HER ACTION. THE ATTITUDE TO PLAGIARISM CAN DIFFER IN DIFFERENT CULTURES, FOR EXAMPLE SOMETIMES IT CAN BE CONSIDERED TO BE AN HONOURABLE ACT TO REPRODUCE THE EXACT WORDS OF THE EXPERT TEACHER. IN THE UK THE NORM IS TO EXPECT STUDENTS TO PRODUCE THEIR OWN WORK. THEY WILL, OF COURSE, USE THE WORK OF OTHERS WITHIN THEIR WORK AND WHERE  THIS OCCURS THE OTHERS’ WORK NEEDS TO BE CITED AND WHEN QUOTED, MARKED AS A QUOTATION. SOME INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS MAY NEED TO ADJUST TO UK NORMS WHEN STUDYING HERE. 2 LAU COMES FROM SOUTH EAST ASIA. HE WAS ENCOURAGED TO GIVE GREAT RESPECT TO HIS TEACHERS, THERE AND TO REGARD THEM AS EXPERTS WHOSE WORK WAS TO BE EMULATED. HE IS VERY TAKEN ABACK WHEN HE IS TOLD THAT HIS EXAMINATION PAPER SHOULD EXPRESS MORE OF HIS OWN IDEAS AND SHOULD NOT CONTAIN MATERIAL THAT HE MUST HAVE LEARNT BY HEART FROM HIS LECTURE NOTES. HE FINDS IT HARD TO UNDERSTAND HOW HE, HIMSELF COULD HAVE ANYTHING WORTHWHILE TO SAY AT THIS STAGE. IF YOU ARE AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT AND FEEL THAT YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE MATERIAL IN THIS UNIT, ASK A TUTOR OR STUDY ADVISOR FOR MORE HELP. Some definitions and explanations WE HAVE SAID THAT THE AVOIDANCE OF CHEATING AND PLAGIARISM IS A MATTER OF HAVING INFORMATION AND A SET OF SKILLS THAT BECOME GOOD HABITS OF WORKING. WE START BY LOOKING AT A SET OF EXPLANATIONS AS PART OF THE INFORMATION, AND THEN YOU WILL BE GIVEN SEVERAL DEFINITIONS. YOU DO NOT NEED TO MEMORISE THESE DEFINITIONS, BUT YOU ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE A WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF THEM. TO START WITH, WE INTRODUCE THE TERM ‘ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT’ TO MEAN THE USE OF  DISHONEST ACADEMIC BEHAVIOUR TO ONE’S OWN BENEFIT. THE TERM INCLUDES CHEATING, PLAGIARISM AND COLLUSION. CLEARLY, SUZANNE ILLUSTRATES ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT IN HER BEHAVIOUR – AND THAT WAS PLAGIARISM. CHEATING IS OFTEN SEEN AS A BEHAVIOUR THAT OCCURS IN EXAMINATIONS, BUT IT IS BROADER THAN THAT. HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF CHEATING BEHAVIOUR. SIMON KNEW THAT OTHERS NEEDED A BOOK IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE ESSAYS THAT THEY HAD BEEN SET. HE USED THE LIBRARY BOOK HIMSELF, THEN HANDED IT BACK IN (IT WAS A SHORT-TERM LOAN) AND THEN WHEN HE WAS IN THE LIBRARY THE NEXT DAY, TOOK THE BOOK FROM ITS PROPER LOCATION AND PUT IT IN ANOTHER AREA OF THE  LIBRARY. JAMIE WENT INTO THE EXAMINATION WITH TEN KEY NAMES WRITTEN ON HIS ARM IN BALLPOINT PEN JULIETTE WAS DOING A CHEMISTRY DEGREE. HER EXPERIMENT IN CLASS DID NOT GO TOO WELL AND THE DATA SHE ACHIEVED WAS INCOMPLETE. SHE HAD A LOOK AT HER FRIEND’S BOOK AND GOT AN IDEA OF THE APPROPRIATE KIND OF DATA AND MADE SOME UP. CHRISTINA HAD NOT DONE ENOUGH REVISION FOR THE CLASS TEST. SHE TOOK THE DAY OFF, SAYING THAT SHE HAD ‘FLU AND KNOWING THAT SHE WOULD THEN HAVE A BIT MORE TIME TO LEARN FOR THE TEST WHICH SHE WOULD DO LATER. 3 ED HAD A PROJECT IN ENGLISH TO WRITE UP, TO BE HANDED IN AT A PARTICULAR TIME. THERE WAS OTHER ACADEMIC WORK TO BE HANDED IN AT THE SAME TIME AND HE KNEW HE COULD NOT DO ALL OF IT. HE LEFT THE ENGLISH PROJECT UNTIL LAST. AFTER A SESSION IN THE GYM HE COMPLAINED OF A VERY SORE WRIST, PUT A BANDAGE ON IT AND WENT TO SEE HIS TUTOR TO ASK FOR MORE TIME TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT ON THE BASIS THAT HE COULD NOT WRITE VERY QUICKLY AT PRESENT. HIS TUTOR TOLD HIM TO GO TO THE MEDICAL CENTRE AND GET A NOTE. HE CAME BACK TWO DAYS LATER WITH THE PROJECT NOW COMPLETED AND THE WRIST UNBANDAGED AND ‘HEALED’. THE TWO DAYS HAD BEEN VERY USEFUL. ABI WAS ONE OF A GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO WERE WORKING TOGETHER ON A PROJECT  THAT WAS TO BE SUBMITTED JOINTLY. SHE HAD GONE INTO HIGHER EDUCATION PARTLY BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO ENJOY A GOOD SOCIAL-LIFE, AND THE PROJECT WAS NOT GOING TO GET IN HER WAY. WHEN THE OTHER STUDENTS IN THE GROUP MET TO WORK ON THE PROJECT, SHE WOULD CONSTANTLY SAY THAT SHE COULD NOT MAKE IT. THEY GOT ON WITH THE PROJECT, COMPLETED IT AND HANDED IT IN WITH ABI’S NAME ON IT AS WELL. THEY RESENTED HER BEHAVIOUR, BUT BEING IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THEIR PROGRAMME, DID NOT KNOW EACH OTHER VERY WELL AND DID NOT KNOW HOW TO INDICATE ABI’S LACK OF CONTRIBUTION. PLAGIARISM, AS WE HAVE SAID, IS ANOTHER FORM OF ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT AND IT  REQUIRES A RATHER SPECIAL EXPLANATION WHICH IS AS FOLLOWS: THOSE WHO WORK IN HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH CAN BE SEEN AS WORKING IN A COMMUNITY – THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY. THIS COMMUNITY HAS A SET OF RULES TO WHICH IT WORKS. ACADEMIC CONVENTIONS ARE THESE RULES AND ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT IS THE BEHAVIOUR THAT CONTRAVENES THESE AGREED RULES. THESE RULES, OBVIOUSLY IDENTIFY CHEATING AS A CONTRAVENTION HOWEVER, THERE ARE ASPECTS OF THESE RULES THAT REFER TO THE ‘OWNERSHIP’ OF IDEAS. ACCORDING TO THESE RULES OR CONVENTIONS, NEW IDEAS ARE TREATED LIKE PROPERTY THAT SOMEONE OWNS. ONE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT THERE ARE REWARDS AND AWARDS (GRANTS, PRIZES, QUALIFICATIONS, DEGREES ETC) GIVEN TO PEOPLE FOR THE QUALITY OF THEIR IDEAS. FOLLOWING FROM THE NOTION OF NEW IDEAS AS PROPERTY, WE CAN CONSIDER THE USE OF UNATTRIBUTED IDEAS FOR THE GAIN OF ANOTHER PERSON, AS A FORM OF THEFT. BY ‘UNATTRIBUTED’, WE MEAN THE LACK OF ATTACHMENT OF A NAME AND SOURCE TO THE IDEA SO IT IS AS IF THE IDEA IS THAT OF THE WRITER. OTHER WORDS FOR ‘ATTRIBUTE’ ARE REFERENCE, ACKNOWLEDGE AND CITE. YOU USUALLY REFERENCE THE IDEA OF ANOTHER IN THE TEXT (WHERE YOU HAVE REFERRED TO THE IDEA, OR QUOTED FROM IT) AND IN A REFERENCE LIST AT THE END OF YOUR WORK. PLAGIARISM IS THE TERM FOR PASSING OFF ANOTHER’S WORK AS ONE’S OWN FOR ONE’S OWN BENEFIT. IT USUALLY THAT OTHERS’ IDEAS HAVE BEEN ‘BORROWED’ WITHOUT BEING REFERENCED TO THE ORIGINAL CREATOR OF THE IDEA. PLAGIARISM OCCURS WHETHER THE ‘PASSING OFF OF THE WORK AS ONE’S OWN’ IS INTENTIONAL OR UNINTENTIONAL. WE HAVE TO SAY THAT PLAGIARISM MAY BE UNINTENTIONAL BECAUSE ANYONE CAN ALWAYS CLAIM THAT ‘S/HE HE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT PLAGIARISM’. 4 CORRESPONDINGLY THEREFORE, TEACHERS AND INSTITUTIONS HAVE TO BE CLEAR THEMSELVES THAT THEY HAVE ENSURED THAT STUDENTS HAVE RECEIVED APPROPRIATE OPPORTUNITIES TO  UNDERSTAND ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT AND TO HAVE LEARNT THE NECESSARY SKILLS TO BEHAVE WITH ACADEMIC HONESTY. BELOW ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF PLAGIARISM: EMMA WAS DOING A LAW DEGREE AND FOUND THAT HER FLAT-MATE HAD DONE THE SAME MODULE THE YEAR BEFORE AND WAS WILLING TO LET EMMA LOOK AT HER ESSAYS – BUT INSISTED THAT SHE SHOULD NOT COPY ANY OF IT. EMMA COPIED A LARGE CHUNK OF ONE OF THEM BECAUSE SHE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE SUBJECT AND ALTERED A FEW WORDS HERE AND THERE. UNFORTUNATELY FOR HER, SHE DID NOT NOTICE THE FONT WAS DIFFERENT ON THE COPIED CHUNK AND HER PLAGIARISM WAS DETECTED. ANNA HAD WORK TO DO IN CHEMISTRY THAT SHE DID NOT UNDERSTAND. IT WAS ABOUT THE NATURE OF A PARTICULAR REACTION. SHE LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND A PIECE OF WRITING THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT SHE NEEDED – AND CUT AND PASTED IT, ADDING A FEW WORDS OF INTRODUCTION AND CONCLUSION. ANTONIO PHONED HOME TO HIS FRIEND FOR HELP WITH AN ASSIGNMENT IN CIVIL ENGINEERING. HIS FRIEND FOUND A PIECE OF WRITING IN SPANISH. ANTONIO HAD IT TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL AND SUBMITTED THAT. BILLIE FOUND THAT AN OLD TEXTBOOK ON MODERN HISTORY AT HIS HOME THAT SAID EXACTLY WHAT HE NEEDED TO SAY IN AN ESSAY. HE COPIED IT. THE CHANGE IN STYLE WAS NOTICED BY HIS TUTOR, WHO CHALLENGED HIM. COLLUSION IS A FORM OF PLAGIARISM TOO. SOME EXAMPLES OF COLLUSION ARE: JOANNE WAS STRUGGLING IN HER EDUCATION DEGREE. HER FRIEND WAS DOING A SIMILAR DEGREE AT ANOTHER UNIVERSITY. THEY DECIDED TO CHOOSE THE SAME TOPIC FOR THEIR DISSERTATION AND TO WORK TOGETHER ON IT ASSUMING THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE FOUND OUT BECAUSE THEIR RESPECTIVE DISSERTATIONS WOULD NEVER BE SEEN TOGETHER. STUDENTS IN BUSINESS STUDIES WERE ASKED TO DEVELOP MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR A GIVEN PRODUCT. THEY WERE TOLD THAT THEY SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO DO THE NECESSARY RESEARCH AND TO DEVELOP A PRESENTATION, BUT THAT THEY SHOULD THEN WORK ALONE IN THE PREPARATION OF THE WRITTEN WORK THAT THEY WOULD HAND IN. KAY WAS IN ONE OF THE GROUPS. SHE HAD NOT DONE HER FAIR SHARE OF THE INITIAL RESEARCH, AND WHEN IT CAME TO THE WRITTEN WORK SHE ASKED ONE OF HER GROUP TO HELP HER. THE COLLEAGUE LEANT KAY HIS COMPLETED WRITTEN WORK, AND SHE COPIED IT, THEN WROTE HER ACCOUNT, VERY HEAVILY BASED ON HIS. SHE SHOWED HIM HER VERY SIMILAR ACCOUNT BEFORE SHE HANDED IT IN – AND THANKED HIM BEFORE HE COULD OBJECT. BOTH OF THEM WERE DEEMED TO HAVE COLLUDED. 5 THE DEFINITION OF COLLUSION STARTS THE SAME AS FOR PLAGIARISM. COLLUSION IS THE  PASSING OFF OF ANOTHER’S WORK AS ONE’S OWN FOR ONE’S OWN BENEFIT AND IN ORDER TO DECEIVE ANOTHER. HOWEVER, IT GOES ON TO SAY THAT WHILE IN THE USUAL DEFINITION OF PLAGIARISM, THE OWNER OF THE WORK DOES NOT KNOWINGLY ALLOW THE USE OF HER WORK, IN A CASE OF COLLUSION, THE OWNER OF THE WORK KNOWS OF ITS USE AND WORKS WITH THE OTHER TOWARDS DECEPTION OF A THIRD PARTY. ON OCCASIONS, TWO PEOPLE MIGHT COLLUDE IN PLAGIARISING ANOTHER PIECE OF WORK. WHEN WE DEFINE COLLUSION, WE NEED TO BE CLEAR WHERE THE BOUNDARIES OF UNACCEPTABLE AND ACCEPTABLE CO-OPERATIVE OR COLLABORATIVE WORK ARE. CO-OPERATION IS SEEN AS OPENLY WORKING WITH ANOTHER OR OTHERS FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT WITH NO DECEPTION OF THE OTHER(S) INVOLVED. CO-OPERATIVE BEHAVIOUR IS A COMMON AND IS USUALLY WELCOMED PRACTICE IN HIGHER EDUCATION. RESEARCH TEAMS RELY ON IT. OFTEN YOU WILL BE TOLD THAT YOU SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO THE POINT OF WRITING UP AN ASSIGNMENT, AND THEN WRITE IT UP SEPARATELY. HOWEVER, THERE MAY BE LOCAL ‘RULES’ OR DESIGNATIONS OF ACCEPTABLE PRACTICE AND OCCASIONALLY VOCABULARY USE WITH REGARD TO COLLUSION, COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION MAY VARY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO FIND OUT FROM YOUR TUTORS JUST WHAT IS  EXPECTED IN YOUR LOCAL CONTEXT. WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE MAY DIFFER FROM ASSIGNMENT TO ASSIGNMENT. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT ON OCCASIONS YOU WILL BE ASKED TO WORK JOINTLY ON A PIECE OF WRITING – AND CLEARLY, THAT IS ALL RIGHT. RATHER THAN TALKING IN THE NEGATIVE ABOUT THE AVOIDANCE OF COLLUSION OR PLAGIARISM, IT IS USEFUL TO USE THE IDEA OF WORKING WITH ACADEMIC HONESTY. ACADEMIC HONESTY IS WHERE YOU UNDERSTAND ACADEMIC CONVENTIONS AND WORK WITHIN THEM. IN THIS INDEPENDENT STUDY UNIT, WE PUT THE STRESS ON PLAGIARISM. THIS IS BECAUSE PLAGIARISM TAKES MORE EFFORT IN UNDERSTANDING THAN OTHER FORMS OF ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT. THIS IS NOT BECAUSE PLAGIARISM IS NECESSARILY MORE SERIOUS. THE FABRICATION OF DATA – OR MAKING UP OF EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS CAN BE FAR MORE SERIOUS AND HAVE FAR GREATER CONSEQUENCES THAN PLAGIARISM. SO THAT YOU CAN RETURN TO THIS MATERIAL EASILY ON FUTURE OCCASIONS, WE GATHER UP THESE IDEAS AS A SERIES OF DEFINITIONS AND PUT THEM INTO A GLOSSARY IN APPENDIX 1 OF THIS UNIT. Exercise 1: Thinking that you know about plagiarism does not mean that you can always decide what is right YOU HAVE NOW LOOKED AT THE EXPLANATIONS OF ACADEMIC HONESTY AND MISCONDUCT AND HAVE READ ABOUT THE JUSTIFICATION FOR CITATION. IT IS TIME TO TEST YOUR UNDERSTANDING. YOU WILL FIND, IN THE NEXT EXERCISE, THAT THINKING THAT YOU KNOW WHAT PLAGIARISM IS MAY NOT MEAN THAT YOU ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT IT IS WHEN IT COMES TO THE DISTINCTIONS OF RIGHT AND WRONG IN YOUR WORK OR THE WORK OF ANOTHER. SOME 6 OF THE EXAMPLES ARE PLAGIARISM, SOME ARE COLLUSION, SOME ARE CHEATING AND SOME ARE ALL RIGHT. REMEMBER THAT PLAGIARISM OCCURS WHEN THE WORK OF SOMEONE ELSE IS PRESENTED AS ONE’S OWN AND IS NOT ATTRIBUTED TO THE OTHER. ONE OF THE THREE ANSWERS GIVEN (A, B AND C) IS CLOSEST TO THE ANSWER. THE ANSWERS ARE AT THE END OF THE UNIT. 1. JOE HAS AN ESSAY TO PREPARE. HE METICULOUSLY READS BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY, BUT IS NOT SURE FROM WHICH TEXT THE IDEAS HAVE COME, AND WHICH IDEAS WERE HIS OWN. HE LISTS THE RANGE OF BOOKS HE THINKS HE USED IN HIS REFERENCE LIST. a) Not plagiarism but he should have cited the books in the text b) Plagiarism – he should have cited the books in the text c) Not a problem – he cited the books in the reference list 2. JAYNE DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO GET STARTED WITH AN ESSAY – SHE IS IN HER FIRST SEMESTER. SHE DELAYS STARTING IT AND THEN PANICS AND HER FRIEND SHOWS HER HOW SHE CAN BUY AN ESSAY FROM A PAPER MILL WEBSITE. SHE BUYS ONE AND SUBMITS IT (‘ONLY THIS TIME’ SHE SAYS). a) This is not all right but it is cheating, not plagiarism b) Plagiarism – and it is not all right c) Plagiarism but it is all right at this stage, but not later in the programme 3. TERRY AND FRAN LIVE IN THE SAME HOUSE. THEY ARE ON THE SAME COURSE AND HENCE HAVE TO PUT IN THE SAME ASSIGNMENTS. FRAN HAS DIFFICULTIES WITH WRITING BUT SHE REALLY WANTS TO DO WELL IN HER DEGREE. TERRY WOULD LIKE TO GET TO KNOW FRAN BETTER AND SEES THIS AS A WAY OF INCREASING THEIR FRIENDSHIP. HE SUGGESTS THAT SINCE THE CLASS IS LARGE, THEY COULD PUT IN THE SAME ESSAY AND NO-ONE  WOULD NOTICE – AND IN THIS WAY HE ‘HELPS’ OUT FRAN, WHO IS VERY GRATEFUL. a) Fran colluded. Terry did not. b) Terry colluded and Fran did not c) They colluded. 4. MIKE USES THE LIBRARY TO FIND THE RELEVANT LITERATURE TO THE ESSAY THAT HE HAS TO WRITE, THEN, USING ONE OF THE ESSAY SITES, BUYS A SIMILAR ESSAY AND INTEGRATES INTO IT THE MATERIAL THAT HE HAS READ. a) It is certain that Mike plagiarised b) Mike did not plagiarise if he cited the sources and paraphrased appropriately c) Mike has plagiarised because he bought the essay 5. MALACHY FOUND THAT HER FRIEND, WHO HAD DONE THE MODULE LAST YEAR, HAD DONE THE SAME EXPERIMENT. HER FRIEND SUGGESTED THAT MALACHY COULD READ THROUGH 7 WHAT SHE HAD WRITTEN BUT SHE WARNED HER NOT TO COPY IT AS THAT WOULD BE COLLUSION. WITHOUT HER FRIEND KNOWING, MALACHY DID COPY PART OF IT AND PRESENTED IT AS HER OWN. a) Malachy plagiarised her friend’s work b) Malachy and her friend colluded c) Malachy and her friend plagiarised 6. DAMION FINDS THAT AN ESSAY THAT HE HAS DONE IN SCHOOL IS VERY SIMILAR TO ONE HE HAS TO WRITE AT UNIVERSITY. HE USES HIS SCHOOL ESSAY – BUT UNFORTUNATELY HE DOES NOT HAVE THE REFERENCES PROPERLY RECORDED. HE HAS NAMES CITED IN THE TEXT, BUT NOT DETAILS OF THE SOURCES. HE MAKES UP ONE OR TWO AND THINKS THAT  HIS TUTOR WILL PROBABLY NOT WORRY ABOUT THE REST. a) Because it was school work – from a different place, it was all right b) It was all right because it had already been marked c) Damion plagiarised 7. SUE IS A LECTURER. SHE GIVES A LECTURE TO FIRST YEAR STUDENTS ON CELL BIOLOGY AND TALKS A LOT ABOUT CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS IN RESEARCH, BUT DOES NOT GIVE THE REFERENCES TO THE RESEARCH IN THE LECTURE OR ON HANDOUTS. a) Technically Sue plagiarised b) It is all right. If this had been written work, Sue should have cited correctly – but it was oral c) It is all right not to cite if your are a teacher / lecturer in the process of teaching. 8. TIM AND OONAGH ARE WORKING ON THE SAME ESSAY FOR THEOLOGY. OONAGH FINDS A GOOD WEBSITE THAT IS VERY HELPFUL. IT PROVIDES GOOD MATERIAL ON THE SUBJECT ON WHICH THEY ARE WRITING. SHE TELLS TIM ABOUT IT. THEY BOTH DOWNLOAD CHUNKS OF IT. OONAGH CUTS AND PASTES INTO HER ESSAY AND PUTS A REFERENCE TO THE SITE IN HER REFERENCE LIST. TIM PARAPHRASES FROM THE MATERIAL, ACKNOWLEDGES IT IN THE TEXT AND IN HIS REFERENCE LIST. THE TUTOR WOULD NOT HAVE NOTICED THE SIMILAR MATERIAL BUT FOR THE FACT THAT THE TWO ESSAYS WERE ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER IN THE PILE. a) Tim and Oonagh colluded b) Tim and Oonagh plagiarised. c) Only one of them plagiarised 9. IN STATISTICS, GEMMA HAS A PROJECT THAT INVOLVES USE OF A QUESTIONNAIRE TO FIND OUT WHAT TELEVISION PROGRAMMES HER FRIENDS WATCH AT A PARTICULAR TIME IN THE EVENING. THIS WILL GENERATE DATA FOR STATISTICAL ANALYSIS. SHE IS ILL FOR A FEW DAYS AND IS RUNNING LATE. SHE MAKES UP SOME OF THE RESPONSES AND USES THEM. a) Gemma plagiarised 8 b) Gemma cheated c) Gemma colluded 10. HARRY INTEGRATES INTO HIS ESSAY, A CHUNK OF HANDOUT MATERIAL FROM HIS LAST YEARS WORK. HE ALTERS SOME WORDS TO FIT BETTER AND SPLITS THE MATERIAL WITH TWO SECTIONS OF HIS OWN WRITING. a) Harry plagiarised. b) It is all right to quote from handout material without citation c) It would have been all right if Harry had rewritten it more in his own words 11. JAMIE HAS AN ESSAY TO WRITE IN PHILOSOPHY. HE IS NOT VERY GOOD AT WRITING AND HAS DEVELOPED A STYLE WHEREBY HE COPIES DOWN APPROPRIATE QUOTATIONS (CITING THEM APPROPRIATELY) AND THEN PARAPHRASES THE CONTENT OF THE QUOTATION IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH AS A KIND OF SUMMARY, STEERING THE MEANING TOWARDS ANOTHER QUOTATION AND SO ON. a) So long as Jamie paraphrases appropriately, he is not doing anything wrong b) Jamie is plagiarising c) Jamie should be using appropriate methods of referencing 12. FOR SOPHIA, ENGLISH IS A SECOND LANGUAGE. SHE WANTS TO SUCCEED AND GOES TO A FRIEND WHO SPEAKS BETTER ENGLISH. HER FRIEND GOES THROUGH HER WHOLE ESSAY, CORRECTING THE LANGUAGE ALL THE WAY THROUGH. a) What Sophia is doing is understandable. It is all right b) What Sophia and her friend are doing is not all right. It is a form of collusion c) What Sophia is doing is not all right. It is cheating 13. BILLIE, ED AND JAKE LIVE ARE FOLLOWING THE SAME MODULE. THEY HAVE A PIECE OF WORK TO DO AND GET TOGETHER TO DISCUSS IT. THEY TALK ABOUT THE CONTENT AND DECIDE EACH TO FOLLOW UP TWO REFERENCES AND THEN TO MEET AGAIN TO TALK ABOUT. WHAT THEY HAVE FOUND. THIS REDUCES THE VOLUME OF READING THEY WILL HAVE TO DO. THEY MEET AGAIN, LISTEN TO EACH OTHER’S DESCRIPTIONS AND WRITE NOTES AND THEN WRITE THE ESSAY SEPARATELY. THEY REFERENCE THE MATERIAL, WHETHER IT IS WHAT THEY HAVE READ OR WHAT THEY HAVE HEARD DESCRIBED. a) Billie, Ed and Jake are colluding b) They are not doing anything wrong if co-operative study is acceptable to the tutor c) Billie, Ed and Jake are deceiving their tutor and therefore cheating 14. LUI FINDS SOME INFORMATION AT A WEBSITE THAT SAYS EXACTLY WHAT HE WANTS TO SAY. IT IS SIX LINES OF TEXT WHICH HE PUTS INTO QUOTATION MARKS. HE CUTS AND PASTES IT BUT BY MISTAKE LEAVES THE ORIGINAL FONT. HE CITES IT IN THE TEXT AND PUTS THE WEBSITE ADDRESS IN THE REFERENCE LIST WITH THE DATE OF ACCESS. HIS TUTOR CALLS HIM IN†¦ 9 a) Lui cheated b) He plagiarised c) What Lui did is all right. 15. CHARLIE KNOWS A REALLY GOOD WEBSITE THAT WILL HELP HIM A GREAT DEAL IN THE PROJECT WORK THAT HIS HAS BEEN SET. HE IS WORKING IN A TEAM, BUT THE WORK THAT THE TEAM DOES MUST BE WRITTEN UP SEPARATELY. INITIALLY HE MENTIONS THE WEBSITE, BUT GIVES NO ADDRESS – AND THEN REALISES THAT HE WOULD PREFER TO USE IT AS A REFERENCE FOR HIS INDIVIDUAL WORK. WHEN THE OTHERS ASK FOR DETAILS OF THE SITE, HE IS VAGUE AND THEN GIVES THE WRONG WEB ADDRESS TO THEM. a) Charlie is rightly not colluding with his team b) Charlie is not working co-operatively in his team c) Charlie is plagiarising – and it is just as well he did not pass on the information 16. AARON IS WRITING UP A REPORT. HE FINDS A TEXT BOOK THAT IS NOT THE ONE USED IN CLASS AND USES IT TO GET MUCH OF THE INFORMATION THAT HE REQUIRES. HE REFERS TO THE WORK OF JONDA (1998) THAT IS DESCRIBED AND REFERENCED IN THE TEXTBOOK. ARON CITES JONDA IN THE TEXT AND THEN REFERENCES IT TO THE TEXT BOOK IN HIS LIST OF REFERENCES. a) Aaron is behaving with academic honesty, his citations are fine b) Aaron is technically plariarising – he should have cited the original source, not the textbook c) Aaron is colluding with the writer of the textbook 17. TOM FINDS A HELPFUL ARTICLE IN A JOURNAL. HE PHOTOCOPIES IT AND COPIES FROM IT INTO HIS ESSAY, ALTERNATING SENTENCES OF THE ARTICLE WITH HIS OWN WORDS, AND NEVER COPYING MORE THAN A LINE WITHOUT ADDING HIS OWN WORDS OR ALTERING WORDS FROM THE TEXT. HE CITES THE ARTICLE IN HIS BIBLIOGRAPHY, BUT NOT IN THE TEXT BECAUSE HE DOES NOT FEEL THAT HE MAKES A SUFFICIENTLY SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO IT. a) Tom is cheating. b) Tom is plagiarising c) Tom is writing a good essay. He has properly cited the reference in his bibliography 18. AMY OMITS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MATERIAL THAT SHE HAS QUOTED. IT WAS A MISTAKE. a) Amy made a mistake and because she is a first year that is all right b) Amy plagiarised. c) Amy did not plagiarise because not referencing was unintentional 10 Exercise 2: What reasons do students give for academic misconduct? THINK OF FIVE EXCUSES THAT STUDENTS MIGHT MAKE FOR PLAGIARISING, COLLUDING OR CHEATING. SOME EXCUSES ARE UNDERSTANDABLE BUT THEY ARE AGAINST THE ACADEMIC CONVENTIONS THAT WE MAINTAIN WITHIN AN ACADEMIC COMMUNITY. THERE IS A LIST OF POSSIBLE RESPONSES AT THE END OF THE UNIT – THOUGH YOU MAY HAVE THOUGH OF OTHERS. The further information and skills that you need for academic honesty WE HAVE SAID THAT YOU NEED SOME INFORMATION, A SET OF SKILLS AND ASSOCIATED GOOD HABITS FOR YOUR ACADEMIC WORK. WE HAVE DESCRIBED ABOVE THE BASICS OF WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT, PLAGIARISM AND COLLUSION BUT BEFORE WE LOOK AT THE SKILLS AND GOOD HABITS, THERE IS MORE TO SAY ABOUT WHY WE REFERENCE MATERIAL (REMEMBER REFERENCING, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND CITATION MEAN THE SAME THING). Further reasons for referencing. WE SAID ABOVE THAT WHEN WE USE THE IDEA OF ANOTHER, WE REFERENCE IT AND INDICATE THE SOURCE OF IT. IN TERMS OF PLAGIARISM, THIS IS IN ORDER TO DEMONSTRATE THAT IT IS AN IDEA THAT WAS GENERATED BY ANOTHER PERSON – AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PERSON FOR THE IDEA. HOWEVER IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO REFERENCE AN IDEA IN ORDER TO SHOW ANOTHER PERSON HOW TO FIND THAT IDEA SHOULD S/HE WANT TO SEEK READ MORE OF IT. IN ACADEMIC WRITING, IN ORDER TO FURTHER YOUR OWN THINKING, IT IS USUAL TO FOLLOW UP REFERENCES THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS GIVEN IN THEIR REFERENCE LIST. SEEKING AND FINDING INFORMATION BECOMES A KIND OF TRAIL. SO A SECOND REASON FOR REFERENCING IS TO ENABLE OTHERS TO FIND THE IDEAS FOR THEMSELVES IN ORDER TO SEEK MORE INFORMATION. THE THIRD REASON FOR REFERENCING IS SO THAT ANYONE READING YOUR WORK (SUCH AS A TUTOR) CAN SEE HOW YOUR THINKING HAS BEEN DEVELOPED. WHEN YOU DO ACADEMIC WRITING YOU WORK WITH YOUR OWN IDEAS AND THOSE OF OTHERS IN ORDER TO RESPOND TO THE TASK SET. IT IS NOT USUALLY JUST A MATTER OF ‘WRITE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT†¦(SOMETHING)’ IN HIGHER EDUCATION, BUT THE QUESTION OR TASK WILL REQUIRE YOU TO ‘MANIPULATE’ WHAT YOU KNOW – TO EXPLAIN, TO COMPARE OR COMPARE AND CONTRAST AND SO ON. WHEN YOU USE THE IDEAS OF OTHERS, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR TUTOR TO BE ABLE TO SEE HOW MUCH YOU HAVE READ, WHAT YOU HAVE READ AND HOW YOU HAVE USED AND MANIPULATED THE IDEAS IN ORDER TO MEET THE TASK SET IN THE ASSIGNMENT. LOOKING AT A REFERENCE LIST FOR THIS PURPOSE IS A FORM OF EVALUATION 11 YOU MAY THINK THAT SUCH EVALUATION ONLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE A STUDENT. THIS IS NOT THE CASE. ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH WRITING IN JOURNALS AND BOOKS IS ALSO SUBJECTED TO EVALUATION – THIS TIME BY PEERS. SUCH RESEARCH WRITING USUALLY DEVELOPS NEW KNOWLEDGE. ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH THIS NEW KNOWLEDGE CAN BE. JUDGED BY THOSE WHO MIGHT USE IT, IS BY LOOKING AT THE LIST OF REFERENCES TO SEE WHAT KIND OF IDEAS HAVE FORMED THE BASIS TO THE NEW KNOWLEDGE. SOMETIMES THIS ‘BASIS’ IS IN THE FORM OF WHAT WE WOULD CALL ‘EVIDENCE’. MANY ACADEMICS WILL TURN TO THE REFERENCE LIST AS SOON AS THEY ARE GIVEN SOMETHING TO READ – IN ORDER TO SEE WHAT WORK THIS IS BASED ON. What do you not have to reference? NOT ALL IDEAS ARE CONSIDERED TO BELONG TO OTHERS. MOST OF WHAT WE KNOW IS ‘COMMON KNOWLEDGE’. THIS IS KNOWLEDGE THAT IS IN ‘EVERYDAY’ USE, OR IS IN THE COMMON DOMAIN OR IT IS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHICH WE COULD SAY THAT MOST PEOPLE. AGREE. IT IS THE SORT OF KNOWLEDGE THAT IS FOUND IN REFERENCE BOOKS IN ENCYCLOPEDIAS OR DICTIONARIES. WE DO NOT NEED TO REFERENCE COMMON KNOWLEDGE, THOUGH USUALLY, IF YOU DO TAKE A DEFINITION FROM A DICTIONARY, YOU WILL CITE ITS SOURCE SO THAT OTHERS CAN FIND IT. WE DO NOT NEED TO REFERENCE IDEAS THAT ARE GENUINELY OUR OWN EITHER. IF THE IDEA IS ONE GENERATED BY YOU, BUT THAT YOU HAVE DESCRIBED IN YOUR OWN WORK ELSEWHERE, THEN IT IS GOOD PRACTICE TO REFERENCE IT TO THE FIRST OCCASION ON WHICH IT HAS BEEN USED (IE TO YOUR OWN NAME). THIS MAY BE MAINLY SO THAT OTHERS CAN FIND IT FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES. THE RULES ABOUT CITATION OF LECTURE AND HANDOUT MATERIAL ARE MORE FUZZY – TECHNICALLY YOU SHOULD SAY WHERE YOU HEARD ABOUT AN IDEA AS MUCH AS WHERE YOU READ ABOUT IT. HOWEVER, SOMETIMES THAT WOULD GET RIDICULOUS. IMAGINE HOW YOU WOULD MANAGE A QUESTION IN AN EXAM THAT ASKS YOU TO DESCRIBE SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED IN THE LECTURE. IT COULD BECOME VERY DIFFICULT. YOU NEED TO ASK YOUR LECTURERS AND TUTORS WHAT PRACTICE TO FOLLOW HERE. THEY MAY FEEL THAT YOU DO NOT NEED TO CITE LECTURES, BUT THAT YOU SHOULD CITE HANDOUT MATERIAL – AND THEY MAY NOT ALL AGREE ON THE SAME RESPONSE. IN ALL OF THIS YOU MAY NOT ALWAYS BE SURE WHETHER OR NOT TO CITE. A RULE BY WHICH TO WORK IS – IF IN DOUBT, CITE! SO – TO SUMMARISE: THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE REASONS WHY WE REFERENCE MATERIAL – -TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE HAVE USED ANOTHER’S IDEA; -TO SHOW ANOTHER WHERE TO FIND THE SOURCE OF THE IDEAS USED; -TO ALLOW ANOTHER TO EVALUATE THE QUALITY OF OUR REASONING. The skills that you need 12 IN TERMS OF SKILLS, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO: -DIFFERENTIATE MATERIAL THAT NEEDS CITATION FROM THAT THAT DOES NOT NEED CITATION; -USE IN-TEXT REFERENCING; -WRITE AN APPROPRIATE REFERENCE LIST AND UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE. BETWEEN THIS AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY; -DEVELOP GOOD HABITS OF RECORD-KEEPING; -WORK APPROPRIATELY WITH QUOTATIONS; -MANAGE THE PRESENTATION OF OTHERS’ IDEAS IN WRITTEN WORK. (THE LIST IS MODIFIED FROM CARROLL, 2002) The ability to differentiate material that needs attribution from that that does not need attribution; YOU NEED TO KNOW AND TO BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN WHAT DOES AND DOES NOT REQUIRE CITATION – THE FOLLOWING DO NOT NEED TO BE CITED: -COMMON KNOWLEDGE – WHICH WE HAVE DEFINED AS THAT IN EVERYDAY USE, IN THE COMMON DOMAIN; -FACTS THAT ARE GENERALLY AGREED, OR THAT ARE COMMON TO A VARIETY OF SOURCES; -PERSONAL IDEAS, SUGGESTIONS ETC. THE FOLLOWING NEED TO BE CITED: -DIRECT QUOTATIONS; -REFERENCES TO OTHERS’ IDEAS EXPRESSED ORALLY OR ON PAPER OR WEB-BASED MATERIALS ETC; -REFERENCES TO A REFERENCE ALREADY CITED BY ANOTHER IN A TEXT; -PARAPHRASES, PRECIS AND SUMMARIES OF OTHERS’ QUOTATIONS OR IDEAS; -OTHERS’ STATISTICS, FIGURES, CHARTS, TABLES, PICTURES GRAPHS ETC; -REFERENCES TO MATERIAL WITHIN AN EDITED TEXT. CLEARLY IT REQUIRES JUDGEMENT TO DECIDE WHAT DOES AND DOES NOT NEED TO BE CITED – AND IF IN DOUBT, CITE! Use of in-text referencing THIS IS A MATTER OF UNDERSTANDING HOW TO CITE IN TEXT AND HOW TO CONSTRUCT A  REFERENCE LIST. THERE ARE DIFFERENT CONVENTIONS, AND SOMETIMES THERE ARE VARIABLE INTERPRETATIONS OF THE CONVENTION ADOPTED. SOME USE REFERENCE LISTS AT THE END OF THE TEXT, SOME WORK WITH FOOTNOTES OR ENDNOTES THAT ARE LINKED FROM THE TEXT BY NUMBER OR LETTER. 13 E. G. (1) OR (A). IN THESE CASES, THE DETAILS OF NAME, DATE AND SOURCE ARE EITHER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE OR LISTED BY NUMBER OR LETTER SEQUENCE AT THE END OF THE ARTICLE OR BOOK. REFERENCES MAY BE MIXED WITH NOTES. HARVARD IS A VERY COMMON SYSTEM IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS. E. G. †¦IN THE HARVARD SYSTEM THE NAME AND DATE IS PUT IN THE TEXT (E. G.DIPPIDY, 1999) AND IN THE REFERENCE LIST AT THE END OF THE ARTICLE OR THE BOOK, THE REFERENCES ARE LISTED ALPHABETICALLY WITH THE FURTHER DETAILS OF SOURCE. DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES TEND TO ADOPT DIFFERENT CONVENTIONS, AND ACADEMIC JOURNALS AND PUBLISHERS OFTEN DIFFER IN THE CONVENTIONS ADOPTED, SO YOU WILL COME ACROSS DIFFERENT STYLES IN YOUR READING. USUALLY IN UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES, YOU WILL BE TOLD TO WORK TO A PARTICULAR CONVENTION BUT YOU MAY NEED TO LEARN TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE. IT IS NOT WORTH REBELLING IN THIS MATTER. THERE ARE USUALLY HANDOUTS OR BOOKLETS THAT PROVIDE ILLUSTRATION OF THIS. IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT SYSTEM OF REFERENCING TO  USE, ASK. MAKE SURE THAT WITHIN THE SYSTEM YOU USE, YOU KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THE FOLLOWING: QUOTATIONS (SEE BELOW ALSO); DIRECT REFERENCES TO WRITTEN AND SPOKEN WORD; REFERENCES CITED WITHIN ANOTHER TEXT – TO WHICH YOU WANT TO REFER; PARAPHRASES OR SUMMARIES OF OTHERS’ IDEAS; THE CITATION OF STATISTICS AND FIGURATIVE MATERIAL; REFERENCES WITHIN EDITED TEXTS, WEB-BASED MATERIALS, CD-ROMS. THERE MAY BE OTHER SOURCES THAT YOU WANT TO CITE. YOU DO NOT NEED TO KNOW ALL THIS ‘BY HEART’, BUT HAVE ACCESS TO A GOOD GUIDE TO REFERENCING AS YOU WORK AND MAKE SURE THAT IT USES THE APPROPRIATE STYLE. IF YOUR FEEL THAT YOUR GUIDE-BOOK IS  NOT HELPFUL, LOOK AT STUDY SKILLS BOOKS OR LOOK ON THE WEB FOR THE SYSTEM YOU NEED. THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES OFTEN HAVE USEFUL MATERIAL The layout of a reference list and its distinction from a bibliography A REFERENCE LIST IS A LIST OF THE REFERENCES TO WHICH YOU HAVE REFERRED IN YOUR TEXT. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS A REFERENCE LIST TO WHICH IS ADDED ANY EXTRA MATERIAL THAT MIGHT PROVIDE GENERAL OR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE TOPIC. IN ACADEMIC WORK, MOSTLY IT WILL BE REFERENCE LISTS WITH WHICH YOU WORK.

Smoking Should Be Outlawed and Tobacco Profit Applied to Medical Resear

Smoking Should Be Outlawed and Tobacco Profit Applied to Medical Research "Scientists know what makes tobacco so deadly. It's the more than 4,000 different chemicals that cigarettes contain. And the more than 400 different poisons that scientists have found in cigarette smoke" (LeTourneau). Does that statement appeal to you? Funny how the public hears this phrase and knows what tobacco is made from, yet they still smoke knowing that tobacco kills more than 440,000 people a year in America alone. "That's more people than die from AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, fires, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides all added together"(LeTourneau). Tobacco is made from all kind of harmful things. Things that give little children asthma, give adults emphysema, cancer of the lungs, throat, mouth, tongue, and can cause many other awful occurrences with people's health. I believe that tobacco should be taken off the market completely. I believe that tobacco companies should not have to pay for rehabilitation for those people who are addicted to tobacco because it is t heir own choice. Inste...

How Science Changed Our Life Essay

The development of science started many centuries ago when our ancestors were exploring the world and inventing things that make our life easier nowadays. We may not even realize it; however, all that surrounds us today, all the technologies, all the goods we possess, medicine and other spheres of our life are influenced by the development of science. Imagine, what the life would be if there were to technological development, transport, internet, telephones, etc. We would just be unable to exist. However, exists another side of a medal. Not all consequences of the science development are positive. There may examples proving that the scientific advancements may have a negative impact on people lives and cause may outcomes, which pose problems. There are even very serious problems, with which we are not able to cope, unfortunately. For instance, talking about the positive side of a question, the discovery of fire and invention of the wheel have crucially changed the life of humanity and made it much more comfortable.   In the course of new technological advances were appearing, enabling people to receive cures, assistance in everyday life, etc. Take for example our medicine. In a few decades, scientists have elaborated cures for eradicating the diseases, which were considered fatal. Thanks to the prolific work of chemists and biologists, we now can fight almost all the serious and less serious illnesses. It one of the examples illustrating the positive impact of scientific development that we have faced in recent years. Talking about the negative impacts, caused by the advance in science and technology, it impossible to overlook such issue as pollution and to destroy the ecosystem. Factories pollute the air and drop the chemicals into the water and atmosphere. This dangerous issue needs an urgent solution. Due to this fact, we face a variety of problems. Our ecosystem is suffering from the negative influence of toxic fluids. The environment needs to be saved. Many animal species are endangered and face total extinction. The ozone layer is being destroyed. The ice sheets are melting and causing cataclysms. All these factors illustrate how the humanity becomes a prisoner of its achievements and developments. If we continue in this direction, our future generations will not have a chance to live at all. Development is a positive dynamic traced in the existence of certain phenomena or object. However, not always these changes have positive consequences. Sometimes the thing or achievement in any branch of science, which was supposed to bring welfare to the humanity turns into a disastrous factor. Among the adverse changes cause by science development, it is impossible to overlook. It concerns various branches of science including medicine, technology, and environmental sciences. Illustrating each of them is important. Taking into consideration the sphere of medicine, its positive dynamic in some aspects lead to problems, which we cannot fights even nowadays. Among these negative influences, it is necessary to single out the consequences caused by the usage of drugs. How science has changed our lives, particularly medicine, it is possible to illustrate on this example. The favorable impact of drugs was discovered many years ago. It helped to eliminate pain and bring relief to patients suffering from fatal diseases. Moreover, it helps to relax people who have the Parkinson disease. However, every rose has its thorns. People started using drugs as a way to get a rush. It quickly becomes a serious issue, as people get addicted to narcotics. Now it is tough to fight this problem and find a solution. This advancement in medicine has turned into a disaster. This narcotics issue is a bright example illustrative the negative side of science development. It is possible to illustrate the negative impact of the development of technique on the example of internet invention. On the one hand, the development of the internet was a breakthrough in a sphere of information exchange. Primarily, the most primitive version of the web allowed the soldiers to pass the signals, containing info, in times of war. As it proved to be the quickest and the most reliable way of information interchange, after the end of the war, people started to modernize and develop it.   Science changed our lives a lot, and now, we cannot imagine our modern life without the global net. It enables us to everything starting from the chatting, ending with doing shopping and seeing in the live view people, who are in the other parts of the world. However, exists another side of a medal. Science technology changed our lives dramatically, and we have become addicted to the social networks. Undoubtedly, science has caused the range of changes in the life of humanity. Not all of them are positive, and not all of them are negative. However, it is impossible to introduce changes to a specific sphere of life without influencing the other ones. We have to realize the fact that nothing is ideal, and we can control everything. Changes are unavoidable. Where a good there is is also always a bad. It is an unchangeable law of our world. The critical thing to realize is that we are to start looking for the golden middle. We can no longer ignore all the changes caused by the development of science and technology. There are some life aspects, which need the attention of the humanity. Here it goes about the environmental issues and questions connected with the human lives. We are to be responsible for what we do! We have to be able to solve the problems, which we have caused by ourselves! Our task is to do something until it is not late!

JFK: The Epitome of Success

â€Å"Once you say you're going to settle for second, that's what happens to you in life.† This quote was said by and embodied by a man who was very effective and smoothly functioning in life. This man was the late John F. Kennedy. JFK was one of the most successful and influential people to ever live. He had strong beliefs and never succumbed to pressure. Kennedy's success was shown through his tough foreign and economic policies. JFK kept the USA as a world powerhouse and will forever be remembered as one of the greatest presidents to ever live. Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts on Tuesday, May 29, 1917. He spent the first ten years of his life in Brookline until he moved with his family to Riverdale, Bronx. Two years after that he moved to a 21-room mansion on a six-acre estate in Bronxville, New York. JFK had a very sickly childhood dealing with appendicitis, colitis, and possible symptoms of leukemia. In September 1936 he enrolled as a freshman at Harvard College where he eventually graduated cum laude with a degree in international affairs. Kennedy then spent four years in the US Navy during World War II. Before his political career, JFK originally aspired to become a journalist. However, in 1946, Kennedy ran for a vacated U.S. Representative seat and beat his opponent by a large margin. On January 2, 1960, Kennedy officially declared his intent to run for President of the United States. It was a tight race against Richard Nixon but JFK won and was sworn in as the 35th President at noon on January 20, 1961 (Ke lly). At Kennedy's inaugural address, he spoke of the need for all Americans to be active citizens, famously saying, â€Å"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.† JFK felt that all the responsibility should not rest in the hands of the government; instead it should be shared amongst all Americans. He also spoke of his hope for unity amongst the nations in order to end â€Å"tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself† across the world. His inaugural address alone showed signs of future success for this young president. JFK immediately gained great popular support amongst Americans. His strong willed personality and hope for change were some of the many reasons for his success. Little did he know his abilities would be tested early in his presidential term. In October of 1962, a Soviet ballistic missile site was discovered under construction in Cuba. JFK was faced with a dilemma; attack the missile site and face a possible nuclear war with the Soviets, or stand down and risk a nuclear attack on the U.S. Another consideration was that if the U.S. backed down it would appear to the world as weak in its own hemisphere. Kennedy decided to take action and ordered a naval quarantine in which the U.S. Navy inspected all ships arriving in Cuba. He began negotiations with the Soviets and ordered the Soviets to remove all defensive material that was being built in Cuba. Kennedy's risky actions proved successful as Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles subject to U.N. inspections if the U.S. publicly promised never to invade Cuba and quietly removed US missiles stationed in Turkey (Sierra). JFK's iron-willed actions prevented a possible all out nuclear war with the U.S.S.R. Not only was JFK strong-minded with his foreign policy, he was also forceful with his economic policy. His plan entitled the â€Å"New Frontier† ambitiously promised federal funding for education, medical care for the elderly, and government intervention to halt the recession (Rosenthal). Kennedy also promised an end to racial discrimination. In 1954 the United States Supreme Court had ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. Despite public opposition Kennedy did what was right and made sure this ruling would be upheld throughout the country. In 1962, James Meredith tried to enroll at the University of Mississippi, but he was prevented from doing so by white students. Kennedy responded by sending some 400 federal marshals and 3,000 troops to ensure that Meredith could enroll in his first class. He was a very caring president and would do anything to enforce justice. Kennedy's determination and perseverance helped end segregation in our great nation. Another great example of Kennedy's strong-willed personality is shown through the space race of the 1960's. After recent Soviet success of space exploration, JFK felt the need to put the U.S. on the map in terms of space discovery. Kennedy asked Congress to approve more than $25 billion for the Apollo Project, a human spaceflight program undertaken by NASA with the goal of conducting manned moon landing missions (Dumoulin). Not only did JFK feel that landing a man on the moon would benefit science, but that it would create nationalism and make a statement to the world that America was on top. Unfortunately, Kennedy wouldn't live to see his Apollo project take place. On November 22, 1963, while on a political trip to Texas, Kennedy was shot twice and pronounced dead at 1:00 PM. At the age of 46, President Kennedy died younger than any U.S. president to date. Despite Kennedy's short term as President, he is still considered as one of the greatest. His success can be attributed to his strong willed personality and determination in everything he did. JFK was the epitome of a successful and effective individual.

Hugo Munsterberg essay part 2Essay Writing Service

Hugo Munsterberg essay part 2Essay Writing Service Hugo Munsterberg essay part 2 Hugo Munsterberg essay part 2Hugo Munsterberg essay part  1As we have previously mentioned, Munsterberg promoted the industrial psychology. The publication under the title â€Å"Psychology and the Market† (1909) can be regarded as the beginning of this activity. The article pointed out the areas of production in which psychology could be useful: vocational training, personnel management, etc.; the article also recommended to carry out intelligence tests, to assess the level of motivation of employees, and the impact of monotonous nature of the work on the results of work.Munsterberg had a number of serious researches in those universities where he worked as a consultant. The results were published in the book â€Å"Psychology and Industrial Efficiency† (1913). The book was so popular that entered the bestseller list. Munsterberg (1913) argued in the book that the best way to increase efficiency and productivity is to pick workers’ positions that match character and mental abilities of people who are working at them. Using the methods of psychological screening, such as intelligence tests and modeling of the production process, employers will be able to determine the knowledge, skills and abilities of prospective employees. Moreover, Munsterberg conducted various researches with people of different professions such as the ship’s captain, a tram driver, telephone operator and dealer, demonstrating how psychological screening techniques can improve the work’s productivity. As a result, Munsterberg outlined in â€Å"Basics of Psychotechnics† (1914) his views on the organization of vocational guidance and psychological services in the enterprise.Munsterberg was the first person who formulated the â€Å"principle of instrumentalism,† i.e. supposedly impartial attitude of psychologists to political and ethical aspects of their work. The researcher was more interested not in the political consequences of social conflic t in the enterprise, but in production results. For instance, he stated that in management, a lot of attention is paid to the problems associated with the effective use of materials and equipment, while mental state of mind is not taken into account in enough degree. Moreover, problems such as fatigue, monotony, demonstration of interest, education, enjoyment, and many such states associated with the psychological state of the individual were considered at unprofessional and low scientific level. As a result, the book â€Å"Psychology and Industrial Efficiency† became the answer to many of these problems.Munsterberg believed that industrial psychology and scientific management must unite their efforts, as they are based on the same principle: high working efficiency can not be achieved by excessive pressure on workers. Scientific methods of work organization must be combined with the satisfaction of spiritual needs; thus, people achieving high industrial efficiency would be a ble to achieve internal labor harmony. So, Munsterberg was one of the first advocates of psychology in industrial management; he highlighted the specific function of a psychologist because this specialist should be able to work in the place, where exists dissatisfaction of the workers in the absence of obvious deficiencies.To sum up, Hugo Munsterberg positively impacted on the development of many areas of psychology and his role was especially great in the development of such areas as career choices and professional selection. He was the first in a clear formulation of the two problems of professional suitability: 1) psychological analysis of the profession and detection of professionally important qualities; 2) psychological testing (psychodiagnostics), i.e., determining of the degree of severity of required professionally important qualities of the applicant with the appropriate tests. Munsterberg drew particular attention to the fact that not all people (especially young people) are able to adequately assess their abilities and make the right career choice. He developed a program of psychological study of professions, which included: gathering information from business leaders; it also included observations of psychologists (their role the scientist especially emphasized in the analysis of professions); experimental research, including a special study of the features of successful and unsuccessful activities of workers (method of â€Å"polar groups†). Moreover, Diamond (1974) stated that Munsterberg strongly emphasized the need for the establishment of special psychotechnical institutions and laboratories to put barrier to the spread of imaginary psychological means. He predicted that the industry will eventually take the initiative in bringing the work of professional psychologists by itself.In conclusion, we have explored the contribution of Hugo Munsterberg into psychology and closely related disciplines, and proved that Munsterberg was engaged in a variety of issues, which later became classics of psychology of labor. The term of â€Å"psychotechnics† Munsterberg understood as practical psychology that predicts the behavior of people and explores possibilities to influence this behavior in the public interest. The main shortcoming of psychotechnics was hidden in mechanistic understanding of activity as the ability to set properties, unchanging and unrelated. As we have stated, a set of short-term tests, which gave extremely incomplete information about some properties of the psyche, was used for the diagnosis of the human abilities. But even such fact cannot lessen the impact of Munsterberg on the development of psychology because this person opened new horizons for psychologists, showing people that it is always necessary to pay a huge attention to the sphere of human relations and introduction of knowledge into practice in real life situations.

Atticus Finch- Character Analysis essays

Atticus Finch- Character Analysis essays Atticus Finch is the father of two children. His character can best be summed up as a man whose character is nearly the complete opposite of the general population of the town. He is a man without prejudice and racial hatred and is a good-hearted man of strong morals. He brings up his children the way he sees right. Atticus sees past a mans color and looks into the depth of his character. In the beginning of the novel, on page 30, he tells Scout You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it. This shows that Atticus is a man of strong morals and principles and a man who will stand up for what he believes is right. When asked by his children why he chose to defend Tom Robinson when he knew he would most likely not win he replied to them that is he hadnt, he wouldnt be able to believe in himself anymore. He chose to defend Tom Robinson because to choose not to would be going against all his personal morals and principles. Due to these strong morals and principles, he is greatly respected by those in Maycomb. Jem and Scout, especially, are disappointed that Atticus doesnt seem to do anything the other men in the town do. He doesnt drink, he doesnt smoke and he doesnt play sports. Yet when a rabid dog enters the street and is likely to threaten the townspeople, Atticus is called upon to deal with it. Here we learn along with the children that Atticus is known as One Shot Finch for his remarkable ability with the rifle to hit nearly any target in the first shot. Atticus proved himself to be a good lawyer. Atticus was extremely good at cross-examining witnesses. He had what could almost be called a sixth sense when it involved judging a persons character and deciding whether or not that person is lying. During Tom Robinsons trial, Atticu ...

The Worlds 14 Most Haunted Cemeteries

The World's 14 Most Haunted Cemeteries Cemeteries around the world have gained a reputation for being haunted by ghosts for many reasons, including grave robbery, unmarked or forgotten burials, natural disasters that disturb resting places, or sometimes even because the deceased was not properly buried at all. Add all of that to the fact that graveyards are often dark, somber places and youve got the perfect setting for a ghost or two. Come explore some of the worlds most haunted cemeteries...but dont forget to hold your breath as you drive by, or you might breathe in the spirit of someone who has recently died! St. Louis Cemetery No. 1New Orleans, Louisiana Multiple ghosts are said to haunt the famous St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 in New Orleans, but one ghost dominates the others - Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. The ornate cemetery is the oldest cemetery in New Orleans - a place of ornate above-ground tombs and mausoleums, winding footpaths and crumbling memorials. Old Western Burial GroundBaltimore, Maryland The Old Western Burial Ground in Baltimore is the final resting place of Edgar Allan Poe, fifteen generals from the Revolutionary War and War of 1812, and other famous individuals. Part of the graveyard can now only be accessed by way of catacombs below Westminster Presbyterian Church where ghosts are said to walk... Resurrection CemeteryChicago, Illinois One of Americas favorite ghost stories is the tale of the vanishing hitchhiker, Resurrection Mary. Resurrection Cemetery, located in Justice, Illinois, has been home to this famous spirit since the 1930s. The famous burned and twisted bars at the gate of Resurrection Cemetery were removed to discourage onlookers Rookwood CemeterySydney, Australia Close to one million people lie in the beautiful, Victorian Rookwood Cemetery in Sydney, but it is the grave of the notorious Davenport Brothers, famous spiritualists, that is said to attract ghosts to the necropolis. Stull CemeteryStull, Kansas The quiet Stull Cemetery located between Topeka and Kansas City, in the town of Stull, Kansas, is listed by many haunting guides as one of the Seven Portals to Hell and one of the most haunted cemeteries in America. Steven Jansen, director of the Watkins Community Museum of History thinks the legends started as a fraternity prank in the 1970s, however, and have no basis in truth. The locals do their best to deter visitors on Halloween due to repeated vandalism in the cemetery, and it is even said that a local knocked down the burned-out church on the property - site of the supposed gateway to hell. Paris Catacombs  Paris, France Listed by many among the worlds most haunted places, the Paris Catacombs,  buried deep beneath the streets of Paris, hold the bones of over six million French dead, interred in the empty limestone quarries from 1785 through the 1800s. With so many bones stacked up everywhere you look, it seems impossible to believe that ghosts dont exist. Bachelors Grove Cemetery Chicago, IllinoisThis abandoned Chicago burial ground is the subject of numerous legends and ghostly tales. More than 100 different reports of strange phenomena at Bachelors Grove Cemetery have been collected, including actual apparitions, unexplained sights and sounds, and even glowing balls of light. El Campo Santo Cemetery San Diego, CaliforniaThe now-restored 1849 Roman Catholic burial ground known as El Campo Santo Cemetery  is a popular place for ghost sightings. Some of the graves here were covered over by a street, and others have been desecrated over the years, reportedly leaving the residents restless. Greenwood Cemetery Decatur, IllinoisOne of the most famous haunted cemeteries in the midwest, Greenwood Cemetery in Decatur, Illinois, is the site of numerous ghost stories and legends. The Civil War section is the most famous, said to be haunted by the ghosts of Confederate prisoners. Hollywood Forever Cemetery Los Angeles, CaliforniaFormerly known as Hollywood Memorial Park, this Los Angeles, California, cemetery to the stars is reportedly haunted by starlet Virginia Rappe, who allegedly died after a night of debauchery with comedian Roscoe Fatty Arbuckle. Clifton Webb is also reported to haunt his mausoleum at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, and a Lady in Black is often seen in front of Rudolph Valentinos crypt. Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery Columbus, OhioFresh flowers often mysteriously appear on the grave of a Confederate soldier who is buried at Camp Chase Confederate Cemetery, believed to have been left behind by the famous Lady in Gray, The ghostly widow, who has been seen walking among the tombstones, lost her husband at the ​Confederate prison camp which existed on this spot during the Civil War. Silver Cliff Cemetery Silver Cliff, ColoradoGhost sightings in the haunted Silver Cliff Cemetery date back to the 1880s. Ghosts of pioneers are believed to be the cause of the blue balls of light that float over the graves. Stepp Cemetery Bloomington, IndianaA number of eerie legends and tales of paranormal activity have arisen from Stepp Cemetery, one of the most famous haunted cemeteries in the state of Indiana. The story is always a ghostly woman sitting watch over a gravesite, but the origins of the woman and her story seem to vary with each teller of the tale. Union Cemetery   Easton, ConnecticutA favorite cemetery for ghost photographers, Union Cemetery is most famous for the White Lady who has been seen by many walking through the cemetery at night. Other ghosts, including Indian spirits, are also said to haunt the graveyard.

Marketing Questions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing Questions - Research Paper Example The universal emotions of welcoming them will allow them to gain my trust, therefore work on understanding my points or point of view, as I also do the same. Secondly, I will need to slow down my speech and expressions when explaining about the commodity, so that they do not mix-up everything, which they can amplify their fear of investing in the product (Lilley, 2013). Additionally, I may need to demonstrate my points using pictures or showing the product; ask for a person that can understand their language or culture better; try to confirm that they understood my explanations, exercise patience and maintain a sense of humor, so as to ensure that they remain interested. In dealing with older customers, I would ensure that I show respect to them, because that would be the first quality they may expect from a young attendant. Secondly, I would need to be kind and to show empathy for their incapacities in the case they have any. More importantly, I would need to adjust to their tempo of speech, so that they can understand me well and connect with me (Lilley, 2013). Additionally, showing them cheer will help them feel comfortable in my company, which will affect their buying behavior. In dealing with very talkative customers, first I will need to direct the talk in the direction of the sale, and immediately they pause their talk, I give them a summary of the talk and then I switch to the product and all its benefits. Apart from the explanation, a sample would help, and then I ask him to check it out a little (Lilley, 2013). After he has talked about it for a while, I will have all the information on his needs, therefore will mention them repeatedly, so that they purchase it. 2. Many employees are motivated by getting more money, in the form of bonuses or raises, but it is not always possible to increase the pay of employees – as a way of motivating them. This is particularly the case, due to the adverse financial situation facing many companies and institutions (Dow, 2012). However, money is not the strongest and not the only source of motivation. Recognition, which is the practice of congratulating an employee or acknowledging their input and good performance, empowers them by making them feel happier about themselves and their performance, which triggers improved performance. Recognition lies at the subconscious desires of all individuals; making them feel appreciated and valued for their contribution as an employee and for their uniqueness as a people who make a difference triggers their suppressed abilities (Dow, 2012). Valuing workers implies that the employer sees them as individuals that contribute towards the overa ll accomplishment and the goals of the company. When an employer makes his employees feel appreciated, he pushes them to pursue doing well and ensuring that their input and contribution will continue to be appreciated (Dow, 2012). Appealing to the human need for recognition makes employees to take more interest in the performance of their job, which contributes to the overall success of their organization. In many cases, when the employees of an organization are happy about their job, they are more likely to serve their customers well, which contributes to further success for the organization (Dow, 2012). The critical need played by money and recognition shows that employees are motivated by both money and recognition; therefore employees should offer both – so as to increase employee satisfaction. 3. The three qualities of a good leader that strengthen customer service abilities include

Genre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Genre - Essay Example This will enable in the better presentation of the architecture blog. Designs are the major part of concern and this genre is given more importance when compared to other features of the site. Due to this factor, the designs must be updated frequently. This will attract the viewers and make them understand about a specific architecture. Blogs contain features that allow the viewers to post their comments, pictures and updates. The blog, ‘Daily dose of architecture’, consists these features and it also provides the users with an option to share the pictures with their friends. There are several blogs that provide information about architectures. The feature that makes this blog unique is the way they provide information regarding a particular architectural marvel. Out of these three blogs, each of them follows a certain standard depending on which they provide information about architecture. ‘Daily dose of architecture’ is a blog where the readers get to know about architectures around the world. Information on the home page is updated on a daily basis and readers get a chance to know about the new aspects of architecture. Each day a picture of either a building or some unique construction is put up on the blog’s home page. This kindles the interest of the reader thereby providing them with all the required information. The pattern and color scheme of the blog attracts every reader and they have incorporated unique patterns and fonts to make the blog more interesting. For each link and feature, a picture is included with text and this makes the process of blogging an enjoyable experience. Even the font and color schemes are different for each page and the pictures, texts and colors have been selected with utmost care. Each and every blog differs in its own way. When considering ‘Daily dose of architecture’, it concentrates more on pictorial representation and explanation when compared to textual explanations. The concept of a

The role of government in safety policy for airpotrs since the attacks Essay

The role of government in safety policy for airpotrs since the attacks of september 11,2001 - Essay Example s well as people in buildings and on the ground are to be protected, terrorists of aviation must be prevented from passing through security checkpoints and gaining access to aircraft. Before September 2001, U.S. General Accounting Office’s (GAO) involvement in aviation security was to oversee the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which had responsibility for aircraft safety, all under the auspices of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Studies conducted by the GAO had consistently demonstrated that there were major weaknesses in aviation security and this had been a problem for a long time. Among the most important aspect of these weaknesses involved airport screening. The industry was not required to screen checked baggage on domestic flights and proved inadequate in the detection of threats when carry-on bags or screening passengers prior to their boarding aircraft. It also provided insufficient security for air traffic control computer systems and inadequate means for restricting access to secure areas at airports and facilities. The Congress and the administration have reorganized the federal agencies responsible for transportation security, tr ansferring them to the new Department of Homeland Security, and the agencies are attempting to enhance security without unduly inhibiting the movement of goods and people. The Transportation Security Administration, which was created in November 2001 and has assumed overall responsibility for transportation security, has made considerable progress in addressing aviation security challenges. Prior to 9/11, airline screeners were hired by the airlines or airports directly. They frequently did not detect terrorist material located either on the passengers or in their carry-on baggage. According to a GAO report in June 2000, a study of screeners conducted in 1987 discovered that airport screeners failed to observe 20 percent of the potentially hazardous items that the FAA used in its tests. Data collected

Morality and Moral Controversies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Morality and Moral Controversies - Essay Example In such a situation wherein there is a failure of laws, can we now say that it is not that important? One thing struck my mind as I am trying to answer this particular question. Is law is in itself intrinsically good regardless of its consequence or law is good because of some benefits and goods that we derive out of it? I would like to believe that laws in themselves are good and that we value it not because it serve or fulfill some functions or purposes in the society nor because we gain something out of it. This I hold on the supposition that: first, law is one of the factors that maintains social cohesion, which is necessary in human beings’ social life within the society. Second, law, even if man made and as such not perfect, susceptible to wrongful interpretation and implementation, is in itself good because it is only within the purview of law that human beings enjoy concrete freedom. â€Å"It is concrete freedom because it enables individuals to fulfill their particul ar interests as these interests have developed within the limits allowed by the rights and duties specified in family and civil society and protected by the rule of law.†1 And lastly, laws as mark of human beings’ rational undertakings allow us to move beyond the notion that social life is a â€Å"necessity because it is a favorable condition that enables humanity to continue its existence.†2 2. Universities are supposed to be places where free speech flourishes. Write an essay on the importance and limits of free speech on campus. Is â€Å"political correctness† on campus a form of censorship or merely an attempt to be sure that everybody on campus feels welcome and able to learn? Universities are public arenas wherein human minds are not merely molded and enriched. But, more than that, it is the venue where human beings are holistically realized. Hence, the moment students step out of their university they are not only learned individuals but involved citizens

Risk management of petrochemical industry in Saudi Arabia Essay

Risk management of petrochemical industry in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example The top most leading players in this industry are the state owned company Saudi Aramco and the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), their rankings are also at the global level are being one of the largest producers of petrochemical products (Cordesman and Obaid, 2004). The raw materials for producing these products had been available in abundance but now it is being observed that there is shortage being observed in the raw materials and therefore the Saudi petrochemical industry need to work upon their risk management aspects of this industry. Shortages of raw materials from which the products are being produced tend to give rise to high risks in the future therefore it is important to start managing the risk factors beforehand. Risk Management Risk management is usually defined as the elements that cause risk to the organization and accordingly assessments and prioritization of risks are conducted for the purpose of risk management. Risk management plans are made to reduce, m inimize, monitor, and evaluate the risks so that opportunities can be maximized. Risks can be faced from the financial markets uncertainty, from the failures of projects, from legal liabilities, from the factors of credit risk, and other such factors (British Standards Institute, 20). Risk Options There are many types of risk options that can be used for the purpose of managing risk in the organizations. They are as follows (British Standards Institute, 73): Developing new processes of business so that the level of risk can be controlled Risks should be reassessed on a periodic basis Transferring of risks to external organizations such as insurance companies The avoidance of risks by closing down the business units that cause risk Many of the other petrochemical industries operating in Saudi Arabia are planning on with the establishment of acrylic acid complex plants so that any type of downturn in the industry can be overcome in the future. This is due to the changes in the success level trends observed in the country that new business units need to be developed so that the future challenges that are present in the industry forecast can be overcome by the industry. Risk minimization in petrochemical industry of Saudi Arabia The main aspects that should be carefully reviewed towards minimizing risk in the petrochemical industries of Saudi Arabia are (Athearn, Schmit, and Doerpringhaus, 80): 1. Management: All operations should be reviewed, maintenance and engineering operations should take place accordingly, check and control should be maintained for the fire safety and security features of the organization. 2. Procedures: all work operation operations should be carried out under the approved engineering standards so that while insurance premiums are opted for, no loopholes remain for them to gain benefits in times of risk. 3. Plants: the plant design should be according to standards as well, as well as the process controls in the plants and their housekeeping . 4. Protection Hardware: all hardware equipment being used in the plants of petrochemical organizations should be of proper quality. The higher amount of risk may be observed from the

Business Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Business Law - Case Study Example the police officer handled the arrest in a harsh manner before confirming that he was indeed the ‘scum’ who was being sort after because of killing a cop. Once, Tyrion is taken to the police, and is handed over to Bolton, the supervising sergeant, all the officers at the police station gave him a hostile reception since they were made to understand that he was ‘Rob Stark’. As Bolton, the supervising sergeant allows Tyrion the right to remain silent, and the right to have an attorney, he is moved to the interview room under close check but his right to attorney is denied because the attorney does not appear during his arrest(Ripstein 200). Apparently, due to his condition at the time of arrest, he suddenly passes out and when he regains consciousness in the hospital bed, he has injures in his body, an indication that he might have been tortured at the police cell. The event of Wednesday night as the comic book night had brought friends together. Never the less, after the comic night these friends engaged themselves in various criminal activities that could lead to arrest (Abbott 95). In this case, Amy Farrah Fowler, ex-jilted lover to Cooper has committed criminal offenses because she is in possession of a stun gun, and she has also managed to cause fire to the adjacent building from where she had caused intimidation to Cooper and Hofstadter by ordering them to undress as gun point and further burning their clothes. Similarly, in defence Hofstadter commits a criminal offense by grabbing the knife that was in possession of Cooper and stabs Fowler in the abdomen four times before he and Cooper run way. Previously, Cooper has used the same knife to stab Fowler in the bid to defend himself and Hofstadter from Fowler’s attack (Abbott 95). In regard to Wolowitz, he has committed a criminal offense because he has willingly accepted to take a date from an undercover female police officer who happens to have disguised herself as a prostitute. Due

Risk management of petrochemical industry in Saudi Arabia Essay

Risk management of petrochemical industry in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example The top most leading players in this industry are the state owned company Saudi Aramco and the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), their rankings are also at the global level are being one of the largest producers of petrochemical products (Cordesman and Obaid, 2004). The raw materials for producing these products had been available in abundance but now it is being observed that there is shortage being observed in the raw materials and therefore the Saudi petrochemical industry need to work upon their risk management aspects of this industry. Shortages of raw materials from which the products are being produced tend to give rise to high risks in the future therefore it is important to start managing the risk factors beforehand. Risk Management Risk management is usually defined as the elements that cause risk to the organization and accordingly assessments and prioritization of risks are conducted for the purpose of risk management. Risk management plans are made to reduce, m inimize, monitor, and evaluate the risks so that opportunities can be maximized. Risks can be faced from the financial markets uncertainty, from the failures of projects, from legal liabilities, from the factors of credit risk, and other such factors (British Standards Institute, 20). Risk Options There are many types of risk options that can be used for the purpose of managing risk in the organizations. They are as follows (British Standards Institute, 73): Developing new processes of business so that the level of risk can be controlled Risks should be reassessed on a periodic basis Transferring of risks to external organizations such as insurance companies The avoidance of risks by closing down the business units that cause risk Many of the other petrochemical industries operating in Saudi Arabia are planning on with the establishment of acrylic acid complex plants so that any type of downturn in the industry can be overcome in the future. This is due to the changes in the success level trends observed in the country that new business units need to be developed so that the future challenges that are present in the industry forecast can be overcome by the industry. Risk minimization in petrochemical industry of Saudi Arabia The main aspects that should be carefully reviewed towards minimizing risk in the petrochemical industries of Saudi Arabia are (Athearn, Schmit, and Doerpringhaus, 80): 1. Management: All operations should be reviewed, maintenance and engineering operations should take place accordingly, check and control should be maintained for the fire safety and security features of the organization. 2. Procedures: all work operation operations should be carried out under the approved engineering standards so that while insurance premiums are opted for, no loopholes remain for them to gain benefits in times of risk. 3. Plants: the plant design should be according to standards as well, as well as the process controls in the plants and their housekeeping . 4. Protection Hardware: all hardware equipment being used in the plants of petrochemical organizations should be of proper quality. The higher amount of risk may be observed from the

Shareholder Theory and Kants Duty of Beneficence Essay

Shareholder Theory and Kants Duty of Beneficence - Essay Example While Friedman argues that an organization must have only one purpose; to utilize all of its resources to increase profits and nothing else, Bowie bases this claim on Kant’s argument, that an attitude of pure self-interest contradicts our call to be helped by others. Bowie argues that ‘society’ has assisted organizations, in the form of infrastructure e.g. roads, sanitation facilities, police security, ï ¬ re protection, etc., and therefore corporations owe a duty of ‘beneï ¬ cence’ back to society (Mansell, 2012). A way forward has been suggested in the article to harmonize the divergent views of various theories and to reduce the difficulties that may been to face the duties of corporations. The bodies should establish formal policies or codes of conduct that include the ethics of the non-shareholders in the society. This has been demonstrated in the principles of the UN Global Compact. Kant in overall recommends that acts of benevolence should be made a matter of right rather than obligation. Instead of rejecting the shareholder theory, it can be extended to involve the well-being of non-shareholders (Mansell,

Assignment One Essay Example for Free

Assignment One Essay 1.) What are some of the hardships faced by indentured servants in Virginia during the early days of the colony? a. Some of the hardships faced by indentured servants was disease such as â€Å"scurvy, bloody flux, and diverse other diseases.† Also, they have not much of a variety of food to eat, they eat â€Å"peas and loblollies†, and so they will do anything to be able to eat other variety of foods. The amount of food they get is shared between other men. Therefore their amount of food intake is not enough to make them full. They have clothes but they are old and dirty because they one of everything they wear. Since they do not have anything worth a penny, because if they do others steal it, they cannot have food other than peas. They cannot eat bread because it cost a penny and they don’t have a penny to buy anything. 2.) How does the physical location of Jamestown colony lead to many of the hardships described in this document? b. It seems they are close to possibly Indian attacks or people from other countries because he stated in the story â€Å"but yet we are 32 to fight 3000 if they should come.† He hasn’t seen any deer or venison since he arrived in Jamestown; therefore the meat source is not a great source for food reliability. It takes them a few days to retrieve cargo from the ships. They start to the shore and sleep the first night they get there, then unload the next day and start back to their home with the cargo. 3.) How have conditions at Jamestown affected the writer of this letter? c. He thinks negative about everything. He has nothing in Jamestown to call his own or â€Å"nothing to comfort him.† He expects the worse because people are dying by the hour. Not having much to eat, he doesn’t think he will survive much longer unless his he dies before he receives the package. He believes in God and that he can keep him alive if he drinks water, he heard. He tells his dad to have mercy and pity on him, that life in England was better because he had more food that filled him. He thanks his parents for providing all that they did while he lived in England. He loves his dad and doesn’t want his dad to forget him.

The Effects of Violent Computer Games on Children :: Essays Papers

The Effects of Violent Computer Games on Children Children are spending an increasing amount of time playing games. Research shows that as much as 92% of children between 4 and 17 years of age play video games (Zvezdan, 1). Most of these video games are violent and cause physical and mental problems in children. Computer games that are played excessively can damage a person’s health. They can cause epilepsy, damage to a child’s posture, and damage to joints, skin irritation and sight deterioration. Flashing of lights and the radiant energy of the images from the screen can trigger seizures (Randall, 1). Seizures can lead an individual to develop epilepsy. Epilepsy causes a kind of electrical storm in the brain. The most common type of epilepsy is called grand mal (â€Å"Epilepsy,† 194). It causes a sudden loss of consciousness and wild jerking of arms, legs and other parts of the body. Another adverse effect of playing computer games is crooked posture. Crooked posture is one of the most common medical problems connected to playing video games. In fact there is a huge number of children in junior high and high schools that have a crooked posture as a result of playing computer games (Zvezdan, 1). Having a crooked posture can lead to permanent spinal damage. D amage to joints or tendonitis is just another factor that comes with playing computer games excessively. The constant repetition of the same movements to hands induces damage to joints and skin irritation (Zvezdan, 1). Another effect of playing computer games is deterioration of eyesight. Hours staring at the screen, which displays rapidly flashing pictures, can impair sight. Some other physical problems caused by computer games are lack of exercise and psychomotor disorders (Setzer, 3). With lack of exercise, the buildup of fat increases causing a person to become obese. Recent news articles claim, â€Å"some children addicted to electronic games spoke too fast with limited sense, feeling or contents in their speech.†(Setzer, 3) Unable to speak properly would hold children back from excelling in their studies. The mental effects of playing violent games are just as numerous as the physical effects. Excessively playing violent computer games over along period of time can contribute to â€Å"obsessive, addictive behavior,† the player will be dehumanized, and feelings will be desensitized (Setzer, 1). The Effects of Violent Computer Games on Children :: Essays Papers The Effects of Violent Computer Games on Children Children are spending an increasing amount of time playing games. Research shows that as much as 92% of children between 4 and 17 years of age play video games (Zvezdan, 1). Most of these video games are violent and cause physical and mental problems in children. Computer games that are played excessively can damage a person’s health. They can cause epilepsy, damage to a child’s posture, and damage to joints, skin irritation and sight deterioration. Flashing of lights and the radiant energy of the images from the screen can trigger seizures (Randall, 1). Seizures can lead an individual to develop epilepsy. Epilepsy causes a kind of electrical storm in the brain. The most common type of epilepsy is called grand mal (â€Å"Epilepsy,† 194). It causes a sudden loss of consciousness and wild jerking of arms, legs and other parts of the body. Another adverse effect of playing computer games is crooked posture. Crooked posture is one of the most common medical problems connected to playing video games. In fact there is a huge number of children in junior high and high schools that have a crooked posture as a result of playing computer games (Zvezdan, 1). Having a crooked posture can lead to permanent spinal damage. D amage to joints or tendonitis is just another factor that comes with playing computer games excessively. The constant repetition of the same movements to hands induces damage to joints and skin irritation (Zvezdan, 1). Another effect of playing computer games is deterioration of eyesight. Hours staring at the screen, which displays rapidly flashing pictures, can impair sight. Some other physical problems caused by computer games are lack of exercise and psychomotor disorders (Setzer, 3). With lack of exercise, the buildup of fat increases causing a person to become obese. Recent news articles claim, â€Å"some children addicted to electronic games spoke too fast with limited sense, feeling or contents in their speech.†(Setzer, 3) Unable to speak properly would hold children back from excelling in their studies. The mental effects of playing violent games are just as numerous as the physical effects. Excessively playing violent computer games over along period of time can contribute to â€Å"obsessive, addictive behavior,† the player will be dehumanized, and feelings will be desensitized (Setzer, 1).

Roman Women and Their Mythology :: Ancient Rome Roman History

Roman Women and Their Mythology Throughout the ages myths, legends and fairytales have been used to teach people basic moral and educational lessons. For example, mothers and fathers use the childhood story of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" to teach their children that stealing and snooping is wrong. In the end, Goldilocks was either eaten or she ran away, depending on your bloodthirsty nature. By using this comparison between myths and reality the Romans were able to "control" their women, and to discourage them from vain, romantic and adulterous actions. Women themselves had a very low place in Roman society, and could be bought and sold like cattle or slaves. Despite their low legal status, women had immense power and influence over their fathers, brothers and husbands. These myths and legends were society's guidebook, which provided women with a manual about correct conduct. Despite being a guidebook for all women to use, the Romans couldn't simply say, "Look what happened to that mythical person. You shouldn't do what she did." This would have led to a very depressing and boring set of myths, so the Romans spruced them up a bit. They portrayed both good and bad pictures of women, including the Goddesses. Some of these stories were funny and some sad, but every single one had a lesson which could be learnt and acted upon. For example, the Amazons were a legendary race of warrior women who despised all men. They killed all the male babies that were born, and kept the female ones. In fact, it was said that the Amazons used the men from a nearby village as sex slaves, so that they wouldn't die out. One day, Hercules came along, and wanted to borrow the Queen's belt. Hippolyte, being a woman and all, fell madly in love with Hercules and readily agreed. But the other Amazons weren't impressed, and thinking that Hercules was trying to kill their Queen, charged towards him. Hercules seized Hippolyte and slew her, then ran away with the belt. Needless to say nothing much else was said about the Amazons. This story was used to teach the folly of women who thought they could survive without men. They were dependant on the nearby village, and weren't very well organized. They were much better off sticking to their own place in society. But as I said not all depictions were bad. Some were quite nice.

Merton Truck Company’s Financial Performance and Product Mix

Introduction In response to your report and request regarding Merton’s financial performance and product mix, I have met with your controller, sales manager and production manager, and have provided a solution that will improve the company in these two areas. Using a systematic approach, I was able to analyze the current machine hours, standard costs, and overhead budget. My findings have allowed me to determine the best monthly product mix that will maximize Merton’s total monthly contribution.Furthermore, I have addressed the decision regarding outsourcing, and have provided both the maximum rent your company should pay in addition to the maximum number of hours that should be rented. When determining the product mix, I took careful consideration of the machine hour constraints that your factory must account for. The following sections will provide further information in regards to my analytical technique, and how I was able to determine these figures. Current Situation Mertonâ₠¬â„¢s third and fourth quarters of last year should not be deemed a failure, but rather an area where the company can improve.It is evident your company’s current product mix is not meeting the financial standards that the company expects. As your sales manager pointed out, Model 101 trucks currently cost $40,205 to produce and are selling at a price of $39,000, meaning the company is producing this model at a loss. Some other issues to point out are the current capacity levels. Although the company is profiting on each Model 102 sold, maxing out capacity for this model may not be the best solution, as suggested by the controller.An analysis of the provided budget will allow us to track where the company’s money is being spent, and will suggest certain areas where possible changes can be made. Evaluating the different scenarios will answer our current questions on whether to stop producing Model 101’s all together, to continue producing both models but at differ ent amounts, and/or to consider the use of an outside supplier. Data Used in the Analysis To address the main goal of increasing financial performance, I had to define the objective of the current situation.Simply put, the objective is to maximize total contribution from the two models, which will directly improve Merton’s financial performance. Our focus is contribution rather than profit because contribution deals only with variables costs and variable costs are costs that we can manipulate to better Merton’s financial position. By determining exactly how much contribution Merton receives from producing one Model 101 and one Model 102, we can attempt to maximize these figures. A product’s contribution is the amount of money the company receives after subtracting out the variable production costs.Figure 1 shows the contribution received for producing one truck of Models 101 and 102. I was able to calculate this figure using the data provided from Tables B and C in your report. Table B listed the variable costs which include the direct materials and direct labor costs per model. I then added the variable overhead costs per unit that were listed in Table C. Subtracting these variable costs from the total selling price leaves us with Model 101 attributing $3,000 in contribution and Model 102 attributing $5,000. The second goal is to determine an optimal product mix.In order to do so, I had to account for any constraints, or parameters that limit production and affect total monthly contribution. Table A from your report provided these constraints, which are the production capacities of the four departments, engine assembly, metal stamping, Model 101 assembly and Model 102 assembly. These constraints, which will be discussed in the following sections, are provided in Figure 2. Finding both the contribution per model and the constraints allows us to determine the decision variables.Decision variables help us do exactly that, make decisions. Sin ce product mix is the decision we are making, the decision variables represent the number of 101 and 102 units that Merton should produce each month. These variables are represented as X101 and X102. Having identified our variables I was now able to setup a mathematical equation that will calculate Merton’s maximum contribution per month. The equation is as follow: Maximum Contribution = $3,000*X101 + $5000*X102 Method of Analysis: Linear ProgrammingAfter reading the report and understanding the variables involved, I realized that linear programming would be a useful tool in this situation. Linear programming (LP) is beneficial because it assists in decision making when resource allocation is involved. Our situation calls for a better approach when allocating labor, machinery, money, time and materials, thus making LP the perfect fit. For this situation, linear programming is more than an option. It is a must. Due to our number of constraints, using a linear program will comp ute exact outputs that will save time and eliminate the risk of human error.The program will allow us to input the known variables (101 and 102 contribution), and will calculate the optimal product mix, while staying within the parameters of our listed constraints (Figure 2). Analyzing the Options with Solver Optimal Product Mix Now that you have an understanding of the capabilities of linear programming, I will explain how I was able to use this model when persuading your sales manager, controller and production manager. Although these three do not agree on how Merton is currently allocating its resources, one aspect where they do agree is that maximizing contribution is Merton’s main focus.After explaining that this linear program, known as â€Å"Solver,† can calculate optimal product mix on the basis of maximum contribution, I received their undivided attention. Solver’s product mix calculation stated that Merton Truck Co. should produce 2,000 Model 101 truck s and 1,000 Model 102 trucks each month. Using this product mix will provide a maximum contribution of $11,000,000 per month. The objective formula that was presented above shows this calculation: $3,000*(2,000101)+5000*(1,000102)= $11,000,000 total contribution per month.Remember, this formula is calculated while staying within each of Merton’s production constraints. Simply producing more or less of either model will do one of two things. One, it would exceed one of our given constraints, or two, it would produce a total contribution that is lower than $11 million. Solver’s suggestion to produce 2,000 Model 101’s proves that the controller was correct in his objection of the sales manager. The model confirms that doubling Model 101 production allows the fixed overhead of 2. 7 million to be absorbed over 2,000 models instead of 1,000 as the company is currently doing.Since Merton pays fixed overhead of 2. 7M. for 101’s and only 1. 5M for 102’s, it makes sense to â€Å"get your money’s worth† by producing more 101’s. Renting Additional Capacity In addition to providing the optimal product mix, Solver has a number of other capabilities that help support my recommendations. One capability is that Solver can help us determine whether the production manager was correct when suggesting to rent additional capacity from an outside supplier. After the variables are input into the Solver program, I run the calculation.Once the program has calculated the data, it provides us with a â€Å"sensitivity report† that focuses on our available resources (constraints) and tests a number of â€Å"what-if scenarios. † For this situation, it will help us determine the amount to pay per rented hour and exactly how many additional hours to rent. Two relevant categories to note from the sensitivity report are the â€Å"shadow price† and the â€Å"allowable increase†. The program provides a shadow pric e which states that for each additional unit produced, Merton will receive ‘X’ dollars in contribution. The shadow price for engine assembly was $2,000.Therefore, for each additional unit of capacity (rented hours), Merton can afford to pay a maximum of $2,000. In regards to the allowable increase, Solver suggests that Merton should purchase a maximum of 500 rented hours. After 500 hours have been purchased, there is no further increase in contribution. The use of Solver has once again proven beneficial. Although the production manager’s suggestion was correct, Solver has strengthened his argument by providing objective data that tells us a max price to pay in addition to the maximum number of hours to rent.Additional Constraint – Producing at a 3:1? After finding out from the optimal product mix that it is more beneficial to produce two times the number of Model 101’s than Model 102’s, why not increase production to three to one? We can test this proposal by simply adding an additional constraint to our linear program. As expected, the optimal product mix was forced to change to a 3:1 ratio. Adhering to this constraint provided a product mix of 2,250 Model 101’s and 750 Model 102’s. However, the unwanted consequence is noticed in total monthly contribution.Plugging this product mix into our objective equation shows that contribution actually decreases. $3,000*(2,250101)+$5000*(750102) = $10,500,000. Seeing this drop in monthly contribution further proves that our previous optimal product mix of a 2:1 ratio should remain in place. Closing As mentioned in the previous sections, linear programming is a useful technique that should be applied to help improve Merton’s financial performance. My recommendation is that the company immediately implements a product mix of 2,000 Model 101 trucks and 1,000 Model 102’s.Secondly, the company should rent additional capacity from an outside supplier. Howeve r, your company must not pay more than $2,000 per hour, and not rent more than 500 hours because this would no longer increase total contribution. Although linear programming is widely used and often very accurate, no model is perfect. One disadvantage of linear programming is that it does not take into account industry trends. Choosing to produce two times the amount of Model 101’s does not guarantee this model will sell two times as much. Furthermore, linear programming is only useful in solving linear scenarios.Real world constraints are not always linear. For instance, a constraint that involves â€Å"number of staff members required per model† would be impossible to calculate when the other constraints are based on hours. Additionally, linear programming does not account for risk. What if the supplier cannot provide materials for one month’s time? What if Model 101 is using defective parts and the line becomes halted? These are items to consider when implem enting LP, but by no means should they prevent Merton Trucks from implementing the model. Figure 1: Contribution per Model Model 101|Sell Price| $39,000| Direct Materials| $24,000| Direct Labor| $4,000| Variable Overhead| * $8,000| Contribution| $3,000| Model 102| Sell Price| $38,000| Direct Materials| $20,000| Direct Labor| $4,500| Variable Overhead| * $8,500| Contribution| $5,000| Figure 2: Constraints Machine-Hours: Requirements and Availability| Department| Required Machine Hrs. Model 101 Model 102| | Total Machine Hrs. Available per Month| Engine Assembly| 1| 2|