Learning How to Write an Exploratory Essay by BestEssay.Education

Learning How to Write an Exploratory Essay by Learning How to Write an Exploratory Essay If you are working on an exploratory essay, you are working on a task that is quite unusual. In fact, it is so unusual that as you learn how to write an exploratory essay you will need to momentarily discard much of what you know about writing essays. The reason for this that the approach to writing an exploratory essay is completely different. When writing these essays, your goal is not to prove your thesis or to argue a specific point. Instead, your job is to walk your readers through the things that you have experienced when attempting to solve a problem. What is an Exploratory Essay? It may seem strange to read this, but an exploratory essay is essentially an introspective retrospective. Essentially what you will be doing is examining your approach to defining and solving a problem. The purpose of this essay is to give yourself some good insight on the methods that you use to solve problems, the methods that you use to identify problems, and even your writing style. In many cases, you might write an exploratory essay after completing a research project. What can a Student Get from Writing an Exploratory Essay? In an ideal world, research is objective. People however, are not objective. Each one of us views the world with through the filter of our experiences. This impacts everything we do, including research. An exploratory essay is a way for a student to explore their processes, methodologies, and motivations. When a student completes this process, the goal is that they become a better student and better researcher because they are more aware of themselves. What Questions Should an Exploratory Essay Answer? Here are the questions that you should consider when you write your exploratory essay. Why did I identify this problem as one that I wanted to explore? Why did I select the sources that I did when researching the problem? What made me think that the solution that I applied was the best one? What factors impacted the methods I used to apply the solution? As I read my research notes, what stands out to me about my writing style? Did the solution I applied work? If the solution didn’t work, can I identify any biases or tendencies on my part that contributed to that? Getting Help with your Exploratory Essay Even though this is not a common essay to write, you can still count on to help you with these assignments. We will find the best writer to write an essay of this type or any other type, just for you. Our writers will help you go through your research notes and other information so that your approach and methodology can be identified and explored. When your exploratory essay is finished, you will have an excellent essay to turn in for a grade, and you will also have a great document to refer to when you are questioning the choices that you make when researching a problem or applying solutions.

Biography of Pancho Villa -- The Centaur of the North

Biography of Pancho Villa The Centaur of the North Pancho Villa (1878-1923) was a Mexican bandit, warlord and revolutionary. One of the most important figures of the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920), he was a fearless fighter, clever military commander and important power broker during the years of conflict. His vaunted Division of the North was, at one time, the strongest army in Mexico and he was instrumental in the downfall of both Porfirio Dà ­az and Victoriano Huerta. When the alliance of Venustiano Carranza and Alvaro Obregà ³n finally defeated him, he responded by waging a guerrilla war which included an attack on Columbus, New Mexico. He was assassinated in 1923. Early Years Pancho Villa was born Doroteo Arango to a family of impoverished sharecroppers who worked land belonging to the wealthy and powerful Là ³pez Negrete family in the state of Durango. According to legend, when young Doroteo caught one of the Là ³pez Negrete clan trying to rape his sister Martina, he shot him in the foot and fled to the mountains. There he joined a band of outlaws and soon rose to a position of leadership through his bravery and ruthlessness. He earned good money as a bandit and gave some if it back to the poor, which earned him a reputation as a sort of Robin Hood. Revolution Breaks Out The Mexican Revolution broke out in 1910 when Francisco I. Madero, who had lost a crooked election to dictator Porfirio Dà ­az, declared himself president and called for the people of Mexico to take up arms. Arango, who had changed his name to Pancho Villa (after his grandfather) by then, was one who answered the call. He brought his bandit force with him and soon became one of the most powerful men in the north as his army swelled. When Madero returned to Mexico from exile in the United States in 1911, Villa was the one who welcomed him. Villa knew he was no politician but he saw promise in Madero and vowed to take him to Mexico City. The Campaign Against Dà ­az The corrupt regime of Porfirio Dà ­az was still entrenched in power, however. Villa soon gathered an army around him, including an elite cavalry unit. Around this time he earned the nickname â€Å"the Centaur of the North† because of his riding skill. Along with fellow warlord Pascual Orozco, Villa controlled the north of Mexico, defeating federal garrisons and capturing towns. Dà ­az might have been able to handle Villa and Orozco, but he also had to worry about the guerrilla forces of Emiliano Zapata in the south, and before too long it was evident that Dà ­az could not defeat the enemies arrayed against him. He left the country in April of 1911, and Madero entered the capital in June, triumphant. In Defense of Madero Once in office, Madero quickly got into trouble. Remnants of the Dà ­az regime despised him, and he alienated his allies by not honoring his promises to them. Two key allies he turned against him were Zapata, who was disappointed to see that Madero had little interest in land reform, and Orozco, who had hoped in vain that Madero would give him a lucrative post, such as state governor. When these two men once again took up arms, Madero called on Villa, his only remaining ally. Along with General Victoriano Huerta, Villa fought and defeated Orozco, who was forced into exile in the United States. Madero could not see those enemies closest to him, however, and Huerta, once back in Mexico City, betrayed Madero, arrested him and ordered him executed before setting himself up as president. Campaign Against Huerta Villa had believed in Madero and was devastated by his death. He quickly joined an alliance of Zapata and revolution newcomers Venustiano Carranza and Alvaro Obregà ³n dedicated to removing Huerta. By then, Villas Division of the North was the most powerful and feared military unit in the nation and his soldiers numbered in the tens of thousands. Huerta was surrounded and outnumbered, even though Orozco had returned and joined him, bringing his army with him. Villa led the fight against Huerta, defeating federal forces in cities all over northern Mexico. Carranza, a former governor, named himself Chief of the Revolution, which irritated Villa although he accepted it. Villa did not want to be president, but he did not like Carranza. Villa saw him as another Porfirio Dà ­az and wanted someone else to lead Mexico once Huerta was out of the picture. In May of 1914, the way was clear for an attack on the strategic town of Zacatecas, where there was a major railway junction that could carry the revolutionaries right into Mexico City. Villa attacked Zacatecas on June 23. The Battle of Zacatecas was a huge military victory for Villa: barely a few hundred out of 12,000 federal soldiers survived. After the loss at Zacatecas, Huerta knew his cause was lost and tried to surrender to gain some concessions, but the allies would not let him off the hook so easily. Huerta was forced to flee, naming an interim president to rule until Villa, Obregà ³n, and Carranza reached Mexico City. Villa Versus Carranza With Huerta gone, hostilities between Villa and Carranza broke out almost immediately. A number of delegates from the leading figures of the revolution got together at the Convention of Aguascalientes in October of 1914, but the interim government put together at the convention did not last and the country was once again embroiled  in a civil war. Zapata remained holed up in Morelos, only fighting those who ventured onto his turf, and Obregà ³n decided to support Carranza, mostly because he felt Villa was a loose cannon and Carranza was the lesser of two evils. Carranza set himself up as  President of Mexico  until elections could take place and sent Obregà ³n and his army after the rebellious Villa. At first, Villa and his generals, such as  Felipe Angeles, scored decisive victories against Carranza. But in April, Obregà ³n brought his army north and lured Villa into a fight.  The Battle of Celaya took place from April 6-15, 1915 and was a huge victory for Obregà ³n. Villa limped away but Obregà ³n chased him and the two fought at the Battle of Trinidad (April 29-June 5, 1915). Trinidad was another huge loss for Villa and the once-mighty Division of the North was in tatters. In October, Villa crossed the mountains into Sonora, where he hoped to defeat Carranzas forces and regroup. During the crossing, Villa lost Rodolfo Fierro, his most loyal  officer, and cruel hatchet man. Carranza had reinforced Sonora, however, and Villa was defeated. He was forced to cross back into Chihuahua with what was left of his army. By December, it was evident to Villas officers that Obregà ³n and Carranza had won: most of the Division of the North accepted an offer of amnesty and switched sides. Villa himself headed into the mountains with 200 men, determined to keep fighting. The Guerrilla Campaign and the Attack on Columbus Villa had officially gone rogue. His army down to a couple of hundred men, he resorted to banditry to keep his men supplied with food and ammunition. Villa became increasingly  erratic and blamed the Americans for his losses in Sonora. He detested  Woodrow Wilson  for recognizing the Carranza government and began harassing any and all Americans that crossed his path. On the morning of March 9, 1916, Villa attacked Columbus, New Mexico, with 400 men. The plan was to defeat the small garrison and make off with weapons and ammunition as well as to rob the bank and get revenge on one Sam Ravel, an American arms dealer who had once double-crossed Villa and a Columbus resident. The attack failed on every level: the American garrison was much stronger than Villa had suspected, the bank went unrobbed, and Sam Ravel had gone to El Paso. Still, the fame Villa gained by having the guts to attack a town in the United States gave him a new lease on life. Recruits once again joined his army and word of his deeds  was  spread far and wide, often romanticized in song. The Americans sent  General Jack Pershing  into Mexico after Villa. On March 15, he took 5,000 American soldiers across the border. This action became known as the â€Å"Punitive Expedition† and it was a fiasco. Finding the elusive Villa proved next to impossible and logistics were a nightmare. Villa was wounded in a skirmish in late March and spent two months recovering alone in a hidden cave: he dispersed his men into small squads and told them to fight on while he healed. When he came out, many of his men had been killed, including some of his best officers. Undaunted, he took again to the hills, fighting both the Americans and Carranzas forces. In June, there was a confrontation between Carranzas forces and the Americans just south of Ciudad Jurez. Cool heads prevented another war between Mexico and the United States, but it was clear that it was time for Pershing to leave. By early 1917 all American forces had left Mexico, and Villa was still at large. After Carranza Villa remained in the hills and mountains of northern Mexico, attacking small federal garrisons and eluding capture until  1920 when the political situation changed. In 1920, Carranza backed off a promise to support Obregà ³n for president. This was a fatal mistake, as Obregà ³n still had much support in many sectors of society, including the army. Carranza, fleeing Mexico City, was assassinated on May 21, 1920. The death of Carranza was an opportunity for  Pancho Villa. He began negotiations with the government to disarm and stop fighting. Although Obregà ³n was against it, Provisional President Adolfo de la Huerta saw it as an opportunity and brokered a deal with Villa in July. Villa was granted a large hacienda, where many of his men joined him, and his veterans were all given mustering-out pay and an amnesty was declared for Villa, his  officers, and men.  Eventually, even Obregà ³n saw the wisdom of peace with Villa and honored the deal. Death of Villa Obregà ³n was elected President of Mexico in September of 1920, and he began the work of rebuilding the nation.  Villa,  retired to his hacienda in Canutillo, began farming and ranching. Neither man forgot about one another, and the people never forgot Pancho Villa: how could they, when the songs about his daring and cleverness were still sung up and down Mexico? Villa kept a low profile and was seemingly friendly with Obregà ³n, but soon the new president decided the time had come to get rid of Villa once and for all. On July 20, 1923, Villa was  gunned down as he drove a car  in the town of Parral. Although he was never directly implicated in the killing, it is clear that Obregà ³n gave the order, perhaps because he feared Villas interference (or possible candidacy) in the 1924 elections. Pancho Villas Legacy The people of Mexico were devastated to hear of Villas death: he was still a folk hero for his defiance of the Americans, and he was seen as a possible savior from the harshness of the Obregà ³n administration. The ballads continued to be sung and even those who had hated him in life mourned his death. Over the years, Villa has continued to evolve into a mythological figure. Mexicans have forgotten his role in the bloody Revolution, forgotten his massacres and executions and robberies. All that is left is his daring, cleverness and defiance, which continue to be celebrated by many Mexicans in art,  literature, and film. Perhaps it is better this way: Villa himself certainly would have approved. Source: McLynn, Frank.  Villa and Zapata: A History of the Mexican Revolution. New York: Carroll and Graf, 2000.

Reasons for the Apparent Rise of New Religious Movements Assignment

Reasons for the Apparent Rise of New Religious Movements - Assignment Example The phenomenon behind new religious movements (NRMs) is, arguably, not new, since NRM is concerned with a groups of religious bodies or movements that entail an isolated and particular set of attributes, that have been assigned to the fringes of the dominant religious culture and by elements within the secular culture, in context of a set of religious movements that exist in a relatively contested society as a whole. It has been observed that "[m]any religious movements were born and prospered, either as the development of well-known religious traditions or as the result of a syncretic approach to different religions. In many cases their doctrines and practices differed widely from those of the mainstream religions: moreover, the "closed" structure of some of these groups, the unconventional behavior of their members, and some tragic events in which they were involved gave rise to considerable social alarm" (Ferrari, 2006, p.2). Thus, the NRMs have in many cases appropriated the anti -systemic feelings in an efficient manner and have successfully channelized into themselves in order to achieve their (un)declared goals vis--vis legitimate social and political institutions. II. When Religion Returns to a Haunted New World Order Interestingly, NRMs are often identified as 'sect' in a number of European languages "("secure" in French, "settle" in Italian, "sea" in Spanish, "Sekte" in German)" (Ferrari, 2006, p.2). Mostly, such sects are formed by a "group of dissenters who separated from a larger religious group" and popularly indicated as a collection of a "narrow-minded and fanatical group of people" (ibid, p.2).

Our Survival in the Desert Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Our Survival in the Desert - Coursework Example My father, Harris, is an experience truck driver, who has been delivering goods, in the remote areas, as per the instructions of his transport company. On arrival of our father, we all discussed with him about our plan to go on an adventure trip, in his truck. He readily agreed, as he had accumulated number of off-days, which he could utilize for going on vacation. The next point was to decide on the area, which we could explore as part of our travel plan. As he was familiar with high deserts of Northern Nevada, we all decided to explore that region. My father had no hesitation in doing so, as he was confident of finding his way in this desert. Fortunately, his vehicle had white color paint on the outside, as same could not absorb much heat, in the hot and dry areas, where temperatures ran high. This also saved engine from getting overheated. As part of our preparations, my father carried his fully loaded gun and the ham radio equipment, while he informed us that cell phones do not w ork in most of these places and amateur radio is dependable, comparatively. Water was the most precious commodity which we had to carry for survival in the desert. My father loaded the truck with necessary supplies and a pistol, apart from the gun. We all sat in the truck and it rolled out in the eastern direction, going away from the civilization. We could smell the freshness of air, as we kept heading towards the desert. The hot wind was blowing at high speed and the scorching sun stood over our heads. We could not afford to get out of the truck, in such condition. However, the track on which my father was driving seemed to have vanished with sand and dust, seen everywhere. This made me to rush out and look in all directions for any clue to find the right track. My father had specifically asked me to carry the map of this desert, so that we could understand area topography. Holding the map in my hands, I tried to unfold it and read the same. At this time, a strong gush of hot wind took away my precious possession and I stood horrified for a moment. My father tried to look around for the map, but it could not be seen anywhere. Perhaps, it got buried under the sand tunes, which kept on forming in different shapes, at fast speed, with the help of strong desert winds. The anxiety and fear of getting lost made us thirstier and we decided to consume some of the water, which we had with us. We could not help to have full water intake as thirst overcame us, at that moment. Looking around, the desert was same in all directions. Therefore, my father decided to walk around in search of a track, which can lead us to anywhere. We all followed him. Although we wanted to go on an adventure that involved excitement, I had never thought of any such expedition, which could make us really fearful. My mother started praying to god. Walking aimlessly, we could feel the arrival of evening and night, as sun started setting. This helped us in knowing the eastern and western directi on. But having no paper with me, I could not make a map, with reference to that point where we saw the sun setting. A little later, we could not afford to walk further, as darkness covered whole desert. We had the hot sand as our bedding, which became cooler with the passage of night. Fear and anxiety could not let us sleep, while we waited for the morning light to appear. Meanwhile, my father tried to send message through the radio equipment, but he did not find any signal and this hope also seemed getting lost. The worst thing to happen was not anticipated by any of us. However, we did experience the real shock, as a cobra snake crawled towards me and was

Flowers Essay Example for Free

Flowers Essay Flower is abeautiful things for me.I like it so much.Ilike to give all person that.I love them flowers to exepres my love and recpect for them.We can see the flower in many places such us:garden house and farms.It have amany beautiful colours like:red,light pink and dark pink,yellow and white.for me I like the red flower becous it meems the love.Know I wont to give my teacher this flower to exepres my love and recpect for her. Information about flowers Municipal offline Avatar municipal flower of great beauty with red and purple and other colors and the rose nicknamed Queen of flowers because the Avatar has a beautiful shape and the smell of a smart stay long and seeing the flowers before sunset to extend the life of Rose and reap a portion is a short section by scissors so as not to dissection tree offline and then placed Rose immersing the leg in the water in the deep water for about an hour. Lotus flower Is the flower was taken by the old army informed him, and lotus leaf ground and agricultural leg upright has many branches and flowers bright yellow color, topped with some red spots, and the lotus plant rises from 15 cm to 30 cm and a lotus flower in a coloring substance analgesic anti-spasm and has an uncanny ability to cure infections , and lotus flowers flowers thin can not afford transport from one place to another and is also picked to cause her death quickly and lotus in Egyptian mythology reflect the childhood of innocent flying from the heart of the flower white, flower lotus grows with sunlight and grows in the ponds of static water in the marshes wide in the Fayoum and the the surface of quiet water in the foot hills of the desert has been called the Pharaohs on the lotus flower beautiful or Nangr because it is the most perfect flowers and the lotus flower with a blue lady perfume and brightest of the white lotus. Violet Trees of violet are Kaloashab small but bushes Accessories leaves in the form of tablets have a long neck and flowers in the axes of shrubs, each flower grows in the branch and its reach is long and the color of flowers white or purple, violet leaves heart-shaped and the flowers her legs long and is yellow or blue and Tguettaf flowers violet in the early hours of the morning because the smell stronger in the early morning and violet flowers, but do not live long after the cut out of the water as quickly appended to their necks He shall be placed in water immediately or transfer to another place, wrapped in paper to protect it during transport. Narcissus Its leaves are similar to drive five or six in number, and a page of paper upright and culminates plant Zahrtan large color sulfur, and flowers of narcissus Municipal harvested early in the morning and the smell pungent and stronger than those harvested in the middle of the day for they shall be then, a few essential oils that evaporate with rising temperature of the atmosphere. Camellia Girls dendritic sprouting flowers in winter and spring and flowers Alcamili pink or red or white, a plant beautiful lives in the shadow does not need a small amount of sunlight, but needs to light a lot, and can be grown Camellia seeds or planting can also cut his mind by the buds of the leg A plants and planting from September to February each year. Willow Large tree grows on the shores of canals and drains, rising to about about 25 meters and its subsidiaries medium extroversion and upright form of green oil topped with fluffy white, leaves paint the parties, the length of paper 12 cm and view 3 cm, we get the tree serrated edge, with some yellow flowers and most of the flowers of the white a tree for decoration and magnificent beauty. Six-Hassan Plant a beautiful name of scientific Belladonna It grows in the countrys warm and temperate, a grass not a tree land with a height of 600 to 4150 cm, roots thick and leg strong upright and leaves oval are really to Zjh but greasy, and the flowers six-Hassan Ali bell-shaped red beautiful shape and its fruits village green and then turns to a red flower and then turn to black after maturity is not eaten because they are toxic to produce mature seeds. Henna flowers Henna shrub agricultural roots and red legs and branches fluffy white bark and leaves are opposite and the neck of a small hump in the form of a bright green leaves and flowers are used for dyeing the hair and strengthen it to deal with it. Chickpea flower Herbal plant farm on his leg Qraaa cruel and libra above of from 30 to 50 cm papers vehicle Oriqath oval serrated flowers central focal color tends to red and white but the fruits of chickpeas is centuries in the form of an egg tip hooked and this fruit is a nice taste and health benefits. Sunflowers Flower plant sunflower plant long-average leg, but hollow, this flower such as the disk of the sun bloom with the first light of the sun and pay attention to the bright and still move with the movement of the sun until it reaches the west and the sunflower plant agricultural measures about two meters leg rigid upright and Haah weak and leaves a large heart-shaped and the plant Sunflower prepared by the Indian sacred and loved the Egyptian street. Cactus flower Is the blossom of the yellow color and large size is the plant flesh Akats material Alklorvil green rises from 2 to 5 meters and racks Yearbook oval shape and a length of from 30 to 40 cm and width of from 20 to 50 cm promises green with forks long characterized by flowers that the materials for the salivary and sugar and acid, citric acid and apple and fruit is very nutritious. Flowers lilies Iris white plant rises from 60 to 100 cm flowers large Vuahh the blue and central color of the yellow-and-leaf iris articulated shape and leg strong and there are some flowers for color and white topped illustrate red Rakech scarlet side is yellow from 5 to 8 cm. Papyrus flowers Papyrus plant long family Alkhimih and grows in swamps in the Delta and its roots are deepening in the mud and his legs stretch up on the section of a three-form flowers, papyrus is in the form of a tent and with a dense thicket of dense they resemble the sun and used in the manufacture of paper papyrus for writing was called the paper Royal, a evergreen and flowers bouquets were made of papyrus in the temples of God and drawing closer to the plant is still located in the southern Bahr el Ghazal River Nile. Flowers of the pomegranate Pomegranate trees with a height of 3 to 5 meters in his leg smooth and branches upright and the leaves are opposite and in the form of shaft blossom pomegranate five petals and the color purple and out of the fruits of spherical large the teeth cup him peel the heart and start a green color and then begin to flush with maturity within the fruit seeds of a small claims Frend Frend surrounding this core fluid and the birthplace of the pomegranate tree in Persia and the Pharaohs.

summer :: essays research papers

Gabriela Summer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I first started reading Summer I was looking for a typical love story, and I was glad that it didn't sort of turn out that way. In the beginning I was just waiting for something to happen, it was a little boring. However, as I read on the book grew more and more interesting. If I could ask the author a few questions I would ask him why did he want that ending? All of a sudden the happy couple is the two people who hated each other throughout the whole story, and he never mentioned what happened to Charity and Lucius' baby. Also, Why was the book called Summer? Other than the season this book took place in, did it have anything to do with the characters, or the plot?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main character is Charity Royall, she was 'brought down from the mountain' by Mr. Royall, and he has been her guardian and rival ever since. In the story Charity meets a young man, Lucius Harney, who she falls madly in love with. He ends up leaving promising her he will come back and marry her, right before she finds out he is the father to the baby in her womb. However Charity finds out that Lucius is engaged and is about to marry another women so without telling him the truth she tells him to marry her, and she escapes to the mountain where she always thought she belonged. Mr.Royall came for her the next morning after her mother's death, and took her to the city so they could be wed, despite how much she thought she hated him she saw all the good he brought her. Charity learned that true love, could be where she never thought to ever look. She learned that the mountain was no place for her, and she knows why he mother didn't want her to live up there. I lear ned that in order to find true love you need to know someone who will always secure you and be around, not someone who will have another women on the side, and promise to end it for you. Also never get pregnant with a man you're not married to first, to save all the awkwardness from your new husband.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The theme of this story is true love, and summer romance. In my life there is no true love, being that I'm only fourteen, but I know about summer romances.

Business Ethics in Brazil Essay

In this comparative survey of 126 Brazilian and U.S. business professionals, we explore the effect of national culture on ethical decisionmaking within the context of business. Using Reidenbach and Robin’s (1988) multi-criteria ethics instrument, we examined how these two countries’ differences on Hofstede’s individualism/collectivism Rafik I. Beekun (Ph.D., The University of Texas, Austin) is Professor of Management and Strategy in the Managerial Sciences Department at the University of Nevada, Reno. His current research interests are in the area of strategic adaptation, the link between national cultures and ethics, and the relationship between management and spirituality. He has published in such journals as Journal of Applied Psychology, Human Relations, Journal of Management and Decision Sciences. Correspondence regarding this article should be sent to him at: Managerial Sciences Department, Mail Stop 28, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557-0206. Yvonne Ste dham (Ph.D., University of Kansas) is an Associate Professor of Management in the Managerial Sciences Department at the University of Nevada, Reno. She has published in such journals as the Journal of Management and Journal of Management Studies. Dr. Stedham’s research focuses on the following areas: CEO performance evaluation, gender discrimination in employment, ethics in business, decision making across cultures, and managing knowledge workers. Jeanne H. Yamamura (CPA, Ph.D., Washington State University) is an Associate Professor of Accounting in the College of Business at the University of Nevada Reno. Her teaching responsibilities include auditing and accounting information systems courses. Dr. Yamamura’s research focuses on the management of accounting professionals with a particular interest in cross-cultural differences and her work has been published in accounting and business journals. She has extensive practical experience in the field of accounting through her previous employment in public and private accounting. Rafik I. Beekun Yvonne Stedham Jeanne H. Yamamura dimension are related to the manner in which business practitioners make ethical decisions. Our results indicate that Brazilians and Americans evaluate the ethical content of actions or decisions differently when applying utilitarian criteria. By contrast, business people from both countries do not differ significantly when they use egoistic criteria in evaluating the ethical nature of business decisions. KEY WORDS: Brazil, egoism, ethics, national culture, U.S., utilitarianism As business organizations move from domestic to global and transnational competition, they are finding that cultural values vary significantly across national boundaries, and are likely to affect business practices (Husted, 2000). During the past decade, several researchers (Ferrell and Gresham, 1985; Hunt et al., 1989; Abratt et al., 1992; Hunt and Vitell, 1992; Tsalikis and Nwachukwu, 1991; Vitell et al., 1993) have noted the potential influence of national c ulture on ethics within a business context. What obscures the impact of national culture on ethics is that business practices may conflict with ethical values in a manner that medicine, law and government do not (DeGeorge, 1993). Not surprisingly, empirical research investigating the relationship between national culture and ethical decision-making is relatively sparse (Vitell et al., 1993). A primary reason for exploring the effects of culture on ethics is the increased globalization of business. This trend, in turn, is characterized by a diverse array of interorganizational arrangements that require cross-cultural interaction. As a result, cultural misunderstandings are likely to occur. One of the key areas where such mis- Journal of Business Ethics 42: 267–279, 2003.  © 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands. 268 Rafik I. Beekun et al. understandings take place is in the area of ethics, partly because of the influence that national cultures may have upon business ethics (Husted, 2000). Accordingly, in our study, we explore the relationship between national culture and business ethics. We will seek to investigate what process underlies ethical behavior across national boundaries. Understanding this process may help global managers develop tools to promote ethical behavior in their international workforce. In this research, we compare two culturally diverse countries, the United States (U.S.) and Brazil, in order to identify similarities and differences with regard to approaches toward ethical decision-making in a business context. Since culture is a broad concept, it is necessary to specify the values that could be related to behaviors or practices (Husted, 2000). For the purposes of this study, we used a well-established framework of national culture (Hofstede, 1980). Hofstede conducted one of the most important studies that ascertained the relationship between national culture and management. From this study, he identified several â€Å"value† dimensions along which countries differ. Using Hofstede’s (1980) framework, we carried out a crosscultural, comparative survey to assess the relationship between his individualism/collectivism dimension of national culture and ethical criteria. With respect to ethical decision-making, we adopted the instrument proposed and validated by Reidenbach and Robin (1988, 1990). They have generated a set of scales that measure the core dimensions characterizing different perspectives of ethical philosophy. Defining national culture: Hofstede’s dimensions of culture Multiple definitions and conceptualizations of national culture exist (Hofstede, 1980, 1988, 2001; Kluckhohn, 1951, 1962; Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck, 1961; Ronen and Shenkar, 1985; Trompenaars, 1993). Although these frameworks and conceptualizations typically center on values, they differ with respect to the specific values that are included in their respective frameworks. For instance, Trompenaars (1993) focuses on values related to relationships such as obligation, emotional orientation in relationships, and involvement in relationships. By contrast, Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck (1961) emphasize more global values such as people’s relationship to nature and time-orientation. With respect to our study, Hofstede’s framework of national cultures is the most appropriate since he ident ified values related to economic activity (Husted, 2000). Therefore, his framework is germane for the study of business decisions. Focusing on national cultures, Hofstede (1997, p. 260) defines culture as the â€Å"collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another†. Thus, although the problems faced by groups (whether organizational or national) are universal, the solutions devised by each group may be relatively unique to that group. These solutions then become taken for granted over time, and may suggest why people hold certain beliefs and behave the way they do (Schneider and Barsoux, 1997). Hofstede (1980, 1988) has suggested that five dimensions of national culture underlie differences in the behavior of individuals from different cultural backgrounds. Since these dimensions describe how individuals view and interpret situations and behavior, they are likely to be related to how individuals engage in decision-making in general (Weick, 1979; Adler, 2002). Ethical decisionmaking, too, is likely to be affected by these dimensions of national culture. Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions (1980, 1988) are power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity/femininity, individualism/collectivism, and long-term/short-term orientation. Power distance refers to the degree to which less powerful members in a country accept an unequal distribution of power. Uncertainty avoidance depicts a people’s ability to cope with ambiguous situations as well as the mechanisms they have created to avoid such situations. Masculinity exemplifies a focus on material things, such as money, success, etc., whereas femininity refers to a focus on quality of life, caring, etc. Individualism, which will be discussed in more detail later, refers to the tendency of people to consider their interests and those of A Comparative Investigation of Business Ethics their immediate family only. By contrast, collectivism refers to the inclination of people to view themselves as part of a larger group, and to protect the interests of group members. Longterm/short-term orientation describes the time perspective people take when dealing with a situation. Table I represents the scores for Hofstede’s cultural dimensions for Brazil and the U.S. While the scores indicate dissimilarities between the U.S. and Brazil on all five cultural dimensions, by far the largest difference appears in the individualism/collectivism dimension. Brazil scored low on individualism, and hence is considered a collectivistic country; by contrast, the U.S. scored high on individualism and is considered an individualistic country. The individualism/collectivism dimension describes how individuals relate to others and to society, and represents the extent to which they are emotionally and cognitively attached to a particular network of individuals. Individualism describes the inclination of individuals to be primarily concerned with their personal interests and their immediate family’s welfare (Hofstede, 1980). Members of a highly individualistic country view themselves as independent of organizations or institutions, and place a higher value on self-reliance and individual action. Collectivism, in comparison, describes a culture where individuals are viewed as part of a larger group, and look after each other. Collectivistic cultures protect the interests of their members in return for their loyalty. In collectivist cultures, morality is defined in terms of the benefits for the in-group (family, friends, work companies, 269 etc.), implying the maintenance of solidarity (Triandis and Bhawuk, 1997). Hofst ede (1980) noted that the individualism/collectivism dimension carried â€Å"strong moral overtones† because this dimension was reflected in value systems shared by the majority. For example, in a highly individualistic country, individualism is viewed as a strength and the major reason for the country’s accomplishments. By comparison, inhabitants of a highly collectivistic country view an emphasis on self as a negative attribute to be eliminated for the good of society. Competing ethical frameworks for business decisions Ethics are the principles of human conduct regarding either an individual or a group (Shaw, 1999), and represent the moral standards not governed by law, that focus on the human consequences of actions (Francesco and Gold, 1998). Ethics often require behavior that meets higher standards than those established by law, including selfless behavior rather than calculated action intended to produce a tangible benefit. With respect to this study, business ethics describe the ultimate rules governing the assessment of â€Å"what constitutes right or wrong, or good or bad human conduct in a business context† (Shaw, 1999). In the assessment of ethical behavior, perception is critical (Hartmann, 2000). Indeed, ethical decisions may be influenced by our own perception, by others’ perceptions of our actions, and by our perception of â€Å"universal laws†. As a TABLE I Cultural dimensions (Hofstede 1980, 1988, 2001) Dimensions of culture U.S. Brazil Difference Power distance Uncertainty avoidance 40 46 69 76 (29) (30) Individualism/Collectivism 91 38 53 Masculine/Feminine Confucian Dynamism 62 29 49 65 13 (36) 270 Rafik I. Beekun et al. result, our final choices may be determined by the perception tha t is the most salient at the time. Further, Hartmann suggests that cultures may differ not only with respect to the ethical principles underlying decisions but also with respect to which of the three stakeholders – self, society, and universal laws – is emphasized in any given situation. Depending on which stakeholder is emphasized, people from different cultures may vary in their assessment of the ethical nature of a decision. Across most situations, ethical principles that distinguish right from wrong actions are encompassed by several normative theories, e.g., justice, relativism, egoism, utilitarianism, and deontology. These theories can generate potentially conflicting interpretations of what is ethical or unethical, originating from the very nature of the theories themselves. Moreover, prior research (Cohen et al., 1996; Hansen, 1992; Reidenbach and Robin, 1988, 1990) indicates that individuals making ethical decisions do not select a single theory or philosophy by which to make their decisions. In fact, Reidenbach and Robin (1988) found that a varying combination of ethical philosophies or theories is employed when ethical decisions are made. Shaw (1999) draws a distinction between two types of ethical theories, consequentialist and nonconsequentialist. Consequentialist theories suggest that the moral rightness of an action depends on the actual or intended results of the action. What is right is determined by â€Å"weighing the ratio of good to bad that an action is likely to produce† (Shaw, 1999, p. 45). A key issue underlying consequentialist theories is the nature of the beneficiaries of the action under consideration. Should one consider the consequences for oneself or for all involved? The most important consequentialist theories are egoism and utilitarianism. Egoism promotes individual self-interest as the guiding principle whereas utilitarianism advocates that everyone affected by the action or decision must be taken into account (Shaw, 1999). By contrast, nonconsequentialist theories suggest that it is not simply the consequence of an act that matters, but also its inherent character. Although these theories do not deny that con- sequences are morally relevant, they assert that other factors are also important in assessing the moral significance of an action. For example, â€Å"breaking a promise† is wrong not simply because of the consequences that result from breaking it, but also because of the nature of the act itself. In this study, we focus on consequentialist theories for several reasons. First, Hofstede’s individualism/collectivism dimension can be clearly and easily related to the two consequentialist theories. Second, the two theories represent the perceptions of two of the three possible sta keholders identified by Hartmann (2000), namely own perceptions and others’ perceptions. Third, staying within one theoretical category allows for a much more parsimonious, yet thorough, analysis. Ethical perspectives and national culture: hypotheses Whether egoistic or utilitarian principles are employed, ethics are a product of a society’s culture, which includes its traditions, values, and norms. Within a society, ethical behavior is generally agreed upon. Francesco and Gold (1998, p. 40) explain that â€Å"members implicitly understand how relationships, duties and obligations among people and groups ought to be conducted, and distinguish between their selfinterests and the interests of others.† However, when two or more countries interact, they often find that their ethics differ. According to Hendry (1999), these differences may lead to three types of culturally based ethical conflicts. First, there are those conflicts where the ethical values typifying the two national cultures lead to differing conclusions; what is deemed unethical from one perspect ive is considered to be ethical from the other. Second, conflict may arise when businesspersons from one culture consider something morally significant whereas their counterparts from another culture are ethically neutral. Third, business people from two cultures may interpret a common situation differently even when there is some commonality among their national values. A Comparative Investigation of Business Ethics To investigate the relationship between national culture and ethics, we chose two culturally diverse countries, Brazil and the U.S. Given the differences in their respective national cultures, we expect Brazilians and Americans to differ in their assessment of the ethical content of business decisions. Accordingly, we propose the following hypothesis: H1: The assessment of the ethical content of business decisions is a function of national culture. Egoism and individualism/collectivism According to egoism, the only valid standard of one’s behavior is one’s obligation to advance one’s well-being above everyone else’s (Beauchamp and Bowie, 1997). Promotion of one’s own longterm interest is viewed as the only worthwhile objective and the only determinant of whether an act is morally right or not. Nothing is owed to others or to the organization that one works in. Those who abide by this approach to ethics intensely believe that all altruistic efforts by others are really acts of self-promotion since an individual may have to help others in order to advance his/her own interests. Brazil is collectivistic whereas the U.S. is individualistic. As discussed earlier, persons from an individualistic culture emphasize their families’ and their own int erests. H1.a: When applying egoistic criteria to judge the ethical content of an action or a decision, respondents from the U.S. will be less likely than respondents from Brazil to see a decision or action as unethical. Utilitarianism and individualism/collectivism Utilitarianism, in direct contrast to egoism, â€Å"is the moral doctrine that we should always act to produce the greatest possible balance of good over bad for everyone affected by our action† (Shaw, 1999, p. 49). Although utilitarians also 271 evaluate an action in terms of its consequences, an action is ethical if it results in the greatest benefit or â€Å"good† for the largest number of people. Issues of self-interest are not germane since actions are assessed in accordance with one primary standard: the general good. Utilitarianism has long been associated with social improvement and the promotion of actions that are in the best interest of â€Å"the community.† Actions are right if they promote the greatest human welfare. Brazil is collectivistic. Persons from a collectivistic culture focus on actions that lead to the greatest benefit for most members of a group. H1.b: When applying utilitarian criteria to judge the ethical content of an action or a decision, respondents from Brazil will be less likely than respondents from the U.S. to see an action or decision as unethical. To be consistent with prior ethics research (Reidenbach and Robin, 1988), the above hypotheses (H1.a and H1.b) together suggest that Americans and Brazilians rely on more than one ethical criterion when assessing the ethical content of an action or decision. However, we are also suggesting that when each specific ethical criterion they refer to is considered separately, people from different national cultures will vary in their assessment of the ethical content of a course of action or a decision. Methodology Sample Data were collected from 126 respondents – 92 from the U.S. and 34 from Brazil. U.S. participants included MBA students at a regional university as well as business professionals. Brazilian participants were all students enrolled in an Executive MBA program. We used MBA students in our study for two reasons. First, MBA students are a commonly used proxy for business people (Dubinsky and Rudelius, 1980). Dubinsky and Rudelius’ (1980) comparison of 272 Rafik I. Beekun et al. student versus professional evaluations found a high degree of congruence between the two groups. Second, since all students (both U.S. and Brazilian) were currently employed by companies or had recent professional work experience, the sample can be used as a proxy for business professionals in both countries. Data collection The instrument we used was Reidenbach and Robin’s (1988) pre-validated, multi-criteria instrument incorporating the core dimensions that underlie several ethical perspectives. We selected this survey instrument because it is a multi-philosophy and multi-item questionnaire. As a result, it will enable us to assess both ethical dimensions of interest, i.e., egoism and utilitarianism, simultaneously. This instrument incorporates multiple items for each ethical philosophy and, therefore, is relatively more reliable than single item instruments (Kerlinger, 1986). Reidenbach and Robin’s instrument includes an initial set of scales that has shown evidence of high reliability and modest convergent validity with respect to U.S. respondents. The scales correlate highly with a univariate measure of the ethical content of situations. Hence, the instrument can be said to have high construct validity in the U.S. Additional reliability and validation efforts for the wh ole sample and for Brazil specifically are reported below. Using a seven-point Likert scale (1 = ethical, 7 = unethical), respondents were asked to rate the action in three scenarios using the criteria (items) described in Table II. The perception of and the criteria emphasized in evaluating the ethical content of a decision or situation depend on the nature of the decision or the situation. In accordance with previous research, scenarios will be used in this study to provide the contextual stimulus and to motivate the evaluation process (Alexander and Becker, 1978). We adopted the three scenarios developed and validated by Reidenbach and Robin (1988, 1990). Table III presents the three scenarios used in this study. Data were collected by means of the abovementioned instrument administered to Brazilian participants (in Portuguese) and provided via written instrument and website access to U.S. participants (in English). The Brazilian instrument was back translated to ensure equivalence. Efforts were made to establish the reliability and validity of the instrument in this comparative context and are reported as follows. We examined the reliability of the instrument by assessing its internal consistency through the use of Cronbach’s alpha. Since we used three different measures (one for each of the scenarios), we calculated three inter-item coefficient alphas. The Cronbach alpha was 0.81 for the first scenario, 0.75 for the second scenario and 0.86 for the third scenario. All three coefficients indicate that the scale items are internally con- TABLE II Ethics instrument scales Ethical perspective Items (Seven-point Likert scale †“ 1 to 7)* Egoism Self promoting/not self promoting Self sacrificing/not self sacrificing Personally satisfying/not personally satisfying Utilitarianism Produces greatest utility/produces the least utility Maximizes benefits while minimizes harm/minimizes benefits while maximizes harm Leads to the greatest good for the greatest number/leads to the least good for the greatest number * Generally speaking, in the above bipolar scales, 1 = fair or just or efficient (ethical) whereas 7 = unfair, unjust or inefficient (unethical). A Comparative Investigation of Business Ethics

IKEA †Case Study Essay

Synopsis of the situation IKEA (Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd) is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture, appliances and home accessories. The company is now the world’s largest furniture retailer. IKEA was founded in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kamprad in Sweden, named as an acronym comprising the initials of the founder’s name (Ingvar Kamprad), the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd), and his home parish. Kamprad started the company at his home as a mail order company. He sold goods which he purchased from low priced sources and then advertized in a newsletter to local shopkeepers. In 1948 he added in his catalogue furniture. Furniture was a success so he gave up the small items and focused only on furniture. In 1951 he opened the first display store in nearby Almhult where the customers could preview and inspect products and then order from the catalogue. This was also an immediate success as people travelled even from Stockholm to visit the store. This led IKEA to stop accepting mail orders. Now, the IKEA strategy is to publish a yearly catalogue, distribute it to the clients and encourage them to visit the store name (Barlett, Ghoshal, & Beamish, 2008). The sales take off in the late 50s led IKEA to look abroad for new sources of supply as the local industry could not respond to the demand. In 1961, IKEA outsourced production to furniture factories in Poland. Poland became IKEAs largest source and lowered significantly the production costs. This allowed IKEA to reduce its prices even more. The success in Poland led IKEA to adopt a general principle that it should mot own its means of production but should look for suppliers with whom it should develop close long term relationships. Building on the first store’s success, the first store in Stockholm opened in 1965. Even before that, in 1963, IKEA operated a store in Oslo. Other  countries followed and today IKEA operates 313 stores in 38 countries, most of them in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia (IKEA, 2010). Some of IKEAs competitive advantages are that the brand is associated with simple, low cost,  stylish products. The concept was furnishing products and house-wares that had wide appeal to a variety of markets and segments, both consumer and the business market exclusively. Both markets were looking for well styled, high quality furniture that reasonably priced and readily available. Also, IKEA developed a model for the business, where it was able to keep costs low. From the customer point of view, they were able to buy low cost furniture, even though they had to assemble and collect the flat-packed furniture from stores. IKEA to was able to reduce costs, as this costly part of the value chain was carried out by the customer. Adding to that, IKEA promoted the Swedish lifestyle. Many people associate Sweden with a fresh, healthy way of life. This Swedish lifestyle is reflected in the IKEA product range. The freshness of the open air is reflected in the colors and materials used and the sense of space they create: blond woods, natural textiles and untreated surfaces. Also IKEA stores promote Swedish food and products. IKEAs low-priced restaurant and grocery shop have made IKEA Sweden’s leading food exporter. However, global expansion was not without problems for IKEA. During the 1980’s environmental problems arose with some of IKEAs products and during the 1990’s IKEA was accused that its suppliers were using child labor. In the 1980’s the formaldehyde regulations passed in Denmark caused problems to IKEA. After the discovery that some of its products emitted more formaldehyde than the legislation allowed the company was fined. The company responded and established stringent requirements regarding formaldehyde emissions. Even though, the problem did not vanish as in 1992 a German investigation team found that an IKEA bookcase had higher emissions that the ones allowed by the German law. Since then, IKEA has improved its procedures to evaluate the environmental impact of its products. Currently, IKEA uses a tool called the ‘e-Wheel’ to evaluate the environmental impact of its products. The e-Wheel  helps IKEA to analyze the four stages within the life of a product. This also helps suppliers improve their understanding of the environmental impact of the products they are supplying (The Times 100). Next, the issue with child labor arose in 1994 when a Swedish television documentary showed children in Pakistan working at weaving looms. IKEA was one of the several Swedish companies that were mentioned as importers of carpets from Pakistan. IKEA was unaware of the problem and tried to respond by sending a legal team to Geneva  for input and advice from the International Labor. Association(ILO). IKEA discovered that child labor was not illegal in these countries so the only way to handle the problem was by adding a clause for child labor in their contracts and outsource the monitoring of this clause to a third party company. But it seems that this measure was not effective enough, as in 2007, Anders Dahlvig, the multi-national’s Chief Executive Officer, admitted that some of the company’s products were still produced using child labor (Wadsworth, 2007). Key Issues and Players The key players in this case are the IKEA company and its suppliers. In order to keep its competitive advantage IKEA outsources its product manufacturing to third party suppliers throughout the world. But, this practice is often the source of many issues. Many times the legislation in these countries does not match the standards and the ethical values of the western developed countries which are the main customer base of the company. This fact can cause issues like weak environmental policies or child labor that hurt the public image of the company. This has direct effect on the company’s sales. Problem The main problem that IKEA faces nowadays is the uncontrolled child labor in countries which supply the company with carpets. Child labor in countries like India and Pakistan is a common phenomenon. The company lacks effective ways to control its suppliers in these countries. At the same time, child  labor is socially acceptable in these places as poverty pushes people to find ways to survive. So the company cannot rely on the local authorities for help. Also, any attempts on behalf of IKEA to control this issue didn’t seem to succeed. Alternative Solutions A possible solution for controlling the child labor for IKEA is to cancel any contracts with suppliers in countries that do not adopt the convention 138 of ILO, that deals with the child labor issues. This way IKEA will be able to get assistance for child labor issues from local authorities since it will be prohibited by local laws. Another solution would be to come to more strict agreements with the suppliers and launch intensive controls for the effectuation of the agreement. Selected Solution The selected solution is IKEA to enhance its agreements with the suppliers and intensify its controls against child labor. The company should appoint inspectors in these countries that would inspect the suppliers and report the situation on frequent basis Results and Rationale of the Solution The cancelation of the contracts does not seem a rational choice at the moment because it will have a big cost for the company. The company will need to find new suppliers in other countries with higher labor cost and doubtable product quality. This is a move with higher risk and cost that the selected solution. Positive and Negative Results The positive results of the selected solution are that the child labor issues will decrease and the company’s profile will be protected. The negative results are that the company’s cost will increase as inspection staff will be hired to perform the inspections and some contracts will need to be canceled due to failure to adhere to the conditions of the contract by the suppliers References Barlett, C., Ghoshal, S., & Beamish, P. (2008). Transnational Management. Singapore: McGraw-Hill. Building a sustainable supply chain. (n.d.). Retrieved November 27, 2010, from The Times 100: http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/case-study–building-a-sustainable-supply-chain–110-279-3.php IKEA. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2010, from IKEA: http://www.ikea.com/ms/sv_SE/about_ikea/facts_and_figures/ikea_group_stores/index.html Wadsworth, M. (2007, May 22). IKEA exposed over ‘child Labour’ and green issues. Retrieved November 27, 2010, from The Latest: http://www.the-latest.com/ikea-slammed-over-child-labour-andgreen-issues

Integration of Non-Verbal Communication in the Workplace essays

Integration of Non-Verbal Communication in the Workplace essays Within the education system, and educational institutes, body language can aid teachers and counselors when dealing with troubled students or students who seem to be performing poorly in the classroom. "Teens are particularly expressive when it comes to body language" (Pierce- Rusunen, D.1) and recognizing the cues and signals could assist in gauging self-esteem issues and problems at home or at school. "Girls will let their hair fall so it covers their eyes or the sides of their face [and] they're more hunched over, their eyes are downcast" (Pierce-Rusunen) are all cues that teenage girls have issues with confidence and being assertive. These are all vital skills and traits for not only dealing with school, but also after school when students move on Body language cues could also aid school counselors with problem or troubled students. Two forms of body language in students tend to be most prevalent; lowered eyes and the stare'. "They stare when they are upset or angry." (Pierce-Rusunen) and lowered eyes' usually occurs when teachers search for an answer after asking a question and they look around the room. Teachers can also be aware of the non-verbal cues they are giving off to their students. It is important that teachers do not alienate students, or appear vulnerable in the classroom so good non-verbal communication skills can support their role within the classroom, making them more effective teachers and better communicators. Teachers can also instruct students on the value of body language and especially younger children and teenagers this could be not only beneficial in a social context, but also in protecting themselves against strangers or unusual circumstances. Beyond the classroom, body language could be used amongst faculty members and staff in their own dynamics as it is used in the business world ...

Answers to Questions About Commas #5

Answers to Questions About Commas #5 Answers to Questions About Commas #5 Answers to Questions About Commas #5 By Maeve Maddox Several readers have sent in questions regarding comma use. I’ll take them in turn. 1. Does a comma always go before the word too? No. Whether or not a writer places a comma before the word too depends upon the desired emphasis. Too is an adverb meaning in addition, furthermore, moreover, besides, also.† The only reason to place a comma before the too is to slow the pace of the sentence or change the emphasis: My dog can fetch the paper too. My dog can fetch the paper, too. The same option applies when the too comes within the sentence: I too can recite the Gettysburg Address. I, too, can recite the Gettysburg Address. A note in the CMOS (Chicago Manual of Style) recommends that we use commas with too only when we want to emphasize an abrupt change of thought. The editor gives this memorable example: He didn’t know at first what hit him, but then, too, he hadn’t ever walked in a field strewn with garden rakes. In most cases, commas with too are unnecessary. 2. Is it correct to place a semicolon before however and a comma after it? Yes. The building was completely remodeled on the inside; however, the 18th century faà §ade was left unaltered. 3. Is it necessary to place a comma before â€Å"as well as†? You don’t need a comma before â€Å"as well as† when it introduces words that are essential to the meaning of the entire sentence: I like mysteries as well as historical novels. The no-smoking policy applies to teachers as well as to students. The â€Å"as well as† phrase is enclosed with commas iflike a non-restrictive clauseit can be left out without affecting the meaning of the main clause: Mysteries, as well as historical novels, rank high on my list of favorites. The teachers, as well as the students, must respect the no-smoking policy. 4. Can you replace a semicolon with a comma? No, with certain exceptions. The semicolon is stronger than a comma, but not as strong a stop as a period. Its usual job is to separate independent clauses that are closely related in thought. Grandpa patiently fed the kitten with an eye-dropper; he’d always had a soft spot for baby animals. Sometimes, if the clauses are very short, commas can replace semicolons or coordinating conjunctions to achieve literary effect, as in the usual translation of Julius Caesar’s famous â€Å"Veni, vidi, vici†: â€Å"I came, I saw, I conquered.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Regarding Re:One Fell Swoop5 Erroneously Constructed â€Å"Not Only . . . But Also† Sentences

Assignment about two readings Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

About two readings - Assignment Example The east and the west communicated smoothly via the trade activities. The inland areas were rather aloof from this bonding. The sea kept the states united and the same water body washed different geographical regions with varying characteristics. 2) The Roman Empire began to weaken a sit was invaded from the north by the barbarians. Spain, Italy and Suevi were invaded by the Vandals, the Quadi and the Franks respectively. Their idea was not to destroy the civilization but to enjoy the mild climate and rich oil. The Germanic invasions did not take away the traditions of the ancient civilization of Europe though the balance of power was disrupted and the provinces began to be occupied by the Germans. The change actually occurred when the Moslems invaded the empire. The Prophet replaced the Christian Faith, Moslem law and the Arab tongue also came in practice. The Mediterranean Sea or the Roman Lake now turned into the Moslem Lake. The rest of the Europe was cut out from the Mediterranean region. (Pirenne, 25) 3) Einhard was a barbarian writer who resided at the court of the King Charles I or Chalemagne, the King of the Franks. He wrote many compositions on the King’s life and works. He praises the King in his works and shared a close bonding with him and his children. Einhard writes loosely about the King including his ways of living, his treatment of his children and family and his appearance, which marked a strong presence. He was moderate in eating and drinking. He planned he education of his children well and made good judgments. It is through the documents of Einhard that we come to get a properly detailed account of King Charles’ life. He uses whatever scanty knowledge he possesses about language and narrates the achievements of the Great King Charlemagne. (Pirenne, 38-42) 4) Einhard considered King Charles or Charlemagne a great man mainly because of the immense

Brain Research Supports Differentiation Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Brain Supports Differentiation - Research Paper Example The learning atmosphere should appear friendly and safe to a student, since a disturbed child tends to release such chemicals that hamper learning. Likewise, if a student will fees overstressed due to arduous curriculum or any other factor, then his brain will release excessive neurotransmitters that will inhibit learning. As opposed to this, the brain would fail to generate chemicals required for optimal learning if a child is presented with an easy curriculum. After a series of quantitative and qualitative researches, patterns developed that reflected how differentiation variables constructively influenced student accomplishment (Subban, 2006). Not every student will achieve unless teachers themselves do not confidently believe that all students are achievers. Effective teaching should be explicit; the mind-set of teachers needs to be reformed. Practical qualitative researches demonstrated that learning style was synonymous with selection and preference. Moreover, it exposed that achievement escalated by utilizing choice charts; and a regression analysis showed that achievement accelerated by 0.007 by differentiation in reading in accordance with learning styles. Learning style is an integral aspect of qualitative analysis in studying differentiation. Pragmatic classroom observations and discussion with teachers led to the notion that learning styles comprised the elements of choice and preference. Tomlinson and Allan define differentiation as a reply to the needs of a leaner (Tomlinson & Allan, 2000). Teachers should use differentiation in subject matter, procedure, and outcome, in the light of a student’s interest, zeal, and learning profile. Several qualitative studies like Shaughnessy (chapter IV) have concluded that selection, curiosity, and learning styles have a bearing on the motivation and preference of a student. Another imperative question is whether student achievement is