How to Write a Thesis Statement (with Free Sample Statement) Essay

1. What is debate? A debate is a contest, or, perhaps, like a game, where two or more speakers present their arguments intent on persuading one another. Men have been debating with one another since the beginning of time when the serpent first debated with Eve the benefits of eating certain fruits in the Garden. We shall limit ourselves here with discussing formal contest debating between educational institutions, or, in the world of homeschooling, between families that choose to bypass educational institutions and educate their children at home. http://www.triviumpursuit.com/speech_debate/what_is_debate.htm 2. You have heard the words, but what is the difference between an argument and a debate? An argument can be defined as an opinion that is supported with evidence. Debates are based upon arguments. A formal debate usually takes place in a formal setting with a team representing each side of the argument. Specific guidelines are followed, and the debate is usually judged. In order to debate an argument, you need to know both the pros and cons of the issue. In a debate, each team presents a different side of the argument. You must be able to defend your side and support your reasoning with evidence. In other words, saying that you don’t like broccoli because it doesn’t taste good would not provide any substance for a debate. However, providing reasons for why it’s better for a parent to stay at home with a child as opposed to both parents working outside the home is a debate that has been occurring for years. http://www.compuhigh.com/demo/eng12les09.htm 3. A motion, also known as a proposition or resolution in other formats, is a statement that usually sets the topic for the given debate. Usually, this is an unambiguously worded statement that is general in terminology in order to be understood by not only the debaters themselves but also by the general audience. In any debate, the motion is always supported by the government and opposed by the opposition, regardless of how the motion is worded. http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Debate/Motions_and_resolutions 4. In policy debate, constructive speeches are the first four speeches of a debate round. Constructive speeches are each followed by a 3-minutecross-examination period. In high school, constructive speeches are 8 minutes long; in college, they are 9 minutes. In general, constructive arguments are the only time that a team can make new arguments. The last four speeches of the debate are reserved for refutations of arguments  already made. In current policy debate, the â€Å"first affirmative constructive† (1AC) is used to present the â€Å"plan†. Whether or not all new â€Å"off-case arguments† must be presented in the â€Å"first negative constructive† is a point of contention. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructive_speech 5. In policy debate, the rebuttal speeches are the last four speeches. Unlike the constructive speeches, rebuttal speeches are not followed by across-examination period. In high school, rebuttals are usually 5 minutes long (with the exception of certain states and organizations that use 4 minute rebuttals).[1] In college debate, they are generally 6 minutes. Rebuttal speeches must address arguments made in the constructive speeches. They generally may not propose new arguments or recover arguments dropped in a team’s previous speeches.[2] Teams breaking from this pre cedent are often met by claims of abuse from opponents. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebuttal_(policy_debate) 6. parliamentary procedure, also called rules of order, the generally accepted rules, precedents, and practices commonly employed in the governance of deliberative assemblies. Such rules are intended to maintain decorum, to ascertain the will of the majority, to preserve the rights of the minority, and to facilitate the orderly transaction of the business of an assembly.Origins and development Rules of order originated in the early British Parliaments. In the 1560s Sir Thomas Smith wrote an early formal statement of procedures in the House of Commons, which was published in 1583. Lex Parliamentaria (1689; â€Å"Parliamentary Law†) was a pocket manual for †¦ (100 of 1,382 words) http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/444328/parliamentary-procedure 7.RULES OF OXFORD OREGON DEBATE Cross-Examination/Oregon-Oxford/Forensic Debate – traditional debate format used in elementary, governors debate, house debate rules, parliamentary debate rules, high school debate, youtube debate, presidential debate, colleges and all over the country. – There are 2 sides in this format : the Affirmative and the Negative. The Affirmative proves the validity of the issue or topic called the Proposition while the Negative disproves it. Each team has two speakers and one scribe. A Debate Moderator enforces the rules to ensure the debate’s smooth conduct. Format of Debate – Oxford-Oregon Type Three Speakers from each side First Affirmative – Constructive SpeechFirst Negative – Interpellation of  the first affirmative Speaker First Negative – Constructive Speech First Affirmative – Interpellation of the first negative speake r Second Affirmative – Constructive Speech Second Negative – Interpellation of the second affirmative Second Negative – Constructive Second Affirmative – Interpellation of the second negative Third Affirmative – Constructive Speech Third Negative – Interpellation of the third affirmative Third Negative – Constructive Speech B Third Affirmative – Interpellation of the third negative Rebuttal of the Team Captain of the Negative Side Rebuttal of the Team Captain of the Affirmative Side http://alljectsart.blogspot.com/2011/01/rules-of-oxford-oregon-debate.html

Baz Lurhmann describes ‘Moulin Rouge’ as ‘audience participation cinema’. Analyse the techniques he uses to remind ‘us we are watching a movie’

Baz Lurhmann describes ‘Moulin Rouge' as ‘audience participation cinema'. With close reference to the opening of the film analyse the techniques he uses to remind ‘us we are watching a movie' From the opening of the film, we can see that Baz Lurhmann uses several techniques such as music, camera angles, set design, costume and lighting, to help create the feeling that we are ‘watching a movie'. He creates this feeling from the idea of making everything unrealistic and stylised, it shows that it could not possibly be real life, therefore reminds ‘us we are watching a movie'. Baz has a wild imagination which is captured in Moulin Rouge; he shows this through techniques such as characterisation, editing, and colour. Even from the very beginning, with the conductor, we can see that the film is unreal. The conductor has theatrical movements which are totally over the top; this does show and remind us that ‘we are watching a movie'. Also the setting of having the large, heavy, red curtain and gold plated frame still gives the ideas of being fantasy and unreal. You can read also Audience Adaptation Paper When we are introduced to Christian, Baz Lurhmann uses several camera techniques to create the stylised effect. He does this when Christian is writing the story; he has a dolly following the text that has been written. It cuts to his face crying and then cuts back to the typewriter. This is emotional; it shows how he is reacting to telling the story of him being in love. The audience are already struck by this and feel as though they already know the character. This helps the film to be â€Å"audience participation cinema†. Whilst Christian is still telling us the beginning of the story and typing, there are cuts of inside Moulin Rouge; this is effective because it simply reminds us that we are watching a movie. Inside the Moulin Rouge, there are bright colours (saturated colour) and vibrant movements but all this is shown through slow motion editing. Outside the Moulin Rouge there is desaturated colour. To end this section of the film, the camera zooms into the words that the character is typing, like a fade or dissolve. When Christian is typing about one year ago, when he first came to Paris, the camera zooms out, rapidly over Paris from his room, and then zooms in to the train station where he is standing. This keeps the audience reminded that the ‘we are watching a movie' because it zooms so rapidly that it's unreal and almost like a dream. There is also a part where is he walking up the to the hillside town of Montmarte the ‘village of sin'. As he walks up there the scenery that he is ‘walking through' is changing. This is obviously unreal and therefore has the same effect of â€Å"watching a movie†. When we first meet the Bohemians' we see different techniques being used. We see Baz Lurhmann using costumes, colour, set design and camera angles in this section. The Bohemians all have different costumes; all their costumes are made of several layers of clothes, with any colour and material. This gives them an idea of them being below people such as Zidler who wears suits. There is an unreal design about them; this reminds us we are â€Å"watching a movie† There is a mid shot, in which we can see all the characters involved with the scene including the unconscious argentine. When they are deciding the lyrics to the song, the camera cuts to all the characters, creates the idea of confusion and hysteria – so many people talking at the same time. We see a close up of Christians face when he bursts into song about the hills being alive with the sound of music. This is very illusory and still reminds us that we are watching a movie. When we first see the Moulin rouge, we see vibrant colours, saturated colours; these stand out well and help illuminate the idea of Moulin Rouge being a theatre – loud, over the top, energetic and alive. The lights and colours are vivid, glitzy and jazzy. Again it has the unreal idea attached to it. Baz Lurhmann didn't want anything to be normal; he wanted wild, lively movements and shots. This again seems unreal and therefore has the stylised approach. Inside the Moulin Rouge it's lively and upbeat, contrast to outside which is dull and boring. Inside there's fast dancing and lots of actions and over the top dance moves. All the characters in Moulin Rouge all have individual identities – dancers, courtesans. They all have their own stage personality and their own costume. This is overwhelming because all the women are over dressed, and area all playing to what the men want. The idea of having all individual costumes to fit the ‘stage' character is effective. We also see characters, inside the night club, of boxers, mermaids, and an even woman with a snake, this is all very unreal and shows that it is too unreal and therefore the audience must be â€Å"watching a movie†. There is a special effect on one section where Zidler does the flips all the way through entrance of the Moulin Rouge to the actual stage area. This is very unreal we can see being super imposed onto the screen but yet it strikes the audience and reminds them about the movie. When Satine retreats from the ceiling, the club turns black. This is to create tension of when she does arrive. Also for lighting the bits of shiny silver sparkle. Satine had an original costume compared to the other girls in the club. Satine wore a diamond outfit – tailed jacket with fishnet tights and a bowler hat. Her lipstick was bright red and it was very feminine. I think that Baz Lurhmann was trying to get across that she was as famous as Marilyn Monroe because she wore that ‘look' too (bus stop look). The swing which she sat on even had diamonds, shows that she better off than the other Moulin Rouge dancers. All the dancers were known as ‘diamond dogs' whereas she was known as ‘the sparkling diamond'. The audience feels they have to watch her because partly of what she is wearing but also because the camera does. And the camera follows her around because she is the centre of attention. Harold Zidler was another colourful character; he wore a bright red jacket, with big boots and white shirts etc. almost like Father Christmas. He had jolly, fluffy hair in forms of a beard and moustache too. The moustache was curled up at the ends; this gave his character more livelihood about him. He looked as though he was the ring master of the circus, in some ways he was. All the costumes were over the top and they all have the unreal attitude with them. This is because they were all original and exaggerated, therefore unreal and stylised. This will remind the audience that what they are watching could not be real life hence it is a movie. The elephant is the centre of the courtyard just outside MR. it's where Satine lives- exclusive and powerful. Its interior is all to do with India – ideas generate for spectacular spectacular. The colours inside the elephant are blues, yellows and reds. Music in the Moulin Rouge was very important. There was always music in the background or the characters were singing a song. Throughout the film music was used in different ways, it created different atmospheres. When Christian first came to Paris and he was talking about never being in love, the music created a comedy effect. Also inside the Moulin Rouge, the music was very upbeat, the can can, it had to be to go with the costumes and dancing, and was a contrast to the music anywhere else in the film. Baz Lurhmann also used different contexts of music, some songs were modern and some were fairly old. The lyrics and songs tell the story of the Moulin Rouge. This is effective because it's different. People don't go around telling stories of their life in song, so this to the audience would remind them that they â€Å"were watching a movie†. Throughout the film there were different genres of music being used. There was hip hop when the dancers all sang Lady Marmalade, rock when Zidler sang the Show must go on, and even pop such as Your Song and Material Girl. All the songs used in the film kept the audience involved and they felt as though they could sing along, which is the audience participating – â€Å"audience participation cinema†. All the techniques that Baz Lurhmann used created the unreal atmosphere that he wanted to create to remind the audience that they were â€Å"watching a movie†. All the elements in each technique was exactly what Baz Lurhmann wanted, when put together all the elements and techniques created an emotional, contrasting film which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Human Resources Management World Wide Fund For Nature ( WWF) Essay

Human Resources Management World Wide Fund For Nature ( WWF) - Essay Example As the essay declares the process of hiring and sourcing the right balance in an organisation is a continuous one that involves regular adjustments in the employee mix. The WWF pools together people of different talent and the grouping of these people is essential in the organisation realising its overall goals and objectives. According to the report findings the human resource through the monetary gains. The positions in these organisations can be filled with people who are able and willing to take the available positions. Most charitable organisations provide accurate and realistic skill specifications for the particular positions advertised. The job expectations for specific opportunities are essentially communicated through job descriptions. Oxfam for instance, attaches the job description in the call for vacancies. The emphasis on the right candidates is because of the risk that charitable organisations undergo in fulfilling their duties. The approach in most charitable organisations is inclined towards selecting candidates that are best suited for the specific job. Performance appraisals are also a preferred way of boosting the performance of employees. Most charitable organisations prefer internal recruitments that are based on the organisation’s recruitment policies. Save the Children for in stance, gives preference to internal appraisals before they consider hiring externally. Many not for profit organisations have realized that recruitment success is achieved through incisive analysis of the potential of prospective employees must be done.

Chinese Women in late 19th century and early 20th century Essay

Chinese Women in late 19th century and early 20th century - Essay Example The subsequent changes during the late 19th century and early 20th century are perfectly elaborated by Kay Ann Johnson in her book Women, the Family and Peasant Revolution, where she has enlightened the various topics like the traditional Confucian marriage culture and the family crisis of 1920. Johnson talks about the pre revolutionary stage and post revolutionary stage and goes on explaining the role of women in terms of labor.1 She elaborates about the family crisis of 20th century and the family reform in order to acquire the proper family. But in order to get this task executed and to support the family reform, more over through the inspiration offered by Chinese communist Party during revolution. Women started working in various fields so that they can earn as well as save their earnings and thus help in increasing the socio economic status of the family through their contribution. As in once the females start working they will start earning wages and, the socio economic status or power dynamics within the family would automatically elevated to the next level. During the revolutionary period as mentioned above, revolutionary forces accosted a traditional family system which was already criticized, to resolve the issues related with the family reformation. But it was not easy for all the people to cope-up with the situation as the Confucian system was signifying the disintegration and thus was under pres sure. There were many factors causing the variations in family reformation including psychological, economical, intellectual powers which always characterized the downfall of dynasties. But for poor rural women of china the early 20th century crisis bought inexplicit effects for family reform. As a result of this crisis the women were forced to lose their traditional role in society. Thus an increase in poverty and migration was recorded. Hence the women were force to join any industry. In order to fight this family crisis, Chinese came up with an idea of implementing small cooperatives at all villages. The main aim of such cooperatives was to increase the women's active participation in the production so that they can support the economy. The most common tasks were related to handicraft and textile industry which included sewing, weaving and spinning. The reason behind selecting these tasks was that these were practiced traditionally in some parts at home earlier. But some handicra ft work was hampered in recent generations due to the introduction of more efficient, modern and foreign industry. But the women who had retained those handicraft skills were encouraged to provide training to other women in small groups. Hence many women got involved in household production. Moreover women got indulged in manufacturing uniforms, blankets, shoes and socks for red army. 2 Situation Forced Women Into Production One more major reason behind the Chinese women getting involved in production was that the young boys and men were recruited for the army by revolutionaries, moreover by Chinese Communist party. Johnson raised the question against the role of Chinese communist party in fighting for the rights of Chinese women. Johnson states that the Chinese communist party has fought actively in order to accomplish the changes that were vital for its continued survival such as the party encouraged

Situational Leadership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Situational Leadership - Research Paper Example Latest research found that most leaders exhibited one of four combinations of task and relationship behaviors (Smith, Waller, and Warnock, 1989, p.1). Ken Blanchard and Paul Hersey developed a situational theory of leadership style. Their model of leadership shows that the practice of leading other employees requires one to be able to adopt job experience and skills of the individual employees. There are several theories that try to explain the actual perception and mentality a true leader should have, but all in all, a situational leader is required to be able to adapt their leadership skills according to the needs of the employees and perform it effectively according to situational context (Blanchard & Hersey, 2010). An effective or/and efficient leader is a leader who practices a behavioral and situational leadership. This kind of leader should be able to test different compromising situation to be able to determine which style of leadership will be successful in a particular situation (Lyons & Goldsmith, 2006, p.27). Effective leaders have the potential, interests, abilities and exemplary personality behavior to lead than non-effective leaders. They have the desire and willingness to lead others in the right way because they are always empowered by full confidence all the time. Not all successful leaders are effective or situational leaders, but the most successful ones have higher intelligence and emotional maturity (Hellriegel, & Slocum, 2007, p.216). Successful leaders have the desire to achieve better results in whatever position they are holding. They keep on seeking one goal after the other without depending on employees for motivation in achieving these goals. One has always a higher sense of integrity by strictly following and practicing the laid down set of values (Hellriegel, & Slocum, 2007, p.217). An effective leader

Pulmonary Rehabilitation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Pulmonary Rehabilitation - Essay Example To achieve this objective, Rochester (2008) analyzes various relevant secondary sources. The researcher finds the need for preoperative pulmonary rehabilitation for patients preparing for lung transplantation or LVRS because such patients are medically complex and have exercise limitations and that these surgical procedures present substantial preoperative complications and risk of mortality. Despite its ventilating limitation, it was found that this procedure improves peak work rate, walk distance, muscle strength, maximum oxygen consumption and quality of life. However, the researcher could not determine whether it increases surgery survival, surgery tolerance and adherence to medication. The research documents postoperative benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation including hastening recovery and optimizing functional status. There are no formal guidelines for pulmonary rehabilitation but the research suggests strength exercise training, alternating high and low intensity training and stretching and chest mobility exercises among others. The findings give scientific evidence of effectiveness, safety and feasibility of pulmonary rehabilitation for patients seeking to undergo or recovering from lung transplantation or LVRS. However, the patients should be monitored to ensure that they do not show any signs of undesirable events. Appropriate safety precautions should be taught during training. Rochester (2008) proposes the need for future investigation of whether lung transplantation and LVRS outcome could be improved by improving symptom management and exercise

Final Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Final - Term Paper Example international market regions of Europe, it had to bear varied types of challenges and issues such as barriers in international trade, mitigation as well as investment (Beall, 2010). But due to the support of municipal government, all such international barriers reduced significantly that amplified its position and brand image in the entire globe among other rival players such as General Motors, Toyota etc. As a result of which the total sale and profitability of the organization enhanced that proved effective for the government of the Europe among other neighboring nations. The economic condition of the country enhanced as well as the rate o unemployment and poverty reduced to a significant extent (Ford.com, 2014). Other than this, at the time of expansion in the new market region of Europe, the organization of Ford Motors had to analyze the taste and preferences of the customers so as to improve its prosperity and portfolio in the market (Bradley, 2012). Moreover, due to the active participation of municipal government, the policy related issues such as tariff barriers, subsides to local firms etc reduced significantly that amplified its reputation and market share in the markets of Europe among others (Ford, 2014). The organization of Ford Motors had to bear varied types of political challenges such as tariff rates, trade restrictions due to political instability in the nation of Europe. As a result of which, the brand image and competitiveness of the organization of Ford Motors attained a serious set-back (Kazmi, 2010). Economic factors: inflation is one of the important causes that hindered the total sale and prosperity of the organization of Ford Motors within the region of Europe as compared to many others. As a result, the organization had failed to enhance its profit margin and demand of the products that hindered its portfolio and prosperity in the market among others. Social factors: as the preferences of the customers are changing at a rapid pace so

The World Trade Organization is often accused of benefiting richer Essay

The World Trade Organization is often accused of benefiting richer nations to the detriment of poorer ones. Discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of joi - Essay Example WTO has 150 members , Vietnum being the 150th. WTO derives its strength from the commitment of its member nations to managing trade with a common set of values including honesty, sincerity, transparency, predictability, nondiscrimination and a rule-based dispute resolution. WTO contains a basic set of rules that all its member states have to comply with. These rules basically put some obligation on the member nations. Some of the general obligation faced by the member countries are as follows: each member nation (i) must apply the same trade policies to all WTO members (with exceptions for regional agreements), (ii) must treat foreign goods equally with domestically produced ones when applying trade-related regulations, (iii) must not use quotas or export subsidies, (iv) should impose tariffs which are more transparent. Apart from this a member nation has to promise not to augment the level of ordinary customs duties above levels negotiated with other WTO members. (Bossche, 2005) Joining the WTO is basically a commitment to enter the world market which is governed by a set of transparent and strict rules and regulations, to access to the large and open market of 150 countries . Once a country joins the WTO, it is granted with both benefits and responsibilities, advantages and disadvantages, and great opportunities and big challenges at the same time. When a nation joins the WTO, it gets an access to huge international market. Joining the WTO also sends a strong signal to the nation’s trade and investment partners about that country’s future direction in respect of trade. Not only in respect of trade, joining the WTO could be considered as a spanking new start of a comprehensive reform in economy, law, administration, education, training, and culture. Once a country joins the WTO, its economy starts to adjust to market changes that lead to labor and training changes. Joining the WTO apparently provides the

Business Driven Technology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Driven Technology - Research Paper Example In the modern era, two popular business driven technologies are social networks and e-commerce. These technologies are considerably transforming the retail industry (Mercier et al., 2012). Based on this aspect, the paper describes the way in which these technologies have transformed the retail industry and also provides example of two companies that have applied them in the businesses. How Social Networks is Transforming Retail Industry The proliferation of social media is transforming the way people connect with each other and how they make purchasing decisions. As the channels for sales have increased and boundaries between them are disappearing, consumers are in higher requirement of combining brand experience. Due to social networking, consumers are more empowered and influential than before. Through social networking, they can easily compare prices, review products’ quality and evaluate the opinions of other customers which facilitate to shape the products and services of retail companies. The retail industry is already exploiting the social media for the purpose of marketing and commerce. The social media trends are forcing the industry in the direction of individual oriented marketing approach from retailers comprising components such as social commerce, real time marketing and supply chain collaborations. Essentially, this approach is subjected to transaction history of customers in combination with pertinent social networking behaviors. Social networking is starting to play an essential role in the associated retail experience. The retail shopping experience is facilitating to target individual customers (Symphony Teleca Corp., 2013). Social Media Strategies of Walmart Walmart is an international retail company which provides general merchandise products and groceries. The following figure demonstrates the SWOT analysis of one of the largest retail chains, Walmart. Walmart has learnt regarding the management of social networking in its business. The company faced several challenges due to controversial commercial activities and hence, it has utilized the social media for promoting the brand. For example, in the year 2008, the company introduced ‘checkoutblog.com’ which features the employees of the company. They provided their valuable opinions regarding the product varieties of Walmart and also gave supportive recommendations. It helped to develop a positive image of the company for large audience. Apart from this, Walmart also sponsored a blog named ‘Eleven Moms’. This blog has rapidly become a large community where women consumers’ converse subjects about motherhood, health products and budgeting (Barker, 2013). Walmart has attempted to leverage the technological tendencies of social networking by investing in mobile marketing services. For instance, in 2011, Walmart had acquired a social networking technology company namely Kosmix. This acquisition is essentially intended to utilize the monitoring application and to enlarge the online business. The Walmart program for iPhone delivers guidance to the customers while shopping electronic products, reviewing products and placing orders. These social media services are quite convenient and enjoyable for the present generation of customers (Barker, 2013). How Electronic Commerce is Transforming Retail Industry The other important business driven technology

Ict as level coursework Essay Example for Free

Ict as level coursework Essay Welcome to Magic Herbal Products, which was founded by Sarah Lenington in 2003, who travelled across the world in search of some of the rarest herbal and organic remedies. Sarah was born in London and studied dermatology at a top university. Her passion was making others feel good about themselves so she decided to take up the opportunity to travel several countries in 1997 in the hope of finding natural ingredients instead of artificial products that are prone to cause skin deterioration and allergic reactions. Her discoveries of mineral oils and powders as well as plant extracts were tested in labs for over three years. This was a major procedure to ensure the ingredients were compatible with both skin and hair. It was important that all ingredients used in each product was natural and was not tested on animals. The ingredients were found in Indonesia, Malaysia, India and also Egypt. What makes Magic Herbal products so different to any other brand is the purity of the products as well as their campaign against testing products on animals. Furthermore the packaging of all their products is recycled to ensure they are doing their bit for the environment. The Organic Cosmetics store is located in the centre of London with two people working in it that are in charge of customer service, stocking the products and distributing the products by postage to customers that order by mail. Current system The current system is a paper based system meaning that all customer details, store details, bills and employee information is all stored on paper and is filed. Once a customer wants to purchase any of the herbal products over the phone the employee will have to fill out customer details manually on a sheet containing contact details, billing information, product information and the total of items purchased. All calculations are made using a calculator, pen and paper- including a 10% discount on orders. Problems with the current system Having a paper based filing system of all the companies details is a major disadvantage to the company as it is generally very inconvenient to always search through hundreds of files on a daily basis just to find previous customer details. This wastes a substantial amount of time for the employees. The company very regularly offer discounts on the products which is calculated by a calculator, pen and paper however this takes time and errors are made very easily. This is due to several reasons handwriting can be unclear, it can be difficult to understand all customers of the phone and also totals have to be calculated manually. Another major disadvantage is the fact that receipts are not given to customers as proof of their purchase in case they need it in the future. It also portrays an unprofessional image of the business to customers as they have to wait impatiently while the employee has fills out all their details and also wait whilst the employee is calculating the total of items purchased. Furthermore, the confidentiality of customer information is not secure as anyone has access to the files as they are not in a secure place meaning that customer information can be accessed by unauthorised people. The solution In order to overcome these fundamental problems I will create a user interface. The system will enable the user to choose one of the following options buy products, go to previous customers, see stock levels and edit customer details. If a customer wants to buy something then the user will enter the product via a catalogue and all the details of the product should appear on the screen. Once this is complete the final price will be displayed after a 10% discount of total. Therefore this will be calculated without the user physically viewing the formulas of how the total is calculated. This will ensure that all the calculations are correct which will ultimately increase customer service. This means that no one will have to work out the value themselves ensuring the correctness of the calculations. Another benefit is all the data is safe and secure as only authorised people will have access to customer information due to passwords. The solution will be easy and quick to use as the business may need to deal with several customers on a particular day, therefore if the system is quick it means that they are not loosing customers. The solution should be professional as it is a representation of the business. I will create a system where the employee will fill out details of the client whilst on the phone to them.

Analysis of Living Standards in the UK

Analysis of Living Standards in the UK Assignment Title: Living Standards The UK in 2013 had a population of approximately 64 million; standards of living are used to monitor and identify which areas of the UK and the world are living in penury and which areas are more affluent and are thriving. The government is responsible for identifying the contributing factors towards a wealthy region or a poor region. Burtless, G (1987, p.232) defines standards of living as â€Å"the sustained level of consumption of goods and services that can be afforded on the basis of a household’s current assets and current and future income†. Economists and economic research companies have tried and tested many different ways to record the standard of living in the UK. Living standards is a hot topic in political conversations, and the government are pressured to focus on improving the well-being of the population. Elliot, L (2014) recent article for the Guardian discusses the views of Andrew Harrop, general secretary of the Fabian Society who exclaims that â€Å"What we measure – and how we measure it – matters. The financial crisis proved that simply targeting the headline goals of GDP growth, unemployment and inflation was totally inadequate as these measures failed to identify major economic weaknesses as they emerged†. This would suggest that the government need to revisit their policy on standards of living on focus on refining them in order to achieve their objectives. Mankiw, N (2011) suggests that policymakers must accumulate factors of production quickly in order to make the population more efficient and more positive. There are many different measures of standard of living that have been developed over the past 30-40 years, there are the more traditional ways of measurement and modern, innovative and experimental measures that are both used in the world of business. Traditional standard of living measures Crafts et al (2007) suggests that historically, standards of living have been measured by assessing real wages. Real wages is the income of a person and with consideration of the inflationary effects on purchasing power. Recent UK and US wage statistics compiled by Branchflower Machin (2014) suggests that after a healthy upwards movement of the average wage in the UK in the 1990’s and early part of the 2000’s; there is an alarming downward trend from the year 2010 to 2013 where wages rates are increasingly lowering. From the graph it is also clear that the US wage growth is very little historically and there are no major fluctuations in comparison to the UK. (See Appendix 1). The Economist (2014) blames the fall in real wages on the UK’s ‘dismal productivity’ since the recession, output in the UK is below the pre-financial crisis peak. This would suggest that Britain needs more highly skilled jobs and possible incentives to boost productivity and create an efficient labour market. Real wages are effective in measuring standards, real wages statistics can be used to identify trends in wages in different countries over a particular period, this is further emphasised by the International Labour Organisation (2003) who suggest that real wages are useful for identifying differences in purchasing power of wages in different world economies, real wages can also provide an idea of the progress of a working population. Nordhaus (1997 p.30) criticises the method of calculating real wages, he states that â€Å"If we are to obtain accurate estimates of the growth of real incomes over the last century, we must some-how construct price indexes that account for the vast changes in the quality and range of goods and services that we consume†. It could be argued that countries such as the US and the UK have already constructed price indexes with the use of the Retail Price Index, the Consumer Price Index in the last century. Another of the more traditional measures of living standards is GDP; the main GDP elements that are important for living standards are GDP per capita and Real GDP per capita. GDP per capita is the total output divided by the population of a country. Recent figures from the ONS (2014) shows a comparison of the top economies in the world of the year 1997 and 2012; from the graph (see Appendix 2) it is clear to see that the UK GDP per capita has risen but not as much in value as the likes of the US, Canada and Germany – the UK still however has the 4th biggest GDP per capita in the world. Nominal GDP per capita is often criticised by economists because it does not take inflation into consideration, so it is better to use Real GDP as the measurement because it is relevant and reflects a true value. Eurostat’s graph (see Appendix 3) shows the year on year growth percentage of real GDP per capita in the UK, the research shows a large dip after the financial crisis and since that has happened the percentage growth rate has never reached the peaks pre-financial crisis, this would suggest that productivity in the UK is low and there needs to be more employment created, which could lead to an increase the output of the country. The main positive of using GDP per capita as a measure is that it is used nationwide and recorded fairly frequently, GDP per capita is measured in quarters and allows countries to evaluate the figures and look at trends over different periods – this is important to identify which countries are trending downwards and is important at a regional level, governments can identify what areas are lacking in output and where investment needs to be focused. Whereas real wages are said to be useful in comparing the difference in wealth in economies International Labour Organisation (2003), Tucker (2013) argues there are several issues when comparing countries using GDP per capita, he suggests that low economically developed countries are not as accurate as wealthier countries when recording the data necessary for GDP. He also suggests that some countries have very different income distribution using the United Arab Emirates as an example; the majority of income comes from oil which is only distributed amongst a number of rich families. Real GDP per capita is important because it can give a true value after inflationary adjustments are made, however this measure also has some limitations. Similarly to GDP per capita, real GDP per capita fails to identify inequalities in income and wealth in a country, there is also the issue of the ‘black market’ which can he hidden amongst the value of real GDP per capita. Another traditional measure of living standards to consider is the Gini coefficient; the Gini index measures the actual distribution income in a country in comparison to an equal distribution of income. The index measures the difference between a Lorenz curve and a line of equality. The Gini index line of 0 represents equality whereas 100 would indicate inequality. The Poverty Site (2010) Gini Coefficient graph (see Appendix 4) shows a comparison of the 27 members of the European Union, at the time the UK figure stood at just over 30% which ranks sixth highest in inequality in Europe and higher than the EU27 average of 30%. The graph also shows how Scandinavian countries such as Sweden Finland have a much more equal society in terms of income despite their questionable taxation policies. The United Kingdom would likely try and target a smaller percentage to achieve better equality amongst the population. Concerns over income inequality have been raised recently. Treanor Farrell (2014) recent article for the Guardian discusses how the UK is the only G7 country with growing inequality, the article discusses findings from a Credit Suisse global wealth report show that the UK’s richest 10% of people represent 54.1% of the total national income. There will be inevitable pressure on the government from low income families that have been suffering from rising utility bills and only a small rise in wages. The Gini Co-efficient is very effective in showing the inequality in countries throughout the world, it can also help economists and businessman understand and support their thinking if they believe the country is increasing in terms of inequality of income. McKinley, T (1995 p.141) writes that â€Å"the Gini coefficient does not concentrate merely on differences from the mean; it is a much more direct measure of inequality because it accounts for the differences between every pair of observations†. The Gini co-efficient isn’t without its limitations, Parrillo (2008) suggests that the measure does not alter much when transfers are made between the rich and the poorer people. Another disadvantage of the Gini coefficient is that it fails to inform you of the changes in the distribution of income between income groups as opposed to alternative measures of living standards. Alternative standard of living measures Throughout the last 20-30 years there have been a number of alternative measures developed across the world, trying to find a better way to measure living standards. The Human Development Index was originally developed by the UN to monitor and develop a ranking of countries by the following criteria; average years of schooling, expected years of schooling, life expectancy from birth and gross national income per capita. From the most recent HDI data (see appendix 5) the United Kingdom ranks at #14 in the top 15, the HDI shows some interesting developments and differences between the nations of the world. The United States for example has a high GNI Per capita compares to other countries, their life expectancy however ranks lower than any other country in the top 15; this could suggest that the United States standard of living is not truly reflected in the HDI. Although the Scandinavian countries rank high on the HDI, Henrietta Moore of The Guardian (2014) argues that they are not the model for global prosperity; she suggests that their principles of autonomy and self determination are the reasons for their high human development. Moore summarises statistics that suggest that the Scandinavian countries are consuming resources far too quickly they rank top of both the carbon emissions usage and they rank high in the WWF’s scale of ecological impact. It could be argued that it is important to consider the environmental impacts of nation’s activities before considering their Human Development ranking. The obvious advantage of the HDI is that it makes it simple to monitor the changes in development of countries over a period of time, it is also effective to use when comparing different countries around the world and how they are developing and which element of the criteria is changing most. There is a drawback to the HDI, Soubbotina Sheram (2000) suggests that it fails to show the significance of the different elements and fails to support why a countries index may have altered over time. It could be argued that the United Nations needs to provide more reasoning and evidence to support changes in figures. Another of the more recent innovative measurements of living standards is the Happy Planet Index developed in 2006; countries are measured on life expectancy, well-being and ecological footprint. Each country is given a particular colour as in the HPI (see Appendix 6) based on their performance; green being good, amber being middle or average, red being bad performance after accumulating the different components for each country. From appendix 6, the countries performing worst are the United States and a lot of African countries including Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria. The United Kingdom is ranked in the middle ranking as a result of their poor ecological footprint in which they rank #121 out of the 151 countries. Surprisingly Mexico is one of the best performing countries based on the index ranking 23rd out of 151 with a healthy well-being score. The Happy Planet Index became very popular when it first came out because of the results it produced. Simms Boyle (2009) praises the measure suggesting it is the first measure to combine well-being and environmental impact to find a countries efficiency. A social factor and criticism of the Happy Planet Index is described by Murray, P (2011) he argues that families may find that they do not welcome giving information on personal health to help determine life expectancy and levels of personal health, this suggests that the information for some countries may be inaccurate because a lot of people may have refused to give such sensitive personal information. Another alternative measure which has been viewed as a successor for GDP is the Genuine Progress Indicator, this measure is designed to measure improvements made in economic welfare. GPI takes several factors into consideration including monetary value of voluntary and unpaid work, leisure time. Similarly to the previous measures discussed, GPI takes into consideration income distribution, environmental impacts and state of the environment. The GPI also accounts for the cost of crime in the country being measured. The GPI has been tested across the world in a number of different experiments. Bagstad Shammin (2012) looked at testing different GPI factors in 17 counties in Ohio and compared the results of change from 1990-2005 (see appendix 7), from the table we can see the differences in 15 years in some important factors to the people of Ohio. There have been drastic changes in some factors including net capital investment which is good for the areas because it may improve job prospects. The advantage of GPI in this particular testing process in Ohio is that it combines an element of consumption, GDP per capita and Gini coefficient. The GPI is being used increasingly around the world because it has a number of advantages in comparison to traditional methods such as GDP, the GPI is said to take into consideration negative contributions to growth such as pollution and crime, GPI is effective in measuring people’s living standards and not just a measure of output as is the primary objective of GDP. GPI is much more useful in long term planning than GDP because environmental impacts are taking into consideration and be addressed in the long term. Although GPI takes the value of leisure time and environmental impacts, these factors are very hard to determine a specific value to include in the calculations, GDP per capita in comparison is a much simpler method; GPI is also ineffective in relation to a business cycle. Measures of living standards are ever changing; there may never be a measure more accurate or reliable as another because they all have their criticisms and drawbacks that are fresh within economist’s minds. It is clear that there is a shift of focus from just measuring output of a population through GDP per capita to recognising the issues and factors that affect a population; the alternative measures each focus on social factors such as life expectancy. Rather than looking at just earnings and wages, the newer measures of living standards focus on what is actually relevant to people around the world. GDP per capita and real wages show some difference in the level of wealth and income inequality but it is methods like the Human Development Index which can be used to determine a more global perspective of living standards, to summarise the more traditional methods are useful for measuring the wealth whereas the alternative and more innovative measures focus on the social facto rs that indicate a populations standard of living. Appendices Appendix 1 Source: Branchflower Machin (2014) Appendix 2 Source: ONS (2014) Appendix 3 Yearly change in percentage of Real GDP per capita growth in the UK Source: Eurostat (2014) Appendix 4 Source: The Poverty Site (2010) Appendix 5 HDI Index 2013 top 15 rankings, Source: United Nations Development Programme (2013) Appendix 6 Source: Happy Planet Index (2012) Appendix 7 Source: Bagstad Shammin (2012) Bibliography Bagstad,K, Shammin, R. (2011) ‘Can the Genuine Progress Indicator better inform sustainable regional progress?—A case study for Northeast Ohio’, Ecological Indicators, 18, pp.330-341, Science Direct (Online) Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com.ergo.glam.ac.uk/science/article/pii/S1470160X11003918# (Accessed 22/11/14). Boyle, D., Simms, A. (2009). The New Economics: A Bigger Picture. Oxford: Routledge. Branchflower, D., Machin, S. (2014) ‘Falling real wages’, Paper No CEPCP422, 19 (1) pp. 19-21. CentrePiece (Online). Available at: http://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/cp422.pdf (Accessed 17/11/14) Burtless, G (1987). 1st edn. Work, Health and Income among the Elderly. Washington, D.C: Brookings Institution. Crafts, N., Gazeley, I. Newell, A. (2007). Work and Pay in 20th Century Brtiain. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Elliot, L (2014) ‘Living standards should be central measure of UK economic performance’ 12 March (Online) Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/mar/12/living-standard-measure-economic-growth (Accessed 16/11/14) Eurostat (2014). Real GDP per capita, growth rate and totals. Available at: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/graph.do?tab=graphplugin=1pcode=tsdec100language=entoolbox=sort. Accessed (17/11/14). Happy Planet Index (2012). HPI 2012: Map View. Available at: http://www.happyplanetindex.org/data/. (Accessed 21/11/14) International Labour Organisation. (2003). 3rd edn. Key Indicators of the Labour Market. Geneva: ILO Publications. Mankiw, N (2011). 6th edn. Principles of Economics. Ohio: South-western publishing. McKinley, T (1995). The Distribution of Wealth in Rural China. Oxford: Routledge. Moore, H (2014). ‘Why Scandinavia is not the model for global prosperity we should all pursue’. 1st December (Online). Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/dec/01/why-scandinavia-is-not-the-model-for-global-prosperity-we-should-all-pursue. (Accessed 1/12/14) Murray, P. (2011). The Sustainable Self: A Personal Approach to Sustainability Education. Oxford: Routledge. Nordhaus, W. (1997). P.27-70. The Economics of New Goods. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ONS (2014). The UK has one of the fastest growing economies in the G7. Available at: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/elmr/gdp-and-the-labour-market/q1-2014may-gdp-update/sty-gdp-g7-economies.html. Accessed (17/11/14). Parrillo, V (2008). Encyclopedia of Social Problems. Washington DC: Sage Publications. Soubbotina, T., Sheram, K. (2000). Beyond Economic Growth: Meeting the Challenges of Global Development. Washington DC: World Bank Publications. The Economist (2014). What recovery? Real wages 413(8910), 32(US). 25th October. Retrieved from: http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA387050752v=2.1u=uwcnit=rp=STNDsw=wasid=a520ff594e7283ba19a015fcb5d8e35f (Accessed 17/11/14). The Poverty Site (2010). European Union: Gini Coefficient. Available at: http://www.poverty.org.uk/e14/index.shtml. Accessed (17/11/14). Treanor, J Farrell, S (2014). ‘UK only G7 country with wider inequality than at turn of century’. 14th October (Online). Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/oct/14/uk-inequality-wealth-credit-suisse. Accessed (17/11/14). Tucker, I (2013). Macroeconomics for Today. 8th edn. Ohio: South-western publishing. United Nations Development Programme (2013). Human Development Index and its components. Available at: http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/table-1-human-development-index-and-its-components. (Accessed 21/11/14)

Tips on Financing to Buy a Website :: Sell Websites Buy Websites

Tips on Financing to Buy a Website Reprinted with permission of VotanWeb.com If you're like most people buying a website, you'll probably need to borrow money to complete the acquisition. Although, you may obtain a loan from friends or family, most buyers turn to a commercial lender for financing. Although different lenders specialize in making certain types of loans, you should be aware of the common principles, steps and business terms you're likely to see when dealing with any commercial lender. The major issues of importance when you are seeking a loan include the amount to be loaned, the interest rate, the fees and expenses charged by the lender in connection with making the loan, the term of the loan, the obligations (covenants) you'll have to meet while the loan is outstanding, whether or not a portion of the principal must be paid back each month, and the need for security or a personal guarantee to be posted. All lenders have what are known as "underwriting guidelines". These guidelines set out the facts and circumstances that need to exist in order for the lender to make a loan. Obtaining these guidelines or a summary of them, at the beginning of the process can help you determine if you are dealing with a lender who is likely to loan you money for your acquisition. Some lenders only make loans up to the SBA guarantee limit, others focus on particular industries, require minimum cash flow coverage or certain levels of security or personal guarantees. If, after reviewing the guidelines of a particular lender, you think you'll be able to meet all of the requirements; it's probably a fair bet to proceed with the process. If not, you should probably look for a different lender. The underwriting guidelines will also identify what types of due diligence materials you'll have to supply. A credit check, financial statements, management backgrounds, insurance certificates, governmental licenses and corporate documents are some of the most common types of due diligence materials you'll need to produce. It's important to be well organized, and to deliver all of the materials in a timely manner. The longer it takes you to deliver these materials, the more questions it may raise in the lender's mind about your qualifications. These guidelines generally list a number of other criteria as well. Some lenders may require that your financial statements be audited. This means that you'll need an independent accountant to review and express an opinion on your financial records.

Revenge and Violence in Cassandra :: Cassandra Essays

Revenge and Violence in Cassandra   Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   In "Mycenae Lookout," Seamus Heaney tells the story of Agamemnon, Clytemnestra and Cassandra after the Trojan war. "Cassandra" is the second part of "Mycenae Lookout" and chronicles Cassandra, Apollo's ill-fated prophetess, who is captured by Agamemnon at the war's end and brought back to Mycenae as a slave. The fates of Cassandra and the House of Atreus collide with Agamemnon's return to Mycenae, where his wife Clytemnestra and her lover Aegisthus plot his murder.   Aegisthus and Clytemnestra both seek revenge: Clytemnestra for her daughter's sacrifice and Aegisthus for the overthrow of his father and the sins of Agamemnon's father Atreus, of which Aegisthus was the only survivor. While Heaney probably drew from many classical sources for his poem, the section entitled "Cassandra" seems especially drawn from Aeschylus' play Agamemnon. Heaney compresses the events of Agamemnon into a mere 64 lines but still retains, partially through uses of the binaries w hich are contained in the play, the classic and timeless story of revenge and a violent vicious circle.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "Cassandra" begins with Cassandra's description. She is described as a prisoner of war might look, "soiled" (4), "devastated" (6-7) and "camp-fucked" (12), rather than marble smooth and serene, as one might expect a classical Greek figure to appear. Heaney focuses on her appearance and describes her clothing, "her little breasts" and the state of her head in lines four through ten. It is not until he gets to line 11, though, that he comments on what may have happened to her as a prisoner of the Trojan War. "Camp-fucked," with its feel of sexual violence, implies that, along with physical abuse and enslavement, Cassandra has endured rape as well (12). In lines eight through thirteen, Heaney chooses words, such as "punk," "char-eyed" and "gawk" to illustrate succinctly Cassandra's position in the House of Atreus: she is an alien, traumatized by the destruction she has witnessed and stunned to awkwardness by her descent from princess of Troy to slave of Myc enae.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The speaker says, "People / could feel / a missed / trueness" in Cassandra (14-17). This paragraph comes to a point with the word "focus," which is used as a verb.

King Lear :: essays papers

King Lear Act I Scene i: Set in the royal court, the first scene of Shakespeare's King Lear pivots upon the refusal of the aged monarch's youngest daughter, Cordelia, to follow the suit of her sisters Goneril and Regan in professing love for their father, and Lear's wrathful decision to disown Cordelia. Nevertheless, Act I, scene i of Lear begins with a parallel subplot about the bastard Edmund's treachery toward his father Gloucester and his brother Edgar. At the start of the scene, we first see the loyal gentlemen Kent and Gloucester discussing Lear's intention to leave the realm to his daughters and their sons-in-law. The dialogue is interrupted by the appearance of Edmund, the illegitimate son of Gloucester. In due course we learn that Edmund is not only a bastard but also an inveterate villain, the male counterpart to Lear's "evil" daughters, Goneril and Regan. Trumpets blare as a majestic Lear arrives with his retinue and announces that his "darker purpose" is to hand over his kingdom to his t hree daughters. He proceeds to ask each of them to express their love for him in words. Goneril tells her father that he is dearer to her than "eyesight, space and liberty" (l.56); the second daughter Regan answers that she is "an enemy of all other joys" (l.73). But Lear's youngest daughter, Cordelia, responds that she can add nothing to what her older sisters have said. Cordelia refuses to go beyond her own heart and conscience; she loves her father, but not to the exclusion of all else. Lear becomes infuriated, and then disinherits and disowns his youngest daughter. The goodly Kent's efforts to restore Cordelia only provoke Lear's wrath and lead to the nobleman's banishment. When two suitors for Cordelia's hand in marriage, the Duke of Burgundy and the King of France appear, Lear tells them that they must take her without a dowry. The Duke of Burgundy refuses but the King of France takes the fair and true Cordelia with him. In the scene's final exchange, Goneril and Regan reveal themselves as the coming villains of the tragedy, with the bastard Edmund lurking in the background Scenes ii, iii, iv, & v: Here Shakespeare returns to the subplot, as Edmund devises a scheme to set his father against Edgar, Gloucester's legitimate son. He shows Gloucester a phony letter in which Edgar tries to enlist Edmund into a murder plot against their father.

Causes of Mass Failure in English Language

ISSN  2039? 2117 Mediterranean  Journal  of  Social  Sciences Vol  3  (1)  January  2012Causes of rising failure of the students’ in the subject of English at Secondary Level Gulap Shahzada (Corresponding & Principal author) Institute of Education & Research University of Science & Technology, Bannu, Pakistan [email  protected] com Dr. Safdar Rehman Ghazi Institute of Education & Research University of Science & Technology, Bannu, Pakistan [email  protected] com Dr.Umar Ali Khan Director Institute of Education & Research Gomal University DIKhan, Pakistan [email  protected] com Doi: 10. 5901/mjss. 2012. 03. 01. 603 Abstract Purpose of this research was to find out causes of rising failure of the students’ in the subject of English at Secondary Level. This study was descriptive in nature. All the male secondary schools in district Bannu constituted population of this study. From 50 secondary schools 100 English teachers were randomly selected as a sample of the study.A questionnaire for secondary school teachers was de veloped to collect data. To analyze and interpret data, simple percentage was used. Results of the study showed that majority of the respondents approved that teacher of English are not qualified and well trained, teachers of English do not teach English in a proper manner, Audio- Visual aids are not used in English class, The course is not compatible to the present time, teachers of linguistics are not present in our schools, English is given importance in the annual progress of the students in school.It was recommended that Qualified and well trained teachers may be appointed for English, teachers of English may use modern teaching method instead of traditional methods, Audio visual aids may be used such as language lab, gramophone, English course may be made compatible to the present time, Teachers may be encouraged to get linguistics knowledge. Keywords: English language, Audio, Visual aids, Communication, International 1. Introduction The kind of Education, offered to their peo ple by the countries of the world is always related to their progress and advancement.The more the people of societies are Educated, the more they are civilized and well disciplined. It is a fact –universally recognized, that Education is the prime key to moral, cultural, political and socio-economic development of a nation. Islam being a revolutionary faith made it obligatory on every man and woman to acquire knowledge and exerted them undertake long and tedious journey to distant land in search of it. Emphasizing the importance of Education and learning in Islam it is enough to note that the first revelation of the Prophet was â€Å"Read in the name of thy Lord who created†.It is through Education that a person gets an insight to understand and resolve his problems as well as those of his society (Government of Pakistan, 1998).605 ISSN  2039? 2117Mediterranean  Journal  of  Social  SciencesVol  3  (1)  January  2012 Secondary Education is considered to be an important sub sector of the entire Education system. If it provides middle level workers for the economy on one hand, and on the other, it acts as a feeder for the higher level of Education.The quality of Higher Education depends upon the quality of secondary Education which is expected to produce high quality professionals in different fields of Social, Economic and Political life of the country. Thus Secondary level of Education therefore, requires to be organized in such a way that it should prepare young men and women for the pursuit of Higher Education, as well as make them able to adjust with their practical lives meaningfully and productively (Bhatti, 1987).An excellent opportunity is, therefore provided by four years of secondary education to the Educators and Educationists to conceive and launch programs which initiate the learners in to proper forms of behaviour and attitudes, which leads to decent productive and peaceful life in future (Govt of Pakistan, 1998). According to Encyclopedia Britannica (2005), a system of conventional, spoken or written symbols by means of which human beings, as members of a social group and participants in its culture, communicate is called a language.No nation on the globe can make progress in all fields of life, without having proficiency and good command of English. It is a great wonder that quality of instruction in English and results of the Examinations: in the subject of English were the lowest of all the other subjects. The medium by which we communicate our thoughts and feelings to our fellowmen , the tool with which we conduct our business or government, the vehicle in the Science, Philosophy, the poetry of the race have been transmitted is surely worthy of study . It is fact that most of the time and energy is consumed in teaching and learning of English.In spite of all these our students are weak in English. So the government realized the importance of English and has made it compulsory from the ve ry first level. According to Aggarwal (1995 ) command over English is a vehicle of thought and lack of command over it is bound to make thoughts inexpressible, only those who understand any language can express themselves in that language. This is the age of Science and technology, and no country can afford isolation from the social, Educational, Scientific and cultural movements profession like Engineering, Medicines, Agriculture and Industries.After all English is the language of the greatest power of the world. It spread as the language of the colonies of Britain in Africa and Asian countries (Griffer, 2002). The power of English will be increased by globalization, United States, World Bank, IMF etc. will control these jobs, which have started operating increasingly in English. This trend will increase the demand for English Schooling, which will make parents invest in English at the cost of their own languages (Skutnabb, 2000).According to Nicholas (1998), in the teaching of Eng lish, the teachers generally use Translation Method which is an old Method of Teaching; therefore, our students cannot get command over English language, as evident from the fact that there are a large number of students who fail in English at Secondary level. So, in light of the above mentioned facts the knowledge of English language is most important for a nation, but majority of the students fail in English because of lack of language learning Environment, Outdated curriculum, rigid Teaching Methods and incompetent English language Teachers in the Academic and professional Areas.Functional grammar is not taught and practiced, in the classrooms more importance is given to the teaching of English text-Books. For the study of English successfully, the teacher must help the students to acquire four Art skills in the language, namely; speaking, reading, listening and writing (Kolawole, 1998). 2. The Importance of English The importance of the English language is an open secret . We se es in our society that a little child whom we say the best philosopher is also in the struggle of learning the English language.Besides that we have remained the colony of the British Empire, therefore, we have the natural inclination towards the English language. The importance of the English language is naturally very great. English is the language not only of 606 ISSN 2039? 2117 Mediterranean  Journal  of  Social  SciencesVol  3  (1)  January  2012 England but of the extensive dominions and colonies associated in the British Empire, and it is the language of the United States spoken by over 260 million people, it is in the number who speak it the largest of the occidental languages.English speaking people constitute about one tenth of the world’s population English, however, is not the largest language in the world. The more conservative estimates of the population of china would indicate that Chinese is spoken by about 450 million people. But his numerical ascendancy of English among European languages can be seen by a few comparative figures. Russian, next in size to English, is spoken by about 140 millions people, Spanish by 135 millions; German by 90 millions, Portuguese by 63 millions, French by 60 millions; Italian by 50 millions.Thus at the present time English has the advantage in numbers over al other western languages. Bu the importance of a language is not alone a matter of numbers or territory; it depends also on the importance of the people who speak it. The importance of a language is inevitably associated in the mind of the world with the political role played by the nations using it and their fluency in international affairs; with the confidence people feel in financial position and the certainty with which they will meet their obligations i. e. pay their debts to other nations, meet the interest on their bonds, maintain the gold or other basis of their business enterprise and the international scope of their commerce; with the conditions of life under which the great mass of their people live; and with the part played by them in art and literature and music, in science and invention, in exploration and discovery. English is the mother tongue of nations whose combined political influence, economic soundness, commercial activity, social well being and scientific and cultural contributions to civilization give impressive support to its numerical precedence (Albert, 1983).A study was conducted by Sabiha Mansoor of Agha Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan on culture and teaching of English as a second language for Pakistani students in the year 2008. If we have to make, the teaching of English in Pakistan we need to reform and restructure the teaching of English in Pakistan, as this study reveals. Not only would this involve an understanding of the needs of the English Students, but also the place of culture both local and global in their language learning process.We would have to take in to account t he sociolinguistic aspects of English in the Pakistani as well as the international context while redressing and restructure the English literature course. To make the learning of English interesting and useful for the learners, Pakistani English teachers will have to take cognizance of the relationship between language and culture. If local culture is included in to the curriculum, methodology and teaching materials of TESL, it would make, learning easier and more meaningful for Pakistani students. Vocabulary the most obvious influence of language and culture on thought.The researcher pointed out that presently the material used for teaching, Family background is the most important and most weighty factor in determining the academic performance. A study was conducted by Shafiullah Khan of university of science and technology Bannu on the causes of failure in the subject of English at secondary level in district Bannu, in the year, 2007. The major findings of the result related to t his area of study were given as under: 1. Majority of the respondents reported that untrained teachers are one of the causes of student’s failure in SSC. 2.Majority of the teachers agreed that overcrowded class room is the cause of student’s failure in English. 3. Majority of respondents approved that SSC students are overcrowded and it is the cause of failure. 4. Majority of the teachers accepted that old system of examination is the cause of failure. 5. Majority of the respondents approved that English is the difficult subject. Keeping in view the importance of the problem this study was designed to know the causes of the rising failure in the subject of English. 607 ISSN  2039? 2117 Mediterranean  Journal  of  Social  Sciences Vol  3  (1)  January  2012 . Statement of the Problem The problem under the study was to investigate the causes of rising failure of the students in the subject of English at secondary level. 4. Objectives of the Study Follow ing was the main objective of the study. 1. To find out causes of the rising failure of the students in the subject of English among students at secondary level. 2. To give suggestion for the improvement of the situation. 5. Significance of the Study Education plays a vital role in the progress of any country of the world. Those nations who have equipped themselves with better education enjoy their prestigious status amongst the world.Today is the age of English language. English language is being taught as a compulsory subject in Pakistan. Being a foreign language, the teaching and learning English is a problem not only for the students but also for the teachers too. This study will be significant for the following reasons for both the teachers and students and curriculum developers. 1. The study may be helpful in finding the causes of rising failure in English. 2. The study may be helpful for the teachers in order to equip themselves with modern methodology and techniques regardin g the teaching of English 3.The study may be helpful in developing the proper curriculum for English. 6. Delimitation of the Study The study was delimited to all the male English teachers at secondary level in district Bannu. 7. Research Methodology This research was aimed to find out causes of the rising failure of the students in the subject of English at Secondary Level. This study was descriptive in nature. The following methodology was used: 7. 1 Population All the Govt. secondary schools in of district Bannu constituted population of this study. 7. 2 Sample One hundred English teachers of secondary level were selected from 50 secondary schools s a sample using simple random sampling technique. 7. 3 Research Instrument A questionnaire was developed with the help of research expert. It was administered to 30 students as pilot run in order to remove any ambiguity in the statements. 608 ISSN  2039? 2117 Mediterranean  Journal  of  Social  Sciences Vol  3  (1)  Janu ary  2012 7. 4 Data Collection The questionnaires were personally among the 100 teachers who were randomly selected. The researcher personally remained there in order to remove any misunderstanding in the questionnaire. 7. 5.Analysis of Data The data collected were tabulated, analyzed and interpreted in the light of the objectives of the study. Simple percentage was used for analysis of data. 8. Findings 1. 0% teachers are strongly agree, 0% teachers are agree, 0% teachers are somewhat agree. 39% teachers are disagree and 61% teachers are strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å"Teachers of English are qualified and well trained†. 2. 0% teachers are strongly agree, 0% teachers are agree, 0% teachers are somewhat agree, 64% teachers are disagree and 36% teachers are strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å" Teacher of English teaches English in a proper way†. . 45% teachers are strongly agree, 54% teachers are agree, 1% teachers are somewhat agree, 0% teache rs are disagree and 0% teachers are strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å" Teacher of English takes his class regularly†. 4. 52% teachers are strongly agree, 42% teachers are agree, 2% teachers are somewhat agree, 4% teachers are disagree and 0% teachers are strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å" Teachers of English explain difficult words in an easy way†. 5. 6% teachers are strongly agree, 36% teachers are agree, 10% teachers are somewhat agree, 8% teachers are disagree and 0% teachers are strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å" Teachers of English comes with full preparation for his lesson†. 6. 12% teachers are strongly agree, 11% teachers are agree, 2% teachers are somewhat agree, 29% teachers are disagree and 46% teachers are strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å" Audio-Visual aids are used in the teaching of English†. 7. %5 teachers are trongly agree, 5% teachers are agree, 3% teachers are somewhat agree, 37% teachers a re disagree and 50% teachers are strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å" Syllabus of English is lengthy†. 8. 3% teachers are strongly agree, 7% teachers are agree , 14% teachers are somewhat agree, 20% teachers are disagree and 66% teachers are strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å" syllabus of English is difficult†. 9. 3% teachers are strongly agree, 6% teachers are agree, 0% teachers are somewhat agree, 40% teachers are disagree and 50% teachers are strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å" The course is compatible to the present time†. 0. 27% teachers are strongly agree, 13% teachers are agree, 5% teachers are somewhat agree, 20% teachers are disagree and 35% teachers are strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å" There are suitable number of English periods in timetable†. 11. 19% teachers are strongly agree, 31% teachers are agree, 20% teachers are somewhat agree, 10% teachers are disagree and 20% teachers are strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å" The length of time of an English period is suitable†. 12. 3% teachers are strongly agree, 34% teachers are agree, 8% teachers are somewhat agree, 10% teachers are strongly agree and 5% teachers are strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å" Tests are taken regularly in an English class†. 609 ISSN  2039? 2117 Mediterranean  Journal  of  Social  Sciences Vol  3  (1)  January  2012 13. 12% teachers are agree, 8% teachers are strongly agree, 0% teachers are somewhat agree, 43% teachers are disagree and 37% teachers are strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å" teachers of linguistic are present for teaching English†. 4. 40 % teachers are strongly agree, 35% teachers are agree, 10% teachers are somewhat agree, 8% teachers are disagree and 7% teachers are strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å" Headmaster asks about performance from our teacher†. 15. 36% teachers are strongly agree, 28% teachers ar e agree, 6 % teachers are somewhat agree, 20% teachers are disagree and 10% teachers are strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å" Head master takes interest in our English Lesson†. 16. 30% teachers are strongly gree, 21% teachers are agree, 8% teachers are somewhat agree21% teachers are disagree and 20% teachers are agree to the statement that â€Å" duration of the period is reasonable†. 17. 30% teachers are strongly agree, 37% teachers are agree, 7% teachers are somewhat agree, 20% teachers are disagree and 6% teachers strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å" Monthly tests are given at school†. 18. 38% teachers are strongly agree, 40% teachers are agree, 5% teachers are somewhat agree, 10% teachers are disagree and 10% teachers are disagree to the statement that â€Å" period of English lesson begins in time†. 19. 3% teachers are strongly agree, 33% teachers are agree, 4% teachers are somewhat agree, 10% teachers are disagree and 10% teacher s are strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å" English is given importance in the annual progress of the student in school†. 20. 30% teachers are strongly agree, 15% teachers are agree, 30% teachers are somewhat agree, 10% teachers are disagree and 15% teachers strongly disagree to the statement that â€Å" The method of setting English paper is correct†. 9. Conclusions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Teacher of English are not qualified and well trained. Teachers of English don not teach English in a proper manner.They are teaching through traditional (grammar translation) method. Teachers of English take their classes regularly. Teachers of English come to class with preparation. Audio- Visual aids are not used in English class. The course is not compatible to the present time. Teachers of linguistics are not present in our schools. English is given importance in the annual progress of the students in school. 10. Recommendations 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Qualified and well traine d teachers may be appointed for English. Teachers who have command over pronunciation, functional grammar and vocabulary.Teachers of English may use modern teaching method instead of traditional methods. Direct method of teaching English may be used because it is a natural method of teaching a language. Audio visual aids may be used such as language lab; cassette player, computer and English talking dictionary are very helpful in teaching a language. English course may be made compatible to the present time. Native literature should be included in the curriculum instead of foreign, in order to arouse interest of the students. Teachers may be encouraged to get linguistics knowledge. They may be trained in phonology and phonetics. 10 ISSN  2039? 2117 Mediterranean  Journal  of  Social  Sciences Vol  3  (1)  January  2012 References Aggarwal J. C. 1995. Essentials of Examination System, Vikas Publishing House (pvt) Ltd Bhatti, M. A. 1987. Secondary Education in Pakist an: Perspective Planning. National Education Council, Islamabad. Pakistan. pp. 223242. Brutt- Griffler, J. (2002). Word English. A study of its development. Clevedon, England. Multilingual Matters. Government of Pakistan. 1998. National Education Policy ,Ministry of Education , Islamabad,Pakistan. pp. 45-47. Khan, Shafiullah (2007).Failure in the Subject of English at SSC Level . A Master Thesis ,University of Science and Technology ,Bannu. Sabiha Mansoor (2008) Culture and teaching of English as a second language for Pakistani students, Agha Khan University Karachi, Pakistan. Skutnabb-Kangas, Tove (2000). Linguistic Genocide in Education – or Worldwide Diversity and Human Rights? Mahwah, N. J. : Lawrence Erlbaum (also 2008, Delhi: Orient Longman). Kolawole (1997). ‘Essentials of Language Learning and Language Teaching’. In E. T. O. Bamisaiye (Ed. ). Studies in Language and Linguistics. Ibadan: Montem Publishers. Nicholas , H. (1982).A History of Foreign World in English , 48 Governors Street , London , UK. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2005, vol 13. Delhi, India . pp. 12-16. Causes of rising failure of the students in the subject of English (N0=100) Strongly agree =SA, Agree =A, somewhat agree =SWA, Disagree =DA, strongly disagree= SDA SA 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Teacher of English is qualified and well trained. Teacher of English teaches English in a proper manner. Teacher of English teaches his class regularly. Teacher of English explains difficult words in an easy way. Teacher of English comes with l preparation for his lesson.Audio-visual aids are used in the teaching of English. Syllabus of English is lengthy. Syllabus English is difficult. The course is compatible to the present time. There is suitable number of English periods in timetable. The time of an English period is suitable. Monthly test are taken regularly in an English class. Teachers of linguistic are present for teaching English. head master asks abo ut our performance from our English teacher The Head master takes interests in our English class duration of the periods is reasonable The 1st quarter, 3rd quarter and annual examination are given in School. he periods begin in time. English is given importance in the annual progress of the students in school. The method of setting the English papers is correct. 0% 0% 45% 52% 46% 12% 5% 3% 3% 27% 19% 43% 12% 40% 36% 30% 30% 38% 43% 30% A 0% 0% 54% 42% 36% 11% 5% 7% 6% 13% 31% 34% 8% 35% 28% 21% 37% 40% 33% 15% SWA 0% 0% 1% 2% 10% 2% 3% 14% 0% 5% 20% 8% 0% 10% 6% 8% 7% 5% 4% 30% DA 39% 64% 0% 4% 8% 29% 37% 20% 40% 20% 10% 10% 43% 8% 20% 21% 20% 10% 10% 10% SDA 61% 36% 0% 0% 0% 46% 50% 66% 50% 35% 20% 5% 37% 7% 10% 20% 6% 7% 10% 15% 611

Greek Life in American Campuses Essay

Why is it that the statement, no man is an island, is so astoundingly true given even the benefit of the doubt? Why is it that men and women alike have this profound need to be in a company of people? Theoretically, it all boils down to human nature. But somehow, it seems that we all want to have people around us. The statements that Greek Life in American colleges and universities merely consists of drinking sessions and parties and a factor that pulls down the grades of students are nothing but an unfounded assertion.   And although there are countless preconceived misconceptions about the Greek Life in American colleges and universities, the unprecedented reality is that fraternities and sororities have been fostering the growth and development of each of their members not just as a student but more importantly, as a person. There are a lot of negative assumption people have with regard to fraternities and sororities. These misconceptions have forced some fraternity and sorority members all over the country to go up in arms against what they consider to be a case of discrimination being hurled against them. The most common assumption is that the Greek life is nothing more than an excuse to party and drink. Moreover, there is also the assertion that the fraternities and sororities are the reasons for the declining GPA’s of students. In addition, even parents are frightened of the thought of their children joining any fraternity or sorority because they have the notion that these groups are bad influences to their children. All of these are somehow valid concerns. However, these statements actually make any member of a fraternity or sorority laugh than be angry. This is simply because they are somehow irrational. A student of Rutgers College, Andrea Cortland (2005)   has acknowledged in her article entitled, â€Å"Paying for friends† which has been published in February 9, 2005 issue of the Daily Targrum that Greeks in her school indeed â€Å"drink and party.† However, she has pointed out that non-Greek students also indulge in the same activities, explaining that drinking and partying are common modes of relaxation among college students not only at Rutgers but elsewhere in the country. She has even lamented the fact that people tend to be biased against fraternity and sorority members because of their greater visibility, claiming that â€Å"it’s easier to identify members of a group than isolated individuals† (Cortland, 2005). Furthermore, there is no proof that joining a fraternity or a sorority will pull down a student’s GPA. The grades of students go up and down regardless of whether or not they are members of a fraternity or a sorority. Lastly, the fear of many parents that fraternities and sororities are bad influences to students is mere conjecture. Kelly Jo Karnes, Associate Director of the Division of Student Affairs at the Old Dominion University (ODU) in Norfolk, Virginia, have written a letter addressed to the parents of new students explaining the advantages of their children’s joining fraternities and sororities while at the university. According to her, aside from friendship, academic support, opportunities of involvement in non-academic activities, the Greek community can provide their children a â€Å"home away from home.† As she has urged parents to allow their children to join fraternities and sororities, she has explained that the student leaders of the university, their leading athletes and scholars and the most successful alumni of ODU belong to Greek letter organizations (Karnes, 2006) There are so many ways in which the Greek life may change a person. The fraternities and sororities are viable means in which a person can actually be inspired. It can also be a chance for a student to reach out to those in need. Through this, those who have been helped are not the only ones who benefit but also the students as well. The truth of the matter is that while members of fraternities and sororities have â€Å"their fair share of drinking and partying,† they also engage in more noble activities like doing charitable work, performing community services, and looking after the academic well-being of students in their respective schools. In an effort to plead the case of the Greeks at Rutgers, Cortland in her article has pointed out that all fraternities and sororities recognized by the college are charged to engage in community service and philanthropic work as a condition for legitimacy. For instance, Sigma Chi fraternity has been raising funds for The Children’s Miracle Network by holding an annual event dubbed the Derby Days. For this project, Sigma Chi has enlisted the help of six other sororities and in 2003 alone, managed to donate $30,000 to the network. Another collaborative project organized by Greek organizations at Rutgers is the annual Dance Marathon, considered to be the biggest philanthropic event run by students in the state of New Jersey, the beneficiaries of which are needy families in the area (Cortland, 2005). On top of their commitment to philanthropic activities, the fraternities and sororities are also involved in improving the academic performance of students. For example, it has been their practice in Rutgers College to conduct study hours for their incoming members every pledging period – a tradition which has been observed to result to higher grades for their pledges. Aside from offering scholarships and academic performance awards to qualified students, many Greeks have, as a matter of fact, high Grade Point Averages (GPAs). The misconception about Greek life being a cause for low GPAs is therefore repudiated by these evidences (Cortland, 2005). Aside from their philanthropic work, their have a strong involvement in community services, and a passionate commitment and interest in the academic well-being of students. In Rutgers, Greek letter organizations also serve as training grounds for future leaders of the country. Opportunities for leadership positions are available to members of fraternities and sororities within their local chapters, the â€Å"Interfraternity Council [at Rutgers] or the National Panhellenic Council.† In addition, the prospect of attending conferences on the national level is always present for interested Greeks, thereby enhancing their leadership qualities as well as their public relations skills (Cortland, 2005). To further prove her point, Cortland (2005) has made it imperative to mention the fact that out of the 47 justices who made it to the Supreme between 1910 and 2005, 40 were fraternity men. She has also declared that since Greek letter fraternities made their first appearance in American campuses, only two elected American Presidents and two Vice-Presidents have not been fraternity men; and that famous personalities such as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Generals George C. Marshall and George S. Patton, Nelson Mandela, and Toni Morrison, to mention only a few, are all Greeks. All these are in fact only some of the benefits of being Greek. According to her, the most rewarding feature of Greek life is the â€Å"brotherhood or sisterhood† accorded to the members which they cherish as long as they live. After having said all these, Andrea took exception to the claim of some people at Rutgers that to be a Greek is to â€Å"pay for friends.† She pointed out that members of student fraternities and sororities spend only about 2% of their personal budgets for their monthly dues. If ever they make voluntary contributions, these are for the purpose of improving their organizations and enhance their capabilities to engage in community service and provide for academic scholarships (Cortland, 2005). There are a lot of good that fraternities and sororities can do to a student. At the University of Western Ontario (UWO) in Canada, Lindsay Satterthwaite, writing for the UWO Gazette, listed down the following advantages of joining fraternities and sororities: Philanthropy projects are events in which the Greek community, as a whole or as individual chapters, donate their time and efforts to raise funds for a worthwhile cause. Some events include Derby Days, Mr. Greek and Greek Games. The Greek community is dedicated to providing leadership opportunities to its members. Members have the opportunity to assume a wide spectrum of leadership roles including president, VP-finance and rush chairperson. This environment offers unique opportunities for individuals to achieve their leadership potential. Academic achievement is the first and foremost priority of Greek members. Each fraternity and sorority places strong emphasis on creating an atmosphere conducive to high academic performance. A scholarship plaque is awarded to the chapter with the highest average on campus annually. The Order of Omega is also a recognized scholarship program implemented to honour high achieving Greek members. Fraternities and sororities also provide balanced social programs for members including formals, date nights, grab-a-date, Greek Week and various parties with other fraternities and sororities. The most important goal of every chapter is to bring together a group of men or women and teach them values, traditions and honour while building close friendships (Satterthwaite, 2001). In reality, the fraternities and sororities have continued to grow and evolve redefining the very definition of what a fraternity or sorority is. This change has consciously and unconsciously influenced the lives of students, the image of colleges and universities and the society as a whole. Looking at the issue on a broader perspective, the claims which have been made by Cortland appears to be corroborated by events in other colleges and universities elsewhere in the country. Over in Iowa, the Greek community of Iowa State University (ISU) have also been emphasizing on academic performance. Some fraternity houses even have educational programs which are aimed at assisting new students as they go through their period of transition into college life. For instance, the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity has been conducting â€Å"The Collegiate Success Program† which is aimed at teaching students to adopt â€Å"smart study habits.† Greek students are also trying their best to maintain study hours and attain good grade point averages. Philanthropic work likewise occupies much of their time. During the fall of 1998 for instance, fraternities and sororities at ISU â€Å"have contributed 19,080 hours to philanthropic events and have donated $15,790 to charity.† The Pi Kappa Phi fraternity also takes time to make its members aware of the evils of alcohol through a program of the Prevention Research Institute called PRIME (Pike, n.d.).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Adrian, Michigan, fraternities and sororities are enjoying good membership at Adrian College where approximately 25 percent of students belong to Greek letter organizations. Membership in these organizations is widely perceived as enhancing the college experience of students at the college. The Greek chapters at the college, which are all affiliated with national organizations, are giving priority to philanthropic activities and community service, aside from the emphasis that they give to scholarship. The fraternities and sororities at Adrian College require their members and would-be members to meet certain grade point average (Adrian College, 2005). In 2003, a new publication has been inaugurated solely for the purpose of dealing with these misconceptions concerning fraternities and sororities. Aptly named Greek Life, its main objective is to cleanse the Greek communities all over the country of the negative impressions that other people have of them. Greg Woodman, Chief Executive Officer of Pennsylvania-based Affinity Connection which publishes Greek Life, has said that â€Å"The beliefs most people have about fraternities and sororities [are] highly inaccurate. Our publication paints a more authentic picture of what really goes on within these organizations and focuses on the outstanding benefits of belonging to such a group.† Woodman has explained that Greek-lettered organizations have been doing their members and the communities where they operate tremendous amount of service by teaching â€Å"leadership, responsibility, integrity, honesty, and dedication to academics.† He has explained that with Greek Life, which will be published once every year, an honest effort aimed at correcting the prevailing misconceptions about fraternities and sororities shall be attempted (Greek Life, 2003).

Coeducational vs Single Sex Schools Essay

I think it would be nice to attend an all-girls school. I am for this for many different reasons. Of course, there would be a lot less drama with the girls, and they would concentrate more on their schoolwork instead of their appearance. Their grades would be much better, because they would study more and ask questions about the assignments. An all-girls school is a great idea for teenage girls in high school, because since there would be no boys around, the girls wouldn’t be vying for their attention. Without all of the boys, the girls wouldn’t worry about many things, besides their schoolwork and their grade. They wouldn’t wear make-up or cute clothes, because they would have nobody to impress. I’m going to admit it, there are only two reasons why girls have drama or fight, either somebody is running their mouth, or it’s over a guy. On https://privateschool.about.com/u/ua/choosingschools2/singlesex.htm, there is a comment from a girl with the username, Girl Power. In her comment she makes really good points about why an all-girls school is better than coeducational. Although all of the comments were inspirational and helpful in making my decision, her comment was the one that helped me make my final decisions that I have written in this paper. All-girls schools help young women learn to be independent, and not fight about stupid things, like boys. In all-girls schools, just like coeducational schools, there are different groups of people. Some of the groups are similar to the groups at coeducational schools, such as preps, jocks, nerds, miscellaneous, etc. All-girls schools would have a lot less drama than coeducational schools, because the girls would have no reason to start drama. Alright, this whole next paragraph is my opinion; you don’t have to agree with me. Girls pay a lot more attention to their schoolwork then to boys in all-girls schools, because there are no boys around to pay attention to. Most girls just can’t help it, they are natural flirts. My friends and I are that way, so I’m not being mean. It’s completely natural to flirt, some girls may take it too far, but that’s their problem. If I was at an all-girls school, I am almost positive my grades would be better than they are now, except for math. Math is my weakness. If all the boys left midway for a week, and nothing was left but the girls, the school average would increase dramatically, because the girls would pay attention more, and make better grades. Girls are too worried about their appearance or too caught up in flirting with the boys to pay attention in class, therefore, they will fail. It’s normal for girls to crave the attention from the boys. Most of the time it reflects in the way girls act. Sometimes I don’t understand why girls have boyfriends, because they will flirt anyways, it’s the natural thing. I got off topic there for a second, let’s get back on track. The girls wouldn’t have to look â€Å"perfect† at an all-girls school. They wouldn’t have to wear any make-up; they would just have natural beauty. They wouldn’t be competing for attention from the boys, because there would be absolutely no boys. Well, after doing a lot of research and taking a lot of notes, an all-girls school is the way to go. Less drama, better grades, and you don’t have to be perfect. Okay, I’m going to go beg my mommy to let me go to an all-girls school. It’s the best decision in my opinion.