Tuesday, November 26, 2019
English Tongue Twisters for ESL Students
English Tongue Twisters for ESL Students Tongue twisters are short, memorable lines that are difficult to pronounce, especially rapidly, because of alliteration or a slight variation of consonant sounds, and are especially useful in pronunciation when focusing on related phonemes, or sounds. In other words, there are several s sounds such as sh, z and tch, and a tongue twister focuses on the minor changes in the mouth required to move between these sounds. By changing back and forth a number of times to the different sounds, students can improve their knowledge of the specific physical movements required for that particular phoneme set. Learning a tongue twister employs musical intelligence, which is one of the multiple intelligences of learners. Another example of this type of learning includes grammar chants. These types of exercisesà build up muscle memory related to speech, making it easier to recall later. Fun but Not Necessarily Accurate Tongue twisters are lots of fun, but they often dont make much sense, so its important to warn students before introducing them to tongue twisters that theyre not meant to be learning guides for using proper grammar. Rather, they should be used for exercising pronunciation muscles. For instance, in the old nursery rhyme tongue twister called Peter Piper, the content of the story may make sense in terms of narrative, but the phrase Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, doesnt actually work because you cannot pick already pickled peppers. Similarly, in Woodchuck, the speaker asks how much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood, which would make sense if only woodchucks didnt chuck wood with their teeth. For this reason, when introducing an ESL student to English tongue twisters, its doubly important to go over what the limericks mean in the context of the piece as well as in the context of the words on their own, paying special attention to common idioms that dont make sense when directly translated to a foreign language. Practice Makes Perfect A very large part of understanding how to speak a foreign language properly comes in understanding how the muscles of the mouth are meant to move to elicit certainà sounds and pronunciations- thats why tongue twisters are so handy in teaching ESL students to speak English correctly and quickly. Because tongue twisters consists of so many slight variations on the same sound, all of which are used colloquially in American English, the ESL learner is able to get a clear grasp of how pen sounds different from pin or pan, despite sharing a majority of the same letters and consonantà sounds. In the poem Sally Sells Sea Shells by the Sea Shore, for instance, the speaker is able to go through every variation of the s sound in English, learning the difference between sh and s as well as z and tch. Similarly, ââ¬â¹Betty Botter and A Flea and a Fly walk the speaker through all the b and f sounds.
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Inferno and Infernal
Inferno and Infernal Inferno and Infernal Inferno and Infernal By Maeve Maddox When I see the word inferno, I think fire, but originally, the word did not carry the connotation of intense heat. The association with burning derives from beliefs taught by some religions about the afterlife. The OED offers only one definition of inferno: Hell; a place of torment or misery compared to hell; a place likened in some respect to the Inferno of Dantes Divine Comedy. Merriam-Webster offers three definitions of inferno: 1. a place or a state of torment and suffering. 2. a place that resembles or suggests hell in being dark, noisy, chaotic, lawless. 3. intense heat. English speakers, British as well as American, use inferno to mean an intense conflagration: Tracking the inferno: where wildfires are hitting California, other states hardest- The Guardian. Scientists find planets that survived red giant inferno- The London Times. Thirty people feared dead and 40 more injured after shopping centre inferno causes mall to collapse in Russiaà - The Daily Mail. Multiple fire departments reported to the scene of the inferno just after 7 p.m. Sunday, and spent nearly the next 12 hours battling the blaze.- Galloway Patch (New Jersey). Small Fire Becomes Inferno, Burning Homes in California- New York Times.à Like inferno, the adjective that derives from it, infernal, refers to the realm of the dead or a place of punishment after death: Paradise Lostà opens with the fallen angels in hell. Mammon proposes that they build an infernal kingdom of their own, imitating the majesty of heaven through the material riches of the kingdom of hell. Infernal is commonly used as a synonym for hellish, damnable, damned, diabolical, and fiendish. Here are some examples: City Tells Ice Cream Trucks To Keep That Infernal Racketà Down When will these so-called ââ¬Å"votersâ⬠stop with their infernal meddling? Will you stop with your infernal fear-mongering? Gatlin and his ilk have brought not only themselves down with their infernal liesà but the whole athletics community. I turned my eye towards him and immediately caught his eye, which he kept staring upon me for more than a minute, with the most infernal expression I have ever seen upon a human face. An ââ¬Å"infernal machineâ⬠is ââ¬Å"a machine or apparatus maliciously designed to explode and destroy life or property, especially one in the form of something harmless. For example: To greet the Princes return to Sofia this month, the Chief of the Russian Secret Police sent him anà infernal machine disguised as aà box of the finest cigars.- Sherlock Holmes and The Case of The Bulgarian Codex, Tim Symonds, 2012. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:15 Terms for Those Who Tell the FutureUse a Dash for Number RangesUsing "May" in a Question
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Managing organisational behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Managing organisational behaviour - Essay Example As a result of developing and implementing management practices to successfully manage human resources is critical for organizational achievement. The highly competitive global environment of the 21st Century demands managers to use proactive practices and methods to managing behavior for the purpose of creating a competitive advantage (Bhattacharya & Wrights, 2005). Theoretically the science of managing organizational behavior has the responsibility of using human resources to fulfill an organizationââ¬â¢s goals and objectives. This premise and the development of the capability of the human resources aids in accomplishment of goals. Certainly not without challenge managing people (human resources) effectively is the process of comprehending human behavior, knowing how to motivate, and enable others to become what he or she is capable of becoming with the intention of fulfilling the groupââ¬â¢s strategic objectives. The purpose of this paper is to offer suggestions as to the at tributes and necessary skills an effective manager/leader needs to proactively manage human resources. ... is not a release of control and power by management, but is a method in which management gains additional control over behavior in the organizational culture as a result. Organizational Behavior Understanding organizational behavior enables managers to use human capital and other resources more effectively. The ability to understand his or her relationship with workers and the significance of the interaction is foundational in understanding how to effectively manage organizational behavior. The interaction between managers and workers in the culture directly influences the outcomes of behavior within the culture. Schermerhorn, Hunt, and Osborn (2003) assert ââ¬Å"Organizational behavior (OB) is the study of individuals and groups in organizationsâ⬠(p. 4). Kreitner and Kinicki (2003) declare ââ¬Å"Organizational behavior is an interdisciplinary field dedicated to better understanding and managing people at work; organizational behavior is both research and application oriented â⬠(p. 12). The two descriptions or definitions include the understanding of coordinating people in structured settings for the purpose of accomplishing specific goals. Kreitner and Kinicki (2003) offer that the task of managing people requires knowledge and the ability to apply the principles of the social disciplines of psychology, management, sociology, statistics, economics, human stress management, and others (p. 13). The list of disciplines reaffirms the depth of knowledge of human behavior that is necessary for managers to manage successfully. Effective managers comprehend how to interpret human behavior applying the appropriate principles from the tools of the applicable social science. By using the tools managers are able to resolve conflict within the environment, motivate workers to higher
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Two Learning Theories Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Two Learning Theories - Assignment Example Two of these theories are the behaviorist theory and the humanist theory. Behaviorist theory view learning as the product of the stimulus conditions (S) and the responses (R) after the exposure to the stimulus. Due to the relationship between the stimulus and the responses, it is most often referred to as the S-R Model of Learning (Bastable, 2008, p. 54). Proponents of the behaviorist theory believe that behavior can be learned or unlearned by modifying the stimulus in the environment or the responses to the stimulus. This type of learning acquires learning through practical application, requiring less thinking and emotional affectations. Behaviorist theory created a significant impact on education and behavior change through classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning was identified by Ivan Pavlov and sometimes referred to as the Pavlovian conditioning or respondent conditioning (Butts& Rich, 2011, p. 207). In classical conditoining, there is an introduct ion of a neutral stimulus to the unconditioned stimulus and unconditioned response. The neutral stimulus has no connection with the unconditioned stimulus and response. ... 210). On the other hand, humanistic learning theory focuses on the person and emphasized the importance of feelings over thoughts(Butts& Rich, 2011, p. 229). Learning takes place when people are given the chance to express their feelings, making them an active participant in the learning process. The concept of hierarchy of needs by Abraham Maslow has strengthened the humanistic theory as well as the construct of self-concept by Rogers which identified individual need for unconditional positive self-regard (Butts& Rich, 2011, p. 230). Humanistic theoryââ¬â¢smain advantage over other learning theories is its holistic approach and openness in education and health care field. Learning Theories and Nursing Practice Learning theories is crucial to nursing practice. Evidences of interconnection are found between patients and families who wanted to acquire information on how to adjust to a particular medical condition, in students getting hold of information and skills needed to become a nurse, or in health care professionals designing effective teaching plan for patients. All of these demonstrate relationship of learning theories with the nursing practice. Learning theories serve as frameworks for health care professionals on planning learning outcomes.The construction of different learning theories enables the health professionals to understand how the introduction of knowledge can affect an individualââ¬â¢s feeling, thoughts, and behavior. Learning theories were also linked to the health counseling, work organization, and hospitalââ¬â¢s management, marketing, and advertising (Bastable, 2008, p. 73). Nurses are often the professionals involved in health education of patients. That is why they always
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Southwest Airline Essay Example for Free
Southwest Airline Essay Southwest Airlines was introduced in Texas on June 18, 1971 with three Boeing 737 airplanes and only serving three cities of Texas which included Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. The company came a long way since 1971; today Southwest Airlines has 537 Boeing 737 airplanes and serving 68 cities around the US. Southwest Airlines has become a major airline in 1989 when it hit the billion-dollar revenue mark. Southwest Airlines is the United Statesââ¬â¢ most successful airline due to the low fares, high frequency, and point-to-point carrier. According to the Southwest Airlines Fact Sheet 2010 ââ¬Å"Southwest operates more than 3,200 flights a day coast-to-coast, making it the largest U. S. carrier based on domestic passengersââ¬â¢ carrier as of September 30, 2009â⬠. As June 2011, Southwest Airlines has become the top airline to carries the most domestic passengers in the US. Southwest Airlines in 2013 has expanded their destination to 86 cities in 42 states and Puerto Rico. The current CEO of Southwest Airlines is Gary Kelly and his vision for the company is ââ¬Å"to connect people to what important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low cost air travelâ⬠. According to the swamedia.com ââ¬Å"Gary is a 27-years Southwest veteran who began his career at Southwest Airlines as Controller, moving up to Chief Financial Officer and Vice President Finance, then Executive Vice President and CFO, before being promoted to CEO and Vice Chairman in July 2004. Gary assumed the roles of Chairman and President in 2008. Prior to joining Southwest Airlines in 1986, Gary was a CPA for Arthur Young Company in Dallas and Controller for Systems Center, Inc.â⬠Gary has received many awards during his 27 years with the company and twice being named CEO of the year by D CEO Magazineââ¬â¢s. Also, he was named of the best CEO in America by Institutional Investor three times. According to the Sawmedia.com ââ¬Å"Gary was selected as Dallas Businessà Journals CEO of the year for 2011. In 2010, Gary was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Texas at Austin. In 2013, Gary will be inducted into the McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame at the University of Texas at Austin; Gary is the recipient of the 2013 Father of the Year Award; and Gary is the recipient of the 2013 McLane Leadership in Business Award at Texas AM University.â⬠According to Gary Kelly and SouthwesAirlines.com their mission statement ââ¬Å"is dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual price and Company Spiritâ⬠. They have been operating their business exactly as their mission statement. They have been so successful due largely to the usual focus on their employees. LUV and FUN is the program which Southwest has created for their employees and their focus on customer service which they have to show respect for one and another, represent the company and create a comfortable, relax and fun working environment. Southwest Airlinesââ¬â¢ Strengths Southwest airlines has many strengthsââ¬â¢, but one that brings in profit to the company in a major way is their customer service. Southwest airlines has the highest quality of customer service that is delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company spirit. That statement is not only their motto, but also their way of making a profit. Southwest brand their name on good customer service. They have been admired to be the third top ranked airline in the U.S and the tenth in the airline industry. Buyology and an online research marking company evaluated 4,000 men and women, with four key parameter of a company; the awe, the superiority harmony and exploration of a company to rank the top ranked company. According to www.southwestonereport.com, ââ¬Å"220 brands and companies were studying during this evaluation the company were matched by numerically with strength and weakness. With relation with Southwest airline consciously and unconsciously Southwest airline earned the top spot for 2012.â⬠Not only do bag fly free Southwest airline was the first airline to offer senior discounts, ticketless traveling, and services for air freight delivery to the common traveler. Southwest airline offers credit based on the number of trips with the airline instead of the total miles traveled also understanding the not how far you fly itââ¬â¢s how many times you fly withà Southwest airline. As Southwestââ¬â¢s major strength is the customer service making a profit is another strength that has sustained them. In 2012, Southwest airline marked the most profitable airline in U.S airline industry unmatched for over 30 years. These profits is the results of the exemplary customer service that Southwest airline has making over 421 million dollars in 2012 alone. Another major strength is Southwest airlines website. During the second quarter of 2013, 80 percent of Southwest airline passenger revenues were booked via southwest.com. In addition to flights, customers are able to make car, hotel, cruise, and complete vacation package reservations on southwest.com. Southwest airline has the Southwest Shortcut feature on southwest.com, which is the first online tool that helps customers find the lowest fare based on availability across the entire month. Southwest airline has many strengths, but as southwest airline put it in a nut shell its all about. According to www.southwestonereport.com, ââ¬Å"Southwest continues to differentiate itself from other carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by nearly 46,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers each year among 96 destinations in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and five near-international countries all at low far.â⬠Southwest Airlinesââ¬â¢ Weaknesses Southwest Airlines has become one of the top airlines in America, it is the number one airline that carries domestic passengers around the state. Southwest Airlines have followed their CEO leadership, they do what they are supposed to do and they are carried on their mission statement to the fullest. With that in mind Southwest Airlines could be the only perfect airline and have many advantages compare to others: as for examples low fares, beautiful flight attendants and happy employees who respect one and another. Southwest Airlines has successfully built a great, comfortable and relax workplace for their employees. Also, they have great customer service which is always their first priority. Unfortunately there is no such thing as a perfect company or a perfect person because the world that we live in right now is not perfect, so Southwest Airlines has many strengths but they are also have many weaknesses as well. The first weakness of Southwestà Airlines is within their company. Debt and operating expenses are among the tops of the company priority, according to quality-assurance.com ââ¬Å"The company is estimated to possess $361 million of debt on their balance sheet, and until they pay down these debts it will drag significantly on their businessâ⬠. Debt will drag on the business of Southwest. Also the Mounting Operating Expense can count as one the weaknesses of the company as well. The company has to pay out more for fuel because it has grown 182.30% for the average of gallon from 2005 to 2011. Unfortunately, the company also has to deal with it employeesââ¬â¢ union because of the union has demand more services and benefits for their members, and by the end of the day Southwest doesnââ¬â¢t have much left money to cover their debts and expenses. The second weakness of Southwest Airline is the services provided to customers. According to businesstune-ups.com ââ¬Å"Southwest Airlines doesnââ¬â¢t provide international flights, they donââ¬â¢t have seating options, their cargo space is very limited, they only have one type of airplane, Very short trips earn the same amount of perks as a long, extensive flight. Scrutiny of potential employees based on personality before skill could be dangerous.â⬠Not having international flights and only have one aircraft for their services are the disadvantages to Southwestââ¬â¢s competitors. These days more and more passengers going out of country for their business trips which will increase profits and customers for the company. Only have one type of aircraft which is a great way to save money when the maintenance services come. Also, it is a big disadvantage for Southwest Airlines because the aircraft has a limited space for passengersââ¬â¢ luggage. Southwest Airlines also doesnââ¬â¢t have a seating chart and no business option for their passengers. It is a great way to save money for the company and as well for the passengers to get a lowest air fares as possible, but many business passengers want their own space to work on their presentations or their companiesââ¬â¢ projects. So, without the business class option the airline will be losing out to its competitors. Another weakness of Southwest Airlines is the company only provides limited destinations for its passengers and mostly is from the South. The limited areas will limit the number of passengers who will choose Southwest as their designated airlines. It is hard and difficult to compete with other larger airlines that serve both domestics and internationally with also help them to build bigger market for their companies. Southwest Airlinesââ¬â¢ Opportunities Now that the merger of Southwest Airline with AirTran is now complete, growth is on the rise for Southwest, its customers and employees. In the acquisition, Southwest now can handle more international destinations with its new fleet of larger aircrafts. This gives more diversity for the customer and gives Southwest the ability to keep its fares low. Southwest also gained 8,000 additional employees from AirTran and if done correctly, this merger can only improve its customer service rating. Southwest Airlines is one of the top airlines in service today; known for their strategy, dedicated work force, low fares and customer service. The competitorsââ¬â¢ component or analysis is defined as the process of identifying the performance and marketing strategy of competitive brands or products in the marketplace. So what is it about Southwest Airlines that has put them in such an elite category compared to the competition? Southwestââ¬â¢s main strategy is to keep things simple. ââ¬Å"It has never served meals, does not have advanced seat reservations, and flies only Boeing airplanes. These decisions have helped Southwest be flexible in the face of the recent decreases in airplane passengers caused by the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the world economic crisis.â⬠(http://teamsparksouthwest.blogspot.com) By reducing some of the amenities that other airlines offer, it allows them to reduce the amount of employee cut backs, maintain low fares while retaining employees that are loyal to the brand, ensuring a good customer experience. This strategy has allowed Southwest to have 39 years of profitable growth (Thompson). Southwest has been on the cutting edge of managing employee loyalty. In a recent interview with, Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest, he expressed that the key to a productive workforce is ââ¬Å"Paying personal attention to each of your people instead of a formula, also to empower employees and back them up (Kelleher)â⬠(Thompson). Over time, implementing these general tactics has reinforced a working culture at Southwest that separates them from their competition. A happy employee means great customer service, customer retention and consistently growing profit margins. Southwest airlines is known for its low fares but due to increasing fuel costs, limited destinations and people finding alternate ways of travel; ultimately Southwestââ¬â¢s competitive advantage of being the leader of low fares will diminish. Having fewer planes equals lower fuel costs whichà is an area that Southwest is struggling with to maintain those low airfare prices. ââ¬Å"Fuel crisis and fuel price become threats to Southwest Airlines Company. Fuel costs in 1978 averaged 37 cents per gallon while in 1979 it became 80 cents. In 1980 fuel costs exceeded $1.00 per gallon. This price hike changes the expenditure pattern of the company. Operating costs become 40% of the total budgetâ⬠(MBA Study Point case study). The only true competition for Southwest is regionally. Delta out marks them in most areas but due to Deltaââ¬â¢s concentration in the Southeast they only compete on a regional level. Delta does however fly to most of the areas where Southwest is the preferred airline. The same is not true for Southwest who has more limited destination availability. In order to compete, Southwest will need to add more destinations to their roster. Business travelers will still prefer Delta because of their perks for Business travelers which Southwest does not have. Not to have a business class excludes a whole subset of travelers that are more likely to fly on a regular basis which cuts down on profits. Southwestââ¬â¢s culture is centered around the customer. While in recent years they were positioning themselves as a low-cost airline with exceptional customer service; their fares have seen a slight increase but the standard for high quality customer service remains the same. They create an employee friendly environment that motivates employees to want to work hard and be the best they can possibly be for the company. Southwestââ¬â¢s website states ââ¬Å"happy employees = happy customersâ⬠and this is the culture they operate with every day. Southwest airline believes that volunteering is crucial to the health of nonprofit organizations that work to meet needs in different communities. Southwest airline employees volunteer their time day in and day out for the important causes that are closest to their hearts. ââ¬Å"In 2009, Southwest Airlines Employees volunteered more than 45,000 hours to charities across the country. In an effort to support these passionate Employee volunteers, Southwest Airlines launched the Tickets for Time program. For every 40 hours our Employees volunteer for a nonprofit organization, the benefitting nonprofit organization is eligible to receive one complimentary, round-trip ticket on Southwest Airlines for fundraising or transportation needsâ⬠(Southwest.com). Southwest Airline has an outreach program for every culture and lifestyle the employee volunteer more than 137,à 000 hours. Southwest airline has an Adopt-A-Pilot program where students willà research careers and further develop life skills, while the importance of staying in school is reinforced. Southwest Airlines and AirTran pilots mentor fifth grade students and offer this program at no charge to the schools that participate in the Adopt-A-Pilot program. Southwest airline has several outreach programs that reach out to many cultures such as African- American, Asian, and Hispanic programs and LGBT. Southwest Airlinesââ¬â¢ Treats Airline industry could be affected by many factors such as general economic environment, fuel price, airline terror acts, weather conditions and air traffic restrictions. General economic environment has an impact on the demand for travel, and therefore influences the number of flights run by Southwest. The fuel price controls the companyââ¬â¢s costs; rising fuel price would increase the cost, and the company cannot always avoid influences of fuel price by fuel hedging. Terrorist attack incidents would both physically and psychologically affect customers and employees, which leads to a higher security cost. Weather conditions also, have an important impact on flights as well. Bad weather conditions may delay flights, increase turnaround time, and thus mark up costs. All these potential threats are faced by Southwest Airlines. Having been very successful in their operations, Southwest Airlines is surely a target of competitorsââ¬â¢ focus. And by that, other airlines may begin co pying Southwests strategies. Though this may show that Southwest is definitely a leader in the airline industry, it is somehow disadvantageous for the company in the long run. If those airlines try to imitate Southwestââ¬â¢s cost efficiency strategies, they can also lower their ticket prices and compete with Southwest. Through such, competition will get tougher for Southwest and it will no longer be able to monopolize the low fare sector of the industry; and worse, there is a possibility that a big company in the future, possessing more advanced technologies and facilities, will operate using Southwest Airlines low-cost model to a wider market, which will encroach and outdo Southwest Airlines. Terrorism is one of the greatest threats for people to lose faith on the airline industry. Airline companies in the US can attest to that after experiencing the ââ¬Å"911 Attackâ⬠in 2001 when they incurred major losses. Though Southwest was one of those airlines who did not incur a major loss, the possibility of an unforeseen terrorist aggression using airplanes is still a major threat inà the companyââ¬â¢s operations. This is because any loss of confidence in the safety of air travel would lead to a shift to the use of other forms of transportation, leaving Southwest struggling to fill its seats. High unemployment and inflation are keeping more travelers at home; Supply and demand price elasticity of airline carriers may vary depending on the nature of the industry. The macroeconomic factors affecting the airline industry include unemployment, the economic growth in the United States, and inflation. With low economic growth, consumers are finding luxury items more difficult to purchase and airline tickets for vacations fall into that category. Unemployment contributes to a lack of vacation travelers since individuals who are not employed do not have extra money for vacation or airline tickets. Inflation also causes operating costs of the airlines to be higher which entails cuts into the profits of Southwest. Unemployment is affecting the airline industry because consumers are taking more ââ¬Å"stay-cationâ⬠at home or vacationing to areas to which they can drive. As unemployment has risen, the airlines have laid off a much higher percentage of their people as well. Southwest Airlinesââ¬â¢ Grand Strategies Recommendations Grand strategies, often called master or business strategies, provide basic direction for strategic actions. There are many grand strategies that Southwest Airlines can choose from when considering which match with their companyââ¬â¢s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Southwest Airlines is excellent in planning their long-term goals. The above SWOT analysis proved that the company is successfully carrying out the cost leadership strategy to manipulate their competitors and boost up their company. Their mission in providing low fare cost is one of the best strategies that they have to increase their market share, and it also put a significant increase in the demand of air travel. Southwest Airlinesââ¬â¢ rapid rewards program is brilliant, so they should continue and expand it even more. Southwest Airlinesââ¬â¢ employees mainly belong to the Union and they are mainly full time workers. Since the Union has demanded more services and benefits for their members, the company gained limited profit. To fix this, the company should hire more part time workers instead of full time workers because if they implemented this they would not have to provide fullà benefits and instead focus on gaining profit. Also, Southwest Airlines should make all flights within the states point-to-point flights, and give their employees a strict timeline to alleviate delays. This will keep an accurate time frame for customers. As far as the flight concerns, Southwest Airlines has only one dependable flight, which is very dangerous when it comes to safety, but the good thing about that is an inexpensive cost for maintaining the aircraft. The safety of the customers is very important, so Southwest should increase at least one more dependable aircraft just in case something unexpected happens to the other one. Customer service is superior for Southwest Airlines, but many of their weaknesses can give their competitor many advantages. Southwest does not offer international flights, and there are increases in demand for international flights, so they should consider flying internationally within the next 5 or 6 years, or Southwest should completely become integrated with AirTran Airline by 2014 because they could put an increase in their net income. The advantages that Southwestââ¬â¢s competitors such as American Airlines and US Airways have are their inflight meals, seating charts, and highly advanced technology they have available for their customers. In this case, Southwest Airlines should invest in one more jet that provides higher quality and luxurious experience for customers such as business travelers who are willing to pay extra for it. In that jet they would offer inflight meals, provide seating options when customers book their tickets, and most important of all, they have to adv ance their jet to have advanced technologies such as television. One of Southwest Airlinesââ¬â¢ threats is a general economic environment problem like high unemployment and inflation that they cannot control. One thing that can be done is to create a program that provides customers time to pay off their ticket 5 months in advance before flying. So the customers would have enough time to pay in increments over a period of time so they do not have to worry about spending a lot of money at once. When it comes to expanding their name brand Southwest Airline should continue to increase their popularity by increasing the advertisements on both their and AirTranââ¬â¢s website. Since the websites are the main places where customers go to book their tickets, the company should put that into a good use by creating more advertisements, and therefore gaining more popularity. Lastly, Southwest should continue to foster its remarkable culture. The fun-loving attitude that the company hasà for their customers and employees shows that Southwest has a great working environment; the dedication that the employees have for the company contributes to both the tangible and intangible benefits. ââ¬Å"It is a true competitive advantage for Southwest Airlines.â⬠(Terra Thompson) Conclusion As a result in performing this project, we have learned that SWOT Analysis is the key for all businesses success. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses within the company and understanding the opportunities and threats that the company has externally are extremely important in planning the strategic plans to help the business overall outlook. As far as Southwest Airlines, we have learned that the company is very successful when it comes to the superior customer services, but Southwest should definitely continue on increasing their brand by upgrading their services within their aircrafts to become more high tech. We know that Southwest is known for their low cost fair, which gave them a huge advantage of their competitors. And the fact that they are integrating with Air Trans was a brilliant idea, because they are expanding their brand through Air Trans in providing International flights, which are, in a very high demand right now. We think Southwest Airlines is in the borderline in gaining a sustainable competitive advantage if they are expanding their aircraft to fit what their customers needs and wants. References Analyzing southwest airlines [Web log message]. (, April). Retrieved from http://teamsparksouthwest.blogspot.com/2012/04/southwests-competitive-advantage.html AP News. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://traveltips.usatoday.com/kind-planes-southwest-airlines-fly-62394.html Broughtson, R. (n.d.). Southwest airline swot analysis. Retrieved from http://www.quality-assurance-solutions.com/southwest-airlines-swot-analysis.html Bruwick, L. (n.d.). Southwest airlines swot analysis powerful business assessment tool. Retrieved from http://www.businesstune-ups.com/Southwest-Airlines-SWOT-Analysis.html Case analysis: Southwest airlines. (2012, may 17). Retrieved from http://netmbastudy.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/case-analysis-southwest-airlines/ Gale Encyclopedia of Small Business. Competitor analysis. Retrieved from http://www.answers.com/topic/competitor-analysis Gary , K. (n.d.). Gary
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Personality Disorders Essay examples -- Papers
Personality Disorders Personality disorders indicate the presence of chronic rigid and maladjusted personality traits, through which the person's interpersonal or professional functioning is negatively affected, or which lead to personal unhappiness and problems (Louw, 1990). Discuss this statement from a biopsychosocial frame of reference and refer to one personality disorder in any cluster to illustrate your answer. The Biopsychosocial model: ========================== The biopsychosocial model (Engel, 1980, cited in Paris, 1993) suggests an integrated approach that understands psychopathology in terms of multiple causes, none of which is sufficient on its own for the development of the disorder. These factors could include biological vulnerability, the psychological impacts of life experiences and the influence of the social environment all of which may factor as risk variables or protective variables. The biopsychosocial model differs from more linear cause and effect approaches such as heredity in that it is only the cumulative interactive effects of the multiple variables can produce the overt disorder. Personality disorders ===================== Personality disorders are characterised by inflexible and longstanding maladaptive personality traits that cause significant impairment and subjective distress for the individual. The signs of a personality disorder display in adolescence or early adulthood. Individuals differ to the extent that they possess Personality traits and it may be difficult to decide whether the trait exists to an extent that can be considered pathol... ...tice, 10, (2), 161-165. Hayes, S. J. (2002, Mar) Acceptance, mindfulness and science. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 9, (1), 101-106. Klein, M.H. (1993, Spring). Issues in the assesment of personality disorders. Journal of Personality Disorders. Supplement 1, 18-33. Morey, L.C. (1993, Spring). Psychological correlates of personality disorder. Journal of Personality Disorders, Supplement 1, 149-166. Paris, J. (1993). Personality disorders: A biopsychosocial model. Journal of Personality Disorders, 7(3), 255-264. Sue, D., Sue, D, W. & Sue, S. (2000). Understanding abnormal behaviour. (6th ed). USA: Houghton Mifflin Vincent, K.R. (1990). The relationship between personality disorders, normality and healthy personality: Personality on a continuum. Social Behavior and Personality, 18(2), 245-250.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Betty Ford Case Study
In the study of abnormal behavior it is found to be behavior observed through others individuals, this failed to be observed within self. The capability of recognizing the living aspects, emotional, cognitive and the behavioral part of behavior needed initially in the steps to recognize the purpose associated in behavior. In this case study of Betty Ford, she was an individual that struggled with a form of abnormal behavior along with the ability to recognize it with the assistance of other individuals to be able to notice she made a difference in her life.In this case study, it will explain the aspects of her life and overview of how she was able to work with assistance in understand the addictive behavior she developed over time and beat the odds of becoming sober. Biological Components Unfortunately, Betty grew up as the daughter of alcoholics this was the platform that lead to her alcoholism predisposition that was biological. Unaware she was going to grow up and have an addictio n of any sort and her fatherââ¬â¢s hidden alcoholism.His employment kept him away from home a lot oftentimes alcoholics and addicts find it easy to hide their stigmas that are stemmed from a genetic predisposition (Pinel, 2009). Betty was not the only family member that suffered from alcoholism, she later found her brother was afflicted also suffered from the factor that would support this reasoning (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver, 2009). Pertaining to genetic predispositions, an individual do not need to be raised in the same environment of an alcoholic to become afflicted, individuals only have to have the inherited genetic predisposition (Pinel, 2009).Having a genetic predisposition regarding the addiction to alcoholism help set the platform to Bettyââ¬â¢s components to alcoholism, along with many other components that allowed the genetic predisposition the ability to work together in Bettyââ¬â¢s situation to be considered. Emotional Components The absence of Bettyââ¬â¢s fat her doing her childhood affected her emotionally. His absence in her upbringing caused Betty to become deeply attached to her mother, whom as any other mother needing to play both roles of the parents in her home (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver, 2009).Mrs. Ford, Bettyââ¬â¢s mother was known as a perfectionist who demanded the same of everyone around her a trait Betty admired so of her mother. When her father died Betty was only 16 years of age, she was able to lean on the strength of her mother to get her through the traumatic ordeal. Following the case study of Betty, the qualities she observed through her mother, she was plagued with the notion of never living up to her, this was the factor that lead to the development of the baseline her addictions.As a young girl growing up Betty never had a drink, but later around the age of eighteen she developed a taste of alcohol as a social drinker. At this time in her life, she explored the modeling and dance industry in New York, the stress o f the life style had an effect on which caused a shift in her self-esteem and emotional status (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver, 2009). This form of exposure was a major gateway into Bettyââ¬â¢s path of dependency to alcohol. Betty was thrown into the world of partying at all hours of the night and found her peers at the given time seem to place pressure on drinking more than usual.Once her mother the path of destruction she was falling into her urged Betty to return to Michigan (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver). After returning home six months later, Betty married a gentleman she knew from her childhood (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver). As many marriages, today, it did not take long before it was the end of her marriage. Betty found that her husband was not over the night life and party life style his actions affected her greatly because she was sure she was ready to settle down into a life of marriage and children. It did not take long before Betty met and later married a handsome fellow named, Geral d Ford.Gerald was from a very decent family he was known as one of the most eligible bachelors at the time in Grand Rapids (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver, 2009). Yes, Betty truly was in love, but living the life of politic as the future first lady to the President of the United States was more than she bargained. Feeling lonely and placed aside of all, Betty was emotionally drained (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver). The situation she found herself in had a downward spiral that pushed her over the edge along with the aspect of having the biological trait that lead to her painful addictions.Cognitive and Behavioral Components On the political trail, Betty gave birth four beautiful children, alone and keeping her home intact she found strength from the influence she saw in her mother throughout her childhood. It did not take long for Betty to be overcome with stress of the mental and physical aspect of a politicianââ¬â¢s wife and a mother raising four children mostly alone, not to mention she dev eloped a painful situation of a compressed nerve in her (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver, 2009).Due to the compressed nerve condition in her neck Betty was treated with pain medications prescribed to ease her discomfort, unfortunately, this cause another form of addition along with the drinking. Betty was encouraged by her physician to continue her pain medication, unaware of her biological and emotional situation she was already plagued with. No one seem to notice the despair she was in which led to her cognitive and a behavioral substance-related turmoil she began living. Betty began experiencing a sense of emptiness and no self-worth that increased her emotional pain and dependency.Finding herself in a state of denial Betty needed to admit to herself that she had a problem with alcohol and prescription medication. In time, she had to come to grasp with the fact there was something wrong, and she needed to get some assistance before it was (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver, 2009). Taking in consid eration the biological and alcoholism predisposition Betty had to face her substance abuse problems was fore seen an instance that many might say was inevitable without some form of help early on her youth.Sadly with the state of be alone and suffering from the complication in her neck Betty suffered from depression and anxiety (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver, 2009). Through observation and case studies individuals who seem to have situations dealing with the issue of alcoholism are diagnosed with forms of depression and various other disorders associated with the mental status. With all the complications, Betty find herself in she is in harmââ¬â¢s way due to the continued use of alcohol and the prescribed medications (Comer, 2005). ConclusionAs this case study looked at the unfolding of Betty Fordââ¬â¢s life, the understand of what lead to the unfolding of a beautiful woman into a woman riddled with depression, anxiety, alcoholism and a dependency to prescribed medication we needed to begin with the understanding of how it began. The aspect of individualââ¬â¢s genetic predisposition and a childhood flawed in perception her cognitive and a look at her behavioral fundamental conditioning actions associated with her relationship with her mother and peers. In the end, the intervention of her supportive family resulted in a lifesaving gesture that saved her and gave a new outlook in her life. Betty Ford Case Study In the study of abnormal behavior it is found to be behavior observed through others individuals, this failed to be observed within self. The capability of recognizing the living aspects, emotional, cognitive and the behavioral part of behavior needed initially in the steps to recognize the purpose associated in behavior. In this case study of Betty Ford, she was an individual that struggled with a form of abnormal behavior along with the ability to recognize it with the assistance of other individuals to be able to notice she made a difference in her life. In this case study, it will explain the aspects of her life and overview of how she was able to work with assistance in understand the addictive behavior she developed over time and beat the odds of becoming sober.Biological ComponentsUnfortunately, Betty grew up as the daughter of alcoholics this was the platform that lead to her alcoholism predisposition that was biological. Unaware she was going to grow up and have an addiction of any sort and her fatherââ¬â¢s hidden alcoholism. His employment kept him away from home a lot oftentimes alcoholics and addicts find it easy to hide their stigmas that are stemmed from a genetic predisposition (Pinel, 2009). Betty was not the only family member that suffered from alcoholism, she later found her brother was afflicted also suffered from the factor that would support this reasoning (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver, 2009).Pertaining to genetic predispositions, an individual do not need to be raised in the same environment of an alcoholic to become afflicted, individuals only have to have the inherited genetic predisposition (Pinel, 2009). Having a genetic predisposition regarding the addiction to alcoholism help set the platform to Bettyââ¬â¢s components to alcoholism, along with many other components that allowed the genetic predisposition the ability to work together in Bettyââ¬â¢sà situation to be considered.Emotional ComponentsThe absence of Bettyââ¬â¢s fa ther doing her childhood affected her emotionally. His absence in her upbringing caused Betty to become deeply attached to her mother, whom as any other mother needing to play both roles of the parents in her home (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver, 2009). Mrs. Ford, Bettyââ¬â¢s mother was known as a perfectionist who demanded the same of everyone around her a trait Betty admired so of her mother. When her father died Betty was only 16 years of age, she was able to lean on the strength of her mother to get her through the traumatic ordeal. Following the case study of Betty, the qualities she observed through her mother, she was plagued with the notion of never living up to her, this was the factor that lead to the development of the baseline her addictions.As a young girl growing up Betty never had a drink, but later around the age of eighteen she developed a taste of alcohol as a social drinker. At this time in her life, she explored the modeling and dance industry in New York, the stress of the life style had an effect on which caused a shift in her self-esteem and emotional status (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver, 2009). This form of exposure was a major gateway into Bettyââ¬â¢s path of dependency to alcohol. Betty was thrown into the world of partying at all hours of the night and found her peers at the given time seem to place pressure on drinking more than usual.Once her mother the path of destruction she was falling into her urged Betty to return to Michigan (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver). After returning home six months later, Betty married a gentleman she knew from her childhood (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver). As many marriages, today, it did not take long before it was the end of her marriage. Betty found that her husband was not over the night life and party life style his actions affected her greatly because she was sure she was ready to settle down into a life of marriage and children. It did not take long before Betty met and later married a handsome fellow named, Ger ald Ford. Gerald was from a very decent family he was known as one of the most eligible bachelors at the time in Grand Rapids (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver, 2009).Yes, Betty truly was in love, but living the life of politic as the future first lady to the President of the United States was more than she bargained. Feeling lonely and placed aside of all, Betty was emotionally drained (Meyer, Chapman &à Weaver). The situation she found herself in had a downward spiral that pushed her over the edge along with the aspect of having the biological trait that lead to her painful addictions. Cognitive and Behavioral ComponentsOn the political trail, Betty gave birth four beautiful children, alone and keeping her home intact she found strength from the influence she saw in her mother throughout her childhood. It did not take long for Betty to be overcome with stress of the mental and physical aspect of a politicianââ¬â¢s wife and a mother raising four children mostly alone, not to mention sh e developed a painful situation of a compressed nerve in her (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver, 2009). Due to the compressed nerve condition in her neck Betty was treated with pain medications prescribed to ease her discomfort, unfortunately, this cause another form of addition along with the drinking.Betty was encouraged by her physician to continue her pain medication, unaware of her biological and emotional situation she was already plagued with. No one seem to notice the despair she was in which led to her cognitive and a behavioral substance-related turmoil she began living. Betty began experiencing a sense of emptiness and no self-worth that increased her emotional pain and dependency. Finding herself in a state of denial Betty needed to admit to herself that she had a problem with alcohol and prescription medication. In time, she had to come to grasp with the fact there was something wrong, and she needed to get some assistance before it was (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver, 2009).Taking in c onsideration the biological and alcoholism predisposition Betty had to face her substance abuse problems was fore seen an instance that many might say was inevitable without some form of help early on her youth. Sadly with the state of be alone and suffering from the complication in her neck Betty suffered from depression and anxiety (Meyer, Chapman & Weaver, 2009). Through observation and case studies individuals who seem to have situations dealing with the issue of alcoholism are diagnosed with forms of depression and various other disorders associated with the mental status. With all the complications, Betty find herself in she is in harmââ¬â¢s way due to the continued use of alcohol and the prescribed medications (Comer, 2005).ConclusionAs this case study looked at the unfolding of Betty Fordââ¬â¢s life, the understand of what lead to the unfolding of a beautiful woman into a woman riddled with depression, anxiety, alcoholism and a dependency to prescribed medication we ne eded to begin with the understanding of how it began. The aspect of individualââ¬â¢s genetic predisposition and a childhood flawed in perception her cognitive and a look at her behavioral fundamental conditioning actions associated with her relationship with her mother and peers. In the end, the intervention of her supportive family resulted in a lifesaving gesture that saved her and gave a new outlook in her life.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Edgar Allan Poe Essay
1. According to the first paragraph, what characteristics of the ââ¬Å"Red Deathâ⬠make it such a horrible disease? * The characteristics of the ââ¬Å"Red Deathâ⬠that make it such a horrible disease are the profuse amounts of blood, sharp pains, sudden dizziness, and the seizure. 2. Describe in detail Prosperoââ¬â¢s plan for escaping the epidemic. * Prosperoââ¬â¢s plan for escaping the epidemic was to gather a thousand hale and light-hearted friends from his court and keep them within a wall. The courtiers brought massy hammers to weld the bolts. Within the wall the people basically rejoiced to keep away from the ââ¬Å"Red Death.â⬠3. What do the ebony clock and its arresting chimes add to the plot? Can you think of any symbolic value the clock might have? * 4. What symbolic evidence can you find in Poeââ¬â¢s use of the following? * A. the number seven ââ¬â B. the use of colors, especially the black and scarlet in the seventh room ââ¬â C. the movement from east to west in the sequence of the rooms and throughout the story ââ¬â 5. In your opinion, how does this allusion add a layer of meaning to this story? * 6. ââ¬Å"The want of parental affection,â⬠wrote Poe ââ¬Å"has been the heaviest of my trials.â⬠Explain why Poe would make such a statement. * 7. What prominent military academy did Poe attend? Did he graduate? Why or why not? * 8. In great detail, comment on Virginia Clemm. * 9. Why is much of what we know about Poe wrong? * 10. Poe is widely known for inventing what type of story? *
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Free Essays on Laura Bush
Laura: Americaââ¬â¢s First Lady, First Mother Antonia Felix Though she was shy and reserved at first, everything changed on September 11, 2001, when the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were crushed by terrorist attacks. In the aftermath, Laura rose to the occasion, providing comfort and reassurance amidst what is perhaps the worst crisis weââ¬â¢ve ever faced-and she has since become a beacon of hope and strength to the nation. Laura, by noted biographer Antonia Felix, is the first profile of this remarkable woman. The author has conducted dozens of interviews-including with Jenna Welch, Lauraââ¬â¢s mother-and has produced an insightful, compelling work that finally informs us of the major events in Laura Bushââ¬â¢s life, bringing us closer to discovering what she is really like. In clear, crisp prose, the author tells of Lauraââ¬â¢s fascinating journey from her happy childhood in Midland, Texas through her courtship and marriage to dashing National Guard pilot George W., her years as a schoolteacher and librarian, her pass ion for literacy, and her role as mother to twin girls, Barbara and Jenna. At once probing and revealing, Laura shows why Laura Bush is the right First Lady for these uncertain times-helping Americans reassess our priorities after our tragic loss and urging us to hug our children. This important biography will serve as a lasting tribute to a special woman for years to come. Laura Bush grew up in Midland, Texas with her father and mother, and led a content life as their only child. She dreamed of being a teacher, a traditional career for the females of her generation. Laura was raised in a strong home where religion, good ethics, and a strong morale played important roles in her upbringing. The combination of her parentââ¬â¢s influences, growing up in a traditional American culture, and eventually becoming the daughter-in-law to the President of the United States, prepared her well to become the fo... Free Essays on Laura Bush Free Essays on Laura Bush Laura: Americaââ¬â¢s First Lady, First Mother Antonia Felix Though she was shy and reserved at first, everything changed on September 11, 2001, when the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were crushed by terrorist attacks. In the aftermath, Laura rose to the occasion, providing comfort and reassurance amidst what is perhaps the worst crisis weââ¬â¢ve ever faced-and she has since become a beacon of hope and strength to the nation. Laura, by noted biographer Antonia Felix, is the first profile of this remarkable woman. The author has conducted dozens of interviews-including with Jenna Welch, Lauraââ¬â¢s mother-and has produced an insightful, compelling work that finally informs us of the major events in Laura Bushââ¬â¢s life, bringing us closer to discovering what she is really like. In clear, crisp prose, the author tells of Lauraââ¬â¢s fascinating journey from her happy childhood in Midland, Texas through her courtship and marriage to dashing National Guard pilot George W., her years as a schoolteacher and librarian, her pass ion for literacy, and her role as mother to twin girls, Barbara and Jenna. At once probing and revealing, Laura shows why Laura Bush is the right First Lady for these uncertain times-helping Americans reassess our priorities after our tragic loss and urging us to hug our children. This important biography will serve as a lasting tribute to a special woman for years to come. Laura Bush grew up in Midland, Texas with her father and mother, and led a content life as their only child. She dreamed of being a teacher, a traditional career for the females of her generation. Laura was raised in a strong home where religion, good ethics, and a strong morale played important roles in her upbringing. The combination of her parentââ¬â¢s influences, growing up in a traditional American culture, and eventually becoming the daughter-in-law to the President of the United States, prepared her well to become the fo...
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
How to Write a Query Letter in 7 Steps
How to Write a Query Letter in 7 Steps How to Write a Query Letter in 7 Steps A starving writer stands in front of a mailbox, clutching a hefty brown envelope addressed to a publishing company. They say a prayer, push their manuscript in, and begin the long wait for a reply that could make or break their career. It's a romantic image, but most major publishers don't actually accept "unsolicited manuscripts" these days. If that writer were serious about being published, theyââ¬â¢d first seek out an agent. And for that, they'd need a query letter. Ready to get an agent? Here's how to write a query letter in 7 steps With the help of our brand-new infographic, this post will show you how to write a query letter that gets results. Note: a lot of research needs to happen before you start querying agents. This article will focus on the query letter itself, and specifically, queries for fiction. You can learn about queries for non-fiction submissions in this postà and how to write a non-fiction book proposal right here. Writing an Effective Query Letterà A query letter is a note asking an agent if theyââ¬â¢re interested in representing a book. Agents may receive a dozen or more queries a day - and might only sign four or five authors per year. So you can see how making a good first impression in your query is crucial. Now, there's no "standard" format that all authors use for their letters. However, a query is a business document and as such should look like a formal one-page business letter. Our one universal piece of advice about querying is to keep the letter short. Think 300 to 400 words at the very most. Many agents field queries using their phones, so think about how will your letter look on a small screen. Does it give the impression of being a huge wall of text, or a disjointed series of singles sentences? If so, revise to make it more concise, orderly, and organized. Without further ado, hereââ¬â¢s how to write a query letter in 7 steps.Step 1: Capture the agentââ¬â¢s attention with your greetingââ¬Å"Dear Ms. Tylerâ⬠Thatââ¬â¢s perfectly fine, assuming that the agentââ¬â¢s name is Tyler and she is, indeed, a woman. The following line should then make the agent prick up their ears. If youââ¬â¢ve published before, why not start with that? Also make sure to mention any critical recognition or awards you've received for your previous work.Iââ¬â¢m seeking representation for my novel, The Bedlam Stacks.à This novel is the follow-up to The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, which was shortlisted for the Betty Trask Prize, and a finalist for the Locust First Novel Prize in 2016.If you havenââ¬â¢t published before, another great way to start is with a personal connection.We met at last yearââ¬â¢s Writerââ¬â¢s Digest Annual Conference and chatted briefly about your work with up-and-coming romance authors.Or, better yet, get a referral from an established author or a publishing insider.Jane Doe at Del Rey Books suggested that I contact you regarding representation for my debut science fiction novel, Arbormancer.Networking is crucial in publishing. ââ¬Å"You want something that will bring the submission directly to the agent rather than an assistant or an intern,â⬠says editor and former agent Fran Lebowitz. ââ¬Å"Showing that you are connected never hurts.â⬠If you have no connections to speak of, donââ¬â¢t panic; just jump straight into your pitch.Iââ¬â¢m writing to seek representation for my 92,500-word debut thriller, Operation Kill.The title, genre, and word count: three key pieces of information are right there in your first sentence. With that out of the way, letââ¬â¢s really grab their attention!Tip: Always mention your genre, word count and target audience in your query.Step 2: Craft an irresistible hook"Sell the book, donââ¬â¢t apologize for it, and know how to condense its true meaning to a couple of sentences.â⬠à - Jonny Geller, CEO of Curtis Brown (John le Carrà ©, David Mitchell, Susanna Clarke)Within the first few pages of a novel, you need to make it impossible for readers to put your book down. In a query letter, you have to make do with just a few lines. This part of the letter is known as the hook. Your hook should show agents how your book is different from the thousands of others in your genre. It could be an awesome concept that makes the reader wonder why someone hasnââ¬â¢t thought of it before. Just look at the hook for Jeff Lindsayââ¬â¢s Darkly Dreaming Dexter:Meet Dexter Morgan, a polite wolf in sheepââ¬â¢s clothing. Heââ¬â¢s handsome and charming, but something in his past has made him abide by a different set of rules. Heââ¬â¢s a serial killer whose one golden rule makes him immensely likable: he only kills bad people.Another great hook might involve an intriguing central conflict, like the one in Stepheni e Meyersââ¬â¢ Twilight:About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him - and I didnââ¬â¢t know how potent that part might be - à that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.Not only does this introduce the genre and tone (dark paranormal romance), it sets up the narratorââ¬â¢s dilemma: she knows sheââ¬â¢s in love with a man who might kill her. What will happen next? Is she walking into a trap? Will her love conquer the vampireââ¬â¢s bloodlust? Perfecting your hook might take days - but itââ¬â¢s the most important part of your pitch, hands down.
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Growing up in the Ditital Age Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Growing up in the Ditital Age - Research Paper Example Net Generation is a force for social transformation from education and work to collaborations and socialization. With their reflexes trained for speed and freedom, Net-Genre is empowered to transform the world from inside out. They are already transforming society, from education and workplace to marketplace and family, they are influencing every aspect of modern life. They are replacing the culture of control with a culture of enablement (Tapscott 6).This paper explores the influences of Net Generation on education, work and family as discussed in Don Tapscott's remarkable book, "Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing World". Net Generation (1977-1997) People born during 1946 and 1964 are called baby-boomers who became TV Generation (Leung 107). Gen X consists of adults between the ages of 32 and 43.They are highly aggressive communicators and media-centered. Gen X is media (TV, radio, film, and internet) savvy and their habits resemble to Net Generation. Gen X is foll owed by Net Generation, the children of baby boomers. The Net Generation consists of children born between January 1977 and December 1997. In these 21 years, 81.1 million children were born who make 27 percent of the U.S. population called Millennials or Generation Y. They have outnumbered the baby-boomers adults. This Net Generation is entirely different from all other generations in history since they are born in a digital environment (Tapscott 2).As Tapscott puts it, "they are bathed in bits that they think it's all part of the natural landscape"(2). Currently, the Net Generation constitutes 30 percent of the total population as compared to 29 percent of their parents' baby boomers generation. As a rival to boomers and their culture, it is imparting huge cultural influences. However, the huge impact is not due to the size but Net Generation's ability to grow in an age of revolution in telecommunication. Boomer parents engaged with a new technology in their formative years like te levision, however, it was much more limited in its scope.Net Generation is exposed to an entirely different context and environment as compared to their parents and grandparents (Denton et al. 2). Net Generation has eight basic characteristics that make them stand out from their boomer parents and other generations. They accolade freedom and freedom to choose, they believe in customization and collaborations. They prefer a conversation rather than a lecture. They scrutinize and insist on integrity. They believe in having fun, no matter if it's school or work. They need speed and innovation (Tapscott 6). Changing ways of Communication Members of Net Generation are between the ages of 11 and 31 now. They multi-task quite heavily and use technology in a different way. For Net-Genre, mobile phone are not for calling and emailing, they use it for texting, surfing web, finding directions, taking pictures, making videos, and collaborating with others. They hang out on Facebook, MySpace, an d Skype. Everyone is as cyber-sophisticated as the next person is. They turn to internet for everything they need (Tapscott 9). Education System The Net-Gen is the most ethnically diverse, largest, and the most female dominated college population in the history (O'Donnell qtd. in Tapscott 123). Unlike baby-boomers' cramming model of seeking knowledge, Net-Generation is facing a fast-paced age of information technology where one has
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