Challenges in Conducting a Good Research Essay

The theoretical foundations are the heart for conducting research in a given area. It is the framework on which the whole research project is based. It is a rationally described, elaborated and developed network of relationships among the variables considered important to the problem situation and identified through such process as literature survey, interview and observations. An effective theoretical foundation identifies and define the relevant variables in a situation that are necessary to the problem defined. Similarly, the building blocks of conducting a good research are the existing facts, theories and hypothesis concerning the topic of study. They serve as a guide to the representation of existing information about the problem, thus supporting and motivating the research in regard to the topic. A good example of the building blocks of a research is the literature review, which provides information about what has been put out about the problem (Taber, 2012). Challenges To Conducting A Good Research Looking for study participants. Finding the participants of the research is usually difficult because a researcher has to define the target participants before he or she goes to the find. In most cases such participants are usually hidden, making it hard to find them. Nevertheless, the best way to solve this challenge is through networking. Networking through methods such as snowball technique eliminates this challenge (Webster & Tuckman,2000). A research can also work with other established researcher in the field for networking Dealing with collected data. When the study is completed, the researcher is faced with the challenge of having a large volume of data, which he or she has to link it with the present research. He or she has to show how his or her research contributes to the body of knowledge. Large data are hard to analyze. But, it can be solved by referring to the methodology used in the study. He or she can also stay focused so as not to be distracted by insignificant data. References Taber, K. (2012). Conducting research in educational contexts. Teacher Development, 395-397. Webster, P., & Tuckman, B. (2000). Conducting Educational Research. Journal of Research in Music Education, 271-271. Source document

Carver’s Cathedral Critical Perpective Essay

I reviewed a collection of literary criticism on Carver’s Cathedral, a collection of short stories written by Carver which was published in 1983. One that stood out to be in particular was James W. Grinnell’s criticism on Carver’s Cathedral works. Grinnell wrote his review in the winter of 1984, and went on to say many things about Carver’s work. Grinnell mostly praises Carver’s work and his addition of newer and more creative ideas in his latest work. Grinnell also believes that Carver has improved his, what some called â€Å"old† style, by adding new elements to his work. James W. Grinnell opens his critique by saying, â€Å"Things are finally looking up for Raymond Carver. † I have to say I agree with Grinnell’s opening statement, the stories in Cathedral were some of which had a more pleasing and refreshed outlook on life. James Grinnell gives an overview of Carver’s life. To paraphrase Grinnell, Carvers life was not always on the positive side that it seemed like it was on since the release of Cathedral. Carver was married at the age of eighteen and he had a lot of responsibilities at that early age. Carver had the responsibilities of supporting his children and wife at this age while working dull, routine jobs. Grinnell goes on to explain how Carver was raise in a poor neighborhood in the city of Yakima, Washington. Then Carver was able to go to college and complete a Bachelor’s Degree from Chico State in California. After college Carver took up writing from the University of Iowa’s Writers’ Workshop, making just enough to barely survive in the year he spent there. After these experiences Carver took up drinking while wasting many years of his thirties. Which Carver fully accepted and did not make any excuses for. Before 1983, Carver wrote two books full of stories called Will you Please Be Quiet, Please? and What We Talk About When We Talk About Love. Compared to the long titles, the content of the stories were pretty short, many being less than or equal to ten pages each. Carver carefully crafted his stories despite his drinking and lack of comfortable writing space. Due to the restricted viewpoints and the characters not being quite clear, Carver gained a reputation for his kind of writing that won for him. According to Grinnell when Carver came out with Cathedral, â€Å"a book with a one-word title and a dozen, more fully fleshed-out stories,† which I agree totally with, the stories were still â€Å"hard little gems of fiction but they are a few carats heavier than those of the earlier books† (Grinnell p. 106). To summarize Grinnell, half of the stories were first person narrations, which Carver had tight control over his characters perspectives. Carver does not give too much to the outside world around his characters and allows the reader to bring their own emotional baggage to and from the stories. While Carver is a literary minimalist and presents the characters of his stories lives as nothing more than what it is. Grinnell uses the opening story Feathers as an example, explaining the story. Grinnell explains that the narrator’s daily routine is exhausted and weary and that his wife is broken when a coworker invites them over for dinner. Carver places details such as the television that has a plaster of Paris cast of crooked teeth, and a La-Z-Boy chair, as well as the host’s wife, and their baby that is described as fat and ugly, as well as a pet peacock. The narrator holds nothing back and shares with the reader that the baby was the ugliest they had ever seen. The night turns out to be a nice, special one that is actually memorable because after that their lives became even duller. The narrator and his wife have a child of their own, who developed â€Å"a conniving streak in him. Grinnell explains that Carver’s characters â€Å"Often experience a special moment which almost affords them a glimpse of something elusive- a better life perhaps† Grinnell then says that they cannot actually achieve it hence they retreat to drinking or their regular boring life which seems even duller by the missed opportunity to achieve this better life. Grinnell calls â€Å"Cathedral† the peak story of the collection, and also refers to it as â€Å"this little masterpiece,† which I also agree with; Cathedral was my favorite story honestly. Grinnell tells that the piece concluded with the narrator trying to describe to a blind man a cathedral that he sees on television, but his words fail. Then the narrator tries to show the experience by holding the blind man’s hand while making a sketch of cathedral. The narrator then closes his eyes after the blind man asks him to. Grinnell expresses that the blind man is more perceptive than the narrator is and when the narrator closes his eyes, he gains a new dimension of perception. Grinnell ends his critique by saying Carver’s life seems to be coming back together and that his art is blooming, while he thinks that Cathedral is a major part of a new beginning for Carver’s writing career. The second literary criticism text I chose to select was one from Randolph Paul Runyon, which was written in 1992. Runyon’s essay examined the connecting elements and recurring themes in the short stories from Cathedral. Runyon first reviews â€Å"Feathers,† and mentions the characteristics of the setting. Runyon mentions the â€Å"old plaster-of-Paris cast of the most crooked, jaggedy teeth in the world† as well as the pet peacock and the baby. To summarize Runyon, the narrator of the story ends up mentioning that the evening was a special one that made him forget his everything in his life. Runyon says that there are two different interpretations of the meaning of the visit; one was that for the narrator’s wife the visit was a reminder of what went wrong in their lives in the beginning. The other one is that for the narrator it was glimpse of paradise, that he would never see again which was symbolized by the pet peacock. Runyon believes there is a possible three interpretation, which can be seen from a different point of the nonparticipants of the story. This is the point of view that the reader sees and the one that escaped Jack and Fran. The story takes place in the evening which they both always remember it began with a little story about the difficulty of remembering. This tied into a previous story that Carver had written. Another thing Runyon mentions about â€Å"Feathers† is that a lot of things are presented in pairs in the story such as the narrator and his wife, the baby and the peacock, the teeth â€Å"before† and â€Å"after. † Then Runyon goes on to say that it was fitting for the first story of the collection to begin with a series of chains of before and after, and we should be accustomed to them now because this is the way his short story sequences seem to be put together. Runyon then talks about â€Å"Cathedral,† which he starts off by summarizing the story, saying that before the narrator’s wife married him she worked as a reader for Robert and that they had exchanged tapes in the years since. When the narrator’s wife was telling him about Robert she told the narrator that she had talked about him in a tape to Robert and Robert had something to say about the narrator in his tape back to her, but what Robert had said about the narrator was never fully told since an interruption came at that time. This type of interruption had been seen in another one of Carver’s works. To summarize Runyon, the narrator was annoyed at first that Robert was coming to visit because he has never had much to do with blind people and he thinks he will be uncomfortable. Robert is a nice man that enjoyed thing just like any other person would, good food, good drinking and good marijuana although he was just trying it for the first time. Runyon then summarizes the rest of the story, and then adds his opinion. Runyon believes that the conclusion is intended to make the reader think to explore many of Carver’s other pieces. Runyon says that the conclusion also reminded him of the conclusion of â€Å"The Bridle† when Holits was high on the cabana roof since the narrator and the blind man drew the cathedral while they’re high. Also a significant role reversal was seen since at first the narrator was in charge of drawing the cathedral on the heavy paper so that Robert could move his fingers over the paper to get an idea of what it looked liked, but by the end the blind man is actually guiding the narrator. The blind man was basically showing the narrator what it was like to be blind, when the blind man tells the narrator to close his eyes. Runyon says the collaboration between the two, the blind man and the narrator, was something like collaborattion Carver held with his editor (p. 176). I agree with a lot of things I read in both of these pieces of criticism. I like the criticism given by Grinnell the most, and I would say it was a really good one. Not all of the stories of the collection were gone over in these though. I agree that drinking is often turned to by the characters of Carver’s writing, like when Robert first got to the narrators home, the narrator offered him a drink right away, I said, â€Å"Let me get you a drink. What’s your pleasure? We have a little of everything. It’s one of our pastimes† (Carver). The narrator then closes his eyes after the blind man asks him to. Grinnell expresses that the blind man is more perceptive than the narrator is and when the narrator closes his eyes, he gains a new dimension of perception. Also when Grinnell expressed that the blind man is more perceptive than the narrator, I agreed as well. Although the narrator has been able to see all of his life he doesn’t comprehend that being blind doesn’t mean that a person is completely handicapped but he isn’t completely normal either. The narrator says â€Å"I’ve never met, or personally known, anyone who was blind. † The narrator also thinks that Robert could be taken bowling which is not very realistic. I do believe at the end the narrators perception is taken to a new depth especially while he mentions that the drawing they worked on was really something, saying that with his eyes closed.

Atmosphere of Mystery and Suspense Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Atmosphere of Mystery and Suspense - Essay Example Focusing on films that we have covered this semester, namely, The Birds by Alfred Hitchcock,   The Birth of Nation by David Wark Griffings,   The Night of the Hunter by Charles Laughton, Sunset Boulevard by Billy Wilder, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari by Robert Wiene, Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock, Grand Illusion by Jean Renoir, Ossessione by Luchino Visconti, The Battleship Potemkin by Sergei Eisenstein, The White Ribbon by Michael Haneke, The Song of the South by Wilfred Jackson and Harve Foster and Sunrise by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau there is a usual similarity to be observed. All the films are not set in the current modern setting, so one has to consider the fact that directors by then had serious challenges to technical skills and machine support. Nevertheless, one respects their works and seek to know how they accomplished their goals. For any successful film quality of Choice of characters, choice and quality of sound, camera angles and movement should not be compromised. T his is based on the fact that camera angles and sound system show the actual objective of the film, its meaning and significance. The actual setting and the actual nature of the characters is also evident in the film. It is also through these three factors we understand the emotions of the authors and the intentions of the director. Though the study did not exhibit modern technology in their development, the directors did beat the midnight oil to use techniques such as soundtrack system to explain their intentions. The sound is often measured in decibels. These are units which can be detected by a human ear when changed. Therefore, the composition of all of these factors determines the quality of the film. This paper shows an analysis of the films that exist in the society. Any director worth their professional standards understands the importance of settings in film development. This is based on the fact that the setting outline the plot and other vital aspect developed into a movi e. For instance, in the film, â€Å"The Birth of a Nation (1915),† showcase the reconstruction era in America. An individual is able to understand how time setting influences the development. The strategic use of camera and sound explain the plot development. This is evident through the use of cameras looking down Sherman’s March. It is significant to explain the use of camera angles and placement since it opens the audience's mind. It also creates a level of suspense through political happenings. That is why we also view the director’s choice of sound that has the VHS and DVD formats to maintain the quality of sound. The film explains the occurrence of the American civil war primarily by the Ku Klux Klan gang. It also evaluates the effects of the death of Cameron’s brother in the war. During the painful experience, uses the direction of camera angles set strategically to capture the anguish and pain of Ben Cameroon when he receives news about his hanging . On the other hand, sound cements the director's objectives as strange mysterious sound can be heard when Ben is suffering the realization that his other family members had actually died in the war. The setting of the film actually explains that the outcome of events for instance crime punishable by murder through hanging was common in those times. The film La Grand Illusion (1937), focuses on the fate of a small group of French Soldiers after the outcome of the war. The characters were prisoners of war and were plotting an escape. The timing is during the middle of the world war II when a castle build in Western France appear in the film.        

I don't have one Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

I don't have one - Essay Example In the short story, drugs led to his incarceration, thus increasing his predicament. However, his aptitude in jazz music has significantly aided him in alleviating his challenges. In James Baldwin’s short story, titled Sonny’s Blues, the narrator depicts Sonny as a teenaged character struggling with various challenges in the slums of Harlem. The story’s setting is in the middle of the 20th century, a time when racial discrimination was at all times high. Racial discrimination against the African Americans by the whites came in all forms thus posing tremendous negative or undesirable effects in the society. The narrator, an anonymous character, gives a picture of Sonny fighting drug abuse and other social dilemmas through jazz music, which he strongly disapproves. Moreover, he says "and his music seemed to be merely an excuse for the life he led† (Madden 321). The writer describes how Sonny uses his artful skills in mitigating his challenges that include drug abuse and poverty. In one instance, the narrator shows how Sonny hangs in several nightclubs, in a bid to use his talent in jazz music to avert drug (heroin) addiction. His brother, the narrator does not understand his passion in music until one day when they go together in a nightclub (Schewhn and Bass 331). In that particular occasion, the narrator realizes the power of music in keeping Sonny sound and normal, while staying away from drugs and other social tribulations that significantly affects his life. However, his jazz musical talent could have a negative effect on him since the narrator’s in-laws took him as a low-classed boy. In addition, Sonny’s involvement in jazz music led him into drug addiction, a condition he unsuccessfully tried to eliminate. His addiction has also landed him in jail and severely affected his relationship with his brother, the narrator (F einstein and Rife 506). Through his jazz music, Sonny is able to communicate the

Just War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Just War - Essay Example Based on the information relayed by this text, I concur with it especially when it comes to the issue of â€Å"Just war†. However, the strong insistence that a certain state would result to this remedy in most cases pose numerous questions to the non-involved parties. Based on the illustrations that you have relayed concerning varied wars, which America involved itself, I agree the magnitude used in executing â€Å"Just War† does not commensurate with the case at hand. This is evident during the use of an atomic weapon during WW11 whereby it ended up exterminating numerous civilians than the targeted elements. Hence, proving despite respective authorities allowing â€Å"Just War† the remedy ends up being worse than anticipated good for not only results to massive massacre but also disruption of economy of innocent people . In addition, I do also concur with your text regarding impacts that up to date and as detailed in numerous annals of historical accounts when US involved it regional wars. This is encompasses US’ involvement in Iraq that you have stated lightly but on reflecting about the scenario and drawing similar conventional review in other incidents proves how â€Å"Just war† may be worse than good. This is beca use it is acts as a tool that â€Å"engulfs† hidden agendas but â€Å"sugar-coated† with intentions of ensuring peace, which is not the case. Since, most of US’ motivations range from political to economical whereby in losing these goals is the greatest fear. Hence, result to be more vocal compared to other global states.

Feminism shown throughout the book called Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Essay

Feminism shown throughout the book called Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - Essay Example Some have considered it quite ironic for a person like Mary Shelley to write a novel in which all female characters have marginal representation compared to the male characters. Shelley was born to a very notable Victorian feminist named Mary Wollstonecraft. Yet, she has portrayed women as creatures of little wisdom or independence in her most distinguished novel. For example, when the text says that â€Å"He came like a protecting spirit to the poor girl, who committed herself to his care;† (Shelley 26), it is suggested by Viktor that Caroline, his mother, had no capacity to look after herself and looked up to his father to be taken care of. She clearly has no means to support herself financially and so, marries Viktor’s father for survival. This possessibility of women, depicted in the novel, could be due to the fact that Shelley wrote in a time when women were expected to abide by some rules which were set for them by the conservative society in which they lived. Her novel does not speak of women with spirited enthusiasm, rather they are described in a very ordinary way which makes the readers perceive them as ordinary and powerless. For example, at one point, Viktor speaking of his mother says that in his childhood, â€Å"she presented Elizabeth to me as her promised gift† (Shelley 30). Here, it is clear how powerless women then were because Elizabeth, while being unaware herself, is promised by another woman to his child. Elizabeth has no say in this important matter of her life, rather she is treated like an object and handed over to a child. There is a huge gender gap which is clearly noticeable in Frankenstein. This is even considered a sexist book by many critics. Negative portrayal of women in the novel is traced back by some to the time in which Shelley lived when women were brought up in a such a way that they could not think of

Prepare a proposal to the CEO of ZExpress Coursework

Prepare a proposal to the CEO of ZExpress - Coursework Example They need to understand their role and others as well to put the overall administration in perspective. It’s only then they shall optimize the resources and take full advantage of the M&A which has taken place. If there is a communication gap between management or structural deficiencies, it will directly effect the business and hence its profitability. SMART objectives Specific: What exactly do I want to achieve Create a structure which is acceptable to all top management of merged companies. Who reports to whom? Why? Who is senior to whom? Why? Is single reporting structure better or should there be dual reporting? How about dotted reporting? Should companies still consider their staff separate from other companies? These are few of the questions which can be asked in order to achieve this project, because I believe that its only a healthy management team which can fulfill your target of increasing revenue and decreasing costs by correct delegation and reporting. Measurable: How will I know I have got it? Seamless flow of administrative instructions with 99% accuracy will be a point where one can say that the structure is running smoothly. There can be staff members identified from the top management who shall be responsible in implementing the whole plan and giving feedback to overall management team about its progress and improvements required if any. Since time in hand to revamp the whole system is only 6 months, keeping in mind the Bonsai business, this needs to be done on priority and within 6 weeks or so. Achievable: How do you know you are capable of reaching this goal? A step is already taken by identifying the CEO, 3 VPs and 3 GMs all from different erstwhile companies. The rest of the structure should fall in place whereby the remaining Ex GMs and VPs and COOs of the merged companies find their best fit in the organization. There are innumerable examples of good and bad management structures available by research on other companies where one can learn from in case of such M&As. Hence its certainly achievable, but its success depends on its planning and execution. Realistic: How realistic is this goal? Putting a structure in place for better organizational management is achievable with correct information and cooperation from all team members. This is a prerequisite and there is no question of it being non realistic. Timed: How long will it take me to reach this goal? Time is of essence here, but that should not lead to a haphazard structure or strategy. Huge effort has to go into this, within a significantly small time frame. 6 weeks is what I have set with scope of 2 weeks delay. This is assuming that its not only the restructuring work being carried out but other projects being implemented side by side in operations, logistics and administration. Contribution to your goals This project will be the hidden secret to your success if its well executed. Team work specially between staff of different merged companies is key to success of the united entity. Your goal to make UPE a company which is most exciting to your staff and suppliers and eventually become best distribution and Logistics Company worldwide can be possible if this goal is achieved in early stages of new company. It is these joint teams which will enable the company to be agile and responsive to customer’s business needs across the world. Challenge 1 - Relatively less cooperation from management team of either of the merged com

Hilton Hotels - Conrad Hilton Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hilton Hotels - Conrad Hilton - Lab Report Example Born on 25Th December 1887 in New Mexico, he took over his father’s store at the age of 21 years (Lewis, 2009: p. 231). This acted as a fundamental exposure in the business world though at one time tried his luck in politics while in quest of finding life’s course before embarking on entrepreneurship. Hilton’s deep desire to be â€Å"big† according to one his principles prompted him to undertake new ventures after returning from being WWI combatant, deeming the then predicaments that characterized his life were meaningless to what he aspired to achieve in future. The idea of being an hotelier dawned on him while prospecting for opportunities at Cisco, Texas after his father’s demise during the WWI. His intention while in Texas was to purchase an additional bank but he ended up buying Mobley Hotel followed by other similar premises in not only US but also globally, for instance, in China (Lewis, 2009). Consequently, this initial acquisition prompted to buying and development of purchased hospitality enterprises, which he named by his name evident to date. Hilton’s Christianity background nurtured by his mother prompted him to apply persistent efforts in every endeavor he undertook coupled with prayerful life as a staunch Catholic. His strong faith prompted him to give out almost his entire wealth to charity work besides distributing some to close family members as well as his children. Entrepreneurial skills Hilton was a great risk taker evident from the numerous ventures he undertook in foreign states characterized by cultures completely different from those in America. Hence, managing to steer hotel ventures in states like China and Europe, which continued to thrive despite numerous cultural predicaments he experienced. In their study, Butler and Russell (2010) relay one incident where Board members doubted whether Hilton’s concept of establishing hotels in other states other than US would thrive. This quest pro ved them wrong when Hilton insisted on starting the first hotel outside USA in San Juan, Puerto Rico and became exceedingly successful (Butler & Russell, 2010). Hence, this motivated other hoteliers especially from Europe to venture in the same region though they did not surpass him as they thought. In addition, Hilton was a determined person in all the endeavors and project, which he undertook (Lewis, 2009). He epitomized a person who had the strength as well as strong will aimed at rising above any negative circumstances and emerge successfully. Consequently, this prompted him to venture on his own in most cases utilizing shrewd business knowhow he had leaving his doubters surprised (Lewis, 2009). Using his shrewd business acumen, Hilton ensured all his hotels offered the best contrary to the players he found in every locality he ventured (Butler & Russell, 2010). Hence, prompting large pool of clientele prefer his services in the foreign states where it was difficult to win them due to varied and engraved cultures. This is via serving the clients with what was of great interest to them besides transforming new acquired hotels to have touch of international standards while utilizing local furnishings (Butler & Russell, 2010). Hence, uphold immediate localities’ cultural heritages. Hilton employed unique and effective secrets that would guarantee him success in foreign states, which had utterly diverse cultures than those

Making Decisions Based on Demand and Forecasting Research Paper

Making Decisions Based on Demand and Forecasting - Research Paper Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that the demand curve, one of the lines on a supply and demand graph; represents various levels of consumer demand for a product at different prices. The curve crosses the supply curve representing the equilibrium price where demand and price are all in balance. Using demand curve data, a business is able to determine which pricing strategies to employ. These strategies lead to income estimates and set objectives which indicate the importance of pricing in an organization and its ability to be profitable. Based on pricing managers of Dommino pizza are able to forecast how much a customer may buy and how much of the product will be bought at a given period of time. An organization will shift the production of various products and services based on supply and demand of these particular commodities. Managers should make critical decisions to ensure that they produce enough goods and services to ensure that demand does not ov erriding because if this happens then there will not exist a market due to overproduction. Dommino pizza should, therefore, ensure that it produces a reasonable number of pizzas that are enough for all its customers according to their demands. Thirdly, another important decision for a company is the distribution of goods. Channels of distribution are highly affected by demand whereby, where the demand for goods is high then managers should improvise shorter, more direct and economical channels. In cases of low demand for goods, managers should change the way they distribute their goods to those particular markets. Finally, demand affects how a company employs its skilled labor force. The demand for products dictates the demand for particular skill or position in the labor market. The relative cost of hiring skilled personnel affects who a company is willing to hire.

Development of an Equation Essay Example for Free

Development of an Equation Essay Purpose: Investigate a chemical reaction using lab procedures and observations. Then, find a pattern of reactivity and explain the findings using a chemical equation and particle diagram. Procedure: Refer to: Department of Chemistry, The Ohio State University. Development of an Equation. General Chemistry 1210 Laboratory Manual. Vol. 2013-2014. Plymouth: Hayden-McNeil. 32-35. Data/Results: Part A: In the potassium iodide solution, I think there were potassium atoms as well as iodine atoms. In the lead nitrate solution, I think there were lead and nitrate ions. The potassium atoms and the lead atoms can be classified as cations, since they are metals. The iodine atoms and the nitrate ion can be classified as anions since they are nonmetals. Upon mixing, the solution turned into a cloudy yellow color. Evidence that a chemical reaction occurred was that the two solutions created a new color because the two solutions were originally colorless. There was no gas formed. Part B: (Testing the Anions) Iodide reaction with hydrogen peroxide observations- The precipitate at the bottom turned into a red solid and the liquid solution was a dirty yellow color. Nitrate reaction with hydrogen peroxide observations- A colorless precipitate formed at the bottom and looked like a bubble. It was a relatively large bubble. The liquid solution was colorless and cloudy/fizzy. Since the reaction resulted in some fizzing and bubbles, this is indication that a gas was formed. (Testing the Cations) Potassium reaction with thioacetamide observations – No reaction occurred. Lead reaction with thioacetamide observations A violet-black precipitate formed at the bottom of the test tube and the liquid solution was a cloudy grey color. It was about the same size precipitate as the nitrate reaction with hydrogen peroxide. Strong smell from the thioacetamide. Part C: Identification of ions in the precipitate that forms when lead nitrate solution is added to potassium iodide solution. (Testing for Anions) Reaction with hydrogen peroxide observations- A dark red precipitate formed at the bottom of the test tube and the liquid solution was colorless. There was not a large amount of precipitate formed and it sort of smeared along the inside of the test tube. Inferences: What anions are in the precipitate? -iodine (I-) When compared with results from part B to test anions, similar results were found. A dark red precipitate was formed in both. (Testing for cations) Reaction with hydrogen sulfide observations- A small, violet-black precipitate formed at the bottom of the test tube and the liquid solution was grey and cloudy. Inferences: What cations are in the precipitate? – lead (Pb2+) When compared with results from part B to test cations, similar results were found, A violet-black precipitate was formed in both tests. Exchange reaction- Positive potassium started off with negative iodine, and positive lead started off with negative nitrate. Potassium switched to combine with nitrate and lead switched to combine with iodine. Part D: Testing of Precipitate| Observations on Initial Precipitate Formed (relative amount, etc.)| Lead Nitrate: Potassium Iodide Ratio| Tube 1| Powdery, yellow precipitate formed at the bottom. Not very much precipitate. Little to no streaking. Clear liquid solution above precipitate. | 3:1| Tube 2| Powdery, yellow precipitate formed at the bottom. Equal to tube 1. Little to no streaking. Clear liquid solution above precipitate.| 2:1| Tube 3| Powdery, yellow precipitate formed at the bottom. A little more precipitate than tube 1 and 2. Little to no streaking. Clear liquid solution above precipitate.| 1:1| Tube 4| Powdery, yellow precipitate formed at the bottom. Much more than tube 3. Noticeable streaking of precipitate along sides of test tube. Clear liquid solution above precipitate.| 1:2| Tube 5| Powdery, yellow precipitate formed at the bottom. Most precipitate formed out of all test tubes. A lot of streaking of the precipitate along sides of the test tube. Clear liquid solution above precipitate. | 1:3| Testing of Supernatant| Observations| Inferences: Which ions were in the supernatant? List cations and anions.| Tube 1| The solution was clear with lead nitrate, but turned a yellow cloudy color with the potassium iodide. | Pb2+ (lead)-cationsNO3- (nitrate)-anions| Tube 2| The solution was clear with lead nitrate, but turned a yellow cloudy color with the potassium iodide.| Pb2+ (lead)-cationsNO3- (nitrate)-anions| Tube 3| The solution was clear with lead nitrate, but turned a yellow cloudy color with the potassium iodide.| Pb2+ (lead)-cationsNO3- (nitrate)-anions| Tube 4| The solution was clear with both the lead nitrate and the potassium iodide.| Pb2+ (lead)-cationsNO3- (nitrate)-anions| Tube 5| The solution was a little yellow with the lead nitrate, and a little less yellow with the potassium iodide.| K+ (potassium)I- (iodine)| Discussion/Conclusion: In part A, the first step was to obtain 5 drops of potassium iodine and 5 drops of lead nitrate and put them into a test tube and record observations. Then, to test the anions in part B, 5 drops of potassium iodine, 5 drops of nitric, 10 drops of dichloroethane, and 5 drops hydrogen peroxide to a new test tube. Then to a separate test tube, 5 drops of potassium nitrate, 5 drops of nitric acid, 10 drops of dichloroethane, and 5 hydrogen peroxide to a new test tube. Both should be stoppered and shook to produce two distinct layers. To test the cations, 2 test tubes would each get 20 drops of thioacetamide and 2 drops of nitric acid. One would get 5 drops of lead nitrate and the other 5 drops of potassium nitrite. Both test tubes were heated for 5 minutes and observations were recorded. In part C, the sample was used from part A and the test tube was centrifuged, then the clear aqueous layer was removed and discarded and the precipitate was washed with distilled w ater. This process was repeated once more. To test the anions, 5 drops of nitric acid, 10 drops of dichloroethane, and 5 drops of hydrogen peroxide were added to the solid precipitate and the test tube was stoppered and shook. These results were compared to the results from part B. To test for cations, the less colored aqueous layer was transferred to a clean test tube and the leftover layer was discarded. The solution was heated in a water bath until clear. 20 drops of thioacetamide were added, stirred then heated in a water bath and compared to the results from part B. In part D, to determine the ratio of  ions in the precipitate, 5 test tubes were labelled 1-5 and were filled according to table 3.1 on page 34 of the lab manual. The same medicine dropper was used for all drops and the test tubes were stoppered and shook, then centrifuged. The relative amounts and appearance of each precipitate were recorded. To test for potassium of iodide ions in the supernatant, 5 drops of lead nitrate were added to 5 separate test tubes with along with 5 drops from the appropriate test tube solution. The same was done to test for lead or nitrate ions, but potassium iodide was added instead. The perfect ratio for thi s lab was 2 potassium iodides for every lead nitrate. This ratio was found from balancing the equation and from comparing the results from part C to part B to match the observations of the precipitates. The ratio is the molar mass ratio of the balanced equation. The balanced equation was: 2KI(aq)+Pb(NO3)2(aq) 2KNO3(aq)+PbI2(s) and the formula of the precipitate was PbI2(s) based on the observations. In part B, the test for anions resulted in a dark red precipitate which was the iodide solution with hydrogen peroxide. In part C, the same results were found when lead nitrate and potassium iodide were added to hydrogen peroxide, therefore; the anions found were iodide ions because it has a negative 1 charge. In part B to test cations, the precipitate was a violet-black color for the lead solution reaction with thioacetamide. In part C, the same results were found when lead nitrate and potassium iodide were added to hydrogen sulfide. The cations found were lead ions since they have a positive 2 charge. Some inherent errors could have been while extracting the clear aqueous solution, some of the precipitate could have been extracted with the solution and transferred into another test tube. Upon heating, not all of the precipitate dissolved. Some of the drops with the micropipet varied also. The medicine dropper was more precise with the drops. Through this lab, a chemical reaction was used to find the pattern of reactivity which was an exchange reaction. This is known by finding the chemical equation and properly balancing it which is seen above. This lead to the ability to create a particle diagram and the findings of a perfect ratio of lead nitrate to potassium iodide.

Die Preforming Process: Long Last-stage Blade Nuclear Power

Die Preforming Process: Long Last-stage Blade Nuclear Power Design and Optimization of Die Preforming Process for Long Last-stage Blade of Nuclear Power He Xiaomao1,aà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’Jiang Peng1, Lin Jingtang2à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’Huang Jianning1 1 Beijing Mechanical and Electrical Institute of Technologyà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’Beijingà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’China 2 Tian Qian Heavy Industry Company, Ltd, Mianzhu, SiChuan, China Abstract: The long last-stage blade is a key component of the steam turbine of nuclear conventional island. The die preforming process for a new technology that provides billets for near-net-shape roll-forging process was designed, the effects of the forging temperature, friction coefficient, flash lands height and dies outer fillet radius on the die forging force and forging energy were studied by using the orthogonal experiment method, the primary and secondary order of the four factors were analysed by using range analysis method, and the optimal combination of the factors was obtained. By means of numerical simulation and physical experiment, the die preforming process that can provide qualified billets for the subsequent roll-forging process was verified, and the PZS1120f electric screw press can meet the requirements of the die preforming process. 1 Preface The long last-stage blade is the key component of the steam turbine of the nuclear power conventional island. The larger the exhausting area of the last-stage blade of the LP cylinder is, the higher the efficiency of the nuclear power unit is and the better the economy is [1]. Harbin Steam Turbine Factory had successfully developed a 72-inch (1829mm) half-speed nuclear power turbine blade [2], Shanghai Electric had also developed a 67-inch (1710mm) nuclear power blade [3], the development of these long blades effectively improves the efficiency of nuclear power unit, but its also a challenge to manufacture these long last-stage blades. At present, the technology of preforming and overall forging was mainly adopted by the domestic and foreign blade manufacturers [4, 5]. The radial forging and the open-die forging was adopted respectively by the foreign and domestic blade manufacturers as blanking process, and then, the overall die forging process was adopted to form the blades. Due to the large area of these blades, the capability of the blade manufacturers forging equipment cannot meet to the required forging force of producing the blades and the forged blades had got some defects, such as underpressing, underfill and overweight. The die preforming process that provides billets for a new near-net forming process for nuclear last-stage blades was proposed, the new process, which uses the roll-forging process to form the blade body of the long blades, the die forging to form the blade root, crown and damper, can effectively reduce the required forging force. In this paper, the die preforming technology of long last-stage blade was designed, the process parameters were optimized by the orthogonal experiment method and numerical simulation, and the feasibility of the process was verified by physical experiments. 2Optimization of process parameters The die preforming process was carried out in the PZS1120f type of electric screw press, the nominal tonnage of the press is 250,000 kN. According to the nominal tonnage, the maximal projection area of the forging billet was calculated. The forging force is not only related to the material and forgings projection area, but also related to the strain rate, temperature, friction coefficient and die structure (height of the flash land and the outer fillet radius of dies). Because the strain rate is related to the forming speeding of the press, its value is determined when the forging press is chosen. The forging temperature, the friction coefficient, the height of the flash land and the outer fillet radius were chosen as the process parameters to be optimized and the forging force and forging energy were chosen as optimization objectives. 2.1 Die preformed forging and dies 3D model of a preformed forging was shown in Figure 1, the forging model was calculated based on the press nominal tonnage and the forging drawing of the 72-inch blade, the calculation process wasnt repeated here, it will be discussed in detail in the future article. The dies structure was shown in Figure 2, it didnt contain the groove of the flash, and the structure was quite simple, only the height of the flash land h and the outer fillet radius r were considered as parameters. Figure. 1 3D model of die preformed forging Figure. 2 Die Structures Figure. 3 Billet of the die preforming 2.2 Levels and factors table of orthogonal experiment Orthogonal experiment method can be used to study the impact of multiple factors on the optimization objective by less number of trials, to obtain the best combination of factors for the optimal objective value. The forging force and the forging energy of the die preforming are related to the forging temperature A (T), the friction coefficient B (ÃŽÂ ¼), the height of flash land C (h) and the outer fillet radius D (r). The four parameters were adopted as the orthogonal experiment factors, each factor took three levels, and the designed factors and levels table were shown in Table 1. Table 1. Factors and levels table of the orthogonal experiment. Factor Level A Forging temperature T/à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ B Friction coefficient ÃŽÂ ¼ C height of flash land h/mm D outer fillet radius r/mm 1 1180 0.2 6 2 2 1150 0.3 8 3 3 1120 0.4 10 4 2.3 Parameter settings of numerical simulation The billets used in the die preforming were produced in the semi-open heading process in ref. [6]. The shapes and dimensions were shown in Fig 3. The material is 1Cr12Ni3Mo2VN, and the constitutive relation of the material was from ref. [7], in the Arrhenius form and the hyperbolic sinusoidal was used. à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ 1à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° The die was modeled as a rigid model with a preheat temperature of 200  ° C and a forming speed of 400 mm / s. The forging temperatures and the friction coefficients were set according to Table 1. 2.4 Results oforthogonal experiment Orthogonal experiments were performed using the 3-level and 4-factor table L9 (34) [8], without considering the interaction between the factors, the orthogonal experiments of simulation arrangement and the results were shown in Table 2. Table.2 orthogonal experiments of simulation arrangement and the resultsà £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ NO. Factor Result A B C D Forging Force F à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ kNà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° Forging Energy E à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ kJà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° Forging temperature Friction coefficient Flash land height Outer fillet radius 1 1 1 3 2 343000 5830 2 1 2 1 1 462000 6200 3 1 3 2 3 449000 6440 4 2 1 2 1 398000 6420 5 2 2 3 3 364000 6510 6 2 3 1 2 631000 7370 7 3 1 1 3 522000 7270 8 3 2 2 2 465000 7370 9 3 3 3 1 427000 7440 2.5 Range analysis The value of Kjm was the sum of the result of the m factor at j level, and the means were represented by kjm, the value of kjm can reflect the optimal level. Rm was the range of the mth factor, the value of Rm reflected the fluctuation range of the optimal objective when the m factor fluctuated, the bigger the Rm was, the greater the influence of the m factor on the objective was. The primary and secondary order of the factors can be judged according to the range. The results of the range analysis of the forging force F and the forging energy E were shown in Table 3. Table.3 Range analysis of the forging force F and the forging energy Eà £Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ Result Factor A B C D Forging Force F à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ kNà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° K1m 12540000 1263000 1615000 1287000 K2m 13930000 1291000 1312000 1439000 K3m 14140000 1507000 1134000 1335000 k1m 4180000 421000 538333.3 429000 k2m 464333.3 430333.3 437333.3 479666.7 k3m 471333.3 502333.3 378000 445000 Rm 53333.3 81333.3 160333.3 50666.7 Order C>B>A>D Forging Energy E à ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ kJà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° K1m 18470 19520 20840 20060 K2m 20300 20080 20230 20570 K3m 22080 21250 19780 20220 k1m 6156.7 6506.7 6946.7 6686.7 k2m 6766.7 6693.3 6743.3 6856.7 k3m 7360 7083.3 6593.3 6740 Rm 1203.3 576.7 353.3 170 Order A>B>C>D According the range of forging force in Table 3, the order of importance that the factors influences the forging force were the height of flash land C, the coefficient of friction B, the forging temperature A, the outer fillet radius D. According to the range analysis, the optimal combination to obtain the minimum forging force was (C3B1A1D1). The relationships among the forging force and the factors were shown in Figure 4, forging force decreased with increasing temperature, with decreasing of friction coefficient, and with increasing of the flash lands height; the relationship between forging force and the outer fillet radius didnt show significant trend of increasing or decreasing, but the range was the smallest among the four factors. Figure. 4 Relationships among the forging force and factors According the range of forging force in Table 3, the order of importance that the factors influences the forging energy were forging temperature A, friction coefficient B, height of flash land C, outer fillet radius D. Except the forging temperature can cause some fluctuations of the range of forging energy, the effects of other factors on the forging energys fluctuation were quite small, because the heating temperature made the transition of crystal atoms more easily, macroscopically indicated that the metal was more easily deformed, and the temperature increasing weakened the third-phase particles on pinning the dislocation movement, the required deformation energy was smaller; And the rest factors didnt have effects on the atomic migration and dislocation movement, and the macro behavior was that the forging energy didnt fluctuate obviously. 3 Numerical simulation analyses According to the optimizing result of the orthogonal experiment, the parameters were: forging temperature was 1180 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™, friction coefficient was 0.2, flash lands height was 10mm, and outer fillet radius was 3mm, and the other parameters were same as orthogonal experiment. The simulation results were shown as follows: Figure.5 Relationship between stroke and forging force and energy As shown in figure 5, the predicated forging force was 304000 kN and the forging energy was 5680 kJ by using the optimal scheme. Compared with the result of orthogonal experiment, it was found that the value simulated by the optimal factor and level combination was the smallest one. Even if the optimal scheme was utilized, the forging force of 304,000 kN was great than the nominal tonnage 250,000 kN of PZS1120f electric screw press. In the live production, there would be some issues, such as the upper and lower die cannot be clamped, the forging would be underpressing and underfill. However, in order to ensure that forged billet has enough width and a certain length, to minimize the deformation along the width direction during the roll forging step, a few underpressing in the height direction would be allowed. The situation of die cavity filling while the forging force was 207000kN was shown in Figure 6, except the crown part of the outlet side, the rest of the billet was almost filled, and the value of underpressing of the dies was 2.7mm, this underpressing value would not have too much impact on the roll-forging of the blade. Figure.6 Situation of die cavity filling while the forging force was 207000kN The reason that cause the outlet side of the crown was not filled was the billet deflected to the inlet side at the beginning of the forging (as shown in Fig. 7), resulting in a shortage of material on the outlet side and the flash at inlet side was too large (Figure 6). 4Die preforming experiment Figure 8a were the upper and lower die used for the die preforming experiment, and Figure 8b is the blank, which was the forging in the heading experiment. Heating temperature was 1180 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™, die preheating temperature was 200 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™, lubricated by graphite emulsion lubricant, and two blanks were forged in this experiment. The working force was set to the nominal tonnage of PZS1120f electric screw press, during the forging process, the first blow was to locate the blanks position and to remove the scale, and then, the blank was forged by the next two blows. The final forging forces of the two forged parts were measured to be 223460 kN and 213690 kN respectively. The die preforming forgings were shown in Figure 9, two forgings had varying degrees of underpressing and underfill, the underfill of the crown part at the outlet side was more serious, and the flash at the inlet side was much large. With numerical simulation results, it can be determined that the reason of these defects was the blanks deflection to the inlet side; some measures should be taken to prevent the blank deflection in the live production. The flash lands heights of the two forgings were measured to be 12.9mm and 12.8mm, the values of underpressing were 2.9mm and 2.8mm, because the forging force had reached the maximum tonnage of the press, its hard to clamping the upper and lower die by increasing the number of blows, and it would damage the press and dies. These defects can only be solved by the subsequent roll-forging process. a) Upper and lower dies b) heading billets Figure.8 Dies and billets of the die preforming experiment Figure.9 Die preforming forgings The feasibility of the die preforming process was verified by the experiment, and the PZS1120f electric screw press can basically meet the requirements of die preforming process, and the qualified billets can be provided for the subsequent near-net-shape roll-forging process. 5 Conclusions Through the orthogonal experiment optimization, numerical simulation and physical experiment, the following conclusions can be drawn: 1) Among the four factors: Forging temperature A, friction coefficient B, flash lands height C and the outer fillet radius D, the principle factor that impacts on forging force was the flash lands height, and the forging temperature had some effects on the forging energy, the optimal factor and level combination was C3A1B1D1. 2) The qualified billets formed by die preforming process can be provided for the subsequent near-net-shape roll-forging process and the PZS1120f electric screw press basically meets the requirements of the process. 3) The billet was deflected during the forging process, resulting in the underfill of the crown part at the outlet side, some measurements should be taken to prevent the deflection in the live production. References T. Zhou, M. Zhang, L. Zhang, K. Ran, China Electric Power(Technology Edition), 2, 43, (2012) Q. H. Zhang, Y. F. LI, J. W. Guang, Symp. Turb. Prof. Comm. CSPE, 133, (2012) W. Lu, Z. Y. Peng , Y. Zhou, K. Cheng, East China Electric Power, 38, 1771, (2010) X. J. Li, Z. F. Huang, W. C. Chen, R. J. Qin, Power Equipment, 24, 150, (2010) J. Zhong, C. J. Hu, C. Guo, Forging Stamping Technology, 33, 1, (2008) X. M. He, P. Jiang, F. W. Li, J. N. Huang, Forging MetalForming, 13, 49, (2016) X. M. He, P. Jiang, J. T. Lin, Y. Yang, Journal of Plasticity engineering, 4, 96, (2016) Y. B. Qu. Experimental Design and Data Processing(China Univ. Sci. Tech. Press, 2008)

Absolutism Essay -- English History French History Papers

Absolutism During the pre-Enlightenment period, France and England went through very dramatic and very different government change. At the beginning of this time period, England had achieved relative stability, due largely in part to Elizabeth I long and successful reign. On the other hand, France had been subjected to numerous civil and religious wars, therefore leading to instability. French absolutism was largely a result of these crises and tragedies, with the country recognizing the need for a strong, powerful leader, which they found during the long and successful reign of Louis XIV. In England however, many problems arose due to a series of short and incapable rulers, beginning with James I and ending with James II. During Louis XIV’s reign, he was able to create a strong and stable absolute state by controlling the French nobility. Previously, during Louis XIII reign, the nobility had a great deal of power, and the French government was not centralized. Instead, the nobles acted as the middlemen, regulating the taxes and military of the French regions. The peasants paid taxes directly to the nobles, who kept a certain portion for themselves and then paid the remainder to the King. Individual regions raised and paid for their own armies; when the king required military help, the army came from these semi-private sources. Religiously, the state was also controlled by the nobles due to the Edict of Nantes, which gave the nobles the power to determine the religion of their lands. These factors lead to a divided French state, which reduced the power of Louis XIII. France was subjected to various civil wars and wars of religion, and the future king, Louis XIV, witnessing this period of unrest, vowed to impleme... ...V had achieved, and the English people feared their religious freedom was being jeopardized. These circumstances would then lead to England’s â€Å"Glorious Revolution,† which would take on the unpopular monarchy and defeat it, thereby putting William and Mary in the English throne. France and England underwent very different changes during the seventeenth century. While France transformed from an instability, war-torn country to a united, prosperous nation, England did just the opposite. France’s success can be largely attributed to Louis XIV long reign, and England’s decline was caused by a series of short rules by vastly different rulers. The rise of absolutism in France proved Louis’s power over his people, and the rise of constitutionalism and parliamentary power in France was due to monarchial weaknesses and strained relations between the two governing bodies.

The Battle of the Sexes :: Education Educational Essays

The Battle of the Sexes All students deserve an education that nurtures them, providing opportunities and experiences that inspire their creative and intellectual minds. Whether a student gets this education from a man or a woman should not make a difference. The fact of the matter is that in many cases the gender of a teacher does affect a student's ability to learn. In many instances, it also matters to some teachers if the student is a girl or a boy. Why would this be so? From research and personal observations and experiences, I will answer this question. At the elementary school level, the majority of teachers are women. In an experiment form the University of California, Los Angeles, boys were found to have better reading scores than the girls when "taught" by a machine. When a female teacher was brought in to give the lesson, the girls outperformed the boys (Thomas 122). Why is this? Maybe it's the difference in the behavior styles of the boys and girls. David Thomas, in his essay "The Mind of Man", says, "Boys are, across all cultures, much more boisterous and overly competitive than girls. They seek out physical competition ... this makes them harder to control than girls." Little boys create more distractions by being loud whereas girls are more docile and less disruptive. Tony Mooney, a secondary- school headmaster, says, "Women teachers find boys too noisy... and reward more 'feminine' behavior" (qtd. in Thomas 121). I am one of those women teachers that like the quietness of girls. From experiences of the past, I would say th at most other female teachers feel the same way I do. I can remember several instances in the past involving situations that concerned my brothers in relation to their education. My brother John and I attended the same elementary school. Since I was four grades ahead of him, he eventually ended up with many of the same teachers I had during my elementary school years. I went to pick John up from his second grade class as I did every day. One day in particular though, his teacher, Mrs. Janet Nitahara, who by the way was one of my favorite teachers, called me in to discuss John's behavior. When I walked in to the class I saw my brother sitting in the corner of the room in a chair. Mrs. Nitahara said that he talked too much and needed to learn how to be quiet and behave in class like I used to.

Capital Punishment :: social issues

Capital Punishment In the past, people have invariably felt that if they had been wronged in some way, it was his or her right to take vengeance on the person that had wronged them. This mentality still exists, even today, but in a lesser form because the law has now outlined a person's rights and developed punishments that conform to those rights, yet allow for the retribution for their crime. However, some feel that those laws and punishments are too lax and criminals of today take advantage of them, ie. organized crime, knowing very well that the punishments for their crime, whether it be murder, theft, or any other number of criminal activities, will be so negligible that it may be well worth their risk. Although in the past, the number of crimes that were subjected to capital punishment, defined simply as the death penalty for a crime, were outrageous. Amendments were made to reflect the changes in the society's views on the morality of capital punishment. That resulted in the narrowing down of the list of one hundred crimes to twelve, punishable by the death penalty in 1833, and in 1869 it was cut down yet again to just three: treason, rape, and murder because of violent nature of these crimes. These crimes, even today, are still viewed as violent and should be punished with the highest degree of discipline available to achieve justice. After much public pressure, capital punishment was suspended on a trial run in 1967. This proved to be ineffective, because even though the law stipulated that crimes such as treason or the murder of law enforcement agents, were still to be subjected to the death penalty, the federal cabinet continued to commute those criminals from death to life sentences, hence the law was not being followed and justice was not being served. This soon was followed with capital punishment's abolishment in 1976, as a formal declaration of what was already happening or rather what was not happening. It is felt that because of this and the fact that there has not been an execution since 1967, that today's current form of punishments are no longer a sufficient deterrent for such serious crimes and have contributed to a ever rising crime rate. So, this is where the real issue of whether or not capital punishment should exist begins and such a controversial issue could be best understood if we looked at capital punishment in a perspective of how it fulfils or does not fulfil society's ideas Capital Punishment :: social issues Capital Punishment In the past, people have invariably felt that if they had been wronged in some way, it was his or her right to take vengeance on the person that had wronged them. This mentality still exists, even today, but in a lesser form because the law has now outlined a person's rights and developed punishments that conform to those rights, yet allow for the retribution for their crime. However, some feel that those laws and punishments are too lax and criminals of today take advantage of them, ie. organized crime, knowing very well that the punishments for their crime, whether it be murder, theft, or any other number of criminal activities, will be so negligible that it may be well worth their risk. Although in the past, the number of crimes that were subjected to capital punishment, defined simply as the death penalty for a crime, were outrageous. Amendments were made to reflect the changes in the society's views on the morality of capital punishment. That resulted in the narrowing down of the list of one hundred crimes to twelve, punishable by the death penalty in 1833, and in 1869 it was cut down yet again to just three: treason, rape, and murder because of violent nature of these crimes. These crimes, even today, are still viewed as violent and should be punished with the highest degree of discipline available to achieve justice. After much public pressure, capital punishment was suspended on a trial run in 1967. This proved to be ineffective, because even though the law stipulated that crimes such as treason or the murder of law enforcement agents, were still to be subjected to the death penalty, the federal cabinet continued to commute those criminals from death to life sentences, hence the law was not being followed and justice was not being served. This soon was followed with capital punishment's abolishment in 1976, as a formal declaration of what was already happening or rather what was not happening. It is felt that because of this and the fact that there has not been an execution since 1967, that today's current form of punishments are no longer a sufficient deterrent for such serious crimes and have contributed to a ever rising crime rate. So, this is where the real issue of whether or not capital punishment should exist begins and such a controversial issue could be best understood if we looked at capital punishment in a perspective of how it fulfils or does not fulfil society's ideas

Teaching Lexically Reflection Paper

Gary Yauri Mayorca November 2012 Lima-Centro ELT Course Reflection Paper: â€Å"Teaching Lexically† Having had the opportunity to take different ELT courses, I cannot stress how much methodological-insight I gained upon my successful completion of this course. â€Å"What should I emphasize during each lesson-objective? † and â€Å"How will this activity maximize the students learning-awareness? † This course made me see that these two questions are pivotal to the development of any lesson plan or didactic material to be used by students.A person's word bank, Lexis, or Lexicon if you will, is the ultimate means to successfully break a language barrier even if with a poor grammar usage (although the term â€Å"poor† could be argued since it can now be considered not as poor but rather as the â€Å"inter language† stage between L1 and L2). Why would I be so certain about such claim being based on a single course? I say this because I lived it myself du ring my experience in the U. S. s a second language learner, when I had to communicate with native speakers in order to get by, using â€Å"lexical chunks† that worked effectively time after time while most of the time I really didn't have a keen understanding of each grammatical structure that held together the â€Å"chunk† of Lexis that I used. â€Å"How much is this/are these _____? † â€Å"I'd like to have a/an _____ for here / to go, please† How did I know that these expressions were the appropriate ones to use having not had a â€Å"formal† classroom explanation of â€Å"much vs many† or â€Å"I'd like vs I like†? he answer, a â€Å"natural† intuitive awareness of high frequency Lexis being used in context right in front of me, most of the time, while waiting in line and listening to those ahead of me having successful exchanges, some other times while sitting on the bus and over hearing language-rich strangers' conversat ions, and once again taking such and other opportunities to pick up repetitive random Lexis, thus becoming more aware of the different contexts of different collocations, sometimes used formally, sometimes used in a colloquial manner, sometimes even understanding â€Å"made-up† words such as â€Å"brunch† (a wholesome late breakfast hat more closely resembles lunch time) or â€Å"I need change to use the _____† vs â€Å"I need to change _____ (x) so I can _______(y)†. Nowadays, this approach to the natural discovery of language is supported by strong scientific research (e. g. The Corpora program) giving teachers new insight on the way students can better acquire, (therefore making a more solid attempt at communicating effectively with others), making lessons both, more meaningful and engaging to pupils.Having worked with the Word link series for a year and half, it doesn't really take an up-close look to notice how much of the â€Å"Lexical Approachâ₠¬  is embedded course after course; take for example the â€Å"in-context vocabularyâ€Å" presented at the beginning of every lesson, the set of useful expressions that can be combined with the previous vocabulary begging for the build-up of lexical chunks which ultimately are to be used at their fullest during the communication activity.At this point, It is imperative to point out that although the book series present a natural inclination towards the lexical approach, the job is not done there but it's rather to be taken up by the teacher in order to provide students with the maximum number of opportunities to notice and become aware of the strong link between Lexis and how people really communicate in real life outside the classroom; this way helping students develop a more â€Å"educated† language-understanding intuition that can be applied to all four skills, being speaking, listening, reading and writing.Finally, I would like to thank the institution for allowing me and my colleagues the opportunity to further expand our expertise by providing the chance to take these courses at no other cost but the clash of less effective and more effective teaching notions to be reflected on.

Intro

Liliana Lopez Caracoza Professor Garchow English 085 November, 13, 2012 Bill Maxwell, Start Snitching, St. Pettersburg Times, September 2007 In the article written by Bill Maxwell, he talks about the black to black violence in poor neighborhoods. He explains on more depth how many deaths have been placed in the last years. People do not contribute to the arrest of the murders, sometimes they are afraid to speak against gang members or other criminal members.Mr. Maxwell gave some facts about the deaths of blacks and he keeps adding people to his Wall of Black Death. A group in Tampa already organized a group called â€Å"don’t snitch†, all the people involved in the program relate to the death of a black relative that died. He gave great example and anecdotes about the crimes from black to black citizens and how the community needed to respond to the continued growing violence towards blacks.Robert Phansalkar, Stop Snitching’ Won’t Stop Crime, University of Wisconsin, 2007 The Article written by Robert Phansalkar, about the diverse communities that do not receive security help from the government. The article explain in detail most of the problems why they do not receive the help necessary, but it actually be helpful if he added statistics on his work.The movement by different rappers and media personalities did not help the growing violence in the most dangerous parts of the poor communities, which are the most dangerous. Gang violence is a part well explain in the article Stop Snitching’ Won’t Stop Crime. Police did not receive any information on the people the attackers and their victims, an example was the rapper Cameron Giles, which was part of the program and did not participate in investigations on his accident. In summary the program did not work.

Gay Marriage Essay

Persons acquire special duties on account of their moral and legal relationship to another. One such relationship is established in marriage. Marriage is a moral and legal contact between a man and woman. It is a moral contract because it is entered into by both parties, giving free and voluntary consent. It is a legal contract because it is solemnized in accordance with the law. Marriage is an important institutional element of the family. It is the cultural mechanism that ensures its continuity. Marriage is an institution consisting of a cluster or mores and folkways, of attitudes, ideas, and ideals, of social definitions and legal restrictions (see Brennan, Robert Edward: Thomistic Psychology, New York Macmillan Co. , 1999). People marry for a combination of reasons: love, economic and emotional security, the parents’ wishes, escape from loneliness or an unhappy home situation, money, companionship, protection, adventure, or common interests (see Buckley, Joseph: Man’s last End, London, Herder Book Co. , 1999). Sex or sexual attraction is the least consideration, but marriage makes sexual intercourse legitimate. It sanctions parenthood and provides a stable background for rearing of children. Marriage is the foundation of the family, an inviolable social institution. Its purpose may not necessarily be for procreation or to have children but for companionship, as in the case of couples past the age of procreation. This paper intends to discuss the pros and cons of gay marriage or same-sex marriage. II. Discussion A. Pros †¢ Society should allow same Gay Marriage: In the article, fighting the same sex marriage should be allowed. Ralph Wedgwood firmly believes that same- sex couple has every right to marry. For him, marriage is not just a mere ceremony but through it the people in the community may know that both of the parties are very serious of their relationship and that it is not just a game. For them, it is a commitment and a thing to be really cherished even if the society throws issues on them. Having a same sex relationship that eventually, if permitted could lead to marriage is about a domestic and long lasting relationship. The article by Wedgwood, who is an assistant professor of Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of technology at Cambridge. The purpose of marriage is mutual support and companionship. Marriage is a state where spouses compliment each other. Love and concern for each other is the foundation of a happy marriage. Without such love and appreciation for each other, no man and woman or a couple with the same sex can be together permanently. Thus, such love which draws spouses in marriage must be more than physical attachment, sexual attraction, or infatuation. It is the deep commitment of matured persons for each other. Married spouses have every rights and duties to perform like in the financial aspect, in division of possession, insurance and other things that should be shared by the couple. Many same sex couples now are being given privilege if they are not yet married or are committed legally with each other Marriage is not just about rights and benefits they will get from the society and with their partners. It is a deeper union of the souls loving each other. Some people tags marriage of low- respect, they see marriage as a means of satisfying ones’ self of sexual desires, well in fact it is more than that. Procreation and sex are not the only reason why people want to get married. Some couples after getting married and found out that it won’t click, and then decides to get a divorce. A person does not have any right to choose and disapprove a decided marriage, the decision is up to the ones involve in the relationship. The laws determine the ones who are those that are married and those who are not being recognized. Society’s expectations on marriage depend on the rights and obligations of both parties, thus these duties and obligations should be done by both parties. The spouse should support his/ her partner, and if divorce will result they should equally divide all their properties. Marriage is a serious thing to decide. The parties should be that committed and they should really love and care for each other. Marriage is not just a joke; it is a long term domestic partnership with the one you adore. Same sex couples want to get married for the reasons that a normal boy- girl relationship also has. They are not just after of the benefits and privilege that they could get in the society and with their spouses but they also want to be recognized by the society. Their relationship is not just purely based on lust or sexual desires but also for them to have a serious commitment, like sharing of responsibilities. Many homosexuals, lesbians and gays aspires that what the society expects of marriage is also the kind of marriage that they are dreaming to achieve or to have. Many questions are being raised on having a domestic partnership. People may ask, if having a domestic partnership is renewable? Do they really have to support each other in all aspects? Or they just stick with each other because of sex and fun? For the society, it is less recognized than having the ceremony of marriage. They wanted to be recognized by the society that even if they are of the same sex, they still know what real love is and they are ready for a lifetime commitment. For them it is the greatest benefit of marriage, to be recognized by the society and that is why the State disapproves of this. Many critics say that if same- sex marriage is approved it would then deviate to the real purpose of marriage, such as its real meaning like procreation or the process of bearing children. But as we see now, some of the married couples are not able to perform this duty. The disapproval of same sex marriage still needs to be reviewed. The State is concerned on the moral values of the church, and Christianity. Some believes that heterosexual partnerships are above homosexual relationships. Many criticized same sex marriage and many are against it because it if is approved it will just be equal with the heterosexuals and it will just lower the view of the society about relationships. They should be allowed because they are not hideous criminals to do such an act; it is just being with someone you love. The murderers and even convicted criminals are allowed to marry but still the State still does not allow this kind of relationship. Same sex marriage would not force anybody to allow this gay or lesbian relationship if it is just totally against them and their beliefs. But all they wanted to happen is for the society to understand their feelings and relationships with the same sex and they are really serious with it. B. Cons †¢ Society should not allow same- Sex marriage: According to Burman Skrable, when same- sex marriage will be legalized it would be a great detriment to the society. It totally deviates from the real purpose of marriage which is to â€Å"procreate†. These children will be the future of the society and the environment. Approving it would somehow destroy the essence of marriage and the family which is the basic unit of the society by legalizing a relationship that is non procreative. Some Christians fight to disapprove it. For it totally disobeys God’s doctrines and Commandments. But all of them are aware that these days, there are great query about the laws that God has put up because of the rising taboo that has been happening in the society now. Great changes are being called out by the believers but the challenge of this is fast arising. We should stand firm and follow or obey the instructions that God has written in His Word. We should not involve ourselves in such promiscuous acts that we ourselves know is unacceptable towards God. The couple should give a stable future to their children and family that may be in the aspects of financial, emotional and spiritual. They should bring their children to school and educate them and let them become a friend to all. But how would these become successful if a child is being brought up in such an abnormal way, where in his/ her mother and father are of same sexes. The traditional family is composed of the husband, wife and natural children. These units of the society are all normal variables. This is the one that gives a bright future for the society they are in and also by forming a natural family. The family is the most basic unit of the society where the children are being taught values and morals that greatly affect on how they interact with other individuals in the society. Yes, raising a family is sometimes hard especially in raising finances for their education, but the hardship is worth fighting for because of the love you feel for them. The society expects that these children would make their family and their parents as a model as they will grow and build a family of their own. The society needs a family that is stable and the one that they can really recognize. What they expect is a male and female marriage and not of the same sex. The greatly arising sexual revolution brought a big impact on how individuals and the society see and do things, that sometimes they think is not bad were in fact it has already crossed God‘s boundaries. Time has erased the moral values that we should follow, like now marriage is already not seen as a form of procreation, for raising children; that there should be faithfulness and that sex should only be done with in the bounds of it. For Karen Murray it has become a public declaration of love and pledge of fidelity with the partner. The rise of the same revolutionary forces encourages this interest for having a homosexual marriage. The belief that sex is not just about procreating drives the toleration of the society of this same- sex marriage. But the homosexuals does not get affected by this instead they are proud that they have found a relationship where in they will cherish and have commitment forever. Gay marriage or same sex-marriage is totally erasing the real definition of marriage. It removes the reality that it is only the man and the women are to be bind, that both partners should procreate to raise their children who are the hope of the society’ improvement. Approving or making same- sex marriage legal would dissolve the uniqueness of the sacrament that God has given to us. If same sex marriage would be approve, it could jeopardize the health of the society. Diseases like HIV, AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases are much great when one is involved in this same- sex marriage. III. Conclusion The foundation of the family is marriage, which provides the cultural mechanism to insure its continuity. This marriage is the one God wanted for us. The family performs varied functions, among them the sex and parental function, socialization and social control, biological maintenance, status placement, and economic, religious, educational, recreational, and political functions. Therefore, Marriage is such a holy and sanctified Eucharist and is bound to be respected by people.

Compare three pre-20th Century poems about London Essay

I am going to compare three very different poems about London. The first poem is ‘London’ by William Blake, written around 1800. ‘Upon Westminster bridge’ is the second poem , by William Wordsworth, again written around 1800. The third poem by Mary Ann Evans in the mid-19th century is called ‘In a London drawing room.’ William Blake was a man of strong opinions, he was a strange person who painted horrific art and walked around naked in his garden. He was a strict Christian and wrote hymns. People disliked him for his strange ideas and strong criticism of what he felt was wrong. William Wordsworth lived in the Lake District, and wrote poems about where he live; the countryside. Whilst visiting London he wrote a poem about what he could see from Westminster bridge. Mary Ann Evans lived in London she was a tomboy by the name of George Elliot. Her father was a vicar. She moved to London to live a more interesting life. Working for a printing company she realised how mistreated women were. The story behind ‘Upon Westminster bridge’ is:- London looks very beautiful. You’d be sad not to be impressed. It’s about what Wordsworth sees from Westminster bridge. His theme is simple; He likes what he sees. London has a very different theme: William Blake lives in London and can’t stand it. The story is very simple the poet wanders through London’s streets thinking about what he sees. In a London drawing room also has a simple story; Mary Ann Evans is in a drawing room looking out into the street. Her theme is much more complex She talks about how London through this window is dull, grey and boring. When she says this she actually means that’s how she feels inside and expresses it through her poetry. ‘Upon Westminster bridge’ is a sonnet because it has fourteen lines praising London’s beauty, it has only one verse. It has a regular iambic rhythm all the way through: Giving the poem a joyful sound. There is no regular rhyming pattern but some lines rhyme. London uses quatrains which means it has four equal lines into four verses. London has a regular and joyful rhythm, which is ironic because of its sad message. The rhyming follows an ACBD pattern (‘A’ rhymes with line ‘C’-‘B’ rhymes with line ‘D.) ‘In a London drawing room’ has no verses, twenty lines which have each ten syllables in them. There is no regular rhythm, because of the regular enjambment. â€Å"Cutting the sky with one long line of wall Like soled Fog: Far as the eye can stretch.† The enjambment causes lines to run into each other. There is no rhyme a tall in the poem. There is a lot of figurative language in ‘Upon Westminster bridge.’ â€Å"wear The beauty of the morning; silent bare,† This a personification because the city wears the beauty of the morning like a dress. â€Å"The river glideth at his own sweet will:† In line twelve names the river a ‘he’. This poem has a lot of imagery, one of them mentions valley, rock and hill, putting the picture of the valleys, hills and rocks on the horizon. In a London drawing room too uses figurative language, â€Å"The world seems one huge prison-house and court,† this is a similar because the world seems to be like a prison-house. A metaphor would be, â€Å"Cutting the sky with one long line of wall,† this is calling the row of houses a wall cutting the sky. The figurative language in London are, â€Å"The mind-forg’d manacles I hear.† Means the people in London believe they are in manacles. The metaphor at the end of the third verse is about the old war soldiers begging outside wealthy houses, â€Å"And the hapless soldier’s sigh Runs in blood down palace walls.† In ‘Upon Westminster bridge’ most of the ‘play on words’ are to keep the rhyme and rhythm in a pattern. London plays on words quiet a lot compared with Upon Westminster bridge. At the end of the first verse there is an element of alliteration, â€Å"Marks of weakness. Marks of woe,† woe is a much more powerful word to use than sad plus it alliterates with weakness. The second verse uses ‘in every†¦.’ Four times to get the point that this is serious across more strongly. † The mind-forg’d manacles I hear,† is an alliteration of the letter ‘M’. On the last line, the last two words are marriage and hearse (car that carries a coffin) this is called juxtaposition; because marriage is associated with beginning and hearse is associated with the end they are opposites. This is an interesting way to end the poem. The only real play on words in ‘in a London drawing room’ was the last line because the three last words are the only positive words (colour, warmth and joy) in the whole poem but just before it says ‘with lowest rate of’. So they might be positive but she’s saying there is no colour, warmth or joy. I feel London is the most effective poem. This is because I like the irony in the rhythm and rhyme which sounds happy but its meaning is sad. I also like the Juxtaposition in the last line ‘Marriage hearse’. He uses clever words and sentences to put down London. I don’t like ‘In a London drawing room’ because it drags on so as to lose its meaning. ‘Upon Westminster bridge’ I quite like because its cheerful but I still prefer the way ‘London’ is written because it uses good words and clever poetry.

Choosing Construction Method (which one is most cost effective) Dissertation

Choosing Construction Method (which one is most cost effective) self-build - Dissertation Example Options are very important to consider in a self-build project because this will help the builder in choosing the best method for the project. 1. Steel frame This is advantageous because it gives strong energy efficiency and a good standard is achievable. This is usually use in buildings with big open-plan spaces. Considerations, wrapping the exterior part of the frame with firm insulation layer in preventing heat loss. The need of this is not usually recognize in some methods in construction. By comparing to the timber frame, expect 25% more with the cost in using the steel. 2. Brick and block construction This is one of the most common method that is use where in the bricks is attach to the inner skin of the blocks. This construction method is very quick considering the weight of the blocks and how easy it is to use. However, Considerations must be taken like aerated blocks are good insulators. 150 mm thick block compared to 100mm (normal) is suggested to use. Understanding in the different use of the blocks according to the location of the project is very important. In using this method it is also important to consider the weather because it could force the work to stop which in effect will increase the cost. 3. Pre-cast concrete panels It is a concrete panel made through a formwork mould and fabricated outside the site. Exceptionally, this method produces a very strong building. Usually used in basements and where water proofing is advised. This method is best recommended in building volume of houses building that involves a high level of repetition. It is not popular and suited to a one-off house and this method needs plenty of space to be able to put the panels in proper place. 4. Timber frame This method gives the idea that the timber studs and panels can be cover by any weatherproof material. Structural beams are also available in achieving a greater span. This method also suggests to a better flexibility for ground floor room layouts (Self Builder, 201 1). Vision As the methods to choose from have been presented above it is relevant to state the vision statement that would describe what is wanted in the future regarding the self project. In applying standardize engineered fabrication and assembly methods, new supplies and tools will help in a rapid low-cost construction in standardize, lightweight structure and in an efficient working time. There are a lot of advantages in using flexible and programmable new improved properties when it comes to strength, transportation and flexibility to form. This modern process is efficient in reducing labor and material cost. Current problems It is very important to be aware of the existing situation in identifying the current problems with regard of the self project. Many changes occur over the past few decades when it comes to dealing with materials and methods that is applied and used in a construction. Popularity about the use of concrete and steel in the industry are evident. Construction equipment advancement including the secondary system leads to surplus advantages like reducing the maintenance and improving the durability, energy efficiency and lower the environmental impact. Potentials benefits and Opportunities 1. Traditional way of construction is reduce to a fraction of the present trend. 2. Direct labor that is normally required is reduced in

Australian Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Australian Law - Essay Example â€Å"Decisions of the High Court are binding on all other courts throughout Australia† (High Court of Australia 2010: The High Court of Australia is the uppermost Court in the judicial system of Australia, the Court of "last resort", in the judicial system of final appeal. It has its origins in the Australian Constitution, Section 71 of which affirms: â€Å"The judicial power of the Commonwealth shall be vested in a Federal Supreme Court, to be called the High Court of Australia, and in such other federal courts as Parliament creates, and in such other courts as it invests with federal jurisdiction† (The High Court of Australia n.d: 1). The High Court shall comprise a Chief Justice and also a lot of other Judges, not below two, as the Parliament has laid down. The fundamental functions of the High Court are to construe and support the Constitution, to construe Federal law and to attend to cases referred from other Courts. Therefore, it is the purpose of this essay to d iscuss why a decision of the High Court on the constitutionality of a Statute will be seen by the Government as a further serious setback to its legislative reform plan than a judgment by a Judge of a State Supreme Court in understanding the meaning of an important provision in the statute, in a way contrary to the Government’s goal.... of this essay to discuss why a decision of the High Court on the constitutionality of a Statute will be seen by the Government as a further serious setback to its legislative reform plan than a judgment by a Judge of a State Supreme Court in understanding the meaning of an important provision in the statute, in a way contrary to the Government’s goal. The Australian Constitution states that the power to create laws is vested in the Parliament. At the same time, the power to understand laws and to judge whether they are relevant in individual cases is vested in the High Court and other Central Courts. Actually, one of the important functions of the High Court is to interpret the Constitution. For instance, the Australian High Court can rule a law to be illegal which is beyond the authority of Parliament to enact and so of no effect. Such a condition would be seen by the Government as an obstruction. The Australian Constitution founds the Federal Government by providing for the Parliament, the Judiciary and the Executive, that is identified as the three pillars of governance or as the policy of â€Å"separation of powers† (Clark 2009: 972). Parliamentary Government means that the Executive Government comes from in the Parliament. Accountable Government means that the Executive Government is accountable to the Parliament. The rule of â€Å"separation of powers† is to prevent an oppressive government. The â€Å"three branches of government† constituted by the Legislature, Judiciary and Executive, work as checks and balances on each other (About Parliament. n.d:1). The Judiciary is â€Å"independent† of the other two arms of Government (1). That independence is one of the main critical safeguards of the democratic system of the country. The Executive is the managerial part of

Operation Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Operation Management - Essay Example At the same time it is also very capital intensive as requires heavy machinery and costly equipment for both building of ships and carrying out repairs. It also requires a very large area or layout for its activities and needs to be next to a sea port or at least on the coast with very good rail and road facilities for transporting goods and materials. Its consumption of electrical power is also very great. It is for these reasons that this industry is not as widespread as some other industries like apparel manufacturing or food processing which may be bigger in size or turnover but far easier to manage and organize. For such an industry to survive and to prosper it must have certain traits and special skills. Such industries are also located in a few select areas of the world and have developed their knowledge base and their especially skilled workers over long periods of struggles and have become respected the world over for the excellence of their work. One such place in Europe is Rijeka, a city of 200,000 people, located on the north coast of Kvarna Bay between the Istrian Peninsula and the eastern Adriatic coast of Croatia. This small town boast of two shipyards and one of them is the famous Viktor Lenac Shipyard (formerly known as Lazarus). For forty years it was the pride of Yugoslavia, until Croatia seceded from it mother country and became independent in 1991. Because of political turbulence during the next ten years foreign buyer hesitated to give business to Croatian shipyards. But Viktor Lenac survived well as it concentrated on ship repairs and remained profitable all along. During the Yugoslavian days all shipyards were owned by the government but Croatia decided to opt for the open market economy and privatized the shipyards. Attracted by its profitability a group of Italian and American investors stepped in and took over the

Explain The Term Structure Of Interest Rates Essay

Explain The Term Structure Of Interest Rates - Essay Example Interest date data for bonds with different maturities date is published frequently and investors can use it to determine the term structure of interest rates. Some of the most popular interest rate data sources are the Wall Street Journal, Federal Reserve Bulletin and websites like Bloomberg and CNN. The term structure can be verified at any point in time by using published data from renowned sources. Yield curves are drawn using this published data on interest rates. There are short term and long term interest rates. Since long term interest rates have an element of maturity risk premium (MRP), they are usually higher than short term rates. When researching on the term structure of interest rates, it is important to have knowledge of commonly used terms like the Yield to Maturity (YTM), which is defined as the expected rate of return on a bond held till maturity (Brigham and Ehrhardt, 2010). Another concept which is discussed with YTM is that of the zero coupon bonds (or discount b onds). A zero coupon bond is a financial asset which at the date of maturity T, pays its holder a lump sum amount, with no coupon payments before the date of maturity (hence the name zero-coupon). The YTM at time t of a discount bond with maturity T is the constant and continuously compounded rate of rate of return at which the price of the bond accrues from time t to time T and pays one currency unit to the holder at time T. The YTM is also referred to as the spot rate and the notation R (t, T) is used for it. Spot rates are short term interest rates and the term structure of interest rates depicts the relationship between spot rates and their dates of maturity (Gibson, Lhabitant and Talay, 2010). Interest rates are not only used in discounting and pricing for zero-coupon bonds but also other financial derivatives because their prices are sensitive to interest rates. If we go beyond the scope of an individual investor, we can see that interest rates are also important to corporatio ns. This is because when corporations are doing project appraisals, they use interest rate for computing the net present value and the discounted payback period for a project. The cost of capital which is of prime importance to corporations also depends upon interest rates (Benninga and Wiener, 1998). It will be useful to specify the type of interest rate before discussing investment decisions and discounting. There are two main types of interest rates: simple interest rate and compound interest rate. Simple rate of interest is interest on a lump sum principal amount and it does not itself earn interest. Quite contrary to this, is the compound rate of interest which itself earns interest. Investment decisions and discounting are all predominantly based on compound interest rates (Kelly and Tracy, 2010) Long term interest rates are an average of short term interest rates. The relationship between short and long term interest rates involves expectations. For example, if it is expected that short term interest rates will fall then the long term interest rates will fall below the current short term rate. The contrary situation is also valid: if it is expected that short term interest rates will increase then the long term interest rates will rise above the current short term rate. These two situations are possible only because long term rates are derived from short term rates. It is a general perception that long rates are greater than short rates and this is termed as the ‘