Growing Up in Charlotte, NC

Growing up here in Charlotte NC was very hard for me and my family. As a young child, I was the younger of two children actually, I was the middle child of three, I had a baby brother who died at a young age from an illness. Well as a young child I grew up on the West side of town called West Blvd. and then we moved to Rosszell ferry Rd.We stay there till I was in the 5th grade we then moved to Columbus Circle and then to Bruns Ave as you can see I moved around a lot but it did not matter everywhere we moved I was always the one who got picked on because of my clothes and hair, My hair was short because it was not took care of, my clothes were not new, we had to shop at the thrift store of the goodwill to find things that would fit. I remember as a young child one year for Christmas me and my brother did not get anything for Christmas, O my God I was so hurt.All my cousins got all these toys but me and my brother did not get anything, and the sad part about all this is my Father had brought me and my brother bikes but he took them to SC and gave them to his girlfriend children. I also remember as a young child as the one who was always took down in the basement and messed with by my uncle, or when I went to visit my cousin their older brother would try to mess with me, This thing I took and push in the back of my mind, and tried to live my life as best I knew how. Living life as a teenager really was hard.I was known as the Black Dolly Pardon, WOW this was hard but I still push my way through this. I manage to finish school and college but life was still hard. At the age of 21 I got pregnant with my second child, O I did not tell you I got popped at the age of 16 and lost the baby, I lost the baby at 3 months. When I was 19 I decided to leave home, and that was the worst decision of my life, I was abuse by my son father, who has passed away, James E. Henderson was killed in 2007. In 1986 I gave birth to a son Jonathan D. Adams. Jonathan is now 26 years old.In 1 987 I had another son name Sirquentin Q Adams and a Daughter name Rasheena Adams. At the age of 24 I had three children and no husband; I didn’t know what to do. God I really needed your help, things began to spin out of control, I was living wherever I could and that was no fun, But I made it, at the age of 27 my father put me and my three children out on the street with nowhere to go, I was so hurt I ended up staying with a guy who hurt me by letting me know that me and my baby girl could stay but not my boys so I had to find somewhere to go, I ended up moving in with a friend who let her hildren abuse my children by biting, scratching, pinching, and whatever they could to hurt my children. Until I moved in with my cousin and only stayed there for about a month or two then I got my own house through the section 8 program. I stayed in the program for 15 years. I became very sick with sleep apnea and high blood pressure. But I still kept trying to live the best life I could.W hat I am trying to say is all my life I was bullied, picked on, talked about and threw under the bus, this hurt very badly. I am learning to live life the best I know how, but I still have not learn the lesson yet. I have always made sure that my children and everyone else that was connected to me was ok, But I never really took care of me, I am now living with my cousin on there couch, I don’t really want to be here but it is either here or in the shelter.God I am in need of your help, this thing is affecting me so bad to the point that I am not even in place in church. I now ask that you forgive me for all my sins, and mistakes, God please forgive me, I just want to please you. God I need my own apartment and I need it to be furniture, I need all my debts to be caught up so I can start over again. God I just want a chance to start over and make things right with you and myself. God I just want to live in peace.

Summary of Management Consultancy

CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY SERVICES BY CPAs Introduction to the World of Consulting * Consultants are not all CPAs. Anyone can be a consultant. However, to prosper in consultancy, one has to have the expertise. The most compelling nonmonetary reasons people enter the consulting field are: 1. Sharing their knowledge to help their clients. 2. Building business network and take a step up in one’s corporate career. 3. Having no boss, being independent and making their own decisions. 4. No fear of being laid off. 5. Having a flexible source of income. 6. A means of giving back to the community by providing expertise and assistance in community-based projects. Evolution of MAS The primary factors that contributed to the emergence and growth of management consultancy are: 1. Growth in size and complexity of business. 2. Difficulty in conducting and managing a business. 3. Greater competition among businesses so that new management techniques will have to be applied. 4. Recognition of the importance of accurate and timely information in decision-making. 5. Inability to have a complete line-up of professional management. Developing Trends Management consultancy now specializes in information systems, automated offices, financial analysis and modeling budgeting and cost controls, organization structures, personnel compensation, strategic planning and a host of other areas. * Another trend has been the improvement of business education. * The quality undergraduate and graduate programs in business are producing better-trained entrants into the ranks of management consulting profession. As a result of this infusion, management consulting is becoming a catalyst for advancement of better management concepts and techniques. Technological developments have occurred at a breathtaking pace in such areas as information sciences and decision sciences. * Computer hardware and software, together with data communication and robotics represent powerful tools for business management. Future Prospects A veteran management consultant makes the following predictions: 1. Management consulting will become even more specialized. 2. The consultant’s orientation will be towards being an insight-provider, creator and sharer of information. 3. Management consulting firms will tend either to remain small or to become quite large. Small firma will prosper by focusing upon narrow areas of specialization while large firms will have to develop and offer a wide range of services to sustain their high costs of operations. 4. As consultants grow in number, they will develop more sophisticated means of marketing their services. 5. Bright graduates of accounting, management and business schools will continue to be attracted to careers in management consulting. The Consulting Industry Most definitions of consultancy would include: . Information technology 2. Consulting and system integration 3. Corporate strategy 4. Operations management 5. Human resources management 6. Outsourcing The Main Types of Consultant Firms 1. IT Firms (for example, IBM’s purchase of PwC Consulting) – to increase revenue 2. Accounting firms offering consultancy 3. Major Consulting Only Firms 4. Independents Professional bodies such as PICPA off er professional training and accreditation and provide a forum for all-important networking. Career in Consulting Firms (in ascending order of seniority) 1. Analyst – responsible for gathering information and processing it for the consulting team. 2. Consultants – undertake the evaluation of the client business and make recommendations on its behalf. 3. Senior Consultant or Managers – more experienced consultants that have the responsibility of leading a consulting team. – would typically have 3-5 years of consulting experience. – would be more involved in dealing with members of the client team. 4. Business Development Managers – are responsible for developing the firm’s products and building its relationship with clients. would be involved in some large, complex consulting projects at a strategic level. – most would have 5-10 years of consulting experience. 5. Directors (or Partners) – are the most experienced consultants, who take on responsibility for the development of the organization as a whole and who lead its strategic development. – would maintain contacts wi th senior personnel in the client companies and would have overall responsibility for projects. – would have 10+ years of consulting experience. Nature of MAS by Independent Accounting Firms Management Advisory Services (MAS) by independent accounting firms can be described as the function of providing professional advisory (consulting) services, the primary purpose of which is to improve the client’s use of its capabilities and resources to achieve the objectives of the organization. Management Consultancy can also be described as an independent and objective advisory service provided by qualified persons to clients in order to help them identify and analyze management problems and opportunities. 2 types of encounters with clients: . Consultation- providing advice and information during a short time frame. The advice will be definitive when the consultant is fully aware of the situation and possesses sufficient expertise to require more intensive study or investigation. 2. Engagement- consists of that form of management advisory or consulting service in which an analytical approach and process is applied in a study or project. This approach typically involves: a. Ascertaining the pertinent facts and circumstances b. Seeking and identifying objectives c. Defining the problem or opportunity for improvement d. Evaluating and determining the possible solutions e. Present findings and recommendations f. Implementing the solution, if appropriate And following the client’s decisions to proceed, the independent accounting firm may also be involved in: a. Planning and scheduling actions to achieve the desired results, and b. Advising and providing technical assistance in implementing In combination with knowledge and experience in such areas as: a. Organization and management methods b. Office and management functions c. Systems and procedures d. Data processing methods e. Quantitative methods f. Financial management To produce solutions such as: * A management information system * A sales reporting system * A cost accounting system * A work measurement program * Improved production control * An organization plan with statements of duties and responsibilities, or * An electronic data processing system Rationale of Using Management Consultants A management consultant is hired for at least four valuable reasons: 1. Independent Viewpoint This enables him to see the true nature of the problems and distinguish between feasible and infeasible solutions. Since, he is not involved in the internal policies of his clients, his suggestions are considered unbiased. 2. Professional Advisor and Counselor Business firms generally prefer CPA consultants because of their academic training and examination requirement for the CPA certificate. 3. Temporary Professional Service The use of consultants will be probably less expensive to the company than hiring new managers or employees to provide professional advisory services. . Agent of Change In providing solutions to the client’s problem, changes may have to be made to the organizational structures, to procedures and to job responsibilities. Independent Accounting Firm’s Role in MAS â€Å"To provide advice and technical assistance which should provide for client participation in the analytical approach and process. Specifying this as the proper role recognizes both th e appropriate place of MAS and the realities of practice. This is the only basis on which the work should permit it to be done. * The accounting firm should avoid making management decisions or taking positions that might impair the firm’s objectivity. CPA’s Objective in Engaging in MAS â€Å"To utilize the essential qualifications it has available to provide advice and technical assistance which will enable client management to conduct its affairs more effectively. † Essential Qualifications: 1. Technical competence 2. Familiarity with the client’s finance and control systems and his business problems. 3. Analytical ability and experience in problem solving. 4. Professional independence, objectivity and integrity.

Citizenship: How Big a Problem Is the Use of Child Labour Today Essay

Child labour is often seen only to occur in third world countries but this is not the case. Child labour occurs all over the world and the brutality and cruelty of this work varies. Although child labour is seen as a bad thing, for the children and families living in their poor conditions, child labour is seen as necessary for the family to live as it is an essential income. UNICEF estimates that around 150 million children aged 5-14 in developing countries, about 16 per cent of all children in this age group, are involved in child labour. Therefore child labour is still a big problem in our world today especially as some children are forced to work in dangerous, unhygienic, life threatening conditions. Not only does is it harmful to their physical body it also effects their education as some children drop out of education to work. Even though many organisations and charities attempt to stop child labour or at least make the conditions suitable for children, child labour is still seen as a big problem in the 20th century. The more children are forced to work, the fewer opportunities there are for adults to earn a living. By driving down adult wages and depriving children of education, child labour ensures that poverty will be passed down from generation to generation. If children are used as the only income for a family an employer can take advantage of this vulnerability and use it to make work as cheap as possible because the child will work for anything as long as he is providing some sort of income. Child labour is a problem because children work long hours, often exposed to hazardous chemicals and made to use dangerous tools and machinery that are inappropriate to their mental and physical development. In agriculture they use acid, dangerous pesticides without skin protection, so this chemical are able to touch the skin causing damage and severe health problems. An example of when employers use child labour because it is cheap is with Vinod’s story. Vinod is an Indian 10 year old boy who lived in the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh. Manufactures employed him because he was cheap and had small hands and nimble fingers which were perfect for the job of weaving carpets, which was where he worked for 2 years without receiving a single rupee for a year’s work. Vinod worked long hours and was exploited to working conditions which were unacceptable. By working these long hours he was made ill and being squashed and sat in uncomfortable positions he could have suffered from malformed bone structure. He did not attend school, so the chances of him gaining a better job in later life were highly unlikely. If Vinod made mistakes he was punished starkly. He had to use dangerous tools such as a sharp knife to turn the carpet knots but when cuts or wounds were made he was not medically treated from them. Instead the employer filled the wound with matchstick powder and burnt it. This cauterised the wound and stopped infections. Vinod’s right were violated and almost mocked by the employer. Children should be allowed to work in conditions which damage the mental and physical state, children should be allowed to live their childhood to the maximum not worrying about whether they will get beat or whether their families will suffer from their mistakes.

International Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

International Marketing - Essay Example Global marketing involves planning and executing the marketing efforts for pricing, supply and promotion of ideas, services or goods in multinational markets. The importance of global/international marketing: Macro level benefits in national perspective 1. Increase in national income 2. Efficiency 3. Employment generation 4. Increased linkages 5. Optimal utilization of resources 6. Educative effect 7. Promotes foreign direct investment 8. Stimulates competition 9. Technology sourcing Micro level effects of international business 1. Growth 2. Fighting 3. Increased efficiency 4. Sale economics 5. Innovation 6. Risk cover The three key elements of marketing with reference to tourism products are: 1. The Marketing Plan 2. Mix of the 4 Ps 3. Market segmentation The marketing plan is a significant aspect of global market as the firm will have to consider multi cultural, multi ethnic background customers, whose nature, attitude and needs and preferences vary drastically. In the case of tour ism industry, this aspect becomes highly relevant. Hence, the marketing plan will have tol focus on the target audience, seasons when influx is expected and tastes of customers of from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This plan will guide their marketing decisions and  assist them in allocating marketing resources such as  money and personnel time. The plan should include: 1. The overall business objectives--what you want to  accomplish. In tourism products, one should also consider the areas one wants to serve. 2. An assessment of the market environment--what factors  may affect your marketing efforts. The nature and attitude different types of customers. 3. A business/community profile--what resources are  available and what resources the incoming customers look for. 4. Market identification (segmentation)--the specific  groups or clientele most interested in your product. 5.   The marketing objectives for each segment. Mix of the 4Ps the increased attentio n to the application of marketing in the services sector, especially tourism, has brought into question what the key components or elements of a Marketing Mix are, or what they should be. If the elements chosen for a service are not comprehensive, there is a chance for the occurrence of a gap between the market requirement and the firm's marketing offer. This makes it appropriate to reconsider the traditional Marketing Mix of the 4Ps (Product, Price, Promotion and Place). The traditional mix has been derived from a much longer list of twelve variables designed by the Harvard School of Business. Over time, the concept had gained acceptance and the mix was adopted to capture the market. Tourism industry normally makes the mistake of considering all customers as the same. This needs to be avoided and specific model of product and services needs to be designed for each type of customers, depending on their culture, region, religion, preferences etc. For example,  it would be difficult to develop a campground that would  be equally attractive to recreational vehicle campers and  backpackers or promote a property to serve both  snow mobilers and nature oriented cross country skiers.   Question 2 -Discuss how the Calgary Model of Competitiveness can be used for tourism organizations and why is it very important to handle culture diversity when operating in the international market. Tourism has been one of the most emergent fields in the world. The use of latest technologies and

The course called organizational behavioral Essay

The course called organizational behavioral - Essay Example Every organization has its own culture that acts a code of conduct and shapes the behavior of all the people that are part of the organization. All the attitudes including office etiquette, social life, interaction with bosses and colleagues including the way of greeting comes under organizational culture. Organizational culture is different not only in different organizations but also in different geographical locations. Hence this sometimes causes employees to alter their behavior considering the different organizational culture in order to fit into the new culture and thereby avoiding any action that is considered inappropriate. A form of greeting in most workplaces is a common gesture used in communications that are occurring face to face and it varies from culture to culture. It is a common business communication behavior in the United States to shake hands while people first meet which is used as a form of greeting. This goes for all business situations as well as some social s ituations and is regardless of the gender of both hand shakers. However, in countries like Saudi Arabia, it is prohibited for male employees to shake hands with female employees or vice versa due to religious reasons. Hand shake or for that matter, any act involving physical touching between men and women is considered a taboo and therefore is prohibited. Having been employed in an organization in the United States, where interaction between male and female coworkers is very common, and then later moving on to an organization in Saudi Arabia, there is the need to change behavior in order to ‘adapt’ in to the new organization. Since hand shake is common in the US and prohibited in Saudi Arabia, the personal comfort zone is quite different from the zone of appropriateness in the new workplace. This situation results in no or minimal overlap between the personal comfort zone and the Saudi Arabian zone of appropriateness leading to authenticity challenges regarding being co mfortable with the new setting and environment. There is difficulty in connecting with other coworkers along with feelings of low self promotion. Of course this gap between the two zones can be overcome thereby creating a zone of optimal performance (Molinsky ch. 4, para. 11). One way this might be done is to try to customize your own behavior by adopting the new culture by taking on its code of behavior. Having an experience in working at particular Saudi Arabian workplaces could have also helped in adapting to the new environment. Another similar situation involving negotiation styles is considered where there are different negotiation approaches in different cultures even though negotiation styles may vary within cultures as well. Every person may negotiate differently even though they belong to the same culture depending upon the sector, time, setting and so on. Hence there might be generalizations while considering cross cultural negotiation styles. Cultural negotiation styles take into account the time orientation, space orientation, non verbal communication, hierachical structure, and so on (LeBaron "Culture-Based Negotiation Styles"). For an effective negotiation, it is important to understand the negotiation approach of the other party and adjust accordingly for mutual benefit. Negotiators in the United States have a greater sense of independence as they see themselves as self governing, that is, they use the individualist approach of communication. They do consult others but they

Abortion Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Abortion Final - Essay Example So questions arise like, is the mother who has aborted the child killer? Or, is the male partner of that woman equally responsible for this abortion/murder? Abortion is wrong at any stage, even at embryonic stage. If we will allow abortion for an earlier stage, then people will take advantage of this relaxation and will try to abort to baby even at a more mature stage which is called as fetus. So the main point of writing this paper is to argue that abortion should remain a crime except for a few genuine reasons. The term ‘abortion’ refers to those acts that are aimed at ending pregnancy. It also refers to forcing out the fetus or embryo form the womb of mother before it could be able to survive on its own: before complete child development that takes about 9 months in total after conception. If this happens accidentally, it is referred as ‘miscarriage’. In this paper we are going to present some common ethical dilemmas against abortion. Then later we will analyze those dilemmas. Giving birth to children is an important part of personal as well as social life. Nevertheless, there are people who decide to have an abortion due to various reasons (Graber, M. 1996). We are also going to discuss the methods that are generally used to abort a baby at different stages of the child development. We then have a look at historical and legislation frontiers. We will also discuss this issue in the light of normative ethics. The reason behind an abortion varies from society to society and culture to culture. Some societies hate girls and abort if the gender test shows that they are going to have a baby girl. On the other hand, many parents or partners change their minds to have a baby and abort the baby. In cases of rapes, rape victims are used to abort the baby because this act is wrong altogether. One child policy that prevails in China is also one of the reasons behind abortions. In some poor countries,

Canopic Jar with a Lead in the Form of a Baboons Head Article - 1

Canopic Jar with a Lead in the Form of a Baboons Head - Article Example The Baboon at the top of the canopic jar is linked with Nephthys who was a goddess that guided and protected Isis, her sister to bring together the different parts of Osiris’s body after he was killed and thrown into the Nile. A vital component of the mummy was a mask that resembled a headdress that was positioned over the crown of the frame that wrapped in linen. The mask had characteristically young-looking physical characteristics that were not supposed to demonstrate similarity to the departed but exhibit a perfect appearance of their presence in the life after death. This particular example possesses many typical features that are characteristic of these masks and it was made using cartonnage that is a material which is light in weight which is formed by coating layers of linen with plaster. The deific position of the person wearing it is symbolized by the skin which is gold-plated and the extension was used as a symbolism of the deific position of the person wearing it. The mask has a decorated collar with a gold-plated and winged scarab beetle on the head that was believed to promote the rebirth of the departed. The mask is believed to have been created between 332 and 30 BC and apart from linen and plaster that was used to make the mask, papyrus, pigment, and gold were also used. The dimensions of the mask are fourteen inches by ten and a half inches and the iconography of this mask is characteristically pharaonic where the wings and the sun disc that symbolize the scarab beetle that is linked to the rising and setting of the sun and therefore rebirth (Budge 185).

4.How convincing is Porters model of national competitive advantage in Essay

4.How convincing is Porters model of national competitive advantage in explaining the characteristics and performance of the business systems of major economies - Essay Example However, irrespective of the individual firms, some countries as a whole have achieved a higher competitive position than the others (Baker, 2007). This paper will shed some light on how the nations achieve competitive advantage by using Porter’s Diamond model. This model focuses on the determining factors of national competitive advantage. The paper will discuss about the issues and loop holes of the Porter’s diamond Model and how they fail to answer certain circumstantial problems. Porter (1990) explained the competitiveness of a nation based on the four different parameters, which are factor conditions, demand conditions, supporting or related industries and firms’ strategy, structure and rivalry. Factor Conditions: The factor conditions include the production factors of a nation, like human resources and human capital, physical resources, knowledge base, financial strength. The quantity and quality of the available human resources determine the national production capabilities. Demand Conditions: The demand conditions explain the level of demands of products in the home country. The higher level of demand influences the pace of product innovation and improves service quality. Firms’ Strategy structure Rivalry: This parameter suggests how the firms in a country are organized and how they determine the domestic competitiveness. This mostly reflects the organizational cultural trends of the nation. Certain organizational behaviour and pattern of activities provide added advantage to them in terms of other foreign companies. Relating and supporting industries: The presence of other industries influences the competitive position of an organization. The presence of other industries can be leveraged by the domestic firms in order to create competitive advantage. The four parameters of the Diamond model although acts as a determinant of national competitive advantage, are mostly industry oriented. The diamond model

The First Opium War 1 question Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The First Opium War 1 question - Coursework Example This paper explores the first opium war and the role of the Western powers in spreading and controlling the use of opium in China and other regions in the period. â€Å"During the nineteenth century Great Britain led the Western powers in ‘opening’ China to trade and Christian proselytizing† (Tyner, 2006, p. 25). The trade inequity between the two nations favored China. Britain bought enormous quantities of tea from China, but offered less woolens to the Chinese. This led the Chinese to require transactions to be settled in silver bullion. In a bid to overturn the trade imbalance, Britain started importing opium into China. By 1817, Britain was trading opium for tea in order to offset their trade deficit with China. The Qing government initially permitted the importation of opium by Britain because it encouraged more export of tea from China to England, while creating an indirect tax for the Chinese citizens. Opium was grown in Indian cotton growing regions under the control of British East India Company (Bengal), which traded opium for tea, in China (Ramirez-Faria, 2007). Britain began trading in opium in 1781 with their opium trade growing immensely between 1821 and 1837. The British facilitated the influx of opium in China and other regions by importing large quantities of the commodity to China. In 1834, Free Trade revolutionists ended the monopoly of the British East India Company, which shifted trade into the hands of private merchants and entrepreneurs (Perdue, 2010). Americans brought in Turkish opium, which was of poor quality but cheaper. As such, there was price war leading to low price, but higher sales of opium. Consequently, the Chinese officials stepped in to intercept the transportation of the commodity into China (Tyner, 2006). In order to stop opium from flooding China, a Chinese officer, Lin Zexu, appointed in

Past, Present and Future Essay Example for Free

Past, Present and Future Essay Before studying at the University of Phoenix program, I thought that my career is at its peak, I am married, I have three kids and I have a stable job for 15 years, but then I feel something missing. I attributed that void within me to my lack of a degree, and I want to prove to myself and to others that I deserve everything I have right now by backing it up with a degree. Education, for me, is a very important part of a person’s growth and development. That is why I strive not just to be able to provide my family’s basic needs, but to also provide my kids the best education possible. Then it hit me, I had to set myself as an example to my children that, indeed, education is and will always be important. I had to earn my degree. During the course of my work, I can say that I am competent enough in my analytical skills; I can solve basic problems, find solutions, think logically and perform my tasks efficiently. But one problem I had is that I was weak at my written and oral communication skills because I have not undergone the proper training to develop them both; yes, I was able to apply them all throughout my career, but I was not able to produce formal letters without having to browse through guides that will help me produce my work. Information retrieval was never a problem because I am still young and my memory, although not as sharp as it used to be, is still very much dependable; regarding the utilization and collaboration of this data though, I have been able to manage, but I fear that it is not as efficient as I would like to be because I have not yet been able to hone my skills and tackle formal ways to address issues efficiently. When I started to work, my goal was simple: stay in this job so that in the long run, when I start my own family, I can be able to provide them with their basic needs such as a proper home, enough food, and good education. But no one hinders me from dreaming; as time passed I started to change these goals, I want to be better-off, now I’m dreaming of gaining a high position someday, be able to pamper my wife and my children luxurious gifts, and basically live the good life. Once again I thought about my lack of education; these dreams became the stepping stones which motivated me pursue my education and realize these career goals that I once thought are just dreams. During my stay at the University of Phoenix, the two core courses that I enjoyed the most were public relations and international marketing. The course in public relations has helped me a lot with my abilities to interact with people, the proper ways of doing things – how to address them, how to project myself in a way that it exhibits confidence and knowledge at the same time – these kinds of things. The international marketing course has helped me understand the do’s and don’ts in markets in a global scale, as well as be able to predict trends and fads. Considering that I am in the beverage industry, these courses will pretty much help me as I interact with people, not just the customers but also the higher –ups in both the domestic and foreign markets. The other two subjects that got me interested most were Critical Thinking and Human Motivation. In the Critical Thinking course, I was able to hone my problem solving and =general data processing and it has helped me a lot professionally because of the nature of my work. The cut throat world of industry has become a little easier for me now that I have these skills. The other course, Human Motivation, has helped me with in interacting with people from all walks of life, and I believe that it has been and will be very helpful in my future endeavours. Human motivation, as I see it, does not box the people in, rather it helps them get â€Å"out of the box† by motivating them, not forcing them. My completion of this degree helps prove one of the most obvious facts in life – that life is indeed a never ending journey. I will never learn everything there is to know, but this will not stop me from being curious, that is why I have started to crave for learning not just because it will help me develop myself into an educated, motivated individual, but it will also help bring out all that is best within me. For the next five years, hopefully I can further pursue higher learning and expand my career by getting a promotion. I feel that I now deserve any type of promotion that I will be able to achieve given that I can already back it up with my degree. If I will come across programs such as seminars, forums, and such discussions about critical thinking and human motivation, then I would gladly undertake it because I feel that there is still much to learn in these subjects. For me, human interaction is a skill that one can be good at but can never master, and I will, as I have always done, continue to work on these skills by interacting with my peers, my customers, and my superiors. The difference now, though, is that I have formal knowledge on how to tackle situations that I would not have otherwise known if I had not finished my education.

Analysis Of Who Is Thutmose Iii History Essay

Analysis Of Who Is Thutmose Iii History Essay Thutmose III also known as Thutmosis or Tuthmosis was the sixth Pharaoh of Egypt in the Eighteenth Dynasty who was one of the greatest Egyptian military leader and rulers. Thutmose III was Thutmose IIs son and his mother was Isis who is one of wives of Thutmose II. Thutmose IIIs Egyptian name Djehutymes means Born of Thoth, the god of writing and wisdom. Pharaoh of Egypt B. Why is it important to sketch his biography? Thutmose III was Egypts greatest warrior pharaoh. He transformed his country into the first great empire in the Ancient World. From 1479 to 1425 BC, he was a prolific builder of temples during his reign. He captured 350 cities and won much of areas which were the Near East, from the Euphrates to Nubia during seventeen that were known military campaigns. Thus he became an active expansionist ruler. He was the first pharaoh to cross the Euphrates, during his campaign against Mitanni. Therefore, on the Asmens walls temple of Karnak were transcribe of his campaign. II.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Early life A.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Date and place of birth The Egyptian king, Thutmose III, was born in Egypt in 1516 B.C. Thutmose III governed Egypt for nearly fifty-four years, and his regime was started from 24th April, 1479 BC to 11th March, 1425 BC which was also included the twenty-two years he was Hatshepsuts co-regent whom she was his stepmother and aunt. B. Family Thutmose III was the Thutmose IIs and Isets son. He was the pharaohs only son. Therefore, he would only the first person for the throne after Thutmose II died. When his father died, he became pharaoh, but Hatshepsuthis fathers widow, acted as regent and the dominant co-ruler and real ruler of Egypt because he was only the age of 7 at that time. She made all executive decisions through his childhood. She grew so accustomed to power that she yielded virtually no authority to Thutmose III until at least his late teen years. During this period Hatshepsut assumed the title Egypts and wore male a pharaohs regalia and donned the traditional false beard of a pharaoh. After she died, he must have truly resented her. Thutmose III removed Hatshepsut from Ancient Egyptian historical records in order to become a great warrior king who launched successful military campaigns Canaan, Syria, Nubia and Mitanni in Mesopotamia increasing the wealth and power of Egypt. Thutmose III married Hatshepsut whose Merytres youngest daughter. They had a child together named Amenhotep II. Moreover, he had other wives like Menhet, Menwi, Meritamen, Merti, Nebetu, Neferure, Sitioh and Yabet. He also had 11 daughters such as Ahmose Meritamen II, Henutan, Meryptah, Neferamen, Petkeie, Petpui, Sathora, Sitamen I, Takhete, Touai and Uiey. C. Education Thutmose III was very young when his father died and was the co-regent of Hatshepsut-his stepmother. Thutmose III was given an education befitting his royal station. He would have been taught about everything from culture and art to military and leadership techniques. He learned all military skills, including archery and horsemanship. Thutmose played very important and active part in the Egypts government. Thutmose III might have been entrusted with command of the army on campaign in Nubia twice. III. Political life A. First Campaign When Hatshepsut died, Thutmose III was twenty second year sixth month and ten day. According to information from the king of Kadesh where a single stela from Armant advanced his army to Megiddlo, on the twenty-fifth day of the eighth month, Thutmose III trooped his army and left Egypt, crossing to Tjarus border fortress (Sile). Thutmose led his musters through the coastal plain-Jamnia, then to Yehem which was a small city near Megiddo that he arrived in the same year of the middle of the ninth month. The Battle of Megiddo might be the biggest battle in any of seventeen campaigns of Thutmose. A mountains range jut from Mount Carmel stood which was between Thutmose and Megiddo, and he had three possible ways to take. Based on the accession of Thutmose III in 1479 BC, this date corresponds was 9th May, 1457 BC. B. Tours of Canaan and Syria The occurrence of the second, third and fourth campaigns of Thutmose III have not been any tours of Syria and Canaan to regain tax. Furthermore, the second campaign has been concerned to be the material directly of the first campaign. It collected tribute from the Egyptians, known as Retenu-roughly equivalent to Canaan, and it was known that Assyria gave a second tribute to Thutmose III at that time. Anyways, these tributes were paid until Thutmose III was forty years or later, thus the second campaign did not get anything to Thutmose III. C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conquest of Syria The fifth, sixth, and seventh campaigns of Thutmose III were against directly to Phoenician cities, city of Syria and also against Kadesh which on the Orontes. Unlike previous plundering raids, nevertheless, Thutmose III often garrisoned the Djahyperhaps referring to southern Syria. This consequently allowed him to ship foods and musters between Syria and Egypt. Even through there is no specific evidence for it, for this reason some people believe that the sixth campaign of Thutmose III in his thirtieth years of his regime, began with sending his troops directly to Byblos and entire of by-pass of Canaan. They started to get into the river valley of Jordan and also went to north from there then turned to west again after the musters reached in Syria by whatever ways. Thutmose III won Simyra and put down a revolt in Ardata. Thutmose commenced taking ruler in Syria in order to stop such rebellions. Thutmose III smiting his enemies. Relief on the seventh pylon in Karnak Attack on Mitanni Mitanni which was a Hurrian state and ruling class of Indo-Aryan was the eighth campaign of Thutmose IIIs objective after Thutmose III took over the cities of Syrian. He had to cross the Euphrates River in order to reach Mitanni. Thus by, Thutmose III enacted many strategies. Obviously, a militia was increased for the purpose to fight against the attackers; however, its vehicles were very poor. Then Thutmose III returned to Syria by Niy road, where was recorded Thutmose III started to hunt elephant. Later Thutmose III received tribute from other foreign states and he went back to Egypt. E. Tours of Syria The Mitannis ruler had raised a huge army and engaged the Egyptians around Aleppo in Thutmoses thirty-fifth year. As usual for any Egyptian king, there is a suspect statement said that Thutmose boasted a total crushing victory. Thutmose III turned back to Nukhashashe that was the area of very small campaign of Thutmose IIIs thirteenth campaign. One year later, Shasu was goal of the fourteenth campaign of Thutmose III. Nevertheless, the location is indefinite to determine, since the Shasu were migrates who lived in Lebanon through Transjordan and Edom. From this point on, campaigns can only be counted by date because the numbers that were given by Thutmoses writers to his campaigns. F. Nubian Campaign In nearly end of his life, Thutmose III also had the one last campaign that was his fifteenth campaign. He invaded Nubia; nevertheless, he only reached the fourth Niles waterfall. There was no Egypts ruler had ever done as he did with invaders. The former rulers campaigns had already extended to Egyptian culture. Actually the earliest Egyptian information was discovered at Gebel Barkal. IV. Mummy Thutmose III died on his 54 year of rein in 1450 B.C. His tomb is in the Kings valley (KV34). He would have made his 55th year being in control if he died one month and four days later. In 1881 Thutmose III mummy was found in the Deir el-Bahri Cache about the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. The mummy of him was in bad condition since tomb robbers got to it already. He was interred along with other eighteenth and nineteenth dynasty leaders such as Ahmose I, Amenhotep I, Thutmose I, Thutmose II, Ramesses I, Seti I, Ramesses II, and Ramesses IX, and the twenty-first dynasty pharaohs Pinedjem I, Pinedjem II, and Siamun. Mummified head of Thutmose III V. Conclusion Thutmose III was a great warrior and ruler pharaoh. His rule was one of strong battle in accent Egypt, which had over 350 cities fell under his reign. There is little doubt that his numerous campaigns were extremely successful. Actually he had enlargement of military during his reign. Hence, he has been seen as the Napoleon of Ancient Egypt.

Free Richard III Essays: The Seduction of Lady Anne :: Richard II Richard III Essays

Richard III and The Seduction of Lady Anne Richard, Duke of Gloucester, is a great seducer. However, it is easier when the seducee is rather frail in mind and heart, as I believe was the case with Lady Anne. Perhaps Lady Anne's ego was as much engaged as her anger was initially. Gloucester chips away at her resolve masterfully, but let's look at the facts. She knows that Gloucester killed her husband and her father-in-law. This fact is undisputed (within the play). Gloucester admits both murders to her saying, "[y]our beauty was the cause of that effect [the murders]" (I.ii.121). Her father-in-law's corpse is lying just feet away. Yet in under two hundred lines, Anne goes from calling him a "black magician" and "foul devil" to accepting his ring (I.ii.34; I.ii.50). This is quite a turnaround. She could have walked away but she was more intrigued or flattered than angered or humiliated. Richard uses flattery to woo her. He repeatedly tells her that he killed her husband and father-in-law to be able to "spend one hour in [her] sweet bosom" (I.ii.124). Gloucester goes on to tell her that "He lives, that loves thee better than he [Edward] could" (I.ii.141), meaning that Gloucester loves her better than her husband did. After she spits on him, he calls it (the spit), "poison from so sweet a place" (I.ii.146). Gloucester is unrelenting in his flatteries and she does not walk away. The most remarkable portion of this scene is when Gloucester bares his chest and hands his sword over to Anne to kill him and asks her to end his pain if she won't have him. She starts for him with the sword, but drops it when he tells her that "twas thy heavenly face that set me on [to kill her husband]" (I.ii.182). He then offers to turn the sword on himself. Within a few seconds, she goes from raising his own sword to him, to weakly replying, "I would I knew thy heart" (I.ii.192). She still questions his motives, but Gloucester has clearly already won her and slips a ring on her finger. It is little wonder that Gloucester brags to himself of this conquest. Her father-in-law's corpse is barely cold and she has accepted Gloucester as her next husband.

Explain how Charles Causley uses literary effects in his poem, The :: English Literature

Explain how Charles Causley uses literary effects in his poem, 'The Cowboy Song. How do they add to the reader's enjoyment? The poet, Charles Causley, and his poem, the Cowboy Song, is about a lonely ghost cowboy. Gradually the poet is telling the reader through the stanzas that the cowboy is died, at 20. The cowboy led a sad life with events like his sister and father fleeing. Charles Causley does this effectively, and this essay is going to explain how the poet uses literary effects like onomatopoeia, alliteration and metaphors, and how these effects add to the reader's enjoyment. To start with, I am going to tell you about the rhythm and rhyme of the poem. The rhythm and rhyme give the poem and sort of fell that makes it fell like a song. We can connect this with the title (Cowboy Song). There is a steady beat of 8,7,11,6 but this may vary slightly in some stanzas. Like in the last stanza it is 7,6,8,6. The rhythm and rhyme actually make the poem quite jolly, though it is a very sad poem!?! It is a big contrast. There is a strong difference and it is there to leave us with a moral. Which infact is the whole poem, and this is what the contrast does. The first stanza is set at nighttime. In this stanza we can see a verity of effects like alliteration, metaphors, similes and the effect you would find in any good poem, rhythm and rhyme. Setting the scene in Salem County, the poet is already hinting at the supernatural. Salem is a place where we associate with witchcraft, ghosts, and unnatural things. One way to back this theory up is a simile, "sweet as an angels feet". Here he is describing the wheat and the effect is that obviously no one can touch or taste an angel's foot, so it makes it odd, and supernatural. The metaphors are 'blue-bone orchard' and 'marmalade moon'. I believe the blue-bone orchard is a graveyard. This is because he is awakening from his grave and it would make sense for someone to get up at the introduction of a poem, and not at the end for example. Also we have 'marmalade moon'. This is possible when the moon is rising or setting. But it is not made of marmalade, however the use of this metaphor gives a jolly effect. Alliteration highlights the words the poet wants you to fell and take in, not just read them. For example, 'zithering zephyrs'. We take this in and think about it better than a simple phrase like 'wind making

Examine the reasons for changes in the educational attainment of males

Examine the reasons for changes in the educational attainment of males and females in recent years (20 marks) For the past recent years girls have significantly outperformed boys in educational attainment and this is due to a number of factors. The GCSE results for 2000 and 2001 shows the degree to which the percentage of girls achieving grades A*-C exceeded that of boys. In 2002, 62.4% of female GCSE entrants achieved grades A*-C, compared with 53.4% of males. Research published in 2003 shows that the gap between girls and boys widens as they grow older. The most recent barrier which is being broken down is that of university entry. The most recent official figures for a gender breakdown in university admission are from 2001. These show that while 43% of all young people entered higher education, the figure for girls was 46.7% and for boys 40.4% Joan Gannod drew a number of conclusions as to why this was. One reason is for the ‘lad culture’ that resides in numerous schools. The attitude that school is â€Å"uncool†, an anti-social culture working against learning. Keith Shipman and Keith Hicks identified that the presence of friends in a group make you work less. That boys saw looking cool as being more important than being studious. Also, Paul Willis identified that working class boys were much susceptible to this as it was the middle class values that were prized in the classroom via the hidden curriculum which influenced the boys into working against the education system. Another theorist, Peter Woods In The Divided School (1979) argued that boys are more concerned with the approval of their peer group than the approval of their teachers. Another further reason is the lack of role models for boys, p... ...he number of girls expressing professional career hopes such as doctors, lawyers, scientists, etc. Sharpe has argued that these changes in attitudes towards marriage and work are factors in explaining why girls are performing better at school than they were twenty years ago. I think that the interactionist perspective for example, Peter Woods is successful in theory, as he believes that it provides information which could lead to better teaching and a reduction in conflict and deviance within schools however this Marxist approach has its limitations and its main focus is from a macro perspective and does not appear to focus on each individual. The relative uniformity of meanings that lie behind what counts as knowledge and ability, suggests that such meanings are not simply constructed in the classroom but rather they have a wider and fundamental basis.

Elasticity on Demand, Breakeven Analysis and Pricing Decisions Essay

When a firm changes prices, the effect on profits is more important than the effect on revenue. There is a simple formula to calculate the critical Price Elasticity of demand which is just sufficient to maintain the contribution to overheads and profits. This will be greater than that required to maintain revenue. A common issue in business and in business studies is whether a firm should change the prices at which products are offered. The calculations begin with estimates of the reaction of customers to the new prices. This reaction is represented as Price Elasticity of Demand (PED), the ratio of the proportionate changes in volume and price. Students are always told – and some students even remember that Elastic Demand (PED >1) means more revenue from a lower price and less from a higher one; and Inelastic Demand (PED But who wants the same revenue with lower profits? Any change in price will have a much bigger impact, proportionately, on the contribution per item for the firm than on the asking price to the customer. It follows that an increase in price may succeed in raising profits, even though revenue falls; and that a lower price may reduce profits even though revenue increases. So the critical question is not whether the PED is greater or less than one, but whether it is sufficiently high (for a lower price) or sufficiently low (for a price increase) to improve profits. The critical level of PED can be found by an application of breakeven analysis. We can take the current level of contribution to overheads and profit; and ask what the volume (units sold) must be to give the same level of contribution at the alternative price. Having found this critical volume, we can then compute what the PED would be to give us this volume at the new price, compared with the existing price and quantity. This then will be the Critical Price Elasticity of Demand (CPED). If we are raising prices, any PED less than CPED will increase profits; if we are lowering price, we want PED to be more than CPED. And while there is no way, short of trying the price change, to know what the PED actually is, a firm may well have sensible ideas about the likelihood of its being significantly greater or less than a specified value. It may seem that calculating the CPED is rather a waste of time, since we should have to calculate the required change in quantity first; and might just as well reckon our chances of getting this volume after our price change, without entering into Elasticity computations at all. However it turns out that there is a very simple formula for calculating the CPED.

Bridging Cultural Differences

WAYS ON HOW TO BRIDGE CULTURAL AND ETHNICAL DIFFERENCES. The world constitutes people with different cultural and ethnic background. Culture refers to the beliefs, ideas, artifacts that make up a shared way of life while ethnicity refers to a shared cultural heritage (Macionis, 2007 page 60). Now when people differ in cultural and ethnic background there tend to be a gap or conflict between them. For This reason, there must be some ways of bridging this gap.Thus the essay outlines these differences and the ways on how to bridge them. To begin with, cultural difference is the distinction existing between cultures and it is also called cultural conflict. On the other hand, ethnic difference refers to the difference in cultural heritage that is to say members of an ethnic category have common ancestors, language or religion that together confer a distinctive social identity (Macionis 2007 page 335). If people differ in some aspects of their culture are said to be in ethnic conflict.For instance, cultures and ethnic groups may differ in language, religion, marriage, food habits and dresing. To clarify on these differences, let us first look at language and symbols. Language refers to the method of human communication, either spoken or written consisting of the use of words in structured and conventional way (Google. Merriam Webster). It plays a great role in interaction between two persons, it helps to share thoughts, emotions and opinions, and it develops communities and knowledge.Basically, language and symbols intermarry in the way that a symbol is something representing an idea, a process and physical entities. As a result, people of the same language leave in harmony because they are able to communicate. For example, beating of a drum have different meanings according to the area it is done, for instance among the Chewa in the central region it means an invitation to bear in that area, while to other people of Nthalire in Chitipa it may mean something else. Th e second cultural and ethnic difference between cultures is religion.This refers to a belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power especially a person, God and gods. Beliefs differ according to cultures and ethnic background that is why there are a lot of religions in the world. Just to mention a few, people from the Middle East believed in Allah while a white man believed in God and in Jesus Christ. This is because the founders of their faith were different; Jesus was a Jew and Muhammad an Arabian. Muslims vehemently deny that Jesus is a son of God which is against Christians’ elief. In this situation people of these two religions will always be in conflict if no ways are put to bridge their faith. The other cultural and ethnical difference existing between cultures is marriage,which refers to a formal union of a man and a woman, typically rocognised by law, by which they become husband and wife(google, Merriam-webster). As a result of differing in ethnic backgrou nd and culture people in Malawi practices different kinds of marriages based on the region they belong.People of the north and southern end practices patrilinieal type of marriage while the remaining part practices matrilinieal type of marriage. Patrilinial is normal in the regions bieng practiced while to others is not normal just because it involves paying of a huge of money to the parents as apart of thankful talken in which to the other groups is like buying. Food habits also plays a role in differing cultures and ethnic groups, a good example can be on the main meals that people value.A malawian citizen may find it difficult to accommodate rice in his daily meals which he may call it junky. This is so because in Malawian culture we value thick poridge (Nsima). The other example can be of Indians, they value putting mutch papper in their food in which other people can not manage. The last difference is dressing, dressing may differ becuae of religion, cultural background and the environment in the individual resides.The putting on of trousers is deviance in other cultures which is also normal to other cultures. Muslim women are encouragide to be putting on long dresses even covering their faces. Following these differences further, we realy see a need of bridging these cultures and some of these ways may include; education,democratic decision making policies,religion,national festivals,village transfers. Firstly, cultural and ethnic differences can be bridged through awareness.This can be achieved through education, involving agents of change such as traditional readers. Agents of change who are regarded as key people ,should be trained on the other cultures and tought to relay the massage to their people. Secondly,syllubii covering information of all the cultures and ethnic groups should be impremented in the curricullum. This will enable students to know more of different cultures and as they grow will be able to interact with those with differing cultur es.In addition to that, the government must imprement democratic decision making policies. In support of this point,policy makers should institute the value of mixing people of different cultures in government institutions such as the army, police, universties, secondery schools and others. A good example of this policy can be under the late D. R Banda who introduced the Malawi institute of young pionneers, which was constituting young people from different angles of the country to be trained at a one centre.This in turn yielded intermarriage just because youth could leave together for a long and understand each other. Furthermore,religion can also help to bring together people of differing cultures in one. For example churches,mosiqus and other worship centres consist peole of different cultures and ethnic groups, to shed more lights on this point let us have an example of st michaels and all angels C. C. A. P. People from all the regions of the country sharing seats, pastor and wo rk together regardiless of their cultural gap.Not only does religion bring together different cultures only in this way, we can also look in the stuations of national crisis,national celebrations, people of different faith may come together to ask for Gods favor. A good example can be drawn from this year’s national independent day where by prayers were conducted on sixth july 2012 at comesa hall in Blantyre. Leaders from all denominations together with the leader of the country came together merged to pray for the national economic crisis. This leads us to conclussion tha we

Casino Industry Essay

Find out why the Macau gambling scene is so important -The company intends to use the proceeds from this sale to pay off part of their debt -â€Å"The stock has traded significantly higher since the announcement of the deal, but we believe that this is a huge missed opportunity for the company in a new, booming market and will hurt the company over the long-term as competition continues to expand in this area† (2). -Caesars is the largest casino operator in the U.S -Properties include: Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, and several other states More on the Macau opportunity, this may be a little outdated: -Only major casino company without a location Macau -â€Å"Caesars bought the 175-acre site in 2007 for $578 million, with plans to develop a hotel and casino, but the company did not apply in the early 2000s for one of the limited number of gambling licenses in Macau, and it never gained a gambling concession from the Macau government† (2) -â€Å"As of July 31, 2013, growth in Macau has increased to over 20% on a year over year basis boosted by an increase in the number of Chinese visitors to the country’s only legal casino gambling hub. July’s 29.5 billion patacas ($3.7 billion) revenue was the third strongest figure this year, according to government data, as more middle-class gamblers visited Macau, eclipsing the growth in the number of high rollers. The slowdown in China’s economic growth has kept away some wealthy customers, who often spend 1 million yuan ($160,000) per bet, but it failed to push away Macau’s appeal for China’s rapidly expanding middle-class and their higher disposable incomes† (2) →what are pacatas Why Maccau Is Attractive for Casino Industry -The number of visitors to Macau rose 4.2 percent during the first half of the year (in 2013) -â€Å"Visitors form mainland China, who account for two thirds of the total numbers, soared 20 percent in July year over year numbers. High rollers account for about 70 percent of gaming revenues, but the share of the middle-class gamers is growing at a much faster rate and Macau’s casinos are trying to diversity entertainment options to attract more of these visitors† (2) -Minimum table bets start at around 300 patacas  ($38), compared to a year ago when offering bets for 100-200 patacas ($20) -â€Å"In the end, investors should not have seen the sale of this property as a catalyst for the stock, but instead as the huge missed opportunity to diversify the company’s core business and expand into an explosive new market† (2) -because the stock price went up when they sold Macau location -Macau casinos and hotels are now showing strong September gaming revenue -à ¢â‚¬Å"At the current rate, gambling revenue for the month of September so far is tracking 25.7% higher than the same month a year ago. Macau generates annual gambling revenue topping $38 billion, larger than any other casino district in the world, about five times the annual take of U.S. gambling in Las Vegas† (3) -Macau, a special gaming district on China’s southern coast, is the only place in China where gambling is legal – -â€Å"We believe that the run up in CZR shares has been on the coattails of the other gaming and hotel companies and that the buying has been way overdone. Investors should loko for the stock to pull back substantially after the recent rally† →research if all of this stuff is still true The most Recent Quarter- Focusing On the Important Aspects of This Business -Most recent quarter is Q2, net revenue was reported by Caesars as $2.2 billion -A decline in casino revenue was â€Å"largely offset by increases in F&B, rooms, and managed revenue† -â€Å"The company attributes this decline to a combination of macroeconomic conditions, competition, and a shift in marketing strategy. The company has lost market share in gaming to competition, despite the company’s positioning with the World Series of Poker brand† (4) ^ this is about gaming competition -Alpha research believes that revenue and profits have peaked and will be on the decline next year (2014), they were correct -Income form operations: $125.3 million in 2013, down $63.8 million compared to the prior year, 33.7% decline was driven by higher asset impairment charges (learn more on this) -â€Å"Adjusted EBITDA declined 8.2% to $470.5 million and property EBITDA declined 4.9% to $492.8 million compared with the year-earlier period† (4) -Investors should focus on the lower gaming revenue -â€Å"Casino revenue in Las Vegas declined approximately 15.5% year-over-year, primarily due to loss of market share and visitors and weaker gaming volumes† (4) -The same trends are occurring in the Atlantic City region -Gaming revenue was down due to lower visitation driven by primarily new competitive threats -CZR market volume in Atlantic city has declined, and market share has declined overall →my suggestion is that they should look more to online gaming, because technology and internet are booming, maybe consider joining with another casino industry- why is competition doing better -The company is facing increased competition in certain areas like Louisiana/Mississippi, Tunica, and Las Vegas and Atlantic City -Find specific competitors -Problem: â€Å"The company’s investments in current properties and new construction may prove to be too little, too late, as the projects have become increasingly costly over the last two years† The Debt Burden→ get more up to date information -At the quarter end (Q2 2013) for Caesars Entertainment, Inc. was $23.7 billion. -Debt, net of $1.8 billion of cash, was $20.9 billion -Total debt repurchased was only around $275 million during last quarter -Reports of a possible bankruptcy, have been increasing since Moody’s downgraded the company’s credit rating to one of its lowest levels in April 2013 -Cash flow growth is not expected to increase in 2013, â€Å"as a result of a demand drop fueled by customers spending less at casinos† (5) -Major concern because competitors gaming revenue are continuing to thrive -â€Å"The company has consistently poured money into new construction and the remodeling of existing structures, but significant measures need to be taken in order to improve the company’s current capital structure. If the company cannot spur major cash flow generation over the course of the next year, the company will be facing some major problems in early 2015 -Why is January 2015 important? Because that is when $4.4 billion of mortgage-backed securities are scheduled to mature for CZR (figure out more what this means) â †’ opportunity, cash flow generation, how? Competitors are outbeating them -Recent report from July 2013, Caesars planned to beef up its product  offering in Las Vegas and enter in the Maryland casino market, breaking group in Baltimore Major Areas of Concern for the Future: (direct quotes) -No unique value proposition built on approach, scale, geographic reach, brands and loyalty -Not positioned to drive value creation and significant revenue upside -Huge investments made in trying to expand core of business—declining revenues in many areas of business will lead to serious problems if the capital structure is not re-vamped by 2015 -Not executing on development pipeline, expanding domestic distribution and social/mobile gaming platform—the company claims that social gaming has a bright future, but the uncertain regulatory condition on a state and federal level pose a serious threat to the future of this revenue source -Failure to capitilze on pipeline while competitors continue to thrive on an international level (failure in Macau and Korea are significant) -Failed focus on managing costs and improving capital structure -Sustained economic recovery has not provided an additional tailwind to the efforts of the company COMPETITORS: EPS Change (%), Sales growth % CZR: -92.74, .16 WYNN: -1.34, -2.19 LVS: 18.29, 18.28 MGM: -165.10, 16.71 →large concern is the significant decline in EPS and sales growth over the recent history for CZR and at such a fast rate -â€Å"Considering the country has been seeing an economic recovery, consumer spending on gaming and entertainment in Las Vegas has not kept up. With no exposure to Macau, CZR will continue to underperform its peers in the future. The company’s current strategy is failing domestically and trying to transition to anything internationally is impossible. The EPS Change of -92.74% and 0.16% Sales Growth is just the beginning of a negative trend for Caesars. With massive amounts of debt and important maturity dates approaching, investors should look for a significant decline in shares as nervousness continues to build.† (5) -Based on the cash flow and margins, the quality of the most recent CZR earnings quarter was very poor overall -Negative cash flow per share: company is borrowing a significant amount of money to keep operating, and at some point the banks will stop lending and want to be repaid –bad position -â€Å"Cash is king† and companies that don’t generate cash are not around for a long time Problem: no cash flow -major debt obligations are due in 2015 and they have no cash, running out of time USE ALL THE CHARTS FROM THIS PDF! Very good for 2013 competitors, etc Potential Bankruptcy: -Important to look to the Book Value/ Share of CZR -this indicates the dollar value remaining for common shareholders after all assets are liquidated and all debtors are paid Financial Strength -Look at PDF -Use of leverage can be a double-edged sword for companies -â€Å"In the case for CZR, it has tried to generate returns above its cost of capital, for investors benefits. However, with the added risk of the debt on tis books, CZR is a company that has been hurt by this leverage and is unable to generate returns above the cost of capital. The company’s losses have been and will continue to be magnified by the use of leverage in the company’s capital structure, while they continue to renovate existing properties and continue with new construction domestically. With $20.91 B of long-term debt and a large debt to equity ratio of 1.04, Caesars will need to significantly overhaul their capital structure if they want to compete and survive in this highly competitive industry† (6) →compute d/e current ratio for 2014, google their financial statements Problem: too much debt, no cash -ROA: -4.44%, the company cannot operate efficiently based on the firm’s generated profits from total assets

Barack Obama’s Dreams From My Father: A Tale of Redemption

Barack Obama’s Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance is a well written essay about a singular search for identity across cities and continents, region and race. The autobiography focuses on Obama’s need for redemption driven by an uncompromising desire to know his biological father. Barack, the father, was a Kenyan native whose absence informed Obama’s dreams and whose marriage to his white mother, Ann, determined his daily reality.It is a compelling story about the meaning of family, nuclear and extended, and a young man’s pursuit of an authentic self in the complex nexus of race, class, and gender as historically represented in America. The book, written in lively prose, takes the reader on a journey from Obama’s origins in Hawaii, to Indonesia, Occidental College in Los, Angeles, Columbia University in New York, and to Chicago where he begins his public service career while learning a few painful lessons about politics. In Chicag o, Obama evolves into a mature, self-conscious politician.These years, it seems, prepare Obama to accept his bi-racial self and to receive his inheritance in Africa where his father and grandfather have been buried. In Kenya, Obama discovers his unfamiliar family and the spirits of his ancestors bundled in a series of letters and memories as shared by his African Granny. In the end, Obama finds a way to â€Å"affirm [his] common destiny without pretending to speak to, or for all our various struggles† (Obama, 2004, xvi). Both text and subtext are about â€Å"a boys search for his father, and through that search a workable meaning for his life as a Black American† (Obama, 2004, xvi).Barack Obama’s Dreams From My Father: A Tale of Redemption In recalling the deadly attack on September 11, 2001, Barack Obama confesses that for him â€Å"history returned that day with a vengeance† (Obama, 2001, x). Referencing William Falkner, Obama speaks of the past as neve r â€Å"dead or buried—it isn’t even past† because the collective past touches the individual in the present (Obama, 2001, x). His life, as presented in Dreams From My Father, is a reflexive and self-conscious memoir which facilitates Obama’s locating of a past that he did not know, one that he could not understand, and a history wanting in authenticity.From his earliest years, Obama’s thoughts and dreams had been interpreted through the prism of an absentee father whom he would never know. The book is organized into three sections consisting of nineteen chapters. Written in lively and description detail, it is a circuitous narrative with a clear beginning and end. In Part One, â€Å"Origins,† Obama provides a window into his formative years in Indonesia with Lolo, his mother’s second husband, with whom he learned how to fight, to â€Å"stay low [and] don’t give them a target† (p. 36).But it was at the Panahou Academy in Hawaii where issues of belonging or not, found its way into the innocence of his childhood. Obama confesses that during this time, his â€Å"sense that [he] did not belong continued to grow† (p. 60). As a teenager, Obama would escape by experimenting with various drugs. He would also, on occasion seek the advice of his grandfather’s friend, Frank, an eighty year old poet living in Waikiki. For example, when Frank learned that Obama was planning to attend Occidental College in Los Angeles, he made clear that Obama should understand that he would be â€Å"trained† and not educated there.He urged Obama to go to Occidental but to â€Å"keep [his] eyes open [and] stay awake† concerned that the experience would further separate him from his past (p. 97). Classmates at Occidental often took him to task for what appeared to have been self-indulgent and narcissistic tendencies. For example, Regina, another student involved in a campus protest, made it clear that Obama’s speech â€Å"was not about him† (p. 109). Her diatribe is worth noting: Well, let me tell you something, Mr. Obama. It’s not just about you. Its never just about you. It’s about people who need your help. Children who are depending on you.They’re not interested in your irony or your sophistication or your ego getting bruised. And neither am I. (p. 109) The confused Obama later decided to participate in an exchange program that allowed him to take classes at Columbia University in New York. Upon arriving in Manhattan, he experienced the fear and humiliation of homelessness until â€Å"redeemed† by Sadik, a friend with whom he later shared an apartment. It was while at Columbia, however, that Obama began to take his studies seriously and to explore his role as a reformer and a person who could create change. For these reasons, it appears, he decided to â€Å"[stop] getting high† (p. 120).In Part Two, â€Å"Chicago,† we fi nd Obama on the ground rallying for the poor, homeless, and unemployed. For example, critical to Obama’s success and instrumental to his moving to Chicago had been Marty Kaufman, a man of Jewish descent who had established the Calumet Community Religious Conference. This organization, encompassing twenty suburban churches and later joined by the Developing Communities Project affiliated with the city, brought blacks and whites together to discuss the â€Å"shame of unemployment, their fear of losing a house or of being cheated out of a pension – the common sense of having been betrayed† (p. 150).These organizations were a real time response to the alarming rate of unemployment due to layoffs and company closings on the Southside of Chicago. At the same time, Smitty’s Barbershop, a spot near Hyde Park where the men talked of â€Å"sports and women and yesterday’s headlines, conversation at once intimate and anonymous, among men who agreed to leave their troubles outside,† provided a space for Obama to test his rhetoric and his ability to assimilate without detection of his white heritage (p. 146).Obama’s encounters with Mary, a white single mother whose two children had been fathered by an absentee black man; his collaboration with organizers such as Angela, Shirley, Mona, and Will; as well as his ascendancy to the Presidency of the Harvard Law Review were an attempt to run from the past while constructing a future (pgs. 167-175). In spite of his successes, Obama remained distracted by an unexplained emptiness. In Part Three, â€Å"Kenya,† we find Obama acknowledging and acting on his need to connect with his past by traveling first to Europe and then Africa in search of his heritage.After Granny’s detailed story about the struggles of both his grandfather and father, Barack discovers a series of letters that answer many of his questions. At this point, the circle closes, the black hole is filled, a nd Obama realizes that he has been haunted by his father’s silence and shaped by his absence. Somewhere near their Kenyan graves, Obama purged himself of the past and departed his ancestral home a different person, a man who could face the truth of his past and future without fear of rejection. A memoir by definition is cathartic.Obama’s Dreams From My Father is worthy of analysis because rarely do we see so much of the realization of the American dream encompassed in the life of one person. The past returned with a vengeance while in Kenya where Obama and all of his fathers received the â€Å"promise of redemption† (p. 135). Relying on oral histories for the most part, Barack Obama’s story of race and inheritance may be one of the most honest and accurate autobiographical works in recent memory. References Obama, Barack. (2004). Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. New York: Crown Publishers.

Business Process Inside Companies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business Process Inside Companies - Essay Example The department conducts regular updating of the website with the resent information for the business to cope with the changing environment. The department also has the responsibility of managing the suppliers and vendors in the organization. This is through ensuring that the materials received are in a cost effective manner for the business to make the target profit. There are numerous activities, which are involved in order to ensure that the suppliers and vendors are managed effectively. One of these activities includes the sending and receiving of invoices to customers and from the suppliers respectively. When the materials are received from the vendors, and the suppliers, the department communicates to the department of finance and accounting in order to make payment. The department has also the responsibility of sending the invoices to those customers who have been billed for getting the services from the organization. All these transactions in the organizations have a lot of do cumentation, and the organization has the responsibility of keeping records of transactions in the business. Human resource department In this department, there is the management of the employee in the organization. ... The department also concentrates on the employee benefit systems while keeping the relevant documents of the payment details. The department files the tax on the salaries of employees for the federals purposes of tax payment. There is also the employee evaluation of their performance. The department also keeps records of their performance. The department actively engages in the reviews the performance of employees, for the identification of the best performing employee in the organization, in order for their efforts to be recognized, and awarded through the department there is an arrangement of training and development programs for employees. Accounting and Finance This department deals with the cash flows of the organization. This is in terms of the dealing with the cash payment and receiving of cash, for the monitoring of the cash flow of the organization. There is the coordination with the administration for the receiving of the invoices from suppliers in order to make payments to suppliers and vendors. This department processes the checks for making the payment of invoices. The checks are given to the administration for the payment. In the department, there is also coordination with the HR department for the updating of information about the employee payroll. This updates are made with the motive of making the alteration that are required for the compensation of employees for the services provided to the organization. The department processes the checks meant to make the payment of the employees’ salaries. Mail center The department receives the messages in the organization from the other departments. After receiving the messages, the department in turn does the processing on the message ,in order to identify the

Alignment of Business and IT Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Alignment of Business and IT Strategy - Essay Example However, it is yet to be determined that alignment issues exist, and if they do how to control for these gaps. The results showed that to enhance business strategy there must be a focus on the organizational vision and improvement of communication of business strategy and vision. The alignment of the two organizational elements, were concluded to be directly affected by the coherence of a business department. Overall, it was recommended that a robust business architecture be developed, and that the organization create a separate and centralized IT department. During the past three decades IT ahs become essential to business operations. Initially IT was distributed over departments; decentralized; specialized; and limited in application. However, the authors do not provide insights as to why IT "increased and spread"; only examples of how. A common solution in the past was to have a separate IT department; however this was found to limit effective communication between IT department and other departments. The suggestion of IT departments reporting directly to management can create internal "politics". Management often prioritizes the issues and this can lead to resentment of IT staff by the end users in other parts of the organization. The isolation of IT strategy can also draw a significant amount of resources away from the overall business strategy. As a consequence, non-alignment increases costs in time, money and organizational harmony. 3.0 Literature Review Since the early 1980s alignment of IT and business strategy has been realized as a critical need. The primary inhibitors identified over time have included; the IT department not prioritizing efficiently; and IT management lacking leadership. Models have been developed such as; 1) Strategic Integration Systems Planning (SISP); and 2) strategic integration across the entire organization. Solutions to date for effective alignment are; 1) communication and understanding; 2) business ownership and accountability for return on IT investments; 3) rapid strategy development driven by climatic business changes; and 4) enhance the internal competencies of the business. 4.0 Method The method used to include the Alignment of Business and IT (ABIT) department of the Fortune 50 company to aid in the coordination of the project. The ABIT department created a list of potential employees who were considered to have a "balanced perspective". This is a limitation isn't that a random sample was not selected, and so the results cannot be generalized to other organizations, as the sample is not representative of the wider population. Instead, selection criteria could have been used to operationalize what a "balanced perspective" was. Three groups were created; 1) one having a business perspective; 2) one having an IT perspective; and 3) one having a "balanced" perspective. However, a pre-test could have been done first to identify a priori knowledge and to place people in groups based on their current knowledge.The questions for the interviews were developed with the aid of ABIT to identify gaps, however no information is given as to how these items were selected and if they were tested for their reliability and validity. Each group was interviewed with questions

Comparing Eulers Method with Numerical Methods Thesis

Comparing Eulers Method with Numerical Methods - Thesis Example Nonetheless, differentiation of equation expressing these systems and shapes was noted to be quite complex. Moreover, these equations are only capable of describing extremely large systems and shapes, so pure mathematical analysis on them is quite impossible. The complex nature of these systems led to the usefulness of numerical approximation and computer simulations. Therefore, this paper will analyze Euler’s method in differentiating these complex mathematical equations. Notably, the numerical approximation techniques that are applied in solving the differential equation were thought of and developed long before the existence of the programmable computers. During the Second World War, people (particularly women) used mechanical calculators (in their rooms) to solve differential equations for war purposes. However, the introduction and increase in programmable computers and computer applications have decreased the cost and increased the speed, thereby increasingly easing solv ing the difference equations of complex systems (Kuang and Cong, 2007). For example, laptops can easily compute a long term interjectory of over one million interacting molecules. For about five to ten years ago, this problem seemed inaccessible to even the then fastest analog supercomputers. This essay will introduce the fundamental principle of numerical approximation and relate to geometry and curved surfaces. Thereafter, it will analyze how simple geometric problems can be handled using Euler’s method. Generally, numerical differential equations are always represented in the equation or functions, f. These functions can handle a wider range of ordinary differential equation (ODEs) and partial differential equations (PDEs). A system of ordinary differential equations can contain any number of unknown functions. However, all these functions must be a derivative of a single independent variable, t that is the same for other functions (Kuang and Cong, 2007). On the other hand , partial differential equations often have two or more independent variables. Differential Equations There are numerous ways of solving differential equations. However, there are fundamental equations upon which all other equations are built. The first order system of differential equation takes the simplest order dy/dt = f(y, t) or y? = f(x, y). Where dy/dy represents the change in y with time and f(y, t) is a function of variables y and t. notably, there are numerous notations for the change d/dt. The most common ones include ? and y’. This equation satisfies numerical integration that means computation from initial point y0 (the initial condition) to the other successive conditions y1, y2, y3 †¦ since differential equations cannot be solved analytically, they take an algorithm that computes the function or equation as precise as possible, that is, yn+1 from yn. In some cases, y may be a vector while the evolution equation may be non-linear differential equations. Pro blem Formulation The main theme of this essay is to use first order differential to solve differential equation under certain set conditions. Consider that the fundamental differential equation of the first order of ordinary differential equation is dy/dx = f(x, y) with the initial boundary condition being y(x0) = y0. Approximate the function y(x) over the sample values of xn

Truth-in-Sentencing Laws in the US Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Truth-in-Sentencing Laws in the US - Term Paper Example Truth in sentencing laws was enacted in the U.S. to reduce the chances of early release from incarceration. Schmallenger (2011) points out that the law requires criminals to serve a substantial portion of the prison sentence imposed by the court before they can be allowed to leave the prison peripheries. The question that many ask relate to whether this kind of law is capable of deterring crime or not? Proponents of the law argue that truth in sentencing can help deter crime in a big way. Firstly, it is argued that locking offenders in prisons for a substantial period of time enhances public safety by deterring crime (Owens, 2010). This is because it prevents the offenders from engaging in criminal acts through incapacitation as they are locked. The locking incapacitates them as they are denied the freedom to move out and engage in criminal activities. This helps in deterring crime a great deal. Incarceration of offenders also prevents inmates from coordinating criminal activities wi th others who have not put in prison. Research shows that one means that criminals use to organize their criminal activities is through communication. This implies that denying a criminal the freedom to communicate and organize criminal acts is one way of addressing the issue of crime. This element has been made possible since the enactment of the truth in sentencing by ensuring that criminals are kept in prison for quite some time until they reform, thereby deterring crime. Truth in sentencing is not only meant to keep inmates in prison but also acts as a rehabilitation measure where inmates are being educated and counseled so as to become good people once they complete their sentences. This helps a great deal in deterring crime. Similarly, truth in sentencing deters would-be-offenders from engaging in criminal activities. This is because, they are aware that engaging in criminal activities may land them in jail where they would spend a substantial portion of their lives in prison, which no one would want. This helps in deterring crime (Owens, 2010). Truth in sentencing also deters crime due to the fact that it creates certainty of the punishment that one receives as a result of being incarcerated.  

Strategic management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Strategic management - Case Study Example Focused differentiation: Nike also pursues focused differentiation strategy where it focuses on serving the sports segment by providing the best sports products than other players in the segment. Nike serves two major market segments: footwear and apparel market segments. Nike utilized its competencies in design and marketing to penetrate new market segments. The company’s business-level strategies changed competition in the industry in that the company significantly reduced the threat of competition through acquisitions. The company resorted to purchasing other footwear companies that offered substitute products, for example, the company acquired Converse, Hurley International as well as Official Starter among others. Nike has made its products unique from those of competitors and relied on innovation for new product development. This has enabled the company to venture new markets. The company has used its competitive advantage over other competitors to stay on top of the

IP 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

IP 5 - Essay Example 2. The second position is in Maryland, earning $65,000 per year. You found a starter duplex that you can purchase with an assessed value of $135,000. Property taxes average 2.4% of the assessed value. The state sales tax rate is 1% higher than in Pennsylvania, and it also applies to food and clothing. Marylands state income tax rate is 1.5% higher than Pennsylvanias. With the data above, complete the following table, with all values rounded to the nearest cent. Note that the Difference column is the difference between Pennsylvania’s and Maryland’s values. (Hint: Property tax only applies to housing; state sales tax only applies to purchases and food and clothing, when applicable; and income tax only applies to the salary.) The difference in cost of living between the two locations (Maryland and Pennsylvania) based on the differences in sales tax, income tax, and property tax is $3,033.75. In other words, I have to pay an additional $3,033.75 in taxes in Maryland as compared to Pennsylvania. This does not much influence which job to choose, as the difference in taxes (sales tax, income tax, and property tax) of $3,033.75 is much less as compared to the difference in salary $15,000 between the two

PetMeds Transformation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

PetMeds Transformation - Case Study Example The set of variables are grouped into transformational and transactional factors (Falletta, 2005). This paper focuses on the seven transactional variables, such as structure, tasks and skills, management practices, systems and policies, work unit climate, motivation and individual needs and goals. Burke-Litwin Model defines the organizational structure as an arrangement of functions and people into specific areas and levels of responsibility, decision-making authority, communication and relationships (Falletta, 2005). Such structure shall support the organization's mission, goals and strategy in order to achieve competitive advantage for the firm (Porter, 1985). PetMed Express can be considered as a mechanistic organization that follows the functional departmentalization structure. The company has highly specialized departments with high formalization and a clear chain of command. The company's structure supports its cost leadership strategy by increasing consistency and reducing cost through centralization and management control (McShane, 2001). The company currently has 248 full time employees distributed into four departments of customer care, warehouse, pharmacy and corporate departments. The customer care department consists of customer care representatives in a call center environment while the warehouse department consists of supervisors and associates. The pharmacy department employs pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and support. The corporate department is composed of accounting, legal, marketing, information technology, purchasing and human resources. Below is the organizational diagram of PetMed. (PetMed Express, 2009) Figure . PetMeds Organizational Chart In order to be effective in serving the customers demand, PetMeds employed 143 people in customer care and marketing, 58 people in pharmacy, and 34 people in warehouse and purchasing. Therefore, the structure of human resources in the company is aligned with its mission of delivering exceptional service, savings and convenience to its customers while maintaining a corporate strategy of cost advantage. Tasks and Skills and Motivation The business success of PetMed Express is attributed to the core competencies of their customer care, warehouse and pharmacy department. According to Prahalad and Hamel (1990), the core competencies of a company are the collective learning in the organization that involves communication, involvement and deep commitment to working across organizational boundaries. Therefore, the core competencies provide potential access to a wide variety of markets and make a significant contribution to the customer benefits of its products. The Burke-Litwin Model describes tasks and skills as the behavior required for task effectiveness which includes specific skills and knowledge required to accomplish work (Falletta, 2005). The tasks and skills of an individual coupled with its motivation, or heightened behavior to achieve goals, have a significant impact on organizational performance and productivity. In other words, an empowered and motivated employee will perform its duties and responsibilities when his tasks and skills are matched with the job requirements. The human resource management has an extensive recruitment and selection strategy that identifies the needs of the job as well as the competency of the employee. The bulk of the

Lakewood WA Police Department Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Lakewood WA Police Department - Essay Example It successfully communicates with people from different backgrounds and also provides vital information, advice, and any time police assistance. Unlike the other police forces, Lakewood Police Department is unique for its objectives and functions. Lakewood police force is specially made for the enforcement of civil and criminal laws, holding the position of court compliance office and community service office, animal control, juvenile code enforcement etc. As per the ordinance No. 00471, the Police Department operates under the direction of City’s Chief Law Enforcement Officer, the Chief of Police, subject to the supervision of the City Manager. The Chief of the Police is appointed by the City Manager in accordance with the law and policies of city of Lakewood. In accordance with the relevant laws all other subordinates shall be appointed by the Chief (Ordinance No. 00471.City Council meeting minutes of March 17 2008). According to the regulation in Lakewood police, there are five office assistants, two evidence custodians, one crime analyst, one fleet manager, one evidence supervisor, one administrative assistant, one administrative supervisor and one administrative lieutenant all of whom contribute to the daily workings of the department (Administrative Unit). However the strength of the whole department has increased in the 21st century: â€Å"Lakewood’s 21st century department has 131 staff members, 105 commissioned , 12.5 community service officers, 2 animal control officers and 13.5 civilian support staff† (About the Department). The Department is divided in to several divisions for its smooth functioning. Among them Criminal Investigation Unit is one of the outstanding wings which includes Robbery Assault Unit, Special Assault Unit, Special Operations Unit and The School Resource Officer Program. Crime against persons like murder, robbery, kidnapping and missing cases come under the Robbery/Assault unit. The Special Assault

Reading comprehension Essay Example for Free

Reading comprehension Essay ABSTRACT. sion The (STRAT), authors evaluated instruction, strategies followed reciprocal same-age the effectiveness by practice + SA) (STRAT of explicit in teacher-led reading whole-class activities, peer-tutoring comprehen activities or cross-age peer-tutoring activities (STRAT + CA) on 2nd and 5th graders reading comprehen sion and self-efficacy For perceptions. 2nd multilevel graders, analyses revealed sig nificant STRAT and STRAT + CA effects; however, the effects did not last after fin the program. Fifth graders on the posttest better than ishing icantly in all 3 experimental  control group their conditions Results peers. performed signif con also showed tinued growth for the STRAT and STRAT + CA conditions until at least 6 months after students finished the program. Moreover, on both the posttest and retention test, 5th graders in the STRAT + CA condition reported significantly fewer negative thoughts Key words: prehension, related to their elementary reading reading proficiency. multilevel education, strategies, modeling, peer tutoring, reading com self-efficacy RESEARCH, decoding instruction has had a long and continuous of attention and debate. However, a hiatus can be recorded in the study of history reading comprehension. Two decades ago, strategy intervention research was in instruction received renewed atten vogue, but only recently has comprehension with current studies building on what was accomplished in the 1980s. Now, tion, the challenge in reading comprehension research is to increase the efficacy of in struction in elementary schools by identifying the instructional practices and ac tivities that best serve to develop childrens self-monitoring for comprehension IN READING (Snow, Burns, Griffin, 1998). 291. This content downloaded on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 01:52:54 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 292 The Journal Previously, students Once reading comprehension could decode, was considered comprehension was of Experimental Education to be a process of mastery: assumed to occur automatical ly (Dole, 2000). Research, however, has shown that good readers are character ized by more than just decoding skills. Cognitively based views of reading com readers use a flexible that proficient repertoire of prehension emphasize and regulating activities (Dole, Duffy, Roehler, comprehension monitoring  includes both cognitive and metacognitive Pearson, 1991), which strategies (Baker Brown, 1984; Paris, Wasik, Turner, 1991; Pressley Allington, 1999; Pressley, Johnson, Symons, McGoldrick, Kurita, 1989). Cognitive strat egies can be defined as mental or behavioral activities that increase the likelihood such as rereading, activating prior background knowledge, of comprehension, and adjusting reading speed (Van Den Broek Kremer, 2000). Metacognitive strategies can be specified as self-monitoring and regulating activities that focus on the product and the process of reading, support  readers awareness of com prehension, and assist in the selection of cognitive strategies as a function of text difficulty, situational constraints, and the readers own cognitive abilities (Lories, 1998; Van Den Broek Kremer; Weisberg, Dardenne, Yzerbyt, 1988). There is no reason to believe that all elementary students spon Unfortunately, and skills knowledge taneously develop essential cognitive and metacognitive Research reviews, however, reveal Allington, 1999). (Hartman, 2001; Pressley that monitoring and regulating skills and effective application of relevant strate can  gies be taught (Dole et al. , 1991; Pressley, 2000; Pressley et al. , 1989). In this Jones, 1992; Block, 1993; respect, recent studies (Baumann, Seifert-Kessell, Dole et al. ; Dole, Brown, Thrathen, 1996; Pearson Fielding, 1991) and re of the National Reading Council (U. S. ; Snow et al. , 1998) underscore the ports value of explicit cognitive and metacognitive reading strategy instruction, for instruction takes the mystery out of the reading process, helping comprehension students assume control (Raphael, 2000, p. 76). As to the practice of teaching observation re  reading, however, little has changed since Durkins (1978-1979) instruction. The dominant instructional practice is into comprehension students about text content, still very traditional, characterized by questioning with little explicit attention to the strategic aspects of processing and compre hending text (Aarnoutse, 1995; Paris Oka, 1986; Pressley, Wharton-McDon 1986). ald, Hampston, Echevarr? a, 1998; Weterings Aarnoutse, search In addition to the importance of explicit reading strategies instruction, research the effects program of an innovative  on the cognitive, and social, (Belgium) comprehension for reading The study was school children. emotional by a supported of elementary development Research-Flanders. Research grant of the Fund for Scientific Assistantship to: Hilde Van Keer, Department be addressed should of Education, Correspondence Hilde. VanKeer E-mail: Henri Dunantlaan Ghent Ghent, 2, 9000 Belgium. University, This study was part of a investigation long-term in Flanders instruction of @ UGent. Be This content downloaded on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 01:52:54 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions  293 Van Keer Verhaeghe has revealed that the development of reading competence in the elementary can be encouraged by interaction with peers (Almasi, 1996; Fuchs, Fuchs, grades Mathes, Simmons, 1997; Johnson-Glenberg, 2000; Mathes Fuchs, 1994; Mathes, Torgesen, Allor, 2001; Palincsar Brown, 1984; Rosenshine Meis ter, 1994; Simmons, Fuchs, Fuchs, Mathes, Hodge, 1995). The traditional teacher-led evaluation interaction seems of pattern teacher question-student an to achieve insufficient actual response-teacher increase in comprehension,  higher level cognition, and the application of self-regulation strategies (Cazden, 1986). Relying on the teachers interpretive authority causes students to become passive learners. to become Conversely, students readers, self-regulated need to take an active role and to recognize and resolve their own discrepancies with texts (Almasi; Gourgey, 2001). Research has demonstrated that this kind of ac tive reading behavior is promoted by providing students with opportunities to en gage in peer-led interaction about texts. More particularly, it has been shown that, through  students discussions, peer implement, conferences, evaluate, and peer modify and tutoring, strategies, activities, cooperative and discuss of transfer strategies (Klingner Vaughn, 1996; Klingner, Vaughn, Schumm, 1998; Pal incsar Brown, 1984). Moreover, discussions between peers provide opportu nities for metacognitive (Palincsar, David, Winn, exchanges and modeling 1991). In this way, childrens knowledge about reading and reading strategies, as well as their ability to apply relevant strategies, increases. Despite these convincing research results, student-centered  discussion with regard to is anything but common practice in most classrooms reading comprehension Stevens, (Alvermann, 2000). In the present study, we attempted to narrow the gap between prevailing in structional practice and research evidence in the field of reading comprehension instruction. An innovative approach, blending research-based strategies instruction and to practice opportunities strategic the from practices research fields, was designed, aforementioned implemented, More specifically, the innovations comprised two cornerstones: and evaluated. explicit reading  reading in peer-tu toring dyads. Peer tutoring was introduced to stimulate student interaction be cause of the opportunities it creates to practice metacognitive skills. It should be noted that studies of peer tutoring in reading comprehension and thinking skills are relatively rare (Topping, 2001). Following research on peer-assisted learning strategies (e. g. , Fuchs, Fuchs, et al. , Mathes, 1997), c? as s wide peer tutoring (e. g. , Greenwood, 1991; Greenwood, Carta, Hall, 1988), and studies focusing on practicing reading strategies in small cooperative groups (e.g. , Brown, Pressley, Van Meter, Schuder, 1996; Palincsar Brown, 1984; Pressley et al, 1992; Stevens, Madden, Slavin, Famish, 1987; Stevens, Slavin, Famish, 1991), the present study involved training in comprehension strategies rather than tutoring students in word-level oral reading or low-level comprehension activities. Peer tutoring can be defined as people from similar social groupings who are This content downloaded on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 01:52:54 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 294. The Journal of Experimental Education not professional  teachers helping each other to leam, and learning themselves by teaching (Topping, 1996, p. 322). This definition covers a series of practices, in cluding peers as one-on-one teachers to provide individualized instruction, prac tice, repetition, and clarification of concepts (Topping, 1988; Utley Mortweet, 1997). Peer tutoring is structurally embedded in the curriculum and classroom organization and is characterized by specific role taking: One person has the job of tutor, while the other is the tutee (Topping, 1996). Moreover, effective peer tu tutor training (Bentz Fuchs, 1996;toring is characterized by a preceding Fuchs, Fuchs, Bentz, Phillips, Hamlett, 1994; Fuchs, Fuchs, Hamlett, Phillips, Karns, Dutka, 1997). With regard to the dyad composition, two variants can be tutoring refers to older students tutoring younger stu distinguished. Cross-age in same-age tutoring, children are paired with classmates. The variant in dents; students alternate regularly between the tutor and tutee role is called rec iprocal same-age tutoring (Fantuzzo, King, Heller, 1992). Peer tutoring has been successful in a variety of curriculum areas and age groups. Research has indicated positive effects on academic achievement for both tutor and tutee (Cohen, Kulik, Kulik, 1982; Fantuzzo, Davis, Ginsburg, 1995; which Fantuzzo, Polite, Grayson, 1990; Fantuzzo et al. , 1992; Greenwood et al. , 1988; Mathes et al. , 2001 ;Simmons et al. , 1995). In this respect, peer tutoring is not only about transmission from the more able and experienced to the less able (Topping, 1996); tutors seem to benefit even more from tutoring than students who receive et al. ; Lambiotte et al. , the individual tuition (Fitz-Gibbon, 1988; Greenwood 1987). This can be explained by the nature of tutoring a peer: Tutors are chal to engage in ac lenged to consider the subject fully from different perspectives, to identify and correct errors, to reorganize and clarify their own tive monitoring knowledge and understandings, and to elaborate on information in their explana tions (Fuchs Fuchs, 2000). Because the application of reading strategies re quires actively monitoring the reading process, peer tutoring may be considered a powerful learning environment for the acquisition of reading comprehension the reading process of another reader might facilitate the ac skills. Monitoring of self-monitoring skills and, hence, the adequate application of reading quisition (1978) the strategies. From a theoretical perspective, consistent with Vygotskys ory of socially mediated learning, the object of the dyadic interaction in the peer tutoring activities is the joint construction of text meaning by appropriate appli cation of relevant reading strategies to a wide range of texts and, in the long term, the intemalization and consistently self-regulative flexible use of strategic pro cessing whenever encountering texts that are challenging to comprehend. Furthermore, positive effects also have been found on tutors and tutees social and emotional functioning, especially with regard to self-efficacy perceptions, self-concepts, social relationships, and attitudes toward the curriculum areas treated in the tutoring sessions (e. g. , Cohen et al. , 1982; Fantuzzo et al. , 1992; Fantuzzo et al. , 1995; Greenwood et al. , 1988; Mathes Fuchs, 1994). Regard This content downloaded on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 01:52:54 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 295 Van Keer Verhaeghe is an especially self-efficacy  important construct, ing reading comprehension, that attention to strategy instruction alone is not sufficient to produce max given imum reading growth (Casteel, Isom, Jordan, 2000). Affective factors result in deeper engagement with text, which translates into superior achievement. Henk and Melnick (1995) asserted that self-efficacy judgments can affect an individ uals overall orientation to the process of reading; influence choice of activities; affect continued involvement, amount of effort expended during reading, and the in pursuing text comprehension; And ultimately affect degree of persistence achievement. Our aim in the present intervention study was to design, implement, and evalu ate complex sets of instructional interventions in authentic classrooms to enhance second and fifth graders reading comprehension achievement and self-efficacy perceptions toward reading. The specific contribution of the present study is the focus on peer-tutoring variants as instructional techniques to practice the use of reading. More strategies. comprehension we specifically, concentrated on an ex of practicing reading strategies in (a)  plicit comparison teacher-led whole-class activities, (b) reciprocal same-age peer-tutoring activities, or (c) cross-age peer-tutoring activities within the same study for two different age groups. So far, cross- and same-age tutoring have not been compared within the same study, and there is only indirect reference material from themeta-analysis of of the relative merit Cohen and colleagues (1982) with regard to the differential impact. Furthermore, in the present study, we extend prior research by (a) sampling a larger number of studies; Participants than is typically the case in strategies-based comprehension (b) supporting teachers to implement the innovations in the natural classroom con text with the participation of all students of all abilities during an entire school year, which represents sensitivity to the interventions ecological validity; (c) tar geting students in the early and intermediate grades, populations that deserve more attention with regard tometacognitive and strategic behavior; (d) including maintenance long-term measures; (e) using standardized reading comprehension tests not directly linked to the treatment; and (f) applying multilevel modeling to  take the hierarchical nesting of students in classes into account. Based on a review of the research literature and the aforementioned lines of reasoning, we formulated the following hypotheses for the study: Hypothesis teacher-led 1. Explicit whole-class reading or peer-tutoring graders reading comprehension prehension strategies instruction, activities, achievement more followed enhances by practice second and in fifth than traditional reading com instruction. 2. Practicing reading strategies in cross-age or reciprocal same-age peer-tutoring activities generates larger positive changes in second and fifth  Hypothesis graders during comprehension whole-class achievement than more traditional activities. This content downloaded on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 01:52:54 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions teacher-led practice 296 The Journal Education of Experimental is more obvious for sec 3. Improvement in reading comprehension Hypothesis ond and fifth graders functioning as tutees and tutors, respectively, in cross-age peer-tutoring activities than for their peers alternating between the tutor and tutee roles in reciprocal same-age activities. Hypothesis 4. Cross-age and reciprocal same-age peer-tutoring activities second and fifth graders self-efficacy perceptions toward reading more ditional teacher-led instructional techniques. improve than tra 5. Improvement in self-efficacy perceptions toward reading is more Hypothesis obvious for second and fifth graders functioning as tutees and tutors, respective ly, in cross-age peer-tutoring activities than for their peers alternating roles in activities. same-age reciprocal Method Design We used a pretest, posttest, and retention test control group design. To ensure the ecological validity of the interventions, we included complete naturally com posed classes. Participating classes were assigned to one of four research condi tions. In the strategies-only condition (STRAT), the experimental intervention in cluded explicit reading strategies instruction, followed by practice in teacher-led whole-class settings. The experimental same-age (STRAT + SA) and cross-age included identical instruction in the (STRAT + CA) peer-tutoring conditions same cross-age dyads, or cross-age with combined strategies, In this respectively.  tutoring. Finally, class-wide we respect, included practice students a control in reciprocal experienced either characterized group, or same-age same by tra activities without explicit strategies instruction ditional reading comprehension or peer tutoring. Classes were randomly assigned to the STRAT or tutoring con ditions. Within the tutoring conditions, teachers opted in favor of the STRAT + SA or STRAT + CA condition according to the readiness of a colleague to col laborate in the STRAT + CA activities. We selected control group classes to match the experimental teachers  and classes. Because the classes were naturally composed and the assignment of classes to the conditions was not completely randomized, the design can be regarded as quasi-experimental. Participants In total, 444 second and 454 fifth graders from 44 classes in 25 different schools throughout Flanders (Belgium) participated in the study. Except for some small-scale initiatives of individual schools, peer tutoring was fairly unfamiliar at the time of the study. Other cooperative or interactive techniques, such as This content downloaded on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 01:52:54 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 297 Van Keer Verhaeghe and circle time, were better known and more group work, group discussion, fre used. quently Except for one inner-city school in the STRAT condition with mainly a low so status and ethnic minority population, all schools had a predomi cioeconomic Flemish population. The majority of the children were from middle nantly white, class families. Except for one second-grade class including only girls, there was approximately an equal gender distribution: In second- and fifth-grade classes, on = = 18.55) of the students were boys. At 16. 54) and 48% (SD average, 53% (SD the beginning of the school year, second graders were aged, on average, 7 years and 4 months, and fifth graders were aged, on average, 10 years and 5 months. The majority of the students (402 in second and 422 in fifth grade) were native speakers. Because elementary school students in Flanders are not grouped by ability, classes are considered academically heterogeneous, which was con firmed by the pretest reading comprehension measures. Class size ranged from 15 to 28 students, with an average of approximately 21 (SD = 3.50) in the second grade, and from 10 to 30 students in the fifth grade, with an average of approxi = mately 22 (SD 5. 00) students per class. Second- and fifth-grade teachers had, on Dutch average, 11 and 20 years of teaching experience, respectively. Four of 22 second grade and 5 of 22 fifth-grade teachers were men. None of the teachers had previ ous experience in explicit reading strategies instruction or peer tutoring. We selected participating teachers from a group of approximately 100 second and fifth-grade teachers who were willing to take part in a long-term research study. All interested teachers received a questionnaire concerning their teaching practices and opinions regarding learning and instruction. The first step in the teacher-selection we selected ative and interactive to pace according was procedure student-oriented instructional or content. who Furthermore, of the schools of matching and classes this specifically, in applying experienced cooper and able to build in differentiation we based the throughout Flanders with More questionnaire. were techniques graphical distribution teachers on based teachers regard to selection on the geo and on the possibility teachers teaching  experience, beliefs, and instructional practice; class size; students age; gender distribution; and dominating mother tongue. Table 1 shows the number of participating class es and students Measurement per condition. Instruments study, we used standardized tests to measure students reading achievement and decoding fluency. We administered question comprehension naires with respect to reading attitude, perceived competence, and preoccupation with attributions and self-efficacy perceptions toward reading. In the present Reading tests. We comprehension using Dutch standardized measured test batteries reading  comprehension (Staphorsius Krom, This content downloaded on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 01:52:54 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions achievement 1996; Verhoeven, 298 The Journal TABLE 1. Number of Participating Education of Experimental Classes and Students Grade Fifth Second Condition Classes STRAT + SA STRAT + CA STRAT Control 6 5 Note. cross-age 163 124 444 22 = explicit whole-class STRAT teacher-led peer-tutoring 22 101 69 177 107 454 66 8 Students 91 3 group Total Classes Students reading comprehension strategies instruction followed by practice in = activities; SA activities; CA = same-age peer-tutoring  reciprocal activities. 1993), which were selected based on the tests well-established psychometric the built-in adaptation to different student abilities, and the fact characteristics, that the tests address aspects of comprehension covered by the strategies part of occasion, we administered the experimental program. At each measurement with an increasing level of difficulty. The questions tiple-choice tence, the referral contained pretest second-grade asking relation for between short six the meaning words, stories, of each a word, the connection followed the meaning between by of sentences, tests 5 mul  a sen and the theme of a text. We determined the scores by the number of correct answers. The second-grade post- and retention tests consisted of four and three different stories, respectively, each followed by 4 to 10 multiple-choice questions, with a total of 25 questions per test. More specifically, questions concerning the content of a text (demanding a clear understanding of the meaning of words and sen tences, the referral relation between words, the connection between sentences, and the theme of the text) and questions concerning the communication between the author and the reader of the text (e.g. , objective of the author, intended target group, the authors attitude toward the matter raised) could be distinguished. Both types of questions required integration of information on different textual levels (words, sentences, paragraphs, text) and were more or less equally distrib uted over the 25 questions per text. After discussing an example, students com pleted the tests individually. To examine the tests internal consistency, Cron bachs a coefficients were calculated on our own data, yielding high reliability scores of . 90 (n = 432) for the pretest, . 84 (n = All) for the posttest, and . 83 (n = 385) for the retention test. In fifth grade, the tests consisted of three modules of 25 multiple-choice ques tions each. All students took the first module of the test. Depending on these first This content downloaded on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 01:52:54 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 299 Van Keer Verhaeghe results, students further completed an easier or more difficult module. Two types of questions requiring the integration of information on different textual levels could be distinguished: questions concerning the content and questions concern ing the communication the author  between and the reader. an After stu example, dents completed the tests individually. Scores were determined by summing the correct answers. For the reading comprehension test, IRT-modeled scores were on Item Response Theory (IRT), a common scale had been de available: Based allowing us to veloped for different grades and test versions (easy-difficult), or more difficult part of the test. Because they are all on the compare the easier same scale, the IRT-modeled scores also allow for direct comparison of the re occasions. To verify the relia sults a student obtained at different measurement  bility of the three modules of the pre-, post-, and retention tests, we computed Cronbachs a coefficients on our own data. Table 2 indicates that reliability of all measures comprehension was acceptable. test. We included second graders decoding fluency, which is a Decoding fluency combination of accuracy and decoding speed (Chard, Simmons, Kameenui, 1998), as an additional variable, because fluency can be considered a mediating factor on students reading comprehension achievement (Pressley, 2000). A stan dardized test (Brus, 1969) was administered individually to  all second graders; students were asked to read unrelated words with an increasing level of difficul ty during exactly 1min. The score was determined by counting the number of words read correctly. We collected fluency data in second-grade classes only be cause it is recognized that reading fluency is generally well developed at the end of the third grade (Bast Reitsma, 1998; Sticht James, 1984) and because it was too time to test consuming all fifth graders as well. individually on self-efficacy perceptions and related causal attributions. With Questionnaire  in the framework of the present study, we developed a questionnaire to measure TABLE a Coefficients 2. Cronbachs Comprehension for the Fifth-Grade Reading Tests Measurement occasion Posttest Pretest Test module n n an a .81 1 .76 2 3 .66 Note. At each measurement used. 468 167 271 occasion a different Retention test a .72 .76 .74 test with 442 256 175 an increasing This content downloaded on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 01:52:54 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions .76 .79 .77 41 level of difficulty 403 362 was 300. The Journal Education of Experimental  students preoccupation with positive or negative thoughts or related causal attri butions with regard to their reading ability. Inspired by the work of Ames (1984), we asked children to report how often such thoughts crossed their mind before, during, or after reading. Factor analysis revealed that success attributions and positive thoughts about ones own reading competence on the one hand and fail ure attributions and negative self-efficacy perceptions on the other hand are very (1984) and closely related. This result is in line with the findings of Marsh and Debus (1984), who stated that self-attribu  Marsh, Cairns, Relich, Barnes, can tions seen be as or expressions indicators ones of or self-concept self-effi we constructed two scales reflecting negative and cacy perceptions. Therefore, about ones own reading abilities. It should be positive thoughts, respectively, noted that capturing the incidence of self-efficacy-related thoughts does not give a direct measure of students self-efficacy perception but rather indicates the de a student is preoccupied with such thoughts. In this respect, related to (meta)cognitive activity than data collected gree to which data are more means the directly of more  traditional a However, questionnaires. self-concept by inci high dence of negative self-efficacy-related thoughts can be considered an indication of a low self-efficacy perception, but such a conclusion cannot be drawn from a low incidence of positive self-efficacy-related thoughts. The latter suggests only that the student is not preoccupied with thoughts about reading proficiency or success. We administered read graders and completed at each the questionnaire the questionnaire measurement occasion. In individually. second Fifth all grade, items were read out loud to and judged individually by the students. As can be seen in Table 3, reliability was high for the negative subscale, but it was somewhat lower for the positive subscale. To investigate the validity of the both questionnaire, TABLE scales were correlated a Coefficients 3. Cronbachs Preoccupation With Attributions with for the scholastic the Questionnaire Measurement 2nd grade Success Concerning occasion attributions negative 2nd grade 5th grade and self-efficacy perceptions Failure Posttest 5th grade anananan scale attributions positive sub and Self-Efficacy Perceptions Pretest Questionnaire competence .63 419 .69 441 .75 402 .71 426 367 .83 408 .84 368 .81 393 and self-efficacy perceptions .77 This content downloaded on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 01:52:54 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 301 Van Keer Verhaeghe scale of a Dutch Profile for Children (Harter, version of the Self-Perception 1985). These analyses revealed that both positive and negative self-efficacy per ceptions were significantly (p 0. 01) correlated with the scholastic self-concept subscale with r = -. 40 (pretest) and r = -. 37 (posttest) for the negative self-effi = . 22 = . 19 cacy subscale and r (posttest) for the positive self-ef  (pretest) and r subscale. ficacy scale. Although we mainly focused on students self-effi cacy perceptions directly related to reading activities, we administered an exist (Veerman, Straathof, Treffers, Van den Bergh, ing self-concept questionnaire ten Brink, 1997), which is a Dutch version of the Self-Perception Profile for Children (Harter, 1985). Because the questionnaire was not appropriate for sec Perceived competence ond graders, we used the instrument with the fifth-grade group only. To verify the reliability of the different scales, we computed Cronbachs a coefficients. As can be seen in Table 4, the reliability of the measures was acceptable. As to the ques tionnaires validity, Veerman and colleagues investigations into the validity of self-report reported that, compared with other scales, the validity can be judged as moderate. Reading attitude scale. Both second and fifth graders completed a Dutch Read ing Attitude Scale (Aarnoutse, 1996) at the pre- and posttest. Fifth graders read and completed the questionnaire individually.