Principles of Macroecomomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Principles of Macroecomomics - Essay Example Unemployment can be measured by the claimant count or the standardized ILO unemployment measure. (Abel, 2010) Unemployment can be classified into two broad categories: Equilibrium unemployment and Disequilibrium unemployment. When Aggregate Demand for Labor (ADL) equals Aggregate Supply of Labor (ASL) at market wage rate, the labor market is said to be in equilibrium. The difference between the ASL and the labor force is known as equilibrium unemployment or the natural rate of unemployment. This represents the excess of people looking for work over those actually willing to accept jobs. This can be seen in the graph shown below. (Dornbusch, 2006) As shown in the diagram above, distance AB is the equilibrium unemployment. This type of unemployment may occur due to frictional (irreducible minimum level of unemployment in a dynamic and growing economy), structural (resulting from the mismatch of skills and job opportunities), regional (associated with specific regions often due to the c oncentration of industries in a region) or seasonal (associated with industries or regions where demand for labor is lower at certain times) causes. (Dornbusch, 2006) Disequilibrium unemployment occurs when real wages in the economy are above equilibrium level. This means either the ASL exceeds the ADL or that stickiness in wages prevents wages falling to equilibrium level. The labor market is in a state of disequilibrium, it may be due to real wage (unemployment created when labor wages are deliberately maintained above market clearing level) or demand deficient unemployment (associated with cyclical downturn or recession). (Dornbusch, 2006) Now let us take the consider interest rate. Interest is a rate at which the interest has to be paid by the borrower to the lender apart from the principle amount. Interest rate is a tool of the monetary policy which the government uses in order affect the money supply of the economy in order to achieve macroeconomic objectives. Interest rates a re of two types: real and nominal. Real interest rates are interest rates that are formed in accordance with the rate of inflation. On the other hand nominal interest rate refers to the amount, in money term of interest payable. (Dornbusch, 2006) There are many reasons that may lead to a change in the interest rates. Firstly, it may lead to short-term political gains. Politicians do this in order attain public support; however, it may later lead to problems later on. Deferred consumption may also lead to changes in interest rates. Speculation may lead to changes in the interest rates as well, for instance if consumers think that interest rates are going to rise, the consumers would demand more bonds and thus increase demand for bonds, this would lead to an even higher increase in interest rates. (McEachern, 2008) High levels of unemployment means that the economy is not functioning at its production possibility function, that is, it is underachieving and that it can produce more goo ds but that would require the economy to function more efficiently than it is doing right now. Unemployment imposes private, economic as well as social costs. In that not only does it represent a was of valuable resources but also causes suffering in terms of increased poverty, falling living standards and psychological disorders. Naturally, the costs of unemployment depend on its severity and duration. The costs

Self Assessment Essay Example for Free

Self Assessment Essay Overall, I feel that I have not done up to my expectations over the course of the two presentations. Comparatively, these are the areas that have improved/worsened: Engagement with Audience I feel that I had improved marginally by not referring to my phone (which happens to be my script) as often, but however, I was still distracted by the phone as well as the power point slides. Half of the time, I was busy referring to my script as well as the power point slides, causing me to lose engagement with the audience. This is one of the biggest problems that I have to overcome through this course. More often than not, I tend to forget the content that I wish to express, which results in the constant reference to the script and slides. Furthermore, when I was looking at the audience, I tend to look forward instead of looking at every single one of them. I believe I can overcome this problem by rehearsing with friends; with an audience of at least two people so that I can familiarize myself with looking at the crowd more often, instead of just simply looking forward. Preparation of Presentation In the course of preparation, I adopted the use of presentation slides, which I feel were quite meaningful in illustrating what I was trying to express. This helps to capture the audience’s attention and gives a clear picture of the topic that I was presenting. However, while preparing the script, I employed the use of several bombastic words that impeded my presentation in terms of expressing fluently. I feel very restricted to the script; I find myself having the obligation to follow exactly what the script says. This is very detrimental to my presentation and as a result, I kept referring to my script while doing the presentation whenever I forget a specific sentence. I feel that I should prepare a script in point form, rather than in specific structured sentences. This way, I will be less restricted by the script which is supposed to aid me, not the other way round. Articulation and Fluency In my opinion, I feel that I can pronounce and articulate words rather well, which is one of my stronger areas. However, there is a tendency that I will stutter, most likely due to nervousness as well as the obligation to express specific sentences which I described above. There is much to improve and I believe that more practice will be able to correct my tendency to stutter. Nervousness Overall, I was more nervous during OA1 compared to the practice presentation. It was reflected in the way I was referring to my slides and script, as well as stuttering. I feel that I was too reliant on my script, which caused me even more nervousness once I happen to let slip on my memory. Ample practices will definitely aid me in managing my nervousness. Furthermore, after these two presentations, I feel that I had gained experience which will definitely aid in my future presentations.

Like To Own A Western Restaurant Tourism Essay

Like To Own A Western Restaurant Tourism Essay A greasy spoon is small, but also very cheap and sometimes unsanitary, a typical working-class restaurant or dinner, usually focused on fried foods. Five star restaurants is very high class place and also their food is good quality. Restaurant is the people who need the most and without a restaurant then will make a country income become lower. When want to owned your own restaurant, it is not to be so hard but it also not to be easy and you need to prepare many things to own a restaurant. The common question is what kind of restaurant you want it to be, it means you want to make your restaurant become how. Own a restaurant also needs to think about what type of food that need sell, this is the point that to attract customer and can bring in more income. Other than that, you also need to set your own restaurant either greasy spoon or five stars restaurant. Answer of Question 1 A restaurant the preparation, service of food and beverages to customers in exchange for money, whether it is to pay before meals, after meals, or running tab. Meals service premises eat, but many restaurants also offer takeout and room service restaurant has changed dramatically, and the appearance of products, including a variety of the chefs cuisine and service models. What kind would it be? I would like own a Western Restaurant, there are reasons that I want to own a Western Restaurant because I more prefer the Western food and it was a five restaurant. I would like to choose a place where nearby the city center, shopping complex, and also working place and it will be many people to presence the restaurant. My own restaurant must have two floors because when during busy hour, lunch time and also dinner it is very difficult to accommodate so many customers, so that a restaurant should be better have two floors to serve customers. My restaurant should be built in WIFI; it may also help the customers to have their fun with their phone while waiting for their food. I would like to make my restaurant, when a places quiet then can let customers feel comfortable and enjoy when they having their food at the restaurant. The color of the restaurant must be green, because of green can let the customer feel nature and recycle. Besides that, I will like to put in a television to let customers enjoy when they are having their food. Waiter of the restaurant should be wear formal, when a waiter serve the customer nicely and with a formal attire then will let the customer feel satisfy. In fact, I prefer my restaurant be quiet, comfortable, nature and with a good services. When have this few thing it sure will help the restaurant bring in more income because most of the customer also like a restaurant who can let feel comfortable when they are having the food. What type of food? I prefer my restaurant to produce Western food and it is all about noodles. For an example, chicken chop, lamb chop, fish chips, salads and also spaghetti. This is a few types of food that attracts more youngsters and teenager to have their meal and this type will be easily attracting the customers to eat. Menu I would like to invite a professional chef to manage my restaurant. I want all customers to my restaurant to eat as long as my restaurant western food. The main menu of my restaurant is Western food. My restaurant is to promote the lunch as low as RM10. The package includes a small dish, chicken steak, lamb chops, fish, seal (only for a set), desert and drinks. The price is reasonable, so it will attract customers, such as adolescents and young adults. In addition, my dining market target young people and teenagers. Conclusion of Question 1 In conclusion, want to own a restaurant need to have a good plan to go. If want to own a restaurant with do not have a good plan then it will make you difficult to bear a restaurant. Nowadays, a five stars restaurant not the most famous in our country because a five stars restaurant food price will be higher and let customer difficult to afford. Otherwise, a greasy spoon restaurant can let the customer easy to afford because the price of food wont be higher and it suitable for all those customer to have their food in my restaurant. So, when you want to own a restaurant, you need to analyze the marketing and should do research. It will be easier to own a restaurant. Introduction of Question 2 In our country, its got multi-cultural. For an example, our country got Chinese, Malay and Indian. In our country, it will be many type of food that you can see and it has diversity and multi-cultural. In Malaysia, the Malays have the most population, Indians is the smallest population and Chinese population is the most average. Malays was the most mainly population in our country, all of them also speak Malay language to each others compatriots. Malay is very consociate, if other compatriots got any problem then they will work together to solve the problem. Indians was a helpful race, some of them facing a problem then they will help each other. Chinese was the most nicely in Malaysia and they will be patient to do everything. Malaysia got many race of people, it sure will be many type of cultural and different type of food. Answer of Question 2 Malaysia got multi-cultural; it was Malays, Chinese and Indians. Which mean got multi-cultural then it sure will got many different type of food and festival. I will be explaining about Chinese festival, what type of food they will be having at the festival and the meaning of the food. Chinese will have Chinese New Year, moon cake festival and dragon boat festival. Chinese New Year Chinese New Year is an important traditional festival for Chinese. In China, it is also call Spring Festival. The fifteen day of the first month of the traditional Chinese New Year celebration. Chinese New Years Eve is the last month of Chinese calendar the last day, running the Festival of Lights, the longest festival in the Chinese calendar time. Chinese New Years Eve, it means this day was a last day of the year and all of the family members will be come back from other place even at other country. Chinese New Years Eve will be have a reunion dinner, it means that all of the family members will have the dinner together. At reunion dinner, we will eat a lot of food like fish, prawn, chicken and others. But the most special thing that we eat is Yu Shang, this name is translate from the chinese word. This type of food it just will eat once a year and the meaning of eat this food mean will have a good year and have a healthy body. About prawn, I think most of the Chinese people also w ill have this food when reunion dinner. Prawn mean it will bring you smile for a whole year, when prawn translate to Cantonese that mean laugh. After that, when you eat prawn then wont give other people bully and can bully back the people. The fish mean when after you eat then bring you a long live and have a good year. Moon Cake Festival Moon Cake Festival is one of the festivals of Chinese. It is a popular Chinese people celebrate the harvest festival. Fifteen days of the festival at the eighth Chinese calendar and the moon will become a full moon. This moon cake festival which means family members will be enjoy at outside the house and have many varieties of moon cake feast, grapefruit bright full moon. Family members will eat their moon cake with enjoy the full moon and will until midnight. Some of the children will play lantern and holding it walk around the house. Most of the people say it will be beautiful night and the brightest night of the year. This moon cake festival has many legends about it and then it appears a moon cake. This festival is the worship of the moon and the full moon, the moon cake is considered an indispensable delicacies. Celebrate the moon cake festival, having a moon cake with friend or family gatherings. Eat a moon cake mean will bring you and your family relationship become well, it a lso will bring you a good luck for a whole year. Another meaning is wont easily argue with parents and also with friend have a good relationship. Dragon Boat Festival Dragon Boat Festival is another festival for Chinese but it was not so popular than Chinese New Year and Moon Cake Festival. A Chinese traditional festival, the Dragon Boat Festival is a day for many Chinese people regains their lives for peace, get rid of the plague. The highlight of this day is the dragon boat races, competing groups, rowers rowing boat rapid pulse pounding drums. The adult will drink a wine it name is Hsiung Huang and wear savory bags, two approaches have said, to ward off evil, peaceful and inviting. Dumpling is the most popular dishes in the Dragon Boat festival, which is two wrapped glutinous rice in bamboo leaves, filled with a variety of fillings such as pork, nuts, or the first egg. Some of the family will be work together to make the dumpling and add in more and more ingredient inside the food. This food was very delicious and then when you have eaten the dumpling that mean you have grown a year older. Some of the Chinese will have dinner at night to celebr ate this festival and it also will have many food, it all also chicken, prawn and fish. All the meaning for eat this food also same as the Chinese New Year. Conclusion of Question 2 Few things that we cant do during Chinese New Year are, cannot wear a black shirt, sweep the floor and also break things. About wear a black shirt, it means when you wear a black shirt at Chinese New Year then it will bring you bad luck and it will be not good a year. Sweep the floor, when Chinese New Year you sweep the floor mean you sweep all those money to outside and it make cannot growth for a whole year. The last thing is break things, if you break a thing for an example cup, then it mean that was an unlucky started for a new year and it maybe let you cannot be work with smooth for a year. So, different type of race it will have different type of festival and food. Like some of the festival that what food you need to eat, what thing that you cannot do and it will be many meaning for those traditional.

Nathaniel Abraham :: essays research papers fc

Nathaniel Abraham was eleven years old when he committed the act of murder. Under a 1997 Michigan law a child of any age may be tried as an adult for severe crimes. Abraham was the first juvenile to be tried under this statute. Accused in the murder of Ronnie Lee Greene Jr., Abraham faced first degree murder charges. Now, at the age of fourteen, Nathaniel has been sentenced to a juvenile facility until the age of twenty-one. Oakland County Probate Judge Eugene Moore hopes that rehabilitation will put an end to Nathaniel’s criminal activity. Nathaniel, a black youth from the slums of Pontiac, Michigan, grew up with out a father, or a strong family unit. He, in turn, never learned the responsibility of his actions; he was not privy to an upbringing that reinforced positive ideals. Crime & Criminology describes, in depth, the relation between family and criminal activity in youths. Page 126 (chapter four) sited two relevant facts; 1) Blacks have much higher rates of illegitimacy and female headed house holds. 2) Blacks have a much higher rate of crime than their white counterparts. In Nathaniel’s case, it can be said that his lack of a positive role model, or father figure lead to his involvement in criminal activities. His mother, Gloria, was struggling to raise three children by herself. Nathaniel’s father had left when he was born, leaving her with no one to depend on. The family moved in with an older couple who offered to help them. With limited supervision Nathaniel was a constant source of aggravation for his mother. Police reported that Nathaniel was suspected in over 22 local crimes, ranging from assault to armed robbery. He, in fact, had been arrested five days before Greene’s murder on the charge of robbery. All this by the age of eleven. In families where there is no male role model a child is far more likely to become involved in crime. The data that exists suggests a direct correlation between youths raised without a fathe r and criminal activity.

Irony in Story of an Hour

Irony in the â€Å"Story of an Hour† By Kate Choplin The Story of an Hour by Kate Choplin is about an older woman who struggles with coercion brought about by her husband and her surreptitious yearning for freedom. Mrs. Mallard does not truly know how miserable she was until she finds out that her husband has died in a terrible train accident. Kate Choplin writes this story in a limited, third person point of view; however, it is still quite exciting with how it was structured.Choplin expresses her theme of oppression with her extensive use of situational irony and symbolism throughout the story. In The Story of an Hour, Kate Choplin makes much use of situational irony and symbolism, this helps add to the drama an excitement of the short story, especially since she wrote it as a limited, third person narrative. Choplin starts the story out by mentioning that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with heart complications and that an immense amount of care needs to be taken to break this h eart wrenching news of her husband’s horrible death with ease.Josephine, Mrs. Mallard’s sister, and Richards, her husband’s friend, broke the news to her in broken sentences to try and soften the blow. Josephine and Richards thought that this would really hurt Mrs. Mallard, but she did not take it as most people would have. Louise immediately started to cry, but suddenly stormed off into her room, alone, she wanted no one to follow. The irony in this first part of the story stands in her heart troubles.The heart, in a traditional sense, represents one’s emotional core, the irony stands in that, her heart problems are a symbol for her emotional conflictions in her marriage. The irony in the mentioning of her heart problems is also that, the heart of a family and a marriage lies in that the relationship between man and woman is the essential groundwork of a family. Mrs. Mallard’s heart tribulations coincide with the peril in which the late nineteenth century institution of marriage finds itself on account of the inequalities between man and wife. Louise is ironic in and of herself.Choplin uses her and her failing heart to represent the women during the late 1800’s who were not able to find happiness in marriage, not because it could not be found, but because of the extremely limited amount of freedom they were allotted. Choplin writes, â€Å"There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul. She could see in the open square before her house the tops of the trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life.The delicious breath of rain was in the air†¦ there were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in the west facing her window,† (Paragraph 4 & 5). Choplin uses this as irony in that being able to see the square before her house and the tops of the trees that were â€Å"aquiver† with new spring life, in that her heart, too, is â€Å"aquiver† with a new life and new hope. It is not that Mrs. Mallard did not love Brently, it is that she did not have any freedom.Just as the spring represents new beginnings, new life and renewal of hope, the death of her husband represents the same. She can now do things she never imagined of doing because her husband dictated her life. â€Å"†¦a dull stare in her eyes, whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky,† (Paragraph 8), this seems to be representing the light at the end of the tunnel, per say, for Mrs. Mallard, and this goes along with the new life that comes with spring. Choplin uses much symbolism throughout the story. When Mrs.Mallard finds out that her husband died, she ran upstairs to her room and â€Å"†¦she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul† (Paragraph 4), the armchair symbolizes the rest from her oppressive life and the freedom from societal expectations that women from this time period were burdened with. Another situation in which Choplin uses irony in the story, which is the most important aspect, is Brently walking in the door. When Louise sees her husband who is supposed to be dead, she is beyond overwhelmed and drops dead. The doctors’ say that Mrs.Mallard died from being overjoyed in finding out that her husband was actually alive, when in fact she died from being heartbroken. The hopes of her new life of being a free woman were over, she could not live her life out how she dreamed and this is what killed her. Ultimately, Kate Choplin uses an extensive amount of situational irony and a lot of symbolism in her short story, The Story of an Hour to really bring in some excitement into it and express her feelings towards feminism in the late 19th century. Much of the irony depict ed in this short story is used in the fact that Mrs.Mallard has a weak heart. Her sister and Brently’s friend never thought that Louise would be able to withstand hearing about her husband’s tragic death; they thought that her poor heart would give out. This, however, is clearly not the case. Louise is overjoyed; she was finally, â€Å"free, free, free! †(Paragraph 10). The ironic part is when she finds out her husband is still alive, she drops dead and the doctors claim that, â€Å"†¦she had died of heart disease—of the joy that kills,† (paragraph 20) when in fact she died for the completely opposite reason.Her days would no longer be hers. This new beginning was gone. Outline I. Introduction a. Thesis: Choplin expresses her theme of oppression with her extensive use of situational irony and symbolism throughout the story. II. Body Paragraph I a. Irony in Mrs. Mallard having a bad heart b. Mrs. Mallard finds out Brently died III. Body Paragra ph II. a. Irony in the way that the weather is and the season IV. Body Paragraph III a. Mrs. Mallard finds out Brently is still alive b. Irony in why Mrs. Mallard dies V. Conclusion a. Restate thesis

Different Types of Isolines in Geography

Different Types of Isolines in Geography Topographic maps use a wide variety of symbols to represent human and physical features, including isolines, which are often used on maps to represent points of equal value. The Basics of Isolines and Contour Lines Isolines, also referred to as contour lines, can be used to represent elevation on a map by connecting points of equal elevation, for instance. These imaginary lines provide a good visual representation of  the terrain. As with all isolines, when contour lines lie close together, they represent a steep slope; lines far apart represent a gradual slope. But isolines can also be used to show other variables on a map besides terrain, and in other themes of study. For example, the first map of Paris used isolines to depict population distribution in that city, rather than physical geography. Maps using isolines and their variations have been used by astronomer Edmond Halley (of Halleys comet) and by doctor John Snow to better understand an 1854 cholera epidemic in England. This is a list of some common (as well as obscure) types of isolines used on maps to represent different features of the terrain, such as elevation and atmosphere,  distances, magnetism and other visual representations not easily shown on a two-dimensional depiction. The prefix iso- means equal. Isobar A line representing points of equal atmospheric pressure. Isobath A line representing points of equal depth under water. Isobathytherm A line representing depths of water with equal temperature. Isochasm A line representing points of equal recurrence of auroras. Isocheim A line representing points of equal mean winter temperature. Isochrone A line representing points of equal time-distance from a point, such as the transportation time from a particular point. Isodapane A line representing points of equal transport costs for products from production to markets. Isodose A line representing points of equal intensity of radiation. Isodrosotherm A line representing points of equal dew point. Isogeotherm A line representing points of equal mean temperature. Isogloss A line separating linguistic features. Isogonal A line representing points of equal magnetic declination. Isohaline A line representing points of equal salinity in the ocean. Isohel A line representing points receiving equal amounts of sunshine. Isohume A line representing points of equal humidity. Isohyet A line representing points of equal precipitation. Isoneph A line representing points of equal amounts of cloud cover. Isopectic A line representing points where ice begins to form at the same time each fall or winter. Isophene A line representing points where biological events occur at the same time, such as crops flowering. Isoplat A line representing points of equal acidity, as in acid precipitation. Isopleth A line representing points of equal numerical value, such as population. Isopor A line representing points of equal annual change in magnetic declination. Isostere A line representing points of equal atmospheric density. Isotac A line representing points where ice begins to melt at the same time each spring. Isotach A line representing points of equal wind speed. Isothere A line representing points of equal mean summer temperature. Isotherm A line representing points of equal temperature. Isotim A line representing points of equal transport costs from the source of a raw material.

How To Get Merit Scholarships and Honors at State Schools

How To Get Merit Scholarships and Honors at State Schools SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Don't get lost in the crowd. Do you want to stay close to home for college, but don’t want to get lost in the crowd of a large state school? Or do you want to know how to make the most of your experience at large university? It’s possible to get a selective, small college experience at a large university, through programs like honors colleges and merit scholarships. But how can you find these programs, and how can you ensure you'll be considered for merit scholarships and honors colleges? We will give you the info you need to make sure you don’t miss out on opportunities near you. Think Beyond the "Safety School" Many people don’t stress out about applying to their local state schools because they have application deadlines later in the year – sometimes as late as May or June. In some cases, since students consider state schools their â€Å"safety schools† where admission is all but guaranteed, they don’t put as much effort into their state school applications. However, many of the deadlines for honors colleges and merit scholarships at large universities are much earlier – sometimes as early as October of your senior year. And some of these programs and scholarships have special applications. If you’re not aware of deadlines before senior year starts, it’s easy to miss out on scholarships and other programs that can really enrich your college experience. Many of these programs are as competitive as getting into selective colleges, so it’s also important to put together a competitive application. In short, you should treat these applications like you’re applying to a selective school. So how do you find these programs, and how can you make sure you’re competitive? We will answer those questions here. Why Apply for Special Programs? By special programs, we mean merit scholarships, honors programs or honors colleges, or any programs that require extra or early applications. We will focus on merit scholarships and honors colleges in this post, since they are the most common special programs at larger universities, but make sure to check out the website of any school you’re interested in and see what extra options they have for undergraduates. So why apply to these programs? There are three main reasons. Make College Cheaper College is expensive. Even if you stay in state, tuition, room, board, textbooks, and other fees can add up quickly. You should definitely apply for need-based financial aid if you need it, but getting a merit scholarship can often fill in where financial aid falls short. Many merit scholarships cover half or all of tuition. Some even cover room and board as well. Also, many honors colleges offer their students opportunities for research or study abroad funding. This can help finance experiences that can otherwise be expensive or otherwise unattainable. It's hard to turn down money, especially when it can help you get a college education. Get a Small-School Experience Going to large university is great because of all the resources and classes available to you, but it’s easy to feel lost in the crowd, especially as a freshman. Being a part of a smaller program or merit scholarship cohort can give you a small-school experience within a larger university. These programs often have special advising or mentor systems that can also help you acclimate to college life. Many have special housing options that will allow you to get to know other people in your program easily. This can make it easy to build a community, even as a freshman. Distinguish Yourself for Jobs Although this seems really far away, graduating with honors or having a merit scholarship can really set you apart when it comes time to apply for jobs and/or graduate programs during your senior year of college. You can take steps now to give yourself a huge leg up when it’s time to enter the â€Å"real world.† So how do you get merit scholarships? How do you get into honors colleges? We will explain how to find these programs and how to apply. Merit Scholarships: How To Apply Unlike financial aid, merit scholarships are given based on student achievement – your test scores, GPA, and the overall strength of your application. The amount of a merit scholarship can vary widely – anything from a $1,000 stipend to full tuition, room, and board. To be considered for merit scholarships, you often have to meet an earlier deadline or submit an additional application. For example, at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill,you have to apply by the early action deadline of October 15 to be considered for the Pogue Scholarship (which covers tuition, room, and board). Additionally, there is another separate application for the Robertson scholarship (which covers tuition, room, board, fees, and expenses for up to three summer experiences), which you have to complete by November 15th to ensure you will be considered for it. To look at another example, University of Colorado, Boulder has a separate scholarship application that requires, at a minimum, an extra essay, but could also require extra letters of recommendation and eligibility materials based on which scholarships you apply to. The window to apply is December through March, with a deadline of February 15th for the presidential scholarship. For more on merit scholarships, including some with automatic funding based on test scores, see our article. Also note that some of those have earlier deadlines as well. How to Research Merit Scholarships For any state schools you are applying to, search to see if they have a merit scholarship program, and take note of any extra application materials or earlier deadlines. (We will give you a table at the end of this post you can use to organize dates and deadlines.) For example, to find the University of Colorado Boulder scholarships, I searched â€Å"University of Colorado Boulder Merit Scholarships.† I clicked on the third result and was able to read about individual scholarships, and also find the page about the general scholarship application. Read more on UC Boulder's Scholarships here. Honors Colleges and Honors Programs: How To Apply Many larger universities have smaller honors programs or honors colleges within them, to give a smaller college experience within a larger university. Honors colleges often have special classes, housing, and sometimes even funding opportunities for research or study abroad. For example, the Schreyer Honors College at Pennsylvania State University offers special classes, exclusive study abroad opportunities, and research placements. Furthermore, this program offers special housing, and that housing is guaranteed housing for four years. This isn’t always the case at large universities! But to get these benefits you have to put in more work. Honors colleges are usually much more competitive than general university admission, and often require extra application components. They typically have much earlier deadlines than general University admission, as well. For example, the Schreyer Honors College has a separate application other than the general Penn State application. They recommend completing your application by November 30, with a firm deadline of January 15, to be considered for the program. (The regular university application isn’t due until January 31.) Next Steps For any large universities you are applying to, search to see if they have an honors college or honors program, and take note of earlier deadlines or application materials. To find honors programs, search â€Å"[Name of College/University] Honors College† or â€Å"[Name of College/University] Honors Program.† I found the honors college at Penn State by doing the following search: Just entering in that search time brought up Schreyer’s main website, as well as links to admission and aid on the first page. If you can’t find information on an honors college or honors program through searching, you can contact the admissions office via phone or email and ask if they have any honors programs. How To Put Together a Competitive Application Finding these programs is one thing. How can you make sure you are a competitive applicant when you apply to honors colleges and merit scholarships? Maximize Your ACT/SAT Score For many merit scholarships and honors programs, the standardized score ranges are much higher than general university admission. This means that having a high SAT or ACT score will help you get into honors programs and win scholarships – and in some cases, you need a minimum score. For example, at the University of Nebraska, an ACT score of at least 20, or an SAT score of at least 950 (Math and Critical Reading) are the benchmarks given for admission. But you can be considered for the Honors Program if you have either an ACT composite score of 30 or an SAT of 1300 (Math and Critical Reading). Notice the large difference between regular admission and honors admission score benchmarks. It’s important to choose either the SAT or ACT and to study so you can get the best possible score. Don’t split your time between the two tests. It’s likely that you will do better on one that the other, so you should spend all of your time preparing for that test. (If you need help deciding between the SAT and ACT, see our post.) Also, make sure you give yourself enough time to study. We recommend at least five weeks, but the longer, the better! The more time you can put in, the better your score outcome will be. Take the Most Challenging Classes Possible Another important factor in making your application competitive is having an impressive transcript and GPA. However, a high GPA alone does not mean much – it’s important you have also been challenging yourself with hard courses. Whether that means taking IB, AP, or honors, find the hardest classes at your school and take them. Be careful not to overload your schedule with tons of AP and IB classes and burn yourself out. Prioritize taking tough classes in subjects you are passionate about. And finally, don’t blow off senior year. Colleges will see your senior year schedule when you apply, so it’s important to keep up your momentum and take a challenging senior year schedule. Obviously you need to leave room for college applications, but don’t slack off and take three free periods. Get Involved with Activities and the Community Having a competitive college application isn’t just getting good grades and high test scores. You also need to get involved in your community in some way. Whether that’s joining clubs or sports at your high school, doing service work, or being involved in a local youth group, find something you are passionate about and get involved. And remember to emphasize breadth over depth. It’s much better to be very involved in two clubs than to join ten clubs but barely show up. Aim for leadership positions and awards wherever possible. Don't treat extracurriculars like a list to be checked off. The goal isn't to have the longest list of clubs. Choose a few things that are important to you and get really involved! When it comes time to apply, list your extracurricular involvements in order of the time spent on them. And remember to emphasize leadership positions, awards, or other recognitions you have earned for each activity. Don’t Ignore the Essay(s) A final, crucial component of your application will be the essay. Many honors programs or merit scholarships have a separate essay – or essays! – to write. Sometimes they will give you a specific prompt, or other times they will want to learn more about you and give an open-ended prompt. For example, the Schreyer Honors College has three additional essays, with new prompts every year. The University of Michigan has a list of topics to choose from. So while the prompt and length of the essay or essays can vary from program to program, and the prompts can even be quite playful, it’s very important not to wait until the last minute to write your essays. The essay will be the main opportunity for you to share your personality, passions, and intellectual interests. If you’re aiming to get into an honors college or get a merit scholarship, having a strong essay will be crucial. To write the best essay possible, start early – at least a month before the deadline. Write a draft, and then take time to edit it so it’s true to your own voice. You can also have friends or teachers look over it to see if they think it sounds like you – just make sure it is 100% your own work. Get Good Recommendation Letters Although not all universities require letters of recommendation for admission, most honors programs and merit scholarships will require at least one, but more likely two. When asking teachers for recommendations, try to find teachers who have taught you recently – junior year is ideal – and can give specific praise about your academic abilities. Sometimes, giving the teacher a sample of work you did in their class to jog their memory or give them something to refer to in the letter can be helpful. Also, try to get your letters from teachers in different subjects. Being an impressive student in both science and English is more impressive than getting rave reviews from two English teachers. Final Touches on Your Application Make sure to report any strong SAT Subject Test, AP, or IB test scores you have. Even if they are not required anywhere on the application, including these scores can give the admissions committee more information on your academic abilities and achievements. This also goes for any academic awards like National Merit or being on the honor roll. If you know someone – like a coach, boss, youth group leader, or mentor – who could write an additional letter of recommendation, it’s worth asking for one. Often, people who know you outside of school can give more information about your work ethic, abilities, and passions than your teachers can. Don’t feel pressured to submit an extra letter if you don’t have someone like this, but if you know someone will write you a strong letter, strongly consider asking them. The Bottom Line Being part of an honors program and/or getting a merit scholarship can really enrich your college experience and make you a more competitive job or graduate school applicant. For any university you’re applying to, check to see if they have any honors programs or merit scholarships. To get into these programs you have to be aware of earlier deadlines and extra applications. You can use a table like the one below to organize your list of prospective colleges. Name of College/ University Regular Application Deadline Honors Program? (Yes/No) Honors Program Deadline Merit Scholarships? (Yes/No) Merit Scholarship Deadline And finally, you should aim to submit the best application possible. Treat these opportunities like you are applying to selective schools – write the best possible essays, get great letters of recommendation, and maximize your scores. If you do this, you can get a selective college experience close to home. What’s Next? Want to aim for a perfect SAT score, or quite close? See our guide to getting a 1600 by our full scorer. Speaking of maximizing your scores, learn how to improve a low SAT math score, or if you’re taking the ACT, get math tips from our full scorer. Need some tips for your college essays? Learn what not to do. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: How To Get Merit Scholarships and Honors at State Schools SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Don't get lost in the crowd. Do you want to stay close to home for college, but don’t want to get lost in the crowd of a large state school? Or do you want to know how to make the most of your experience at large university? It’s possible to get a selective, small college experience at a large university, through programs like honors colleges and merit scholarships. But how can you find these programs, and how can you ensure you'll be considered for merit scholarships and honors colleges? We will give you the info you need to make sure you don’t miss out on opportunities near you. DUMMY CTA Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: Think Beyond the "Safety School" Many people don’t stress out about applying to their local state schools because they have application deadlines later in the year – sometimes as late as May or June. In some cases, since students consider state schools their â€Å"safety schools† where admission is all but guaranteed, they don’t put as much effort into their state school applications. However, many of the deadlines for honors colleges and merit scholarships at large universities are much earlier – sometimes as early as October of your senior year. And some of these programs and scholarships have special applications. If you’re not aware of deadlines before senior year starts, it’s easy to miss out on scholarships and other programs that can really enrich your college experience. Many of these programs are as competitive as getting into selective colleges, so it’s also important to put together a competitive application. In short, you should treat these applications like you’re applying to a selective school. So how do you find these programs, and how can you make sure you’re competitive? We will answer those questions here. Why Apply for Special Programs? By special programs, we mean merit scholarships, honors programs or honors colleges, or any programs that require extra or early applications. We will focus on merit scholarships and honors colleges in this post, since they are the most common special programs at larger universities, but make sure to check out the website of any school you’re interested in and see what extra options they have for undergraduates. So why apply to these programs? There are three main reasons. Make College Cheaper College is expensive. Even if you stay in state, tuition, room, board, textbooks, and other fees can add up quickly. You should definitely apply for need-based financial aid if you need it, but getting a merit scholarship can often fill in where financial aid falls short. Many merit scholarships cover half or all of tuition. Some even cover room and board as well. Also, many honors colleges offer their students opportunities for research or study abroad funding. This can help finance experiences that can otherwise be expensive or otherwise unattainable. It's hard to turn down money, especially when it can help you get a college education. Get a Small-School Experience Going to large university is great because of all the resources and classes available to you, but it’s easy to feel lost in the crowd, especially as a freshman. Being a part of a smaller program or merit scholarship cohort can give you a small-school experience within a larger university. These programs often have special advising or mentor systems that can also help you acclimate to college life. Many have special housing options that will allow you to get to know other people in your program easily. This can make it easy to build a community, even as a freshman. DUMMY CTA Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: Distinguish Yourself for Jobs Although this seems really far away, graduating with honors or having a merit scholarship can really set you apart when it comes time to apply for jobs and/or graduate programs during your senior year of college. You can take steps now to give yourself a huge leg up when it’s time to enter the â€Å"real world.† So how do you get merit scholarships? How do you get into honors colleges? We will explain how to find these programs and how to apply. DUMMY CTA Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: Merit Scholarships: How To Apply Unlike financial aid, merit scholarships are given based on student achievement – your test scores, GPA, and the overall strength of your application. The amount of a merit scholarship can vary widely – anything from a $1,000 stipend to full tuition, room, and board. To be considered for merit scholarships, you often have to meet an earlier deadline or submit an additional application. For example, at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill,you have to apply by the early action deadline of October 15 to be considered for the Pogue Scholarship (which covers tuition, room, and board). Additionally, there is another separate application for the Robertson scholarship (which covers tuition, room, board, fees, and expenses for up to three summer experiences), which you have to complete by November 15th to ensure you will be considered for it. To look at another example, University of Colorado Boulder has a separate scholarship application that requires, at a minimum, an extra essay, but could also require extra letters of recommendation and eligibility materials based on which scholarships you apply to. The window to apply is December through March, with a deadline of February 15th for the presidential scholarship. For more on merit scholarships, including some with automatic funding based on test scores, see our article. Also note that some of those have earlier deadlines as well. How to Research Merit Scholarships For any state schools you are applying to, search to see if they have a merit scholarship program, and take note of any extra application materials or earlier deadlines. (We will give you a table at the end of this post you can use to organize dates and deadlines.) For example, to find the University of Colorado Boulder scholarships, I searched â€Å"University of Colorado Boulder Merit Scholarships.† I clicked on the third result and was able to read about individual scholarships, and also find the page about the general scholarship application. Read more on UC Boulder's Scholarships here. Honors Colleges and Honors Programs: How To Apply Many larger universities have smaller honors programs or honors colleges within them, to give a smaller college experience within a larger university. Honors colleges often have special classes, housing, and sometimes even funding opportunities for research or study abroad. For example, the Schreyer Honors College at Pennsylvania State University offers special classes, exclusive study abroad opportunities, and research placements. Furthermore, this program offers special housing, and that housing is guaranteed housing for four years. This isn’t always the case at large universities! But to get these benefits you have to put in more work. Honors colleges are usually much more competitive than general university admission, and often require extra application components. They typically have much earlier deadlines than general University admission, as well. For example, the Schreyer Honors College has a separate application other than the general Penn State application. They recommend completing your application by November 30, with a firm deadline of January 15, to be considered for the program. (The regular university application isn’t due until January 31.) Next Steps DUMMY CTA Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: For any large universities you are applying to, search to see if they have an honors college or honors program, and take note of earlier deadlines or application materials. To find honors programs, search â€Å"[Name of College/University] Honors College† or â€Å"[Name of College/University] Honors Program.† I found the honors college at Penn State by doing the following search: Just entering in that search time brought up Schreyer’s main website, as well as links to admission and aid on the first page. If you can’t find information on an honors college or honors program through searching, you can contact the admissions office via phone or email and ask if they have any honors programs. How To Put Together a Competitive Application Finding these programs is one thing. How can you make sure you are a competitive applicant when you apply to honors colleges and merit scholarships? Maximize your ACT/SAT Score For many merit scholarships and honors programs, the standardized score ranges are much higher than general university admission. This means that having a high SAT or ACT score will help you get into honors programs and win scholarships – and in some cases, you need a minimum score. For example, at the University of Nebraska, an ACT score of at least 20, or an SAT score of at least 950 (Math and Critical Reading) are the benchmarks given for admission. But you can be considered for the Honors Program if you have either an ACT composite score of 30 or an SAT of 1300 (Math and Critical Reading). Notice the large difference between regular admission and honors admission score benchmarks. It’s important to choose either the SAT or ACT and to study so you can get the best possible score. Don’t split your time between the two tests. It’s likely that you will do better on one that the other, so you should spend all of your time preparing for that test. (If you need help deciding between the SAT and ACT, see our post.) Also, make sure you give yourself enough time to study. We recommend at least five weeks, but the longer, the better! The more time you can put in, the better your score outcome will be. Take the Most Challenging Classes Possible Another important factor in making your application competitive is having an impressive transcript and GPA. However, a high GPA alone does not mean much – it’s important you have also been challenging yourself with hard courses. Whether that means taking IB, AP, or honors, find the hardest classes at your school and take them. Be careful not to overload your schedule with tons of AP and IB classes and burn yourself out. Prioritize taking tough classes in subjects you are passionate about. And finally, don’t blow off senior year. Colleges will see your senior year schedule when you apply, so it’s important to keep up your momentum and take a challenging senior year schedule. Obviously you need to leave room for college applications, but don’t slack off and take three free periods. Get Involved with Activities and the Community Having a competitive college application isn’t just getting good grades and high test scores. You also need to get involved in your community in some way. Whether that’s joining clubs or sports at your high school, doing service work, or being involved in a local youth group, find something you are passionate about and get involved. And remember to emphasize breadth over depth. It’s much better to be very involved in two clubs than to join ten clubs but barely show up. Aim for leadership positions and awards wherever possible. Don't treat extracurriculars like a list to be checked off. The goal isn't to have the longest list of clubs. Choose a few things that are important to you and get really involved! When it comes time to apply, list your extracurricular involvements in order of the time spent on them. And remember to emphasize leadership positions, awards, or other recognitions you have earned for each activity. DUMMY CTA Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: Don’t Ignore the Essay(s) A final, crucial component of your application will be the essay. Many honors programs or merit scholarships have a separate essay – or essays! – to write. Sometimes they will give you a specific prompt, or other times they will want to learn more about you and give an open-ended prompt. For example, the Schreyer Honors College has three additional essays, including the prompt, â€Å"You are required to spend the next year of your life either in the past or the future. What year would you travel to and why?† The University of Michigan has a list of topics to choose from, including â€Å"Tell us about a great recipe† and â€Å"Discuss the concept of ‘random.’† So while the prompt and length of the essay or essays can vary from program to program, and the prompts can even be quite playful, it’s very important not to wait until the last minute to write your essays. The essay will be the main opportunity for you to share your personality, passions, and intellectual interests. If you’re aiming to get into an honors college or get a merit scholarship, having a strong essay will be crucial. To write the best essay possible, start early – at least a month before the deadline. Write a draft, and then take time to edit it so it’s true to your own voice. You can also have friends or teachers look over it to see if they think it sounds like you – just make sure it is 100% your own work. Get Good Recommendation Letters Although not all universities require letters of recommendation for admission, most honors programs and merit scholarships will require at least one, but more likely two. When asking teachers for recommendations, try to find teachers who have taught you recently – junior year is ideal – and can give specific praise about your academic abilities. Sometimes, giving the teacher a sample of work you did in their class to jog their memory or give them something to refer to in the letter can be helpful. Also, try to get your letters from teachers in different subjects. Being an impressive student in both science and English is more impressive than getting rave reviews from two English teachers. Final Touches on Your Application Make sure to report any strong SAT Subject Test, AP, or IB test scores you have. Even if they are not required anywhere on the application, including these scores can give the admissions committee more information on your academic abilities and achievements. This also goes for any academic awards like National Merit or being on the honor roll. If you know someone – like a coach, boss, youth group leader, or mentor – who could write an additional letter of recommendation, it’s worth asking for one. Often, people who know you outside of school can give more information about your work ethic, abilities, and passions than your teachers can. Don’t feel pressured to submit an extra letter if you don’t have someone like this, but if you know someone will write you a strong letter, strongly consider asking them. DUMMY CTA Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: The Bottom Line Being part of an honors program and/or getting a merit scholarship can really enrich your college experience and make you a more competitive job or graduate school applicant. For any university you’re applying to, check to see if they have any honors programs or merit scholarships. To get into these programs you have to be aware of earlier deadlines and extra applications. You can use a table like the one below to organize your list of prospective colleges. Name of College/ University Regular Application Deadline Honors Program? (Yes/No) Honors Program Deadline Merit Scholarships? (Yes/No) Merit Scholarship Deadline And finally, you should aim to submit the best application possible. Treat these opportunities like you are applying to selective schools – write the best possible essays, get great letters of recommendation, and maximize your scores. If you do this, you can get a selective college experience close to home. What’s Next? Want to aim for a perfect SAT score, or quite close? See our guide to getting a 2400 by our full scorer. Speaking of maximizing your scores, learn how to improve a low SAT math score, or if you’re taking the ACT, get math tips from our full scorer. Need some tips for your college essays? Learn what not to do. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

The Complete Guide to a Geology Research Paper

The Complete Guide to a Geology Research Paper A research paper is an academic writing assignment that needs students to perform extensive research on a certain topic. Hence, it requires a significant amount of time to collect the required information, analyze it interpret, and present the research findings. Students need to be aware of the steps to write a research paper that is aligned with the best practices in a scientific paper. This geology research paper guide is aimed at helping geology students write an effective research paper. It includes both the general writing recomendations and specific geology research paper writing tips. Make sure to study it before you get down to your assignment. Start a Research Paper Properly Assignment Requirements This is a basic step that needs a student to be aware of the requirements for the assignment as provided by the instructor. It is important to look at the purpose of the assignment and its due date so as to plan and have adequate time to perform research and write the paper. The other information to be aware of is whether the instructor requires a certain number of sources or a particular type of references. Some research papers might need primary sources such as interviews, field observations, and maps. Others might need only scholarly sources such as journal articles and books. Students should also determine whether there are requirements for referencing and the maximum or minimum word limit. Those who are unsure of the requirements can contact their instructor for clarification. Selecting a Topic Students are often required to select a topic for the research paper. However, instructors can assign a given topic or provide a list of topics that students should choose from. Nevertheless, they have to make a decision on a certain idea that they will focus on when writing the research paper. When selecting a topic, students should consider their interests, available time, access to enough resources, and the scope of it. Choosing an interesting topic can make the student enjoy the research and writing process. Here are some geology topics that can be discussed: A Study of the Long-Term Effects of Deforestation in South America; The Impact of Coastal Erosion in Indiana; A Study of the Connection Between Diamonds and Kimberlites; Impact of Bauxite Mining on China’s Environment; The Source of Sulfate Ions in Groundwater. Finding Information Knowledge and understanding of the topic can allow students to identify sources that they will need to complete the research paper. One of the vital things that they should do when looking for data is the terms or phrases defining their research topic. These terms are helpful in searching for books and articles for the research. Students should obtain information from sources that are credible, reliable, and relevant to the topic. For example, the sources should be limited to coastal erosion if the student is examining coastal erosion in Indiana. Make sure you understand the limits of the paper to avoid straying away from the main idea. Overall, the information should be complete and helpful when completing the research paper. Organizing Notes This is simply the process of decoding concepts from the sources to be used in the research. Students are expected to read the sources and take notes on the most salient points in relation to their research. Since it is not often possible to read an entire book, students should go to the table of contents and look for the specific topic or topics that are relevant to the paper. This can make it easier to collect the required information. Talking about research articles, students can read the entire piece as it is usually short paper. Unlike books that contain general information, journal articles are specific to a certain subject. It is important to include the page number to show where the information is located. Statement of Purpose The information obtained so far should be enough to write a research paper. However, it is vital to begin by writing a statement of purpose to guide the reader on what it will discuss. It is possible to revise the statement as the research proceeds. However, any of these changes should remain within the scope and requirements of the research paper. The flexibility can lead a student to the data that is used to support the purpose statement. The statement of purpose should make the reader understand the overall goal of the paper and what the researcher intends to achieve. Only then, the student can proceed with the rest of the paper based on the outline provided below. How to Meet the Set Structure of a Research Paper Title Page and Abstract The title page contains descriptive information about the title, student, course, and date of submission. It is vital to note that the information included in the title page can depend on the formatting style used or instructions provided by the professor. A student has to make sure that all the needed information is included. The abstract page contains a brief summary of the strong points and conclusions from the research. The summary should be completed without repeating information in the introduction or conclusion. The reader should be able to grasp the entire scope of the research paper by just reading the abstract. Since the abstract consolidates information presented in the paper, students are advised to write it after completing all the other sections. Table of Contents Since research papers can sometimes be long, they involve the use of headings and subheadings to make them presentable and understandable. The table of contents presents the paper structure providing the reader with the page numbers so they can easily orient within the content. However, this part of the paper has to be placed at the beginning of the piece, it is advisable to compose it when the whole work is done. Though completing the table of contents manually is quite hectic and time-consuming, there are a lot of apps and software that can do the job for you. List of Figures and List of Tables Geology reports often involve figures and reports that are used to illustrate various ideas discussed in the paper. This might not be required when there are only a few tables or figures or if you work on a short research paper. It is rather used when there are many of these components and a research paper has many pages. This section provides a list of all figures and tables present in the paper. Each listing should indicate the figure or table number, a brief description, and page where it can be found. This section can make it easier for readers to find information quickly. Besides, this section also should be completed when the rest of the paper is done. Introduction The purpose of this part is to introduce the topic together with some background information. The information should provide readers with concepts that they need to know so as to understand the rest of the paper. For example, research on the impact of erosion in Indiana can provide background information on the process of erosion. Besides, it can provide some information on how Indiana was prior to the problem. The introduction can also offer an outline of the paper and the main concepts discussed by the student. At the end of the introduction, the student should include the statement of purpose that was developed after organizing the notes. This should show the reader the direction of the paper and the main points discussed. Overall, the introduction should be concise and designed to capture the interest of the reader. Body The body of the research paper is where the student discusses all the main points of the paper. The content of the main body can take a variety of formats depending on the information offered by the instructor. However, the content of the report is generally divided into sections and subsections using appropriate headings and subheadings. A research paper usually consists of three main sections, including the literature review, research design, and discussion. Literature Review The aim of the literature review is to place the research in the current scholarly context and show how it moves the current scholarship forward. If the research, for example, is about the coral deterioration in a given area, the student should show how the paper will address one of the areas that have not been researched so far. It is important to note that instructors would want a well-written research paper that has many new concepts. The mistake that many students tend to make is to lose sight of the purpose of the research paper. Hence, they should ensure that the review is relevant to the study and organized in a manner that will show the contributions of the research. Research Design This section is meant to inform the reader about the approach used to achieve the purpose of the study. For example, a student can conduct a field observation in the area of interest to study the metamorphic layers or rocks that are present. The student should indicate the process and procedure used to complete the observation. They should also indicate the data collection method, especially in relation to the measurement of various variables. Findings and Discussion This is where the bulk of the information should be presented. The aim of this section is to discuss the findings from the research within the context of the topic. The analysis can be accompanied by figures, tables, graphs, and many other labels as appropriate. However, figures or tables that take more than one page should be located in the appendix of the research paper. These components should be labeled and referenced to enable readers to easily find them. Generally, students should show the conclusions reached based on the data collected from the research. They should support the findings from research studies where possible. Conclusion The conclusion should begin with a summary of the main things learned from the study. Students should show the main arguments and how they were supported by the research evidence. The other aspect that needs to be included in this section is the directions for future research. Students need to show new questions from the research and how they can be answered by further research on the topic. Finally, this section should explain why the research was important and how it advances the current scholarship. In other words, the conclusion should place the research in the larger context of the topic. References/Bibliography Scholarly or academic papers need to follow a certain format that should be applied consistently in the paper. It is important to look at the initial instructions to determine whether the instructor requires the use of a specific formatting style. Ideas obtained from external sources should be cited in the text to avoid plagiarism. Direct quotations should include the page number where the information was obtained from. However, direct quotations should be minimized, and students should paraphrase any borrowed ideas before including them in their paper. Revising and Editing the Draft The final step is to read through the paper so as to identify and correct any stylistic and content errors. It would be appropriate to complete the revision after at least one day. In some cases, students can use grammar checkers to identify mistakes that might not be apparent. If possible, it would be better to get someone who would read through the paper to see whether there are any mistakes that the student might have missed. References: Bergmann, L. (2010). Academic research and writing. Boston: Longman. Chodorow, S. (2011). Writing a successful research paper. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub. Co. Eby, E. (2014). College students guide to writing a great research paper. New York: Atlantic Publishing Group Inc. Goldenberg, P. (2010). Writing a research paper. New York: Sadlier. Werner-Burke, N., Knaus, K., DeCamp, A. (2014). Rebuilding research writing. New York: Routledge, Taylor and Francis.

Discussion Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Discussion Questions - Essay Example Though some people are of the opinion that mufflers are not a safety hazard, the majority think that they are life threatening if removed. Therefore the law is right in slapping heavy fines on people who remove their mufflers while riding their bikes. Property is defined as "ones exclusive right to possess, use, and dispose of a thing" . . . "as well as the object, benefit, or prerogative which constitutes the subject matter of that right."( Barrons Law Dictionary (2nd ed. 1984) Based on this definition, the right to use the land rests with the owner, in this case the farmers who are free to utilize their property in any way they find useful or profitable. But the group demanding a halt to putting up of billboards may be seen to be indulging in â€Å"constitutive rhetoric about rural people, places†¦.† (Pruit.R.Lisa2006).; Their actions maybe motivated more by nostalgia for the idyllic, bucolic image of a farmer’s life and land, while failing to take into consideration his financial and economic constraints. If the billboard assures him guaranteed annual returns which may subsist his livelihood, the farmers are free to allow their land to be used in ways they deem fit. The decision may ultimately be influenced by the legal rhetoric about rural spaces, but in most cases law and its caretakers are far behind reality, holding onto outdated notions of a rural community. Restaurants which prohibit people from their premises, in the presence of clothing deemed unfit by the establishment are merely resorting to the use of Sumptuary Laws, which were traditionally used to reinforce social class system through certain restrictions on ways of dressing and eating. (Ribeiro, Aileen: Dress and Morality2003). Restaurants are engaged in the business of creating an illusion of a higher purpose of reality and it is their avowed aim to keep up the pretense at any cost. The owner of the restaurant has the right to take all

Case Study on Statutory Interpretation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Case Study on Statutory Interpretation - Essay Example In presiding over court proceedings, they hear all evidences and witnesses presented by parties involved in particular cases; they then asses the arguments and credibility of the evidences and parties which guide them towards making a ruling on the case at hand. The judgements made by judges are based on a judge or panel of judges’ personal interpretation and interpretation of the law that relate to a particular case.2 However, to avoid subjectivity and erred judgements, judges are guided by principles and rules which they use to interpret statutes. Statutory interpretation is the process through which legislation is rendered and enforced; that is, courts interpret and apply legislation to specific cases being presided on.3 Principles and rules of interpretation of statutes are very important in ensuring that justice is administered appropriately. This is because some words in statutes are vague and ambiguous while others are plain in meaning. Therefore, different level and am ount of interpretation is needed when a case is involving a statute.4 In order to interpret and apply statutes, judges usually find meanings using various methods and means of interpreting statutes. These methods and means include the purpose of legislation, history of legislation, and the canons of interpreting statutes. In some instances, the meaning of legislation has proved to be inconsistent hence need for interpretation in order to achieve the purpose of legislation. For constituency to be achieved in the interpretation of legislation meaning, judges in the courts of law use specific principles and rules to resolve vagueness and ambiguity that appear in statutes. It is imperative to note that different principles and rules of statutory interpretation may be applied. The application of these principles and rules depend on the nature of the ambiguity and the context in which ambiguity and vagueness arises.5 Statutes are drafted by legal experts and it is the language used in the statutes leave little room for interpretation. However, experience by legal practitioners and scholars have shown that expressions and words in statutes are in some cases ambiguous hence the need to resolve the inconsistencies. They argue sometimes interpretation of legislation may differ from its construction.6 Interpretation is the process of finding out the true meaning of a given word and ascertaining the sense that the author wanted to convey. As such, a statute being a legislature edict thus its interpretation should seek the intention of its author or maker. The obligation of the judiciary, therefore, is to interpret the true intention of the Legislature in formulating the statute at hand.7 In an event that the provision of a statute is open to more than one interpretation, the court has to make a decision or an interpretation that represents the true purpose of the Legislature. It is worthy pointing out that legislation contains uncertainties due to a number of reasons ther eby necessitating interpretations. These reasons include the following: one, in the course of enactment uncertainties may be added to the statute. Two, new technologies, cultures, and unforeseen situations often make interpretation and application of laws quite difficult. Three, words can sometime be ambiguous and its meaning may change over time hence making them imperfect symbols to

BUS499-Module 1 - Case- The Financial Perspective Essay

BUS499-Module 1 - Case- The Financial Perspective - Essay Example It is a service based company which offers services like marketing and promotional strategies, advertising scripts and advertising production for media channels, market research as well as forecasting. It is a globally recognized brand which represents global brands like Procter & Gamble, Toyota/Lexus, Visa International, and General Mills/Pillsbury. Charles and Maurice Saatchi, two brothers, founded the eponymous organization and after that in a decade the company grew phenomenally through mergers and acquisition. This company became popular because of its efficient and creative services to the clients. From the phenomenal growth in 80s the company came to recession in the early 1990 and in 1995 the company went bankrupt. To get better competitive advantages the agencies were linked with common ownership. The management of the company had decided to make changes in two areas of balanced scorecard; these are customer perspective and financial perspective. In terms of financial perspective, the management made the structural changes of the top hierarchy of the organization. In 1995, the joint directors i.e. the two Saatchi brothers quit this company and Bob Seelert, a senior official of P&G joined as a chairman of the company. Kevin Robert who was a top official of General Foods joined as CEO of in 1997 (Business-Intelligence, 2006, p.3). After this reformulation in the top level, the company started de-merging and publicly announced the next three years strategies of company’s comeback. Those goals were; growing company revenue more than market revenue, 30% of incremental revenue converting to operating revenue, doubling the EPS of the company. These goals were well accepted by the existing shareholders and become interested to the new investors (Business-Intelligence, 2006, p.3). The new management team found that the different business unit of the company did not have a common goal. They did financial health check by financial prospective analysis of

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Case Study Example One of the most effective policies to employ in the organization for greater security is the usage of key passes. These are very important, as they will help in the identification of people who enter and live various sections and rooms in the organization. The policy of ensuring that every employee in the organization has a key pass will help secure the organization’s assets such as computers as the organization works through the internet. In case of any mishap, the information technology specialists in the organization just have to review the latest people to access the place in question. This is a short-term goal as the keys can be created from inside the organization A long-term goal that can be set for the organization in terms of security is ensuring that it creates firewalls. These are very important in an effort to save the files that are located in the computers through the continuing commercial activities. Firewalls are important in that they assist in the prevention of hackers. In the contemporary world, hacking has become one of the widely recognized activities in the field of Information technology. E-commerce involves the trading of commodities online, there are people who may hack and alter the system to some form such as it would seem as they have paid money for a commodity, hence go ahead, and claim it. This form of hacking is bound to be curtailed by the installation of firewalls. The installation of a diverse and complex backup system is very influential. This is one of the policies that should be put as a long-term aspiration. Back-up systems are influential in that they assist in the recovery of files in case of a crash of systems due to some of the contemporary issues that may arise such as a sweep of the system by some form of Electromagnetic wave (Newman, 2009). Another issue noted in the field of commerce is the increased number of players. With an increased number of players, one of the increasing

Assignment for the Ethics component of Professional studies Essay

Assignment for the Ethics component of Professional studies - Essay Example Basically, deontology emphasizes the importance of moral obligation and commitment to nursing duty. For example: when dressing the patient’s wound, it is the duty of nurses to protect the patient from possible internal and external harm. Therefore, in cases when the patients’ wound is severely big, nurses should consider that using a cheap type of dressing could inflict pain on the patient upon removal of the dressing due to the fact that cheap type of dressing could stick to the patient’s wound upon removal. Therefore, nurses think of the future consequences instead of being cost-conscious all the time. Eventhough the main intention of using a cheap dressing on the patient’s wound in terms of preventing possible wound infection is good, its consequences such that it could inflict pain on patient upon removal of the dressing remains a conflict between nurses’ two main duties. consequences or possible outcomes of the actions. (Audi, 1999) The ethical principle of teleology is focused on the action’s consequences such that the end result of an action should always be for the greatest good of the patients. In other words, the end justifies the means. For example: in the case wherein nurses need to help patients and their families decide on a particular treatment such as the use of tube feeding devices, nurses should be able to draw from his/her past clinical experiences and relay its advantages and disadvantages to the patients and their families to help them decide on accepting the treatment or look for an alternative options. Possible benefits and danger that may occur out of using tube feeding devices has to be clear to the patients and their families. Q2 Scenario: A nurse was tending to a terminally ill man. The Doctor’s orders for this man included â€Å"Nil by mouth†. The nurse went against the orders and gave the man small sips of water.

We Are Going to Ibiza Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

We Are Going to Ibiza - Assignment Example Personally speaking, I had no particular destination in mind and being an introvert, I decided to sit quiet and watch and listen to the suggestions being made by others. As expected, Lillian being the ultimate extrovert in the group with her sociable and expressive way of communication took the initiative to extend the first suggestion. Lillian suggested that as we had sufficient money with us, why not all of us take a trip to Europe? As I was avidly observing all of them, I noticed James and Susan evince a slight frown at Lillian’s suggestion. It was enough to convey to me that both of them had already decided about the place they wanted to go and were not in agreement with Lillian’s suggestion. However, I was still unsure about what Steven had in mind. I felt that either he had no special place in mind or was yet keeping his cards close. As goes well with the agreeable nature of James, and his way of being courteous and flexible while negotiating things, he welcomed L illian’s suggestion, yet asked her that what marked Europe as her first choice? What followed was a three minute speech by Lillian, which, considering her lucidness was certainly prepared well in advance, elaborating on Europe being the hub and bedrock of culture and art, and how a trip to the continent will immensely add to our sense of culture and appreciation for art, food, fashion, and other fine things in life. By the time Lillian ended, Susan broke into a big and discernible yawn, which made all of us laugh, expect for Lillian. James in his patent cooperative and genial manner, approved of Lillian’s views, yet taking the role of the self appointed group leader, suggested that a trip to Europe was something too serious and what the rest of us were looking forward to was visiting a place that was more about fun and enjoyment. Susan vociferously supported the views of James, though I was still not sure as to whether James and she had the same place in mind, or wheth er both of them were agreeing to scuttle Lillian’s suggestion. James made the next move and tried to convince Lillian that Europe was not a viable destination owing to many reasons. He placed his hand on Lillian’s shoulder and told her that the money the group had, though being ample may fall short of supporting an extensive trip to Europe. Continuing with his good natured manner, perhaps aimed at soliciting maximal cooperation from Lillian, he said that the group had been thinking about this trip more in terms of a chance to have unrestrained fun in the lap of nature. Susan not only strongly backed each and every suggestion made by James, but even went ahead to claim that a trip to Eu

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Case Study Example One of the most effective policies to employ in the organization for greater security is the usage of key passes. These are very important, as they will help in the identification of people who enter and live various sections and rooms in the organization. The policy of ensuring that every employee in the organization has a key pass will help secure the organization’s assets such as computers as the organization works through the internet. In case of any mishap, the information technology specialists in the organization just have to review the latest people to access the place in question. This is a short-term goal as the keys can be created from inside the organization A long-term goal that can be set for the organization in terms of security is ensuring that it creates firewalls. These are very important in an effort to save the files that are located in the computers through the continuing commercial activities. Firewalls are important in that they assist in the prevention of hackers. In the contemporary world, hacking has become one of the widely recognized activities in the field of Information technology. E-commerce involves the trading of commodities online, there are people who may hack and alter the system to some form such as it would seem as they have paid money for a commodity, hence go ahead, and claim it. This form of hacking is bound to be curtailed by the installation of firewalls. The installation of a diverse and complex backup system is very influential. This is one of the policies that should be put as a long-term aspiration. Back-up systems are influential in that they assist in the recovery of files in case of a crash of systems due to some of the contemporary issues that may arise such as a sweep of the system by some form of Electromagnetic wave (Newman, 2009). Another issue noted in the field of commerce is the increased number of players. With an increased number of players, one of the increasing

We Are Going to Ibiza Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

We Are Going to Ibiza - Assignment Example Personally speaking, I had no particular destination in mind and being an introvert, I decided to sit quiet and watch and listen to the suggestions being made by others. As expected, Lillian being the ultimate extrovert in the group with her sociable and expressive way of communication took the initiative to extend the first suggestion. Lillian suggested that as we had sufficient money with us, why not all of us take a trip to Europe? As I was avidly observing all of them, I noticed James and Susan evince a slight frown at Lillian’s suggestion. It was enough to convey to me that both of them had already decided about the place they wanted to go and were not in agreement with Lillian’s suggestion. However, I was still unsure about what Steven had in mind. I felt that either he had no special place in mind or was yet keeping his cards close. As goes well with the agreeable nature of James, and his way of being courteous and flexible while negotiating things, he welcomed L illian’s suggestion, yet asked her that what marked Europe as her first choice? What followed was a three minute speech by Lillian, which, considering her lucidness was certainly prepared well in advance, elaborating on Europe being the hub and bedrock of culture and art, and how a trip to the continent will immensely add to our sense of culture and appreciation for art, food, fashion, and other fine things in life. By the time Lillian ended, Susan broke into a big and discernible yawn, which made all of us laugh, expect for Lillian. James in his patent cooperative and genial manner, approved of Lillian’s views, yet taking the role of the self appointed group leader, suggested that a trip to Europe was something too serious and what the rest of us were looking forward to was visiting a place that was more about fun and enjoyment. Susan vociferously supported the views of James, though I was still not sure as to whether James and she had the same place in mind, or wheth er both of them were agreeing to scuttle Lillian’s suggestion. James made the next move and tried to convince Lillian that Europe was not a viable destination owing to many reasons. He placed his hand on Lillian’s shoulder and told her that the money the group had, though being ample may fall short of supporting an extensive trip to Europe. Continuing with his good natured manner, perhaps aimed at soliciting maximal cooperation from Lillian, he said that the group had been thinking about this trip more in terms of a chance to have unrestrained fun in the lap of nature. Susan not only strongly backed each and every suggestion made by James, but even went ahead to claim that a trip to Eu

Appalachian Culture and Health Awareness Essay Example for Free

Appalachian Culture and Health Awareness Essay According to Kruger et al. (2012), the Appalachian region, consisting of 13 states along the east coast border, is a high risk area for cardiac, pulmonary, and cancer conditions related to smoking and coal mining. This rural population has ultimately higher rates of heart disease, stroke, COPD, asthma, lung cancer, and diabetes. Substantially higher rates of smoking, as well as the relevance of coal mining, are two major contributors to the increased risk of morbidity and mortality amongst this large population (Kruger et al. , 2012). Insufficient education, poor behavior choices, and lack of adequate health care are major contributors to the overall unhealthy lifestyles of these individuals. Unfortunately, this begins at a young age. According to Short, Oza-Frank, and Conrey (2012), there are major differences regarding preconception health awareness amongst Appalachian women as compared to non-Appalachian women. Appalachian women have higher rates of smoking, diabetes, and obesity than do non-Appalachian women. These women have poorer rates of prenatal care and higher rates of birthing and congenital complications, such as pulmonary hypertension, insufficient lung development, and cardiac abnormalities. Often due to lack of insurance, these mothers often lack appropriate health care and health awareness, thus increasing their child’s risk of further cardiac and pulmonary conditions down the road. Unfortunately, these babies grow up in an environment that, as a population, has inadequate health care, low income, and poor health. This detrimental sequence of events is what has maintained the subpar health status of the Appalachian population (Short et al., 2012). As these children grow into their teens, poor behavioral choices further substantiate detrimental risk factors. A study by Pettigrew, Miller-Day, Krieger, and Hecht (2012), conducted research study of primary and secondary health prevention in Appalachian adolescents. According to this study, this population has higher rates of smoking, drinking, and drug use as compared to non-Appalachian adolescents. These risky behaviors are so prevalent because of lifestyles these children have grown to know; these behaviors are considered normal in many homes. As do their parents, many of these children lack insurance and health care (Pettigrew et al., 2012). Obesity and diabetes is also substantially high in the Appalachian population as compared to the rest of the nation as shown in a study by Wenrich, Brown, Wilson, and Lengerich (2012). The authors pinpoint Appalachia as a low-income group of individuals who receive poor nutrition, thus further contributing to the preexisting risk factors of cardiovascular disease. Poor health, along with behavioral risk factors, have ultimately led to detrimental health status. Yes, we love the STEELers, but steel mills and coal mining has only contributed to these health risks. The Appalachian culture is at risk for obvious reasons. Unfortunately, these risk factors will not decline quickly. Primary prevention and health awareness programs would make a huge impact on this population. Low income is a struggle that will not be overcome easily. However, primary prevention and health awareness are often available at low cost and are highly efficient measures of decreasing risk factors by focusing on healthy lifestyles. Smoking cessation would obviously be of major importance, but compliance would be of great struggle (Kruger et al., 2012). References Kruger, T., Howell, B., Haney, A., Davis, R., Fields, N., Schoenberg, N. (2012). Perceptions of smoking cessation programs in rural Appalachia. American Journal of Health Behavior, 36(3), 373-84. Pettigrew, J., Miller-Day, M., Krieger, J., Hecht, M. (2012). The rural content of illicit substance offers: a study of Appalachian rural adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Research, 27(4), 523-50. Short, V., Oza-Frank, R., Conrey, E. (2012). Preconception Health Indicators: A comparison between non-Appalachian and Appalachian women. Maternal Child Health Journal, 16(1), 238-49. Wenrich, T., Brown, J., Wilson, R., Lengerich, E. (2012). Impact of a community-based intervention on serving and intake of vegetables among low-income, rural Appalachian families. Journal of Nutrition Education Behavior, 44(1), 36-45.

Leisure Tourism in Nepal

Leisure Tourism in Nepal Introduction The United Nations World Tourism Organisation, (UNWTO), undoubtedly the most influential international tourism organisation, describes tourists as â€Å"people who travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited†. (Richards Hall, 2000, P 36) Whilst this rather complex interpretation does not do justice to itinerant and obsessive travellers, or to the thousands of young westerners who live for months on the beaches and mountain resorts of alien countries, it effectively narrows down tourism to a short or medium term self funded leisure activity in foreign, unknown, strange or unfamiliar environs. Sharpley’s definition of tourism as a phenomenon of modern society, (1994) whilst being apt with regard to timeline, does not also do justice to this seething and volatile activity, the largest and possibly the most complex organised process in today’s world. Tourism is widely known to be not just the world’s largest business but also its principal employer. It accounts for practically 8 % of global GDP and continues to grow at a clip of 4 %, despite its massive base. (Richards Hall, 2000) Millions of people all over the world, from the largest metropolises to the remotest hamlets, depend upon tourism for their livelihood, opening up their countries and towns to enable people from other countries and cultures to come and gain touristic experiences. Tourism, since the inception of the concept, has primarily been associated with the desires of affluent citizens of advanced nations to go out of their ordinary places of residence for experiential activities that provide emotional and physical satisfaction. (Richards Hall, 2000) Even though tourism has constantly been viewed as a self indulgent activity, its phenomenal increase and adoption by all affluent societies has led to the creation of a multi billion dollar octopus like activity; one with numerous tentacles in different activities and places. (Richards Hall, 2000) Leisure tourism has witnessed a dramatic upsurge in the last few decades, driven by (a) steadily increasing incomes and discretionary spending powers in the advanced and industrialising nations, (b) cheaper air travel, (c) strong western currencies, (d) globalisation, (e) the emergence and consolidation of a unipolar world, and (f) the opening up of numerous tourism destinations and experiences. (Mowforth Munt, 2003) As such, whilst tourism has expanded phenomenally in recent years, the reasons for this phenomenon possibly lie in a number of modern day happenings that have come together for the expression of latent but previously existing desires. The fact that a modern day occurrence, can, in a matter of decades become the world’s largest activity also belies any simple definition or explanation. (Mowforth Munt, 2003) The complexity of tourism can be gauged from the number of activities and businesses it encompasses, including, among other things, different modes of transport, varieties of accommodation, choices of cuisines and eating ambiences, range of activities, and innumerable players. Touristic pursuits are now becoming segmented into different areas like culinary, cultural, historical, health, wildlife, sex, and outdoor adventure activities. (Richards Hall, 2000) Out door adventure pursuits are again further subdivided into a plethora of activities like trekking, mountaineering, mountain and flat land cycling, para-gliding, and white water rafting. (Richards Hall, 2000) Driven by changing lifestyles, these activities are becoming increasingly popular with more and more people wishing to experience more rewarding leisure experiences. (Richards Hall, 2000) Countries with natural resources conducive to outdoor sports have naturally started leveraging their resources to take advantage of this upsurge in interest. Australia and New Zealand, for example, have taken adventure tourism to new levels by building facilities and infrastructure that not only showcase the country’s natural beauty but allow visitors to participate safely in a range of outdoor activities. (Mowforth Munt, 2003) Whilst these countries have been able to exploit their resources successfully, other nations, equally rich in natural beauty, have been unable to fulfil or even come near their potential in attracting leisure or adventure tourism traffic. Nepal, a nation state tucked away in the Himalayas between China and India is a land of unimaginable beauty, grandeur, and ruggedness, and is ideal for leisure and adventure tourism. The country has attracted considerable leisure tourism interest from Europe and the UK and a number of British tourism companies have tried to set up operations in the state, especially in areas relating to white water rafting, mountaineering, and adventure trekking. Whilst disturbed political conditions during the last few years had led to a significant decrease in tourist arrivals, recent developments involving the formation and installation of a democratic government have now resulted in more stable conditions and an upsurge in tourism interest. (Basu Riaz, 2007) This assignment deals with Nepal’s attractiveness as a White Water Rafting and Leisure Tourism destination, its current position as a tourist attraction, and the various initiatives that need to be taken at the private and public level to attract visitors and promote tourism on a sustainable basis. Commentary and Analysis White Water Rafting Rafting is widely accepted by historians to be one of the most primitive modes of water transportation. The activity evolved thousands of years ago when humans started using water currents for transportation by roping wooden logs into platforms for floating downstream. Rafts have changed little over the centuries and even today represent small flat bottomed floating vessels without engines or sails, dependent fully upon water currents and oars for forward propulsion. (Robinson, 2004) Rafts are nowadays made of specially manufactured thick plastic or fabric. (Robinson, 2004) The material is multi layered, adequately waterproofed, and stitched or fused into inflatable multi chambered rubber vessels with flat bottoms and short sides. (Robinson, 2004) Not large in size, modern day rafts are less than 20 feet long, about 6 to 8 feet wide, and can seat a maximum of 12 people. (Robinson, 2004) Being inflatable they can be easily transported over long distances and are economical to buy and maintain. (Robinson, 2004) White water rafting (WWR) originated a couple of decades ago with the use of these rafts by pleasure seekers for rushing down swiftly flowing mountain streams. (Robinson, 2004) The turbulence of mountain streams and rivers, the feel of spray in the face, the froth, the foam, and the association with danger, combine to make rafting a thrilling and enjoyable proposition. (Robinson, 2004) WWR has gained significantly in popularity and is now available across the globe. Involving trips to distant places with the opportunity to participate in intrinsically enjoyable outdoor activity, WWR makes for an ideal group, individual and family pursuit and is open to all reasonably healthy people. (Robinson, 2004) WWR expeditions last from a few hours to days, depending upon the stretch of available water, and often incorporate outdoor camping, tent accommodation, barbecues and spits next to the river at night, and local cultural shows. â€Å"Though river rafting once was thought akin to slaying dragons, the sport has grown dramatically in the last two decades, pursued on more than 145 rivers around the country, according to David Brown, director of America Outdoors, a trade association. But trends in rafting are steering away from expeditions designed for thrill-seekers and toward family-style trips and one-day float outings† (Cooke Haggerty, 1996) Safety is obviously of paramount importance for WWR and rafters use specific gear including helmets and inflatable vests. (Robinson, 2004) Getting thrown off the raft is common during turbulent stretches and rafters are provided with detailed instructions before the commencement of trips. Extremely stormy conditions increase the risk of such occurrences as well as the chances of being swept downstream. Water stretches used for rafting are categorised in accordance with the level of danger involved, levels 1 to 3 being mild stretches ideal for beginners and levels 4 to 6 being rough and meant for experienced rafters. (Robinson, 2004) The significant increase in WWR activity over the last two decades has been attributed by social researchers to a number of factors, which include its widespread availability and manageable costs, the opportunities it provides for group and family bonding, and the growing increase in interest in outdoor activity. It is also associated with the pleasure people obtain out of escaping from urban work and life tensions, the proximity to natural beauty, ruggedness and majesty, and the adrenalin rush that comes from exciting physical activity. Rowlands (2008) feels that the popularity of the activity is due mostly to it being high on adrenalin, medium on fitness, and low on cost. Recent innovations like the designing and fitment of special seats on rafts for people who can not use their lower limbs indicate the spreading popularity of the activity. â€Å"Weve got special seats on rafts adapted for people who dont have use of their lower limbs. The seat helps to stabilise you in the raft, gives extra support and has quick-release straps so you can get out quickly if necessary. People with sight or hearing difficulties also come rafting with us its a really inclusive activity.†(Rowlands, 2008) The low cost of setting up rafting facilities (expenditure comprising largely of investment in reasonably low priced equipment, and trained instructors and guides) is also a major reason for the mushrooming of WWR activity, more so in developing nations where local entrepreneurs and nature enthusiasts are otherwise hindered by lack of capital and resources. (Robinson, 2004) Improvement in communication, greater information availability, and cheaper air travel costs have also contributed enormously to the growing popularity of WWR. Cheaper air travel has enabled tourists to travel to distant destinations even during short holidays and it is now common for Britishers, Americans, and citizens of other affluent countries to engage in intercontinental travel for tourism experiences that could last even lesser than a week. The plethora of information available over the internet has brought information about hitherto exotic and distant locations into the common realm of knowledge and the av ailability of online booking facilities for airline tickets, hotel accommodation and tourism experiences has empowered tourists to act on their own and undertake trips at short notice without the involvement of travel agents. Tourism experts feel that the interest in WWR activity is bound to increase in future, given its many appealing features and possibility of the opening up of numerous fresh locales. (Robinson, 2004) White Water Rafting in Nepal Nepal, a small Himalayan nation state currently undergoing a difficult transition from a monarchy to a democratic republic, has among the most abundant mountaineering and WRR resources in the world. Home to 8 out of the world’s highest 14mountain peaks, the country nestles in majestic mountain country. (Welcome to Nepal, 2008) It is abundantly fed by swiftly flowing rivers, covered with dense forests, and is home to an incredible range of flora and fauna. (Welcome to Nepal, 2008) Connected by air and road the country is not difficult to access and is normally reached after a stopover in a major Indian city. (Welcome to Nepal, 2008) Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal is a remarkably tourist friendly city; rich in cosmopolitanism, culinary variety, and culture, and was a major backpacker and mountaineering destination even a few years ago. Local entrepreneurs along with British and European companies have started promoting Nepal as a strong WWR destination and a number of its river s are being used for rafting trips. Appendix 1 provides details about various Nepalese rivers and the duration of WWR trips possible on each of them. Approximately 61 companies service Nepal’s tourism industry, which in turn provides employment to thousands of Nepalese citizens. (Nepal Association of Rafting Agents, 2008) Despite its enormous tourism resources and its friendly people, Nepal has in recent years been beset with large scale peace and order problems caused by agitating Maoists and other anti monarchists. (Basu Riaz, 2007) The installation of an elected government in 2006 has led to a cessation of large scale violence and whilst civil strife and unrest is yet to cease completely the situation is steadily moving towards normalcy. (Basu Riaz, 2007) Various European and North American governments still have negative travel advisories for their citizens wishing to travel to Nepal. The Canadian government, for example, advises its citizens to exercise great caution whilst visiting Nepal. â€Å"You should evaluate carefully the implications for your security and safety before deciding to travel to Nepal.Canadians in Nepal should maintain a high level of personal security awareness at all times due to the unpredictable safety situation. Following an intense period of unrest and armed conflict, the political and security situation remains fragile and volatile.† (Travel Report Nepal, 2008) Nepalese WWR providers have however started work on rebuilding awareness in Europe and the UK about facilities available for rafting on Nepalese mountain streams and rivers. The Nepalese Association of Rafting Agents has in fact recently concluded the 7th Himalayan White Water Challenge. (Nepal Association of Rafting Agents, 2008) Held in November 2007 in association with Peak UK, an English White Water and Kayaking Equipment Company, the event was designed as a multi disciplinary one boat competition that combined extreme slalom and river running skills with down river speed and free style action. (Nepal Association of Rafting Agents, 2008) Combining state of the art forms of slalom and head to head racing, the event drew 80 international and 30 local participants and turned out to be a huge success, despite the troubled state of the country and the somewhat inclement weather. (Nepal Association of Rafting Agents, 2008) Whilst the successful holding of the event should help in bring ing back WWR enthusiasts to Nepal in the coming season, much still needs to be done to make WWR and allied tourism activities in the country truly self sustaining and beneficial for the local population. Challenges and Hazards before Nepal’s WWR Tourism Activity Even as a modern and democratic Nepal tries to reengage with the global community after nearly a decade of unrest and isolation, it will need to put in extraordinary efforts to rebuild its inward tourism activity on a sustainable basis if it is to ensure protection of its environment and the passing of tourism benefits to the local population. Tourism has been the subject of endless research and discussion in recent years. Even as hoteliers, airline operators, travel agents, keepers of historical sites, designers and operators of amusement parks and other touristic activities, and the numerous other operators have striven to provide better and differentiated offerings, the industry has been criticised for sharpening income divides, creating low skill employment, causing large scale environmental degradation, generating pockets of work as well as income divides in scarcity ridden areas, and for being one of the chief causes of greenhouse emissions. (Robinson, 2004) Debate has raged over other aspects of tourism especially the impact of modernism and postmodernism on the evolution of the business. Thinkers like MacCannell, Sharpley, Ritzer and Liska have raised a number of issues about existing tourism practices, introduced postmodernist concepts, and stressed the need to bring in far reaching changes in government attitudes and public policy in dealing with the issue. Postmodern views on tourism encompass various perspectives, including the imperative need to make tourism sustainable. A major global initiative in this regard came about in 2002 when representatives of inbound and outbound tour operators, emerging entrepreneurs in the tourism industry, national parks, provincial conservation authorities, all spheres of government, tourism professionals, tourism authorities, NGOs and hotel groups and other tourism stakeholders, from 20 countries in Africa, North and South America, Europe and Asia came together in Cape Town to consider the issue of responsible tourism and agreed to a number of actions. (Responsible Tourism in Destinations, 2002) These included adoption of a number of processes that aimed at inculcating responsibility in tourism. Conference members agreed to (a) minimise negative economic, environmental, and social impacts, generate greater economic benefits for local people and enhance the well-being of host communities, (b) improve working conditions and access to the industry, (c) involve local people in decisions that affect their lives and life ch ances, (d) make positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, (e) maintain the worlds diversity, (f) provide more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues, (g) provide access for physically challenged people and (h) engender respect between tourists and hosts, and (i) build local pride and confidence. (Responsible Tourism in Destinations, 2002) WWR and associated touristic activities in Nepal have the potential of causing severe damage to the environment through large scale littering of river banks, cutting and burning of forest resource, spillage of diesel and petroleum products in rivers, destruction of local flora and fauna, and spoilage of natural habitat and biodiversity. Tourism authorities in Nepal along with local tourism operators need to ensure that increase in WWR tourism does not harm the environment and is able to bring about real benefits to the local population. Marketing of Nepal as a WWR destination WWR activities, like other touristic pursuits, are mainly concerned with optimal utilisation of leisure time and characterised by â€Å"a sense of separation from the everyday world, feelings of intense pleasure, freedom of choice, spontaneity, timelessness, fantasy, adventure and self-realization.† (Otto and Ritchie, 1996, p 54) Leisure is also associated with six conditions, namely intrinsic satisfaction, perceived freedom, involvement, arousal, mastery and spontaneity, and also characterized by two forms of risk, functional and psychosocial. (Otto and Ritchie, 1996) It contributes to strong feelings of camaraderie and mental bonding, especially when tourists take part in group activities, be they harmless sightseeing tours or riskier mountaineering or white water rafting expeditions. (Otto and Ritchie, 1996) Tourism can also be categorised in two dimensions, existential, representing satisfaction, freedom, involvement, pleasure and reward as well as structural, which deals with physical tasks and an element of external enforcement like, e.g., visits to safari parks or the undertaking of supervised hill climbing expeditions. (Otto and Ritchie, 1996) A number of tourism experiences have greater or lesser elements of risk. (Otto and Ritchie, 1996) As such, tourists subconsciously deal with a number of psychological and social issues while making a tourism choice. (Otto and Ritchie, 1996) As these perspectives are also not readily transferable to managerial activity to prompt suitable decisions, most marketers of tourism tend to focus on discrete service quality factors and tend to ignore the various psychological factors that are closely related to leisure activities. (Otto and Ritchie, 1996) Concentration only on the technical aspects of WWR and ignoring various involved emotions will lead to an inadequate understanding of the true nature of consumer satisfaction and the true extent of satisfaction with a tourism experience. It is evident that proper and holistic marketing of WWR activity for Nepal must address the total needs of the prospective traveller, which comprise not only of objective and physically quantifiable components but also of emotional and subjective parts that do not lend themselves to physical quantification, but are nevertheless important components of a total leisure experience. WWR tourism in Nepal will depend upon a complex amalgam of a number of service industries as well as on the efficiency and ability of primary service providers like Travel Agents, Tour Operators, the Airlines, and the Hotels as also local guides, leisure activity experts, transporters, restaurants and shopping infrastructures at major Nepalese cities. The political stability, the government controlling the affairs of the tourism destination, and the nodal tourism agency play very important roles in the effective marketing of a tourist destination. (Klenosky and Gitelson, 1998) A primary market audit of Nepalese tourism reveals that inward travellers mostly come in from India and whilst the majority of visitors are Indians, the country also attracts adventure tourism aficionados from the western countries and religious tourists from South East Asia. Whilst the country was experiencing increasing tourism arrivals until the late 1990s, recent years have seen a decline due to unstable political conditions. The most popular tourism destinations are Kathmandu and Pokhra, both of which are near WWR starting points. Most of the tourists who come at present are in search of mountain and jungle holidays. Nepal is situated on the Northern border of India, and many visitors nowadays prefer to engage in WWR and allied activities in the neighbouring country. A PEST analysis indicates that the country is on its way to becoming a stable and peaceful democracy. The government is committed to increasing tourism and has a tourist friendly approach. Whilst there is a local Maoist threat, terrorist activity is still absent and the country has not experienced bombings like those that occurred in London, Madrid, Bali or Bombay. Nepal is a developing nation and tourism is its largest service industry. The number of hotel beds is growing and whilst there are numerous travel agents, few are of significance. Katmandu has many WWR and car rental services as well as numerous bars, restaurants and cafes. Nepal has in the past been a Hindu kingdom and is progressing towards becoming a secular democracy. Whilst it is technologically backward it has enormous natural and religious touristic resources. As the birthplace of the Buddha it attracts visitors from all over east and Southeast Asia. A SWOT analysis shows that Nepal has very strong WWR resources. It has an accessible location and is proximal to both India and China. It has magnificent mountains, crystal clear rivers and immensely varied wildlife and forestry resources. The country has a strong tradition of history and culture, friendly people and a reasonably developed tourism industry. It has good air connections, proper roads, comfortable hotels, taxi services, restaurants, cafes, and bars. Prices are far lesser than in major European countries, and holidays in Nepal are economical and provide value for money. The country has a poor railway system and sanitation and drinking water facilities are inadequate. Ecommerce in the tourism industry has not developed in line with that of European countries and online bookings are available only for a few hotels. A perusal of tourism websites indicates that marketing of tourism is weak compared to that of western nations and most visitors are not affluent. Average days spent by tourists in Nepal as well as money spends are low. Most arrivals are during the summer months and there is underutilisation in the lean periods. Language barriers also pose a problem for tourists to access services. The tourism industry has opportunities to increase off-season business and step up the number of arrivals in the cold winter months. There is great scope to increase cultural and historical tourism because of the availability of significant historical resource. Efforts to step up visits of more affluent tourists and arrange for longer visits through introduction of structured tours can also boost tourism earnings significantly. Underdevelopment of infrastructure could encourage tourists to go to other locations. Low-income tourists are very liable to change their mind and move to other locations at short notices and this threat will continue until the income profile of tourists’ changes. Very little information is available on market segmentation and growth has been organic. Recommendations and Conclusion Opportunities to increase tourist arrivals and promote Nepal as a WWR tourist and leisure destination are immense. It is evident from the SWOT analysis and the available data that the country has numerous underdeveloped areas, which if properly addressed can improve the quantity, and quality of tourist flows significantly. Tourism efforts should focus upon positioning Nepal as a WWR destination through a combination of interconnected and complementary set of attractions that provide tourists with an interesting and enjoyable value proposition; in this case a mix of WWR, interesting culture, novel cuisine, historic sites, lovely climate, gorgeous mountains, extravagant jungles, and a range of mountain and hill oriented outdoor activity. Marketing efforts will need to be provided through a mix of various suppliers who combine together to offer the tourism experience, i.e., the local tourism body, tour operators, airlines, hotels, taxi operators, WWR services, restaurants, cafes and guides. The tourism body needs to co-ordinate with all service providers to ensure improvement in services as well as adoption of a common marketing approach. The co coordinating body needs to develop value propositions that will appeal to various market segments, e.g. the low budget tourist, the affluent visitor, people desirous of WWR or mountaineering holidays, historical and cultural experiences or a mix of both. These value propositions need further development to form visitor activity packages that will satisfy the subjective and objective demands of tourists. A complex branding exercise for the complete tourism experience as well as its components like WWR needs development and implementation. The country has various touristic experiences on offer that have their unique appeal and need distinguishing and highlighting. Brand development is a complex exercise and must encompass the physical aspects of Nepalese holidays, cultural components, historical sites and the fun aspect of the total tourism package on offer. The country has extremely inadequate infrastructural facilities like train services, competent local tour operators, drinking water availability, waste disposal systems, and availability of guides with knowledge of foreign languages. The Nepalese authorities need to encourage and catalyse various initiatives, private, public and private-public partnerships that aim to improve the quality of infrastructure. In addition to improvement of basic tourism infrastructure WWR activity will be well served by improvement in the quality of guides and operators, introduction of mandatory safety requirements, and dissemination of information about the different WWR options. The tendency of tourists to avoid tour operators wherever possible and organise their tourism experiences on their own is increasing constantly, especially in the USA and Europe. It is essential that the parties involved in marketing WWR in Nepal should arrange for strong on line presence, including payment options. E Commerce gives rise to enormous possibilities to increase the value proposition of the tourism experience through different tourism sectors like WWR operators joining restaurants and cafes to offer discounts, free meals, entry and other benefits. Apart from setting up these initiatives the introduction of a practical monitoring system to assess progress in various areas will also help enormously in effectively marketing Nepal as a major tourism and WWR destination. Appendix 1 Rivers Suitable for WWR in Nepal (Nepal Association of Rafting Agents, 2008) Serial Name of River Duration of Rafting Trips in days 1 Trishuli 1 to 3 2 Seti 2 3 Bhote Koshi 2 4 Kali Gandki 3 5 Marshvangdi 4 6 Sun Koshi 7 to 9 7 Arun Up to 9 8 Karnali Up to 10 9 Tamur Up to 11 Word Count: 4428 Bibliography Ansoff, I, 2005, Strategic Choice, Management Centre, Retrieved December 17, 2006 from www.managementcentre.co.uk/knowledgebase/pdf/Ansoff%20-%20July%2005.pdf Basu, S and Riaz, A, 2007, Paradise Lost, Lexington Books. Beckman, T. N., Davidson, W. R, 1967 Marketing, New York: Ronald Press Co. Bloodgood, J. M., Bauerschmidt, A. (2002), Competitive Analysis: Do Managers Accurately Compare Their Firms to Competitors?. Journal of Managerial Issues, 14(4), 418+ Bright, A. D, 2000, The Role of Social Marketing in Leisure and Recreation Management. Journal of Leisure Research, 32(1), 12 Brown, T. L, 1996, The Challenge to Democracy in Nepal: A Political History. 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