Polynomials on ACT Math Complete Guide and Practice

Polynomials on ACT Math Complete Guide and Practice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Polynomial problems will show up in some way, shape, or form on the ACT two or three times per test. And since polynomials are so deeply connected to other ACT math topics, like operations and functions, it's even more important to take the time to understand them before test day. Luckily, you probably know a lot more about polynomials than you think, and if you're currently rusty on the subject, just a little review will have you knocking out your polynomial questions left and right. This will be your complete guide to polynomials on the ACT- what they are, how you'll see them on the test, and the best way to solve your polynomial problems before time is up. Feature image credit: Linas/Wikimedia What Are Polynomials? A polynomial is any mathematical expression that contains variables, constants, coefficients, and/or non-negative integer exponents. This means that polynomials cover a wide variety of mathematical expressions, so let's break this down. Variable: A variable is any symbol that acts as a placeholder for an unknown value. Some of the most common variables on the ACT are $x$ and $y$. Constant: A constant is any number that exists as a fixed value. For instance, both 7 and -3.278 are constants. Coefficient: A coefficient is any value that is multiplied by a variable. In the term $5x$, 5 acts as a coefficient because it indicates that the variable $x$ is being multiplied five times. Non-negative integer exponent: If we break this term down, a non-negative integer exponent is exactly how it sounds; it is any positive exponent that is also an integer. For instance, $x^3$ fits the definition, but $x^{-2}$ or $x^{1/2}$ does NOT. A polynomial can consist of a single term or multiple terms in a relationship with one another. The values in a polynomial can be added, subtracted, multiplied, or divided together so long as no part of the polynomial value is divided by a variable. For instance, a term of the polynomial could be $4/15$ or $x/4$, but NOT $4/x$. Polynomials can have no variable (e.g. 4), one variable (e.g. $2x^2 - 6x + x$), or multiple variables (e.g. $y(2xy - 8x + 5z) - q^3$). Examples of Polynomials 6 $12x$ $14 + 2x$ $3y^2 - 4x + 2$ $(75k * 23x^12) + 8$ ${3z - 59 + 6x^7}/5$ NOT Polynomials $2x^{-4}$ (Why not? A polynomial cannot have a negative exponent.) $xy^{2/3}$ (Why not? A polynomial cannot have a fractional exponent.) $6/{2 - x}$ (Why not? A polynomial cannot have any term that is divided by a variable.) Degree of Polynomial Polynomials have degrees and you can tell the degree measure of the polynomial by looking at its exponents. The degree of the polynomial is the value of the largest exponent. For instance, the polynomial $x^2 - 6x + x^3$ has a degree of 3, since the largest exponent value is 3. If the polynomial has no variable (e.g., if the polynomial is simply "9"), the degree measure is 0. And if there is no exponent (e.g., $4x + 2$), then the degree measure is 1. [Note: this only applies is the polynomial has a single variable or no variable. You cannot do this for the polynomial $x^3 - 6y^2 + y^5$, for instance, because it has two variables, $x$ and $y$.] Why is it good to know the degree of a polynomial? The degree measure of a polynomial tells us what the graph of a polynomial looks like. Degree Measure Graph Type 0 Constant 1 Linear 2 Quadratic [Note: though there are more polynomial degree measures and types of polynomial graphs, these are the only ones you will see on the ACT.] Once graphed, these polynomials will look like this: Constant Graph Linear Graph Quadratic Graph Now that we've looked at our pieces, let's see how they fit together. How to Solve Polynomial Questions To solve many constant and linear polynomial problems, you will need to have a basic understanding of operations problems and integers. You will also need to know your way around lines and slopes in the coordinate plane. In this guide, however, we will be primarily focused on quadratics. For quadratic polynomials, you will have to understand how to use two mathematical techniques- factoring and FOIL-ing- to solve for your final solution. This concept is closely related to algebraic functions, so it's a good idea to tackle these topics simultaneously. So let's look at factoring and FOIL-ing. Factoring and FOIL-ing Polynomials Factoring and FOIL-ing are ways of manipulating mathematical expressions and polynomials to expand or reduce the expressions and find the information you need. Again, on the ACT, you will be using both techniques together to find the solution(s) to 2nd degree polynomials (quadratics). FOIL-ing You will use this technique whenever you need to multiply two polynomials together. When you're given a series of parenthetical expressions and must multiply them, you must do so by FOIL-ing them out. "FOIL" stands for "first, outside, inside, last" and this mnemonic refers to the order in which you must multiply together the numbers in the parentheses before you add the results together. To clarify this process, let's look at an example. Say we needed to multiply these expressions: $(2x - 3)(x + 5)$ According to FOIL, we must start by multiplying the "first" numbers of each expression. This will give us the F in our FOIL. In this case, that will be $2x$ and $x$. $2x * x$ $2x^2$ Next, we must multiply the "outside" numbers in each expression. In this case, the outside numbers are $2x$ and $+5$ $2x * 5$ $10x$ Next up, we need to multiply our "inside" numbers, which will give us our I in our FOIL. In this case, our inside numbers will be $-3$ and $x$. $-3 * x$ $-3x$ Finally, we must multiply our "last" numbers, which will give us the L in our FOIL. In this case, our last numbers will be $-3$ and $+5$. $-3 * 5$ $-15$ Now, the final step is to add all of our components together. $2x^2 + 10x - 3x - 15$ $2x^2 + 7x - 15$ This will be our final polynomial expression. Factoring Factoring goes hand in hand with FOIL-ing and acts basically as its reverse. In order to convert a longer polynomial (most often a quadratic equation) into smaller parenthetical expressions, we must factor the equation. This will eventually give us the two solutions to our quadratic function. If you remember your functions, then you'll remember that a quadratic equation ($y = ax^2 + bx + c$) will have two solutions. These solutions are the two values of $x$ when $y$ (the $y$-intercept) equals zero. For example, in the graph below: The solutions are at $x = 2$ and $x = 8$ because this is where the parabola crosses the $y$-intercept and so are the values of $x$ when $y = 0$. Now, if we are instead given a parabola as a polynomial instead of as a graph, we can still find the solutions to the expression by factoring. For instance, let us say that this is our quadratic equation: $x^2 + x - 12$ We know we can factor this equation and we do so by setting up a potential FOIL that will lead us to the final result of this equation. So our parentheticals will look like this: $(x +/-$ __$)(x +/-$ __$)$ We're not yet sure whether we will be adding or subtracting our integers in each equation and we don't yet know what the integers will be, but we do know that we will need a single $x$ value in each to give us our F of $x^2$ when we FOIL them out. Now, we know that the L, last, numbers in the parenthesis will make the final integer value in our quadratic equation. This means that we know that the last two numbers in each of the parenthetical expressions must multiply together to equal -12. Since we also know that the only way to multiply two numbers and get a negative, one number must be negative and one must be positive. This must mean that one of the parenthetical expressions will have a minus sign and the other must have a plus sign. To equal -12, our potential integer value pairs could therefore be: $-1, 12$ $-2, 6$ $-3, 4$ $-4, 3$ $-6, 2$ $-12, 1$ Now only one of these pairs of numbers will work as the solution to our equation, so let us test them out to see which will give us our original polynomial once we FOIL them. $(x - 1)(x + 12)$ If we properly FOIL this expression, we will end up with: $x^2 +12x - x -12$ $x^2 +11x - 12$ This does NOT give us the right equation, so we must try again with another pair of integers. $(x - 2)(x + 6)$ $x^2 + 6x - 2x - 12$ $x^2 + 2x -12$ Again, this is NOT our original equation, so we know that this pair of integers is not correct. We must try again. $(x - 3)(x + 4)$ $x^2 + 4x - 3x - 12$ $x^2 + x -12$ This DOES match our original equation and, since there can be only two solutions to any quadratic equation, we know that all the other pairs of numbers must be incorrect. With this, we have now properly factored our polynomial/quadratic equation, but we still have one more step to go; we must complete the problem by setting each parenthetical expression to zero and solving for the $x$-value. Why? Because, again, the two solutions to any quadratic equation are the two values of $x$ when $y = 0$. Spoiler alert: our parabola will look like this when graphed. So let's take both our parentheticals and set them each to 0. $(x - 3)(x + 4)$ $x - 3 = 0$ $x = 3$ And $x + 4 = 0$ $x = -4$ Once we have successfully factored our equation, we can see that the final solutions to our polynomial graph are: 3 and -4. [Do take note: though it may look like factoring is a long and involved process, requiring tremendous trial and error, it will become much faster and more instinctual the more you practice with it.] Just as there are several different types of floofers dogs, there are several different types of polynomial questions. (Perros/Wikimedia) Typical Polynomial ACT Math Questions You'll see three main types of polynomial problems on the ACT. These are: #1: Factoring and FOIL-ing polynomial problems #2: Graphing polynomial problems #3: Operations (multiplication, division, addition, or subtraction) of polynomials Let's look at each of these types of problems in more detail. Factoring and FOIL-ing Polynomial Problems These are the most common polynomial problems you'll see on the test. Generally, these problems will ask you to find the two solutions to a quadratic polynomial expression. To solve these types of problems, you must follow the same process we walked through in the last section on factoring and FOIL-ing. Alternatively, you can also use the strategy of plugging in answers (PIA) if you prefer not to factor and FOIL. If $2x^2+6x=36$, what are the possible values of $x$? F. -12 and 3G. -6 and 3H. -3 and 6J. -3 and 12K. 12 and 15 Solving Method 1: Factoring To solve this problem, let us first set the equation to zero, so that we can work with the full polynomial expression on one side of the equals sign. $2x^2 + 6x = 36$ $2x^2 + 6x - 36 = 0$ Now let us set up our parentheticals. $(2x +/-$ __$)(x +/-$ __$)$ Just by looking at the polynomial in question, we can make an educated guess as to what integer pair will be used to create -36 as their multiple, out of all the possible number pairings. Most likely, the pairing will be -6 and 6 or 6 and -6 (rather than -1 and 36, -2 and 18, -3 and 12, or -4 and 9) and we can see why if we plug them in. $(2x - 6)(x + 6)$ $2x^2 + 12x - 6x - 36$ $2x^2 + 6x - 36$ This matches our given equation, so we know this must be our proper factored expression. Now we need to finish finding our two solutions by setting each parenthetical to zero. $2x - 6 = 0$ $2x = 6$ $x = 3$ And $x + 6 = 0$ $x = -6$ Our final solutions are 3 and -6. Our final answer is G, -6 and 3. Again, the more often you work with factoring polynomials, the better your instincts will become at finding the right numbers to fill in your FOIL-ing. But don't despair if your instincts haven't gotten there yet or if you would rather solve the question by plugging in answers instead! Let's take a look at how. Solving Method 2: Plugging in Answers If we again take our same polynomial, $2x^2 + 6x = 36$ We could plug in our answer choices in place of $x$ to see which two solutions fulfill the equation. If we start with answer choice F, we would get: $2x^2 + 6x = 36$ $2(-12)^2 + 6(-12) = 36$ $2(144) - 72 = 36$ $216 = 36$ Since this solution is NOT correct, answer choice F cannot be true. Answer choice G gives us: $2x^2 + 6x = 36$ $2(-6)^2 + 6(-6) = 36$ $2(36) - 36 = 36$ $72 - 36 = 36$ $36 = 36$ This is correct, but we must also test the second solution to make sure that answer choice G is the final answer. Both solutions must match in order for the answer choice to be correct. $2(3)^2 + 6(3) = 36$ $2(9) + 18 = 36$ $18 + 18 = 36$ $36 = 36$ Both solutions for $x$ fit our equation. This means that answer choice G (and only answer choice G) is correct. Again, our final answer is G, -6, 3. Graphing Polynomial Problems Sometimes you may be asked to graph polynomials, identify polynomial graphs, or answer questions about given polynomial graphs. To answer these questions, it's a good idea to re-familiarize yourself with the basics of linear graphs and functions, if you haven't already. We know that the solution(s) of a parabola is measured at the intersection of the parabola with the $x$-axis (when $y = 0$). By looking at this graph, we can see that the parabola hits the $x$-axis at two distinct points- one point where the $x$ value would be negative and one point where the $x$ value would be positive. Notice that it doesn't actually matter if we know what the values are, just that one is to the left of the $y$-axis and one is to the right of the $y$-axis. (For more on the coordinate plane and its negatives and positives, check out our guide to ACT points). Our final answer is H, 1 positive real solution and 1 negative real solution. Polynomial Operations The final category of polynomial problems you'll see on the test are operations problems involving polynomials. These will most often be located somewhere in the first fifteen or twenty questions on the test and you'll generally be able to solve them just fine if you are familiar with your algebraic operations. What polynomial must be added to $x^2-2x+6$ so that the sum is $3x^2+7x$? A. $4x^2+5x+6$B. $3x^2+9x+6$C. $3x^2+9x-6$D. $2x^2+9x-6$E. $2x^2-5x+6$ Here, we are adding unknown polynomial $a + b + c$ to our given polynomial $x^2 - 2x + 6$ in order to equal $3x^2 + 7x$. If we know our operations, then we know that like terms can only be combined with like terms. So let us take these polynomials piece by piece. $x^2 + a = 3x^2$ $a = 2x^2$ We know that our first term must be $2x^2$, so we can eliminate answer choices A, B, and C. $-2x + b = 7x$ $b = 9x$ We now know that the second term in our polynomial must be $9x$, which means that we can eliminate answer choice E. Even without finishing the problem, we can confidently select answer choice D as the correct answer. But we can also finish up just to make absolutely sure. $6 + c = 0$ $c = -6$ Once we put our pieces together, we know we must add the polynomial $2x^2 + 9x - 6$ to our given polynomial in order to equal the polynomial that we want. Our final answer is D, $2x^2 + 9x - 6$ Now to slot those last few pieces into place and we're all set to go! Strategies for Solving Polynomial Questions Though you will see a few different types of polynomial problems on the ACT, there are a few strategies you can use to make solving polynomial problems as a whole a little easier. Strategy 1: Remember to Review Your Operations and Functions Guides Operations questions and function questions go hand in hand with polynomial questions, so it's a good idea to keep a close eye on all three math topics and learn how they work together. For instance, it would be difficult to solve your graphing polynomial questions or your operations of polynomials without at least a passing understanding of algebraic operations or functions as a whole. Strategy 2: Write It Out It can become very tempting to work with polynomials completely in your head, especially if you're already familiar with polynomials, factoring, and FOIL-ing. But doing this can lead you to make careless errors and select "bait" answer options. The ACT is a fast paced test and the test-makers know that this kind of time pressure can lead students to start working in their heads to speed up the process. To make the test challenging, polynomial questions often use negatives or large numbers, and so it can be all too easy to fall for a bait answer choice if you do all your polynomial math in your head. Just remember to take a breath and write your information down as you work through your problems to avoid careless errors such as these, especially when it comes to your positives and negatives. Strategy 3: Remember to Use PIA When Necessary If you're not that familiar with factoring polynomial quadratic expressions (or it's just been a long time since you've done it in school) and you're struggling to do so quickly and efficiently, it might be a good idea for you to switch techniques and start using the strategy of plugging in answers to find your solutions instead. It may take a little longer to use this technique, but it will always lead you to the correct solution. So if you've come up against factoring and can't quite manage it for any reason, don't panic- you can absolutely still solve the problem just by using PIA. Test Your Knowledge Ready to put your polynomial knowledge to the test? Then let's dive in! 1. Which of the following is a factored form of the expression $5x^2 -13x-6$? A. $(x-3)(5x+2)$B. $(x-2)(5x-3)$C. $(x-2)(5x+3)$D. $(x+2)(5x-3)$E. $(x+3)(5x-2)$ 2. In the equation $x^2+mx+n=0$, $m$ and $n$ are integers. The only possible value for $x$ is -3. What is the value of $m$? A. 3B. -3C. 6D. -6E. 9 3. 4. What values of $x$ are solutions for $x^2+2x=8$? A. -4 and 2B. -2 and 0C. -2 and 4D. 0 and 2E. 6 and 8 Answers: A, C, J, A Answer Explanations: 1. To solve this problem, we can either factor the polynomial ourselves or we can simply test our answer choices and see which is correct. In this case, let us simply test our answer choices using PIA. Answer choice A gives us $(x - 3)(5x + 2)$. Let us FOIL this out. $(x * 5x) + (x * 2) + (-3 * 5x) + (-3 * 2)$ $5x^2 + 2x - 15x - 6$ $5x^2 - 13x - 6$ This is exactly the polynomial we needed to find so luckily for us, we can stop here. We know by the rules of multiple choice that there will only ever be one correct answer, so we know answer choice A will be the one right solution- no need to test any others. Our final answer is A, $(x - 3)(5x + 2)$. 2. If we remember from our earlier lessons, we know that a factored polynomial will typically have two solutions. For example, if our factoring gives us $(x - 3)(x + 4)$, our final two solutions will be $x - 3 = 0$ = $x = 3$ and $x + 4 = 0$ = $x = -4$. This gives us our two solutions of +3 and -4. So what does it mean that a polynomial only has one solution? It would mean that our factored polynomial would have to be a square. That way the two solutions would be the same. For example, if we had $(x + 7)(x + 7)$, our only solution would be $x + 7 = 0$ = -7. So if our polynomial is $x^2 + mx + n = 0$, and our only solution is -3, then we know that our factoring is going to look like: $(x + 3)(x + 3)$ Why? This gives us our final solution of -3, since $x + 3 = 0$ = $x = -3$. Now, to find the value of $m$, we need to FOIL back out our factoring. $(x + 3)(x + 3)$ $(x * x) + (x * 3) + (3 * x) + (3 * 3)$ $x^2 + 3x + 3x + 9$ $x^2 + 6x + 9$ The 6 is now standing in place of our $m$ variable, so our $m = 6$. Our final answer is C, 6. 3. Though you can set up your own quadratic equation to fit the problem, the easiest way to solve this question is to test out point on your graphs and see which one fits the premise. We are told that the y-coordinate value of any point will be the $x$-coordinate squared minus 1, so let's test each graph. Graph H is a constant graph. As we saw from constant graphs earlier and as we can see here, the $y$-coordinate value never changes. This means that the $x$-coordinates will increase or decrease, but the $y$-coordinate for any point will NOT be exactly 1 less than the $x$-coordinate squared. We can eliminate graph H. For the same reason, we can eliminate graph G; the $x$-coordinate value never changes even as the $y$-coordinate value does. This does not fit our criteria. We can also eliminate graph K, as it would be impossible for such a parabola to open downwards. If the $x$-coordinates values were negative, then anything smaller than -1 (say -2) would result in a positive y-coordinate value, according to our rules. For instance, if $x$ were -2, then y would be: $-2^2 - 1 = 3$. So we are left with two graphs- J and H- both which look promising for the moment. Let us test some values for them. In graph J, we can roughly estimate a few points to be $(0, -1)$, $(-1, 0)$ and perhaps roughly $(2, 3)$. If we go off our premise of $y = x^2 - 1$, then all of these points fits our criteria. $0^2 - 1 = -1$ $-1^2 - 1 = 0$ $2^2 - 1 = 3$ It's pretty certain that J is our right answer, but since we were estimating our points, it's a good idea to rule out graph H if we can. We can roughly estimate three of the points on graph H to be: $(0, 1)$, $(2, 2)$ and perhaps $(-2, 5)$. None of these match our criteria. $0^2 - 1 ≠  1$ $2^2 - 1 ≠  2$ $-2^2 - 1 ≠  5$ We have confirmed that graph J is indeed correct. Our final answer is J. 4. Here we have another problem that we can either factor ourselves or use PIA for. This time, let us factor. First, we need to bring everything to one side of the equals sign, so let us subtract both sides by 8. $x^2 + 2x - 8 = 0$ Now, we can factor. We know we need two numbers multiplied together to equal -8, so one of them must be a negative. These numbers must also add together to equal +2, so our likely pairing will be +4 and -2. Let us test it out to be sure. $(x + 4)(x - 2)$ $(x * x) + (x * -2) + (4 * x) + (4 * -2)$ $x^2 - 2x + 4x - 8$ $x^2 + 2x - 8$ Perfect, we've found our factors! Now we just need to set each to zero to find our final solutions. $x + 4 = 0$ $x = -4$ And $x - 2 = 0$ $x = 2$ Our final answer is A, -4 and 2. Whoo, you did it! No need to toot your own horn, we'll do it for you- congrats! The Take-Aways Polynomial questions can sometimes be tricky, but a solid understanding of functions and operations can help you tremendously when it comes to understanding how to visualize and manipulate your polynomial expressions. Just remember to not underestimate the value of keeping track of your positive and negative signs and you'll be knocking out a not-insignificant chunk of your ACT math section in no time. What's Next? Now that you've taken on polynomials (and no doubt rocked them), you might want to take a look at our other ACT math guides for any individual math topic you could need. From ratios to rotations, points to probabilities, we've got your covered. Running into some snags with your FOILing and factoring? You might want to review the distributive property and perfect squares. What does it mean to complete the square and how is that relevant to polynomials and factoring? Learn about completing the square and when you'll need to use it here. Stuck on an ACT math problem? Whether you're stuck on a study guide, a practice test, or you just want to know how to get yourself out of a math bind on test day, don't sweat it. We'll show you how to figure our when you're really stuck and what to do about it. Want to make sure you're really prepared for test day? We've gathered together the best ACT math resources available and compiled them into one ultimate ACT math study guide. No more hunting for tips and resources- they're available at your fingertips in one easy place. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math lesson, you'll love our program. Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Creating Compelling Characters

Creating Compelling Characters Creating Compelling Characters Creating Compelling Characters By Guest Author This is a guest post by Ali Hale. If you want to write for Daily Writing Tips check the guidelines here. The success of a story rests on its characters. We remember truly compelling, vivid characters long after weve finished reading a novel or watching a movie: Im sure you can recall characters from books you read in childhood. Great characters can compensate for a weak plot or a so-so writing style – but if readers dont care about your characters, theyll put your story down. That clever plot twist or beautiful passage of writing might hook them briefly, but without characters that leap off the page, readers wont stay engaged. If you need more evidence that characters are crucially important, search Google for fan fiction. Many, many books, TV series and movies have spawned a huge amount of creative writing by fans – and this writing is all about the characters. The plots and sometimes even the settings are different from those in the original, but the characters remain the same. Simply knowing how important characters are doesnt help you much, though. You need to figure out how to create truly compelling characters who readers care about, laugh about, even cry about. Heres how: What Does Your Character Need? All compelling characters have a strong need, longing or desire. They should have a problem to overcome. They may not recognise this need (and indeed, many stories are about person coming to understand themselves better – for example, learning that they need companionship). I picked up a great tip on figuring out what characters need from Holly Lisles Create a Character Clinic. Use Maslows hierarchy of needs. Pick a level on the pyramid (you can find all you need to know on Wikipedias page) and then figure out what your character is seeking. At the most basic, physical level, your character might be in a survival situation and need food and water. Going up a level, you might have a character whose security is threatened: perhaps shes lost her job, or hes facing a health crisis. Quirks Dont Equal Character Many beginning writers make the mistake of thinking that giving a character a set of mannerisms or physical quirks is characterisation. It can be amusing and diverting, certainly. Sure, you can give your character a habit of whistling a particular tune, or jangling his keys, or peering over her glasses. But these alone dont make your characters compelling. When your characters do have unusual quirks, these need to be relevant to their back story – the things which happened to them before they appeared in your book. (Compelling characters need to be like icebergs: the reader has to have the sense that theres a lot more under the surface: characters shouldnt feel like they didnt exist before page one.) For example, Harry Potters scar is an important feature because it relates to his history and to the broader plot of the stories. Giving your character a mysterious scar which has no relevance to your story, however, isnt a shortcut to becoming as popular as J.K. Rowling In general, focus on who your character is rather than what they look like. Draw From Life – But Not Too Much So where do powerful, vivid characters come from? Often, the best place to start is yourself. What do you dream about, fear, desire? What secrets do you have? What are you most ashamed of – and most proud of? If youre trying to convey a characters internal thoughts, then you must be willing to draw on your only source of direct experience: the inside of your own mind. Dont go too far in drawing on real life, though. Beginning writers sometimes make the mistake of writing a version of themselves into their stories – often a perfect, flawless character who theyd quite like to be! While this might be emotionally satisfying to the writer, its either very irritating or very boring for readers. Some other tips when drawing on your life are: Were all complex people who may, at times, behave in contradictory ways. Dont make your characters too one-dimensional Most of us have quiet, even boring, lives. Your characters need to do more exciting things in order to engage the reader. Dont worry about describing your characters physically. Mention anything thats important (eg. a characters physical size may have a bearing on the plot and on their self-confidence) but dont burden the reader with details. Watch people when youre out and about, and make up stories about them. Let the Reader Empathise Your reader doesnt necessarily have to like your characters, but they should be able to feel a sense of empathy for them. Even your villains shouldnt be purely evil: there needs to be some explanation for why theyre such awful people – this often forms part of their back story. On the flip side, your heroes shouldnt be too perfect. We like to read about people with flaws, doubts and struggles – because when we read, were imagining ourselves in their place. Characters are compelling when we can share their struggles and cheer on their victories. Some quick ways to build empathy are: Show a character suffering (either mentally or physically) Include a brief flashback to an unhappy childhood or traumatic incident Write about your characters thoughts – especially if their actions might be hard for us to understand or treat sympathetically Use the first-person or third-person limited (deep) point of view Show a character being misunderstood by others Frustrate a characters attempts to meet their need Finally, have fun with creating your characters! If you find yourself writing about a character who bores you, then rewrite them – or recast them as a new character entirely. When you write characters that are truly compelling to you, theyll be compelling to the reader. Ali Hale is a writer whose posts getting more from life at Aliventures have been called so true, exactly what I need and exactly at the right time for me (click to grab the RSS feed here). When shes not blogging, shes working on her novel and other projects, including an MA in Creative Writing. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Synonyms for â€Å"Meeting†The Possessive Apostrophe5 Examples of Misplaced Modifiers

Raze-Raise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Raze-Raise - Essay Example This structure made of human hair, acrylic, wood and latex rubber gives the viewer the opportunity to create individual meaning. Hen one stands close to this piece of art, there are sound bites coming from the loop. Page was able to record the imaginative process when making the exhibit. Page also recorded sounds from different gay night clubs found in Denver. The recording reverberates throughout the gallery producing an ambience of loneliness in a crowd. The blend of art, destiny and subject combination in the raze raise piece of art attracts a feeling that it is not easy to replicate. A real photograph explains everything from its appearance though it also needs some written explanation. Jeff Page was born in Denver and acquired his BFA in Interdisciplinary studies from the San Fransisco Art Institute. Page’s art work creation revolves around sculptural mixed media work and 2DD, according to Hamel (1). His works are created using collage, watercolor, acrylic and different eccentric materials. One of the reasons behind his success in art is the ability to braid concepts, material and intuition together. His areas of interest just as depicted in raze raise include the body, nature, psychology and gender. The terms raze and raise are both antonyms and homophones, meaning words opposite in meaning and yet pronounced similarly. Page’s work, including raze and raise usually center on the twofold bonding and differences especially between nature and human body. He normally explores his ideas using experimental procedure of creating unrelated materials frequently sticking them together and then tearing them separately. This procedure physically and visually unites the two materials thus generating a unified â€Å"skin.† For raze raise art exhibition, Page gathered audio from queer settings, pieces of wood, redundant hair, a chain of poured latex skins, boards to form a structure, a chain of pelts, mass of beards ,and pulses of sound. All these,

Pre-Incorporation Contracts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Pre-Incorporation Contracts - Essay Example Section 32A (1) (a) of the Companies Ordinance of Hong Kong contains the statutory provisions governing the pre-incorporation contracts. According to this section where a person or a promoter who enters in to a contract on behalf of the company as agent before the incorporation of the company, then that person will become personally liable under the contract unless there is an agreement to the contrary entered into between the company and such person. However it is not possible that a contract between the company and the person can be entered into subsequent to the incorporation which makes the company liable on the contract. (IQS) Normally a pre-incorporation contract is an incomplete contract. It is incomplete because it doesn't specify the obligations of the different parties under the contract in case it was not possible to form the company. Similarly it doesn't state the remedy for the other party in case the company after incorporation is not able to perform. Three different rules can be adopted to resolve the situation: The Jiangsu Province Higher people's Court of China had promulgated certain decisions and passed on some opinions in the adjudication of certain types of company law cases that can be taken as guide lines for the determination of civil liabilities in the pre-incorporation contracts. According to the Higher People's Court, a 'company being incorporated' refers to an organization which is formed to carry out the acts necessary for the incorporation of the company. It can be assumed that its existence starts on the day on which the execution of the company constitution or incorporation agreement takes place and ends on the day on which the business certificate is issued to the company. In this context the 'necessary acts' implies the legal and economic acts done for the purposes of incorporating the company and complying with the requirements for the establishment of the company in the Company Law of the People's Republic of China. The Higher People's court had expressed the following remarks on the adjudication of certain company cases: Where a promoter does a necessary act for the incorporation of the company in the name of the company, the legal consequence of such an act shall be borne by the company. Where a promoter does a civil act unnecessary for the incorporation of the company, in the name of the company, the creditor may hold the promoter responsible for the consequential civil liability. When the company after incorporation ratifies the act of

Fundamentals of Macroeconomics Essay Example for Free

Fundamentals of Macroeconomics Essay Some of the terms that are frequently used in economics are; gross domestic product (GDP), real GDP, nominal GDP, unemployment rate, inflation rate, and interest rates. Gross domestic product is the money value of the nation’s productivity. GDP is the value of all finished goods and services produced within the country’s border. Real GDP is the market value of the final goods and services produced in a year. Real GDP means that it was adjusted for inflation so it will show a more accurate figure. Without real GDP our market values would look a lot higher than they really were and this helps us when trying to see what our productivity was. Nominal GDP is also known as the current dollar amount. It is the gross domestic product that has not been adjusted for inflation. Nominal GDP can be misleading because it does not adjust the inflation amount. For example if the nominal GDP figure showed that it shot up 10% but inflation has been 5% the real GDP has really only increased 5%. The unemployment rate is a percent of people who are not currently working but are willing and able to work or currently seeking. There are three different types of unemployment. The unemployment rate is figured by dividing the number of unemployed people by the number of people who are working and then multiplied by 100. Inflation rate is when prices for goods and services are on the rise. Inflation results in higher prices for the same amount goods and services one could have bought the year before for a lower price. Inflation gives high prices and lower purchasing power from consumers. The dollar amount becomes less than what it previously was. An interest rate is a percentage of the principle, which is the total amount of a loan, given by a lender for the use of an asset. The asset could either be a house or vehicle. An interest rate is usually based on an annual basis so this is also known as an annual percentage rate or APR. Somebody who has a high credit score shows that they have a good track record with other loans and monthly payments and will be given a lower interest rate. Somebody who has a low credit score is considered more high risk and will be given a higher interest rate. The three sectors; government, households, and businesses all have a circular flow between the three. The purchasing of groceries affects each one of the three sectors in different ways. It goes along with the law of demand and supply and the price level or inflation. Households decide and control what and how much to buy for consumption. The income effect has part of what consumers buy also. If there is an unexpected change of price this will affect the purchasing power of the consumer. Since households have control on what they buy and how much this will affect each business that contributes to the grocery stores. The competition in the grocery stores will affect the price of each item will affect what the household buys. Distribution also plays an important role in the economy by getting goods where people want them. If goods are in high demand this may affect the price level which may affect what consumers will buy. The government in turn will make some of their money on sales tax from the groceries. This tax will be used for expenditures that will go back into the economy. A decrease in taxes could affect the three sectors in a positive way. If there is a decrease in taxes there is a chance that more tax revenue is generated. The reason is because if people are bringing in more money into their households they will likely spend more money which will help businesses. If businesses are busy and making more money they will be more likely to hire more people who in turn will also be taxed which will help the government. A massive layoff of employees would hurt the economy and the three sectors. If people are out of work they are bringing in less money for their household. Since they will not have as much money as they are used to they are less likely to spend money which will hurt businesses. If businesses are not making a profit they may be forced to lay more people off. Because there are so many people laid off they will likely collect unemployment insurance which will cost the government more money.

grendelbeo Epic of Beowulf Essay - The Monstrous Grendel :: Epic Beowulf essays

The Monstrous Grendel  of Beowulf   It is true that Grendel is monstrous. He is not only a deadly enemy to Hrothgar and Herot, but to the Geats in general. Grendel seems to take his only pleasure from assaulting Herot and destroying the warriors inside. He is a bane to all those that live under Hrothgar's rule. They hate him. He is called the â€Å"enemy of mankind† (29) and rightly so. However, because of Grendel’s actions, they cannot see the other part of Grendel that makes him do the evil he does. Grendel, like the Angels before and the Geats soon after, is symbolic of displaced races/peoples and not simply a mindless monster. When Adam and Eve had children, they had two boys. Their names were Cain and Able. When Cain killed Able, God â€Å"banished him far from mankind† (29). From Cain came trolls, elves, monsters, and giants. Grendel is a descendant of Cain, so he shares Cain’s banishment. Cain may have been the first displaced person after Adam and Eve were thrown out of the Garden. G rendel shares his ancestor’s sentence. He is displaced not only from whatever land or wealth he would have if he were â€Å"human† but he is also displaced form God. It is this displacement that causes Grendel to destroy. Since he cannot â€Å"approach the throne† (28) like other people, he chooses to try to destroy the throne, because he has â€Å"no love for him (God)† (28). This is the main reason Grendel is symbolic of displaced peoples. After all, he is a direct descendent of the very first displaced people, Adam and Eve. However, unlike Adam and Eve, Grendel is doomed to an eternity of banishment from God’s light because of Cain’s sin against his brother. That is why Grendel kills, because he cannot be in the light, because he is at war with God. Grendel is not only banished from God’s light, but from the light in general. Throughout the text, references are made to Grendel as â€Å"the walker in darkness† (36), and †Å"the dark-death shadow† (29). This kind of imagery further shows how displaced Grendel has become. The text refers to him as a â€Å"creature deprived of joy† (36). The text also refers to Grendel’s dwelling as â€Å"his joyless home† (37). It is no wonder Grendel was considered so monstrous. Like other displaced peoples, he has nowhere that is a refuge to him, because he has been removed from his home, or in Grendel’s case, the love of the Lord.

Better Known As No Child Left Behind Education Essay

In 2002, Public Law 107-110 dramatically changed the answerability of public schools. Better known as No Child Left Behind ( NCLB ) , this jurisprudence requires schools to yearly document bettering pupil public presentation through standardised testing. Since all schools must turn out Adequate Yearly Progress ( AYP ) , Fullan noted that redress plans, after school tutoring Sessionss, excess tutoring in mathematics and reading, specially designed single plans, and many other pupil redress attempts have been employed to assist pupils accomplish proficiency. Districts have hired extra instructors to supply remedial mathematics and reading direction, and benchmark appraisals chronicling pupil advancement have become common topographic point ( Fullan, Hill & A ; Crevola, 2006 ) . Fullan observed that schools use informations direction systems to warehouse pupil information, giving instructors entree to real-time public presentation informations, and have developed edifice agendas to give instructors the ability to flexibly group pupils based upon their single public presentation demands. In world, all schools seeking to accomplish or keep AYP continually search for schemes that will give them any advantage in bettering overall pupil public presentation on compulsory high bets trials ( Senge, 2000 ) . Yet, more demands to be done to guarantee that no kid is left behind ( Fullan, 2008 ) . The research worker in this survey stepped off from the microscopic scrutiny of how advanced curricular plans and high-impact schemes increase single trial tonss for pupils. Rather, the research worker looked at the patterns identified and developed by the concern community at big that have been shown to raise the degree of employee battle which so improves a ) public presentation, B ) profitableness, degree Celsius ) client satisfaction, vitamin D ) productiveness, and vitamin E ) lower turnover of concern units ( Buckingham & A ; Coffman, 1999 ) . Since Buckingham noted that there is a profound relationship between success in concern and employee battle, the research worker in this survey will analyse principals ‘ perceptual experiences of patterns that raise employee battle in the concern community and their sensed effectivity in bettering teacher battle in the schools where they lead. Harmonizing to Scarlett, employee battle â€Å" is indispensable in concern, yet few organisations successfully define, step, or pull off this leading theoretical account. † Top-performing concerns understand this force in driving public presentation prosodies ( Coffman, 2003 ) . For this survey, employee battle is defined as the â€Å" measureable grade of an employee ‘s positive or negative emotional fond regard to their occupation, co-workers, and organisation which deeply influences their willingness to larn and execute at work † ( Scarlett, 2011 ) . In order to raise battle, organisations seek to construct partnerships between the organisation and its employees such that employees to the full understand and are committed to accomplishing the organisation ‘s aims and the organisation respects the personal aspirations and aspirations of its employees ensuing in invention and forward motion ( Coffman, 2003 ) . Buckingham and Coffman ( 1999 ) have outlined a strong instance that shows the importance of the director and their managerial patterns in raising the degree of employee battle. So, if implemented by principals, would these same schemes and patterns that have been shown to drive up degrees of employee battle and public presentation positively impact teacher battle? Bellamy and others noted that public presentation outlooks for principals in this high-stakes testing epoch are at unprecedented high degrees. While principals still hold the duty for effectual edifice direction, at no other clip has the force per unit area to better trial tonss so significantly weighed upon their shoulders and focused their attending more on instructional leading. â€Å" Once responsible chiefly for internal operations, principals now are accountable to the community, school territory, province, and even federal authorities for bettering pupil acquisition and shuting the accomplishment spreads between diverse cultural and socioeconomic pupil groups † ( Bellamy, et al. , 2007, p. 1 ) . Pollack and Ford noted that school systems and communities still expect principals to a ) create safe environments, B ) develop effectual agendas, degree Celsius ) hire and supervise quality staff, vitamin D ) speak good in public, vitamin E ) efficaciously discipline pupils, degree Fahrenheit ) manage mountains of paperwork day-to-day, and g ) reference an eternal watercourse of issues that vie for their clip. Pollack continues that while dexterously managing all of these normal outlooks, principals are besides expected to a ) analyze informations, B ) develop programmatic betterment programs, degree Celsiuss ) program and run high quality professional development, vitamin D ) follow a litany of province authorizations related to pupil informations, and e ) create environments contributing to high-performance. They are expected to be change agents while non angering any constituency ( Pollack & A ; Ford, 2009 ) . Porras and Thompson surmised that with all of these outlooks, it is cr itical for principals to understand their alone abilities and duties and allocate the right sum of clip to each, non equal or balanced parts, but instead their ain separately chosen penchants. They need to hold the freedom to take what is of import to make and so hold the assurance to move on what they have chosen ( Porras & A ; Thompson, 2007 ) . Fullan ( 2008 ) noted that the solution to over-taxed administrative duties is â€Å" non to unfetter the principal to move autonomously, but instead to enable focussed coherence † ( p. 13 ) in their actions. One facet of this coherence is to prosecute instructors at high degrees in the mission of the school, a key to efficaciously pull offing schools. Teacher battle is critical to school betterment, measured by the three dimensions of schoolroom instruction and acquisition: a ) teacher-student relationships, B ) pedagogical patterns, and degree Celsius ) teacher relationships with the organisation ( Lesko, 1986 ) . The principal is expected to take schools where his or her instructors are given the chance to prosecute in action research on a sustained footing in a collaborative environment. â€Å" The leader ‘s map is to supply chances for instructors to work together in self-managing squads to better their ain direction, ever with the outlook for improved acquisition † ( DuFour, et al. , 2005, p.147 ) . In a sense, this transportations leading for larning to and raises the battle of the instructor. The relationship between engaged instructor leaders and pupil accomplishment is profound and important ( DuFour, et al. , 2005 ) . Gordon noted that there are organisational barriers to raising teacher battle degrees such as a ) association understandings, B ) school board mandates, degree Celsius ) limited learning schemes, vitamin D ) pupil agendas, and vitamin E ) yesteryear patterns ; those established patterns non portion of formal understandings. These barriers can and make impact the instructor ‘s â€Å" emotional fond regard to their occupation, co-workers, and organisation † ( Scarlett, 2011 ) . It is critical, hence, to concentrate on increasing instructor battle ( Gordon, 2006 ) in order to raise school public presentation. Gordon observed that the literature on raising public presentation through raising employee battle in the workplace is plentiful in business-oriented literature. Gordon continued to detect that raising the degree of employees ‘ battle is non yet as influential in educational scenes as it is in the workplace ; nevertheless, the attempt to prosecute instructors is deriving land. Research has studied the features of the best employees for decennaries. As more surveies of the features of the best instructor continue to emerge, a similarity is that they have a high degree of battle ( Gordon, 2006 ) . Buckingham and Coffman ( 1999 ) touted the importance of holding extremely engaged employees, and organisations like Gallup, the Harvard Business School, the Albert Shanker Institute, and the Academy of Human Resource Development have each noted the positive economic impact of occupied workplaces. Odell ( 2007 ) showed that companies with the highest per centum of occupied workers experience greater net income. â€Å" In a 12-month survey across 50 companies: companies with the highest per centum of occupied workers had a 19 % addition in runing incomes and a 28 % addition in net incomes per portion † ( p. 1 ) . Statisticss like this spring increased inducement to find whether the degree of principals ‘ perceptual experiences of best patterns in concern direction has any impact on instructor battle. Building on the work of infinite business-oriented surveies, this survey will analyze specific patterns that have been identified and shown to raise concern unit public prese ntation and examine principals ‘ perceptual experiences as to whether these same patterns may impact teacher battle in a positive mode.Need for the StudyParents, irrespective of socio-economic or cultural background, want to direct their kids to schools committed to excellence ( Beare, et al. , 1990 ) . Every instructor longs for the professional energy of working in an environment of educational excellence ( McEwan, 2002 ) . Principals dream of taking a community of scholars committed to excellence ( Whitaker, 2003 ) . Overseers, school board members, policy shapers, even existent estate agents all imagine that their communities will be led by schools of excellence ( Fullan, 1993 ) . The hunt for schools of differentiation is a regular portion of eternal conversations about pupil acquisition ( Sparks, 2007 ) . No Child Left Behind statute law has forced schools to a ) examine trial tonss, B ) survey instructor methodological analysis, degree Celsius ) research course of study enterprises, vitamin D ) observe instructional focal point, vitamin E ) investigate edifice agendas, and degree Fahrenheit ) consider multiple informations from a assortment of beginnings. It has besides required the reappraisal and survey of patterns of every constituent that comprises the makeup of schools ( Pa. Dept. of Ed. , 2009 ) . The high force per unit area, high bets environments within schools can impede attitudes and perceptual experiences doing many to rethink the profession ( Gordon, 2006 ) . The demands on principals continue to spread out as the hunt for patterns that will better pupil larning intensifies ( Gordon, 2006 ) . Stronge ( 1988 ) found that a typical principal ‘s twenty-four hours was characterized by multiple managerial undertakings and diverse maps, including a ) clerical, B ) budgetary, and degree Celsius ) other generalist undertakings. At that clip, Stronge stated that change overing principals into instructional leaders would necessitate a drastic function redefinition. Since Stronge ‘s research in his 1988 paper, principals ‘ preparation and support have since shifted off from direction to instructional leading. Instructional leading has become the focal point of a ) seminars, B ) doctorial plans, degree Celsiuss ) national organisations that support instruction, vitamin D ) literature, vitamin E ) professional diaries and vitamin D ) province statute law mandating go oning instruction preparation for principals ( Hallinger, 2003 ) . The managerial undertakings that Stronge mentions, nevertheless, have non disappeared, and today, some chief preparation plans exclude m anagerial preparation. The twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours direction of edifices still exists ( Stronge, 2008 ) . Through the Gallup Corporation, research workers like Buckingham and Coffman ( 1999 ) and Harter, et Al. ( 2009 ) have studied high executing work topographic points for old ages. Business literature has documented the positive public presentation impact of holding engaged employees. Gordon noted that there has been small involvement in developing resources to analyze occupied schools. Reeves ( 2008 ) proposed a new model that would advance effectual alteration through raising the degree of teacher leading and stated that instructors must be actively engaged in prosecuting additions in pupil acquisition. Marzano, et Al. ( 2005 ) and Whitaker ( 2003 ) have documented that the patterns exhibited by principals make a difference in raising pupil public presentation. This education-based literature gives limited attending to outdo patterns in concern direction. Has the good displacement of focal point onto best patterns in instructional leading moved principals ‘ preparation excessi vely far off from best patterns in direction as described in business-oriented literature? In today ‘s educational environment, every advantage, no affair how little, is pursued in order to give schools increased pupil public presentation ; hence, are at that place concern direction patterns implemented by principals that impact instructors ‘ battle degree that would so ensue in improved pupil public presentation? The research worker in this survey will analyze chief perceptual experiences of best concern direction patterns in operating schools and analyze the impact of these perceptual experiences on overall instructor battle.Statement of the ProblemBusinesss expend considerable resources in order to develop occupied employees. Buckingham noted that an increased degree of employee battle drives up a ) public presentation, B ) productiveness, degree Celsius ) client satisfaction and vitamin D ) reduces turnover of single concern units. Therefore, would at that place be similar result on improved acquisition when instructors are more extremely engaged? Buckingha m attributes the success for raising employee battle straight to the director. Whitaker ( 2003 ) has shown that the best principals are taking schools to better pupil larning. Therefore, will the actions of the principal thrust up the degree of instructor battle, holding a coincident positive impact of pupil public presentation? The research worker in this survey assessed the principals ‘ perceptual experiences of concern direction patterns and their impact on instructor battle.Definition of footingsSeveral definitions are necessary to clear up points for depicting this survey sing chief patterns, teacher battle and pupil public presentation. These operational definitions will be referenced throughout this survey. Adequate Yearly Progress ( AYP ) . A signaling system bespeaking whether schools are on path to learn all pupils what they need to cognize each school twelvemonth ( Education Trust, 2004 ) . Business Management Practices. Evidence and experimental patterns that can be imitated, adapted, and continually improved to increase a ) public presentation, B ) productiveness, and degree Celsius ) profitableness ( Welch & A ; Welch, 2005 ) . Business Units. The lowest institutional member of the corporation changing from industry to industry: for banking, it is a subdivision ; for cordial reception it is a eating house or a hotel ; for fabricating it is a mill ; and so on ( Buckingham and Coffman, 1999 ) . Effective Schools. A school characterized by a ) strong administrative leading, B ) effectual direction for ALL kids, degree Celsius ) an orderly ambiance, vitamin D ) larning taking precedency over all other activities, vitamin E ) reallocation of resources to farther cardinal aims, and degree Fahrenheit ) frequent monitoring of pupil advancement ( Edmonds, 1979 ) . Engaged Employees. â€Å" A measureable grade of an employee ‘s positive or negative emotional fond regard to their occupation, co-workers, and organisation which deeply influences their willingness to larn and execute at work † ( Scarlett, 2011 ) . Engaged Teachers. Measured by the three dimensions of schoolroom instruction and acquisition: a ) teacher-student relationships, B ) pedagogical patterns, and degree Celsius ) instructor dealingss with the organisation of learning ( Lesko, 1986 ) and a procedure, analogue to student battle, in which the instructor is consciously cognizant of his or her function in the acquisition procedure ( Kennedy, 1998 ) . Leadership. The act of supplying counsel and supervising to subsidiaries while originating new constructions, processs, and ends ( Sergiovanni, 2000 ) . Moral Purpose. Principled behavior connected to something greater than 1s self that relates to human or societal development ( Fullan, 2003 ) . No Child Left Behind ( NCLB ) . A reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 intended to shut the accomplishment spread with answerability, flexibleness, and pick. ( US Dept. of Ed, 2002 ) . Pennsylvania System of School Assessment ( PSSA ) . A standards-based, criterion-referenced appraisal used to mensurate a pupil ‘s attainment of the academic criterions while besides finding the grade to which school plans enable pupils to achieve proficiency of the criterions ( Pa. Dept. of Ed. , 2012 ) . Principal. The person who is charged with the duties to a ) direct, B ) operate, and degree Celsius ) administer the activities of a school ( The Pennsylvania Code Online ) . Chief patterns. The manner in which principals allocate their attending across major countries of duty, the extent to which principals emphasize different countries of duty in different contexts, and the extent to which personal, single properties affect how principals allocate their clip and attending ( Camburn, 2008 ) . Site-Leadership. A procedure to transform schools into communities where the appropriate people participate constructively in major determinations that affect them ( Elmore, 2000 ) . Sustainability. â€Å" The capacity of a system to prosecute in the complexnesss of uninterrupted betterment consistent with deep values of human intent † ( Fullan, 2005, p. nine ) . Trial Cycles. The one-year procedure of finishing province required testing ( PA Department of Education ) . Transformational Leadership. Style of leading in which the leader identifies a ) the needful alteration, B ) creates a vision to steer the alteration through inspiration, and degree Celsius ) executes the alteration with the committedness of the members of the group ( Kotter & A ; Cohen, 2002 ) .RestrictionsThis survey surveyed and interviewed principals from cardinal Pennsylvania and asked the same principals to react to open-ended inquiries. The little figure of school territories included and the little participant pool may impact the findings of this survey. The study was completed electronically and could hold been impacted by the web administrative scenes at each respondent ‘s school. The interviews of these principals could hold been impacted by attitudes ensuing from current complicated issues happening at their specific schools, such as a ) altering course of study, B ) rapid alterations in demographics, degree Celsius ) decrease of support for specialised plans, vitam in D ) decrease in staffing, vitamin E ) increasing registration, degree Fahrenheit ) alterations in attending boundaries, g ) retirements of cardinal forces, and H ) curtailment of support from outside bureaus like Intermediate Units. Other restrictions may hold occurred if excessively many a ) schemes, B ) plans, and degree Celsius ) enterprises were implemented at the same time, therefore interfering with the ability to place specific plans that impact pupil public presentation and school clime. Finally, the degree of experience and preparation of the principal in instructional leading and concern direction may hold significantly influenced the informations and its correlativities to teacher battle. This may hold caused trouble in accurately analysing the informations and could hold led to inaccurate correlativities impacting teacher battle. The everyday activities of the topics in this survey were minimally interrupted. Each topic was asked to constructively analyse their apprehension of concern patterns and their sensed efficaciousness in impacting the degree of teacher battle. Principals who agreed to take part in this survey could hold felt a sense of insecurity since they might presume that non using these patterns may act upon them in a negative manner. There was minimum hazard to topics due to the confidential nature of the survey, the namelessness of the study participants, and the confidentiality protocols put in topographic point to guarantee the namelessness of the interviewees.Research QuestionsThe intent of this survey was to analyze principals ‘ perceptual experiences of concern leading patterns and their impact on instructor battle. Surveies, unfastened ended responses, and interviews with principals were used to garner perceptual experience informations. The undermentioned inquiries guided this surv ey: What concern direction patterns do principals happen valuable to raising the degree of instructor battle? What does the principal do to implement his or her top five concern direction patterns in order to raise the degree of instructor battle? From the principal ‘s position, how does teacher engagement impact pupil public presentation?DrumheadThe hunt for activities and actions that will give schools public presentation advantages on standardised trials is continuously spread outing. Over the last 20 old ages, much has been written about the principal ‘s function as instructional leader. From Blase to Fullan, from Lambert to Lezotte, from Marzano to McEwen, Reeves, Schmoker, Sergiovanni, Stronge, and Whitaker all have called principals to greater functions in instructional leading. However, during that same timeline, much has been left unexpressed about principals ‘ function in effectual direction of their assigned school. Concurrently, an detonation of research and Hagiographas related chiefly to the concern community has clarified the actions, beliefs, and schemes of best directors. Blanchard, Buckingham, Coffman, Collins, Gordon, Kotter, Lencioni, Maxwell, Porras, Rath, Welch and many others have fille d the shelves of book shop concern subdivisions with information about excellence in direction. This survey analyzed principals ‘ perceptual experiences of concern direction patterns that have been shown to raise employee battle and when implemented in schools ; their sensed impact on instructor battle.

Opening Act of Othello Essay

Othello’s opening scene has an overall negative impact on the audience in the form of shock as some rather crude language; such as †zounds†, â€Å"tush†, â€Å"’Sblood†; opens the play. This scene sets the premise for the play and tells us of Othello and Desdemona’s elopement, and the betrayal of Brabantio. The opening scene occurs at nightfall to a conversation between two men; Roderigo and Iago on a street outside the house of Brabantio, a man who, unbeknownst to his, has just lost his daughter to a man, a general, he does not approve of. The nightfall of the opening scene created the air of mystery and darkness and is quite expository in regards to the character, Iago. The night is a time where most tragedy occurs and Iago distorts the truth and begins his crusade against Othello by revealing his plan to Roderigo, a man who is infatuated with Brabantio’s daughter, Desdemona. The night also exposes Desdemona’s wrong doing in the betrayal of her father by marrying someone who has not asked her father, and therefore has not been given permission, to marry her. When Iago and Roderigo tell Brabantio of Desdemona’s betrayal it is done so in a rather cruel and dramatic manner and shocks the audience. This creates a sense of pity in regards to Brabantio who, not only learns of this betrayal, but also suffers because of the way in which he was told. Iago ‘orders’ Roderigo to summon Brabantio to â€Å"poison his delight,† and he is summoned to the street in a form of disruption coming from Iago and Roderigo shouting that he has been robbed. â€Å"Awake! What, ho, Brabantio! Thieves, thieves! // Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags!† The reveal is conducted in a crude manner especially within the language used by Iago: â€Å"Zounds, sir, y’are robbed! †¦ an old black ram // Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise!† these lines can be seen as the most striking of many animalistic images into which Iago’s speech habitually lies. It can also demonstrate Iago’s views on aty pical human desires as well as relationships. Although Iago appears to despise the Moor and any thought regarding a union between he and Brabantio’s daughter, there is also an impression that Iago is relishing in the betrayal as well as despising the action. And this open’s the audience to this despising regarding the Moor. Roderigo refuses to believe Iago once told of Desdemona’s, the woman he is infatuated with and even asked her father for her hand in marriage, elopement with the Moor and reveals that he is quite naà ¯ve. He doesn’t believe any body else is fit to marry her and therefore does not believe that Othello is good enough. Brabantio is angry in a different way as he feels betrayed and ‘robbed’. In Elizabethan times, marrying a man’s daughter without seeking his permission was seen as a crime as equally wronged as rape as that was essentially what it was. If the father had not given permission then she was not eligible for anything past marriage. However, Brabantio should be happy for Desdemona as she has, independently, found a man she loves who happens to be that of great power and honour rather than being racially biased against the Moor. However his anguish is understandable considering the severity of the act and no matter how much of a charismatic man Othello is, he says â€Å"words are words. I never did hear // That the bruised heart was pierced through the ear.† This translates to mean that she has betrayed him and she will most definitely betray Othello. Iago uses this to his advantage with regards to his diabolical plan. Words cannot bring consolidation to a man who has been betrayed so defiantly. Othello’s marriage is a result of his pride and arrogance, his tragic flaw or ‘hubris’, something that causes him to escalate to violate an important moral law, later on in the play. Also, his confidence is part of his hubris as it is an escalation of his pride and arrogance and this can be demonstrated in his speech defending his marriage to Desdemona and why he didn’t ask for permission in Act 1 Scene 3. His tragic error, or ‘hamartia’, is not revealed to the audience in so many words, however, the audience knows that Iago cannot be trusted and he is referred to, in Act 1 Scene 3, as â€Å"A man he is of honesty and trust:† by Othello himself so therefore, the audience can conclude that this is his hamartia. Iago is introduced as a confidant amongst the hierarchy, including Othello, who has not yet been physically introduced, and isn’t until Act 1 Scene 2, but is verbally referred to in a racial and disrespectful manner â€Å"mere prattle without practice† and isn’t referred to by name but by him or he. This is the first time we see Iago as a sinister and two faced, much like Janus, the Roman God with two faces mentioned on line 32 of Act 1 Scene 2. His short monologue at the beginning of the scene shows his first contraindication as he doesn’t respect Othello the way he claims to â€Å"off-capped†. Othello’s introduction in not physical but is referred to indirectly but Iago and Roderigo. Neither mentions him by name but do, however, mention him through his status and their complete disregard for his authority. This is due to Iago being passed over for the promotion to be Othello’s lieutenant in favour of Michael Cassio, â€Å"a Florentine //, (A fellow almost damned in a fair wife). A quite obscure, misogynistic comment, in the sense that Cassio does not appear to be married and if ‘fair wife’ were to mean ‘pretty woman’ then Iago may simply be suggesting that Cassio’s fondness of women could be his downfall. A tragic element in regards to Othello as this later results in Cassio’s murder at the hands of Othello; this is seen as Universalism or Apocalyptism where everything seems to fall apart. Othello’s physical entrance in Act 1 Scene 2 is described as having a â€Å"Calm dignity† and is in deep contrast to his verbal introduction in Act 1 Scene 1. This seems to establish him as a hero and prepares the audience from his tragic ‘fall from grace’. Therefore the protagonist is established. Unfortunately, racism was an issue in Shakespearean times and Blacks and Whites weren’t seen as the equals they are today. Roderigo demonstrated the difference between times by being deliberately offensive in a racist comment about Othello â€Å"think-lips†. Throughout the opening act there are many monologues given by Iago. These put fear into the audience as we know what he is going to do but how will his plan come fruition? These monologues give us as an audience an insight into the future and allows us to create our own theories regarding Iago’s plan. There’s a kind of irony within the fact that he reveals all of this to the audience as in the first scene of Act one he says the infamous line â€Å"But I will never wear my heart upon my sleeve // For daws to peck at; I am not what I am.† This biblical reference to exodus shows us that what he portrays is not his true nature. He has specifically said that he would not ‘wear his heart on his sleeve’, a metaphor for being too open and caring yet, his soliloquies are eloquent and revealing. This is an important clue into Iago’s true nature and quite early in the play, however, he remains elusive and is an ever-changing mystery within the play. This is a tragic element used by Shakespeare to keep the audience on their toes, something he was particularly good at as seen in Macbeth; Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy whilst sleep-walking. Iago’s monologues also give us an insight into his mind that would not be shared with another character. It lets us in to the deception and his wanting revenge over Othello. Insight is given into his intentions, motives and desires regarding his plan and we learn that he is going to accuse Cassio of wooing Desdemona and vice versa to sabotage the marriage of the man that rejected him. He is going to inject the jealousy of Cassio into Othello that will later lead to Othello murdering both Cassio and Desdemona. Iago still, however, retains his hold over Roderigo throughout the opening act as he is easily influenced. Domestic tragedy can be found within the marriage reference in Act 1 Scene 3 where Desdemona is first introduced and where Brabantio gives his blessing for her nuptials. The love can be seen as tragic and the whole scene is a rebuttal in regards to Iago’s slander of this union. It is revealed that â€Å"Desdemona was half the wooer† which means that she did half of the chasing. There is also a rebuttal of the accusation of witchcraft from Brabantio, as he believed that Desdemona â€Å"feared to look upon him†. Shakespeare uses a number of tragic elements in order to both shock and excite the audience. These include the Hamartia, Hubris, soliloquy and domestic tragedy. These are incorporated amongst the language in which the dialogue is written and also has a lot to do with the actors chosen to portray the roles of each character as each has their own flaw or quirk. Shakespeare incorporates these in numerous ways but most cleverly with Iago.

A View on Censorship and the Government essays

A View on Censorship and the Government essays The censorship of music and other forms of entertainment by the government have long been the topic of discussion among social and political circles. Some forms of censorship such as warning labels for parents can be helpful. However the censorship of music is just not right, and the government has no right to do so. All too often the government gets on a self righteous feeling and thinks that it is its right to control what goes in or out of this so called free nations minds. Censorship in music falls into one of those categories in which the American people and the American government, which is supposed to be a representation of the people, have extremely conflicting ideas on the subject. Some say that the government should regulate the music industry. They say that the American people dont know what is best for them as a whole. Their proof is in the increase in violence, crime, Unadulterated sex and other taboos that have been on the rise in recent years. There are those that say that the government should only slightly be involved. These are the proponents of warning labels and the like, and that is about the extent of what they want the government to interfere with. The remainder generally says that the government has no right infringing on entertainment at all. They say that the government does not have the right to decide what the people can or cannot see, read, or listen to. Most of those who are of the opinion to let government help regulate the entertainment industries take the all too familiar tragic occurrence at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado as proof of their position. On April 20, 1999, two students interred the school and killed twelve other students, a teacher, and then themselves, and set the media and the entertainment worlds ablaze. The two killers were said by their peers to be avid fans of Marilyn Manson, and were even said to almost ...

Battle of Kadesh - Ancient Egypt

Battle of Kadesh - Ancient Egypt Battle of Kadesh - Conflict Date: The Battle of Kadesh was fought in 1274, 1275, 1285, or 1300 BC during the conflicts between the Egyptians and Hittite Empire. Armies Commanders Egypt Ramses IIapprox. 20,000 men Hittite Empire Muwatalli IIapprox. 20,000-50,000 men Battle of Kadesh - Background: In response to waning Egyptian influence in Canaan and Syria, Pharaoh Ramses II prepared to campaign in the region during the fifth year of his reign. Though this area had been secured by his father, Seti I, it had slipped back under the influence of the Hittite Empire. Gathering an army at his capital, Pi-Ramesses, Ramses divided it into four divisions dubbed Amun, Ra, Set, and Ptah. To support this force, he also recruited a force of mercenaries which were dubbed the Nearin or Nearin. Marching north, the Egyptian divisions traveled together while the Nearin were assigned to secure the port of Sumur. Battle of Kadesh - Misinformation: Opposing Ramses was the army of Muwatalli II which was encamped near Kadesh. In an effort to deceive Ramses, he planted two nomads in the path of the Egyptian advance with false information regarding the armys location and shifted his camp behind the city to east. Taken by the Egyptians, the nomads informed Ramses that the Hittite army was far away in the land of Aleppo. Believing this information, Ramses sought to seize the opportunity to capture Kadesh before the Hittites could arrive. As a result, he raced ahead with the Amun and Ra divisions, dividing his forces. Battle of Kadesh - The Armies Clash: Arriving north of the city with his bodyguard, Ramses was soon joined by the Amun division which established a fortified camp to await the arrival of the Ra division which was marching in from the south. While here, his troops captured two Hittite spies who, after being tortured, revealed the true location of Muwatallis army. Angered that his scouts and officers had failed him, he issued orders summoning the remainder of the army. Seeing an opportunity, Muwatalli ordered the bulk of his chariot force to cross the Orontes River south of Kadesh, and attack the approaching Ra division. As they departed, he personally led a reserve chariot force and infantry north of the city to block possible escape routes in that direction. Caught in the open while in a marching formation, the troops of the Ra division were quickly routed by the attacking Hittites. As the first survivors reached the Amun camp, Ramses realized the severity of the situation and dispatched his vizier to hurry the Ptah division. Having routed the Ra and cut off the Egyptians line of retreat, the Hittite chariots swung north and assaulted the Amun camp. Crashing through the Egyptian shield wall, his men drove Ramses troops back. With no alternative available, Ramses personally led his bodyguard in a counterattack against the enemy. While the bulk of the Hittite attackers paused to loot the Egyptian camp, Ramses succeeded in driving off an enemy chariot force to the east. In the wake of this success, he was joined by the arriving Nearin which swarmed into the camp and succeeded in driving out the Hittites who retreated towards Kadesh. With the battle turning against him, Muwatalli elected push forward his chariot reserve but held back his infantry. As the Hittite chariots moved towards the river, Ramses advanced his forces east to meet them. Assuming a strong position on the west bank, the Egyptians were able to prevent the Hittite chariots from forming and advancing at attack speed. Despite this, Muwatalli ordered six charges against the Egyptian lines all of which were turned back. As evening approached, the lead elements of the Ptah division arrived on the field threatening the Hittite rear. Unable to break through Ramses lines, Muwatalli elected to fall back. Battle of Kadesh - Aftermath: While some sources suggest that the Hittite army entered Kadesh, it is likely that the bulk retreated towards Aleppo. Reforming his battered army and lacking supplies for a long siege, Ramses elected to withdraw towards Damascus. Casualties for the Battle of Kadesh are not known. Though a tactical victory for the Egyptians the battle proved a strategic defeat as Ramses had failed to capture Kadesh. Returning to their respective capitals, both leaders declared victory. The struggle between the two empires would continue to rage for over a decade until concluded by one of the worlds first international peace treaties. Selected Sources HistoryNet: Battle of KadeshTour Egypt: Battle of KadeshHistory of War: Battle of Kadesh

Animation Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Animation Question - Essay Example The squash will make a bouncing ball appear deformed although the nature and shape will remain the same after the squashing action. The principles of stretch and squash would make the scene appear more appealing to the audience. The principles make transitions between different parts of the play appear attractive and smoother (Loose 1). When a human character is thrown he/she would strive hard to stop falling. Perhaps he or she would spread hands, widen his mouth and probably make some bitter sounds but eventually land on the ground. On the other hand, a briefcase is a concrete object and possibly would neither stretch nor squash very much. It may open while falling or break upon reaching the ground. An umbrella is lighter and probably when thrown it may pop open while descending and stretch thus reducing the pace at which they fall. The umbrella may then flip inside out and I acceleration would increase hence triggering squashing and stretching as it lands. A flowerpot may separate from the organic flower as it stretches and probably squashes upon making an impact with the ground. Bowling balls are weighty and made of compact solid material hence will have both low stretch and squash. Therefore, the effects of falling would not be clearly evident on the bowling balls since they are had. The most squash and stretch is seen when a football is thrown from the window. The air in an inflated football makes the stretch even greater as the ball comes down and severe squash during impact with the

Employer-employee relations in Coca-cola Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Employer-employee relations in Coca-cola - Essay Example Scholars have noted that proper relation contributes positively towards realization of organizational goals. As such, this essay will outline the reasons as to why conflicts occur between employers and their employees and some of the manner that the conflicts can be resolved. In so doing, the research will center the argument on Coca Cola Company as a case study. Thus, the essay will highlight some of the different strategies used to avoid the occurrence of conflicts in the organization. The coca-cola company is one of the largest producers of non-alcoholic beverages and branded in over 200 countries in different continents like Europe, Australia, Africa, N. America, and India. The popular drinks made by the multi-national corporation sold in various brands, which serve the diversified human tastes and preferences (Cant, 2006: 12). The company acts as a retailer, marketer and is the main manufacturer of the drinks. It also has a separate bottling plant that works together with the pr oduction plant. With its continued growth, the coca-cola company has provided jobs to people allover the globe and as a result reducing the unemployment levels (Fernando, 2010:517). In employment, all institutions should create proper employer-employee relations to ensure that there exist mutual benefits between the two. The coca-cola company being a multi-national corporation and with greater interactions with employees has to establish proper relations with the public also (Mansbach and Rhodes, 2009: 231). This has led to the formulation of policies aimed at governing their worker-employer relations to a healthier and legally regulated one (Daniels, 2006: 76). Some of the enacted policies have different issues that may affect employment like child labour, discrimination, working hours, and wages, Freedom of association and collective bargaining, safety and health of workers at the workplace, and on forced labour (Jack, 2008: 278). By adhering to these policies, coca-cola encourage s other organizations to apply the same for success. Some of the policies are quite encouraging to employees and inspire them towards putting the best of efforts in production (Blyton and Turnbull, 2004: 423). The company also recognizes the community as another vital factor promoting the organization’s success. The community consists of the consumers, employees, and retailers at the grass root level. It also acts as part of the stakeholders in the corporation and hence this details the need why the organization needs to establish proper relations with the community (Cant, 2006: 13). They at some point seem irrelevant, but their presence is necessary. Through fostering the conditions at the community level, the corporation has significantly helped raise the people’s living standards and resulting to economic growth (Koekemoer, and Bird, 2004: 37). The coca-cola company has integrated with the communities at different levels in an attempt to eliminate poverty, empower t he society, and giving financial support to some community projects (Gillespie and Hennessey, 2011: 101). The employees in the coca-cola company though given the best of environments for production purposes also come across challenging factors in their employer employee relations. For instance, several cases have been filed in court for allegations of misunderstandings between the employer and the employee and even severally discriminations from getting opportunities in the job market (Hollinshead, Nicholls, and Tailby, 2003: 245). The publicity of such allegations tarnishes the image of the organization before the public. The misunderstandings may be due to failure of