Identification, Properties, And Synthesis Of An Unknown...

Project 11: Identification, Properties, and Synthesis of an Unknown Ionic Compound Jacqueline Parker Chemistry 101 Laboratory, Section 10 Instructor: Xiaoyan Yang September 28, 2015 My signature indicates that this document represents my own work. Outside of shared data, the information, thoughts and ideas are my own except as indicated in the references. In addition I have not given aid to another student on this assignment. Discussion of Results The primary goal of this laboratory is to correctly identify an unknown substance. To achieve this task, one may use various tests that reveal both chemical and physical properties of a substance. By comparing the results of a known substance and the unknown substance, one may eliminate alternative possibilities and more accurately predict the undisclosed compound. Furthermore, by performing these tests, data can be collected and verified regarding chemical and physical properties of the unknown. Understanding the chemical properties of a known substance aids one’s understanding of the unknown based on comparative analysis of the results of the tests. In reference to the analysis of anions, Table 1 shows that a precipitate was formed when our unknown was combined with HNO3 and AgNO3, thus indicating the presence of a chloride ion. Because our unknown did not form a precipitate due to HCl and BaCl2, separate, effervesce, or smell, we concluded that neither sulfate, nitrate, carbonate norShow MoreRelatedAn Investigation into the Identification, Properties, and Synthesis of an Unknown Ionic Compound 1160 Words   |  5 Pagesmethods used in the identification, investigation of properties, and synthesis of an unknown compound. The compound was identified as calcium nitrate by a variety of tests. When the compound was received, it was already known to be one of twelve possible ionic compounds. The flame test identified the presence of the calcium anion in the compound. The compound tested positive for the nitrate cation using the iron sulfate test. At this point it was hypothesized that the compound was calcium nitrateRead MoreO rganometallic Reactions : Identification Of An Unknown Bromide1317 Words   |  6 PagesREACTIONS: IDENTIFICATION OF AN UNKNOWN BROMIDE (Preparative) Introduction The first purpose of the lab was to prepare an unknown organomagnesium bromide, an organometallic reagent, reacting an unknown aryl bromide with magnesium in anhydrous ether. The unknown was chosen from a predetermined list of benzoic acid derivatives with varying molecular weights and melting points (see Supplement C). The second purpose of this lab was to prepare an unknown carboxylic acid by reacting the unknown aryl-magnesiumRead MoreChemical Reactions And Synthesis Of Organic Compounds2395 Words   |  10 PagesOrganic chemistry is the complexity of natural compounds. It is applied to the production of mundane objects that include: plastics, polymers, soaps, detergents and drugs. Such compounds of organic chemistry involve the identification, modelling, chemical reactions and synthesis – it initiates the concept of design implemented in organic compounds (Helmenstine A, 2014). An example of an organic compound is the product of organic drugs in which are manipulated behi nd the chemistry of its design. ARead MoreSleuth your slurry2119 Words   |  9 Pagesshows that when presented with an unknown chemical substance, identification of that substance is revealed through a seires of tests that involve chemical and physical properties of that substance. Problem: You are given an unknown chemical substance that you need to be able to identify. How are you going to do this? The compound can be either harmful or toxic, so what you need to do is test all of its physical and chemical properties, and then find out the synthesis of the substance. QualitativeRead MoreCell Biology Final Essay30093 Words   |  121 PagesC) amino acids can polymerize into polypeptides. D) nucleotides can polymerize into nucleic acids. 7. Organisms that evolved the ability to use H2O as a donor of electrons and hydrogen for the photosynthesis conversion of CO2 to organic compounds radically changed Earth by producing A) sugar. B) cellulose. -C) O2. D) H2. 8. RNA is believed to have been the initial genetic system because it can A) form a stable double helix with a complementary nucleic acid strand. -B) catalyzeRead MoreSocm Study Guide Essay30404 Words   |  122 Pagessmallest stable unit of matter. Element – all of the atoms with the same atomic number; also an element can not be broken down by heating or other physical means. 2 Describe the different ways in which atoms combine to form molecules and compounds. Ionic bonds – anions and cat ions are held together by the attraction between + and – charges Covalent bond – a chemical bond between atoms that involves the sharing of electrons Single Covalent bond – sharing of one pair of electrons DoubleRead MoreAbstract Nuclear Medicine: Radiopharmacology12701 Words   |  51 PagesNuclear Medicine (NM) is a branch or specialty of medicine that uses radionuclides and relies on the process of radioactive decay in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Elemental radionuclides are combined with other elements to form chemical compounds to form radiopharmaceuticals (or RPs). In NM imaging, RPs are taken internally and, then, external detectors capture and form images from the emitted radiation by the RPs. There are several techniques of diagnosis: scintigraphy (for 2D images), SPECTRead MoreThe Extraction of Pectin from Orange Peels13647 Words   |  55 Pages- - - - - - x CHAPTER ONE 1. Introduction - - - - - - 1-3 1.2 Objectives and Scope - - - - - 4 CHAPTER TWO 2.0 Literature Review - - - - - - 5 2.1 Historical development of the production of pectin - 5-7 2.2 Chemical and physical properties of pectin - - 7 2.2.1 Enzymes present in peptic substance - - - 8 2.2.2 Acetyl groups in pectin - - - - -- - 8-9 2.2.3 Degradation of pectin under Alkaline or Acidic condition 9 2.2.4 Solubility of pectin - - - -- - - 9-10 2.2.5 Viscosity of pectin

Europe and Its Foreign Policy - 4212 Words

Mariaclara Ingrid Ludovici EU relations with the world Nowadays, the EU has adopted a foreign policy that has been modified and improved over time thanks to a series of treaties. It has been introduced to maintain EU values, interests, independence, and integrity of the Union. EU foreign and security policy has the aim of strengthening the Union’s security by keeping peace and promoting cooperation, democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights. It is connected with four main aspects: trade, foreign direct investment, development, and monetary policy. Other fundamental factors related to it are the increasing process of enlargement and cooperation, and international relations. Those elements have been introduced to built†¦show more content†¦There, EU Member States and other nations sent around 400 troops. That was the first time in which the EU led a military mission (A Guide for Americans, 26). However, in order to better understand and explain how Europe approaches foreign policies, it is appropriate to consider some diplomats’ thoughts exanimating international relations in the twenty-first century, such as Cooper with his liberal vision. He thinks that there are three types of states in the world, and the way in which they are classified depends on how they deal with each other. In the world there are countries without fully functioning states that are called â€Å"pre-modern,† nation states dealing with territorial sovereignty and national interest, known as â€Å"modern† states, and then countries whose foreign and domestic policy are deeply connected, governance means are shared, and the control of territory and of power is not the only method to keep security. This last kind of state is called â€Å"post-modern.† Through this distinction, Cooper also confronts the United States and Europe’s different approaches. The U.S. is more heg emonic, and seeking for control, also military if necessary. Europe, instead, has a more defensive attitude, and more compatible with human rights and cosmopolitan values. These characteristics makeShow MoreRelatedThe Outbreak of War in Europe in 1914 Was Due to an Aggressive Foreign Policy Which Had Been Waged Since 1900 Century’ How Far Do You Agree with This Opinion? Use Sources V, W and X and Your Own Knowledge of the Issues Relating to the Controversy847 Words   |  4 Pages‘The outbreak of war in Europe in 1914 was due to an aggressive foreign policy which had been waged since 1900 Century’ How far do you agree with this opinion? Use Sources V, W and X and your own knowledge of the issues relating to the controversy There has been much historiographical debate over the controversy of â€Å"who bore chief responsibility† on who was solely to blame for the outbreak of war. The Treaty of Versailles is significant evidence to display how Germany was forced onto the conclusionRead MoreAmerican Foreign Policy Since World War 21395 Words   |  6 PagesBackground to U.S Foreign Policy In their book American Foreign Policy since World War 2, Steven W. Hook, and John Spanier take a historical look at American foreign policy. Since its independence, all through to the start of the 20th century, the United States had a policy of detachment. This was rooted in the believe that Europe, the only other meaningful powerful in the world in the 18th and 19th century, had intrinsic issues related to feudism that kept the continent in a constant state ofRead MoreThe Truman Doctrine Was A United States Foreign Policy1574 Words   |  7 PagesThe Truman Doctrine was a United States foreign policy established by President Harry S. Truman (1945-1953) in 1947. The policy stated that the US would provide military and financial support to Greece and Turkey to prevent them from falling to communism. This started a policy of â€Å"containment† which would persist for many years to come. After World War II left most of the world devastated, the US and the Soviet Union emerged a s the two global superpowers and despite being allies during the war, theRead MoreWoodrow Wilson s Impact On The World And Foreign Relations With Progressive Ideals1109 Words   |  5 PagesWoodrow Wilson saw the end of the Great War as an opportunity to attempt to remake the World and foreign relations with progressive ideals. His ultimate goal was to establish permanent global peace and international cooperation among a concert of democratic nations. Wilsonianism would greatly impact modern era Presidents’ Foreign policy attempts to influence the world in the twentieth and twenty first centuries. Specifically, after World War II during the Cold War the U.S. was instrumental in theRead MoreThe Effectiveness of Napoleon IIIs Foreign Policy Essay1050 Words   |  5 Pagesof Napoleon IIIs Foreign Policy In general terms, Napoleons foreign policy was much less successful than his domestic policy was. Generally speaking, the aims of his foreign policy were to present France as the champion of oppressed people throughout Europe, to create new countries, which would be grateful to France, to maintain good relation with Britain and to maintain a balance of power between Austria and Prussia. Napoleons foreign policy was shown effectiveRead MoreEssay on U.S. Foreign Policy and Latin America1138 Words   |  5 PagesDuring the Cold War, the US invaded Latin America, Asia, and partly Europe. They used sneaky methods and propaganda to achieve their goals. At this time, in the Cold War, they were very devious and tactical in their mission. The US foreign Policy at that time was all about defeating Communism and keeping the balance of power in it’s favor but most importantly, for US’s own economic interest. Generally, the US foreign policy concerning Latin America was of course for the US own benefit. If theRead MoreThe Truman Doctrine1364 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Foreign Policy during the Cold War On March 12, 1947, President Harry S. Truman defined United States foreign policy in the context of its new role as a world superpower. Many historians consider his speech to Congress as the words that officially started the Cold War. The Truman Doctrine was a major break from U.S. historical trends of isolationist foreign policy. His speech led to the Cold War policy of containment. Moreover, it served as a precedent for future U.S. policy of interventionismRead MoreThe Cold War Was A State Of Political And Military Conflict1547 Words   |  7 PagesThe Cold War was a state of political and military conflict that tested the vigor and fortitude of a multitude of United States presidents. Throughout the Cold War, various different strategies and foreign policies were tried and tested by US presidents. However, the environment in which these policies operated in did not stay consistent. Correspondingly, the Soviet Union’s potency fluctuated consistently, meaning that during som e periods the â€Å"Red Scare† was not nearly as threatening as others. TheRead MoreThe Cold War And The Soviet Union1122 Words   |  5 PagesCommunist friendly governments throughout Eastern Europe. The spread of Communism in Eastern Europe created a division between Eastern and Western Europe called the Iron Curtain. Stalin also unsuccessfully attempted to drive American, French and Britain forces out of the German city Berlin, thus creating even more tension between the Soviet Union and the West. These series of moves made by Stalin following World War II dramatically altered the West policies towards Communism and was the beginning ofRead MoreU.s Foreign Policy During The Nineteenth Century1226 Words   |  5 PagesU.S foreign policy Through the nineteenth century, America concentrated on conquering the West from the Natives, and to remain in isolation from the foreign sectors of the world. Once industrialized and more robust, it began looking for markets and colonies overseas. U.S foreign was designed to secure and open the door for trading internationally. More importantly foreign policy secure alliance and defense to protect its national interests around the world.. Initially, U.S foreign policy had great

Business Personal Development and Career Plan free essay sample

They will need to be realistic and know how to focus on priorities. This will allow them to develop | |strategies based on realistic and measurable targets to meet their developmental needs. Learners will need to look ahead to create medium term | |(five years) projections for their career plan. | | | |The unit introduces learners to the concept of continuing professional development. This will give them an understanding of the process of | |lifelong learning and enable them to look beyond the boundaries of a short-term plan. On completion of the unit, learners will have developed a| |realistic picture of their career possibilities. | | |Professional Context/Summary of Assignment | | | |You are a completing your own Career Development portfolio as part of your ‘Next Steps’ at Abingdon and Witney College. Completion of this | |portfolio will help you to plan for your next course or employment and will address issues such as how do I get there? What other | |qualifications or skills do I need to be able to do this job? | | | |The assignment will also run alongside Unit 13 Recruitment and Selection which students are covering during Terms 1 and 2 and benefits will be | |gained from these running concurrently. We will write a custom essay sample on Business: Personal Development and Career Plan or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page | | |Assignment – Career Development Planning in Business | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |TASK 1 (P1/2/3/4/5/6 as well as M1/2/3) | | | |This task requires you to undertake individual research and make informed decisions regarding short term and medium term career planning | |objectives. | | | |To achieve a pass for this unit you must submit an individual Career Development Portfolio (CDP). You must also create a blog which you will | |update each Friday during your workshop – the blog will include research undertaken and how your planning is changing based on the research | |which you are carrying out. | | |Your CDP must contain all the following elements:- | | | | | |Front cover, contents page and page numbers | | | | | |Introduction | | | | | |Current skills audit | |Mind map illustrating what skills you have and how you are going to develop them to the appropriate level | |2 x observation sheets with examples of you achieving them | | | | | | A description and comparison of all sources of careers related information used to inform your career decision | | | | | |A personal SWOT analysis related to your chosen career | | | | | |Personal career objectives for both the short term (2yrs) and medium term (5yrs) i. e. SMART | | | | | |Details of the continuous professional development needed for your chosen career | | | | | |A reflection on how useful a skills audit is in informing your career decisions | | | | | | | |Conclusion | | | | | |Appendix 1 A week by week reflective learning blog charting your initial careers thoughts, research and decision making (Mahara journal) | | | | | |Appendix 2 – Examples of careers related information relevant to your chosen short and long term targets | | | | | |Appendix 3 – Up to date curriculum vitae | | | | | | | |To achieve a merit for this unit you must include analysis of the information which you are including – its relevance to your career planning,| |how it will help you achieve your targets and goals, assessment of importance and relevance to your short and medium term career development | |plans (more help with this in the tips table below). | | |To be handed in by: Friday 14th December 2012 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |TASK 2 | | | | | | | |D1 | |You are to write a report which evaluates the process which you have undertaken and how far you believe you have come in achieving your | |planned objectives of your career plan. You need to reflect on your research and the progress that you have made with your career plan. You | |should be able to identify any changes in the plan, any progress you have made in achieving your targets and any difficulties that you have | |encountered and how these have been overcome. You also need to evaluate the impact that these developments are having on your short-term plan| |and identify any impact on your medium-term career plan. You also need to reflect on your own skills audit and your research into continuing | |professional development you are likely to undertake in the early years of your career. | | | |Tip | |Assess your experiences and the processes that you have been involved with in developing your plan. For example, setting and meeting targets,| |making adjustments, conducting research, compiling and sifting information in order to inform your career choice. You should be able to | |assess the link between short term and medium term career planning, highlighting any issues that may impact on these two stages of your plan. | | |D1 to be handed in by: Friday 21st December 2012 | | | |TASK 3 | | | | | | | | | |D2 | |You are to write a report which evaluates your own development of transferable business skills. To achieve D2, you will need to reflect on | |your plans for developing your transferable business skills. You will need to provide evidence of achievement or work in progress and this | |should be developed to the appropriate level, as identified in the career plan. You will also need to provide an evaluation of your progress | |against the targets in your career plan, linking achievements to success criteria. Where appropriate, this will include an evaluation of the | |impact that lack of progress will have on your short- and medium-term plans. | | | |Tip | |Refer back to the reflective learning blog you completed for Task 1 and reflect on your research and the progress that you have made with your| |personal career objectives. Identify any changes in the plan, any progress you have made in achieving targets and any difficulties that you | |have encountered and how these have been overcome. Evaluate the impact that these developments are having on your plan in the short and | |medium term. | | | |D2 to be handed in by: Friday 21st December 2012 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |USEFUL INFORMATION | | | |Please refer to Moodle for links to useful web sites and information to help you complete the tasks. | | | |The following table is also useful for you to check that you have included all required elements of your portfolio to satisfy the assessment | |criteria for the unit. | | |Grading Criteria | |Tip | | | | | |Front cover, contents page and page numbers | | | |Present your portfolio in a bound folder or file with a proper title page and table of contents. | | | |Introduction Your introduction needs to establish what the portfolio is about and provide a summary as to wha t will follow. | | | | |P3/P5/M3 | |Current skills audit | | | |You will need to examine your current skills profile by the production of a skills audit table. Ensure you include the three Functional | |Skills of IT, numeracy and literacy and link your qualifications in this area to the levels of the National Qualifications Framework. What | |other skills have you gained from your college work (e. g. team working, time-management) AND from employment or voluntary activities? Your | |skills audit MUST include your current level according to Skills For Life | | | |Your audit must also provide evidence that you have achieved or are working towards skills that are at an appropriate level for your future. | | | |For P5 you need to map out how you intend to develop your transferable business skills at the appropriate level. The development of some | |skills may be measurable through qualification levels, for example functional skills. Other skills may only be measurable through observation | |and may require you to gather a range of evidence. For example, tutor observation sheets or work experience feedback on the development of | |time management skills. | | | |For M3, you will need to demonstrate that you are aware of how you can progress in developing your transferable business skills. For example, | |if you needed to upgrade your IT skills, you should be able to assess the available options to determine which best fit your personal | |circumstances. These could be through ICT functional skills, IT modules or online courses. You will need to assess the suitability of options | |in line with your career plan and then pursue the chosen options. Evidence of progress / research must be recorded in your portfolio. | | | | | |P1/M1 | |A description and comparison of all sources of careers related information used to inform your career decision | | | |You must access a wide range of information and not just via the internet. To make an informed career decision you may need to access books | |in the careers library, have an appointment with the Connexions advisor, talk to friends relatives, obtain job packs and company | |information. The information you describe should be in detail and not just a list. | | | |To achieve M1 you must link your research to the skills gaps identified in your skills audit (P3). You must demonstrate that you have | |researched and assessed the viability of achieving your development needs. Your projections must be realistic and You must show that these | |options are achievable within the medium-term (5 yrs) framework of your career plan. | | | | | | | | |P2 | |A personal SWOT analysis related to your chosen career which feeds into your initial career plan | | | |Describe what a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities threats) analysis is and then produce your own personal SWOT analysis in table | |form. | | | |The career plan will be a working document, and may be subjec t to change as you carry out research into your original career choices. |(remember that short term is two years and the medium term is five years) | | | | | |P4/M2 | |Personal career objectives for both the short term (2yrs) and medium term (5yrs) i. e. SMART | | | |What are your short term and medium career objectives? All targets must have success criteria linked to them and also feed from your initial | |career plan which you have created in P2. | | |What are SMART targets and how can they help you achieve your short term and medium term career objectives? Produce a table of SMART targets | |(specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound) for the short and medium term. | | | |To achieve M2 you need to be aware of the importance of setting realistic SMART targets, which are measurable, by setting appropriate success | |criteria. You will need to demonstrate that you are managing progress towards meeting your targets effectively. This will involve time | |management s kills. Targets may be self-generated or come from you 1:1 reviews. You must maintain an on-going record which reflects your | |progress – update your blog with this information. | | | | | |P6 | |Details of the continuous professional development needed for your chosen career | | | |What is meant by the term ‘continuous professional development’ and why is it important in career planning? | | |Write or produce a table identifying the continuous professional development that is required for your chosen career (short and medium term). | | | | | |P1/M1 | |Conclusion | | | |Draw a thoughtful conclusion from all the research and work you have undertaken to complete this portfolio. Has completing the portfolio | |confirmed a career direction for you or has it made you consider something totally different? How useful has the process of compiling this | |portfolio been? | | | | |ALL Criteria | |Appendix 1 A week by week reflective learning blog charting your initial careers thou ghts, research and decision making | | | |Your blog should commence at week 1 with your current career plans and thoughts. Update your blog each week and reflect on the activities you| |have undertaken. Has a particular activity e. g. the skills audit, made you think of a different career direction? Are you going to have to | |make changes to your college or personal life in order to achieve your SMART targets? How are you going to manage your targets from a time | |management perspective? | | | | |P2/P4/P6 | |Appendix 2 – Examples of careers related information relevant to your chosen short and long term targets | | | |Include a range of information, not just information from the internet. If you have a meeting with a careers advisor, or you talk to a family | |member about possible careers submit this as a short typed ‘meeting summary’. You may wish to include information from professional | |associations e. g. The Institute of Marketing or from company job pac ks. | | | | |P4 | |Appendix 3 – Up to date curriculum vitae | | | |The CV should be up to date and include any new employment or transferable skills gained since you submitted the CV for the Unit 13 | |Recruitment Selection module. | | | | | | | | |Evidence Required for : Unit 15 – Career Development Planning in Business | |Portfolio of evidence/ Reports / Web pages (screenshots) / Presentations / Blog | | | | |Student: On submission of this assignment, please sign to confirm that| | |this is all your own work and any references have been suitably | | |credited. | | | |Date | |Signature of Assessor | | | | | | | | | | |Internal Verifier Name | | | | |Date | |Signature of Internal Verifier | | | | | | | | | |Assessment and grading criteria Unit 15 – Career Development Planning in Business | P1 – identify sources of information related to the career path P2 – complete a career plan identifying their development needs P3 – carry out a skills audit to identify skills gap P4 – create SMART targets for the career plan P5 – demonstrate transferable business skills P6 discuss methods of continuing professional development and training relevant to the career plan. M1 assess methods of achieving development needs within the timeframe of the career plan M2 monitor and audit progress towards targets using appropriate success criteria M3 assess ways of achieving the level and types of transferable business skills needed for the career plan. D1 – evaluate the distance travelled in achieving the planned objectives of the career plan D2 – evaluate own development of transferable business skills

Auditing and Assurance Shareholders of Business

Question: Discuss about the Auditing and Assurance for Shareholders of Business. Answer: 1. Main requirements of ASA 700 on audit opinion and auditor report There are different parties which make use of the financial statements of a company like its shareholders, creditors and potential investors. These three entities do not take part in the management of the company directly but they have an interest in the financial performance of the company. They rely on the information given in the audited financial statements to make many business decisions (Turner et al., 2010). There are regulatory bodies in Australia which have made it mandatory for companies to prepare their financial statements in accordance with the Australian Accounting Standards. The companies are required by law to get their financial statements audited by outside auditors and the released financial statements of companies also contain auditors report in which the auditor expresses its audit opinion regarding the financial statements (Caanz, 2016). The auditor forms an audit opinion on the basis of the conclusions drawn by the person after examining the audit evidence. In this case the audit evidence consists of a sample of accounting entries made in the accounting records of the company and also any other document of the company collected by the auditor. An auditor would express in the audit opinion whether the financial statements of the company contain any material misstatements or not. In this case material misstatements are those which are significant enough to influence the economic decisions of the users of the financial statements. The auditor would express in auditors report whether the financial statements of the company have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the financial reporting framework which is applicable in the country. The companies have to keep a record of their business transactions according to certain accounting standards (Loftus et al., 2016). Moreover the auditor would mention in its report whether all the disclosures of information as required by law has been made in the financial statements. Further the auditor would give whether all the relevant information is contained in the financial statements and they have been prepared by following consistent accounting policies which have been mentioned by the company. The auditor would mention in its report if the accounting estimates made by the company are reasonable and the structure of the financial statements conforms to the requirements of the regulating bodies. The auditor would also give an assessment of the company as a go ing concern (Xu et al., 2011). If there are any significant risks that endanger the existence of the company in near future, the auditor would mention them. Further the auditor would mention in its report whether there are sufficient internal controls in the company to safeguard its assets and prevent frauds. A mention of audit risks would also be made in the report. There are two major types of audit opinions, namely modified and unmodified opinion. An unmodified audit opinion by an auditor indicates that the financial statements of the company do not contain any material misstatements and they comply with all the requirements given in the financial framework as required by the regulating body of the government. A modified opinion can be of three types (Smallbusiness.chron.com, 2016). In the first case a modified opinion is given when auditor finds that financial statements contain material misstatements but they are not pervasive. In other words there is something wrong with a particular accounting item but rest of the accounting records are correct. In the second case the auditor would give a disclaimer of an opinion when the scope of the audit has imposed certain limitations on the auditors capacity or there are certain uncertainties relating to the business of the company. In the third case the auditor gives an adverse opinion when the compa ny has not followed the accounting standards in accounting for business transactions or committed irregularities which could be the result of a fraud. This kind of audit opinion is given when there are material misstatements in the financial statements and they are also pervasive or widespread. Audit opinion in case of Connor Company As given in the case, Connor Company was having problem in paying debts during the year. The company was paying its creditors by using bank overdraft. Now the bank wants repayment of bank draft within a month. The company is not able to procure additional funds as its cash flows do not cover its debts. In this case if the company is not able to pay its bank overdraft, the bank can initiate process for demanding winding up of the company in court of law (Accaglobal.com, 2016). Thus there exist adequate conditions that put in danger the continuance of the company as a going concern. In this case the directors and management of the company are required by law to make an assessment whether or not there are material uncertainties that put in doubt the ability of the company to continue as a going concern in a report in the financial statement. As becomes clear from the given details there are material uncertainties that threaten the continuation of the company as a going concern. If the financial statements of the company have been prepared on a going concern basis and the auditor feels that adoption of going concern assumption, that is, the claim that firm would continue in future with no problems or risks threatening its existence, by the management, is inappropriate, the auditor would express an adverse opinion. Audit opinion in case of local Australian company The Australian accounting standards lay down that cost of inventories should be determined by the Australian companies using FIFO method (Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand, 2016). In the given case the local Australian company which has an American parent company has used the LIFO method for ascertaining cost of inventories. In other words the given local company has not followed the accounting standard it needs to follow under the Australian law. Moreover, the cost of goods sold and ending inventory would differ in cases where FIFO and LIFO are used and the prices of materials or inventories are rising or falling continuously (Accounting Tools, 2016). Thus profit shown in the financial statements would also differ under the two methods. In FIFO it is assumed that inventories are sold or used in the order they arrive. The inventories that come first are used first. Under LIFO the inventories which have arrived in the company recently are used first. As the given company has used LIFO instead of FIFO there would be material impact on the financial statements which would not show the true picture of the financial positions and performance of the company as required by the financial reporting framework in Australia. Therefore the auditor would give an adverse audit opinion in its audit report. Audit opinion in case of Victorian Manufacturing Company The financial statements of Victorian Manufacturing Company contain misstatements which are material in nature. The auditor would give an adverse audit opinion in its audit report. According to the accounting standards laid down by the Australian Accounting Standards Board which Australian companies have to follow, the asset like plant and machinery are to be shown or carried in the balance sheet at their original cost at which they were acquired less accumulated depreciation (Aasb.gov.au, 2016). Another method is revaluation model where the fair value of the asset is determined through an appraisal done by a professionally qualified person. This fair value is determined after collecting information about the prevailing market price of the asset. The asset is shown at this fair value in the balance sheet and any subsequent depreciation is deducted. If this method is followed revaluation of the asst takes place at reasonable intervals of time. But as becomes apparent Victorian Manufac turing Company has not followed either of the above two methods for arriving at the value of factories that should have been shown in its balance sheet. Thus the auditor would give an adverse opinion in its audit report. 2. Internal control weaknesses in Adel Manufacturing Company The following are the internal control weaknesses in the procedures of Adel manufacturing company. Firstly, it is given that when a worker is hired by the foreman of Adel manufacturing company, the worker gives an income tax installment declaration form to the foreman. The foreman of the company writes in the corner of the income tax declaration forms given by the hired workers about their hourly rates of pay and then sends these forms to the pay roll clerk (Indigenous Business Australia, 2016). This is inadequate procedure. The foreman in this case is not left with any record of the workers that the individual has hired. There might be a case when all the income declaration forms of workers do not reach the pay roll clerk or the individual loses some of these forms. In this case the company would have no records of those workers left. Secondly, the foreman writes the hourly rate of pay of a worker hired in the corner of the income declaration form given by the worker and sends it to the pay roll clerk. The foreman should also write on the each form that the particular worker has been hired with the specific hourly rate of pay to be paid to the worker. The foreman should put the individuals signature to authorize the recruitment. The foreman should give these details in separate documents signed by the individual and send these documents to the payroll clerk and the senior officer of the payroll department (Romney et al., 2013). At present the foreman is not doing so which is a shortcoming. Thirdly, it is given that workers are free to fill their timesheets and deposit them without any supervision by any official of the company. This is complete lack of control. The workers should fill the time sheets in the presence of a company official and they should not be allowed to carry time sheets with them. The official should check if each worker is filling the times of arrival and departure correctly. Moreover the box in which time sheets are deposited by workers should be looked after by an official of the company so that time sheets do not get lost leading to inadequate records (University Of Washington, 2016). Fourthly, computation of salaries of workers is being done by a junior payroll clerk, which is wrong. The knowledgeable officers of accounts department should compute the salaries on the basis of information received from the personnel department (Hart, Fergus and Wilson, 2012). Fifthly, the chief accountant of the company should fill the cheques that are to be forwarded to workers as compensation after considering the statement showing the computed salaries of the workers as prepared by the accounts officer of the company. At present the payroll clerk is filling details in the checks. This person is very junior official and should not be given the custody of even the blank cheques. Sixthly, cheques are sent by the chief accountant to the foreman for distribution among workers. This is a faulty system. The cheques should be sent to a senior official in the personnel or accounting department other than the foreman and workers should collect their cheques from the individual. Finally, payroll bank account is reconciled by the Chief Accountant who also prepares various tax reports. This work should be done by other officers under the Chief Accountant. As more officials are made responsible for different types of work, for a fraud to happen, collusion of more people would be required. By giving too much work to an individual without any checks by others, a company increases the chances of a fraud or mistake happening (Romney et al., 2013). There can be different tests that can be applied to bring to light the deficiencies in the current procedures being followed by Adel manufacturing company. Firstly, information can be obtained from the payroll clerk and number of information declaration forms of workers that the individual has can be ascertained. Then the foreman would be asked how many workers the individual has hired so far. The foreman might not be having any record or the individual might not even remember the exact number hired by the person. Secondly, the number of time sheets with the payroll clerk can be compared with the actual number of workers in the company as shown by the worker income declaration forms or according to the information given by the foreman. This would indicate if time sheet of any worker is missing. Thirdly the computations of salaries of different workers by the payroll clerk can be checked by an accounts officer to find if the calculations have been done properly (Hart, Fergus, and Wilson, 2012). Fourthly, the amounts filled in the cheques by payroll clerk can be checked by an accounts officer. Fifthly, if a worker does not get a salary and complains to the company this would be an indication that internal controls are inadequate. References Aasb.gov.au (2016) Property, Plant and Equipment AASB 116. Available at: https://www.aasb.gov.au/admin/file/content105/c9/AASB116_07-04_COMPjun09_07-09.pdf (Accessed: 16 September 2016). Accaglobal.com (2016) Audit And Insolvency. Available at: https://www.accaglobal.com/in/en/student/exam-support-resources/professional-exams-study-resources/p7/technical-articles/audit-insolvency.html (Accessed: 16 September 2016). Accounting Tools (2016) FIFO Vs LIFO Accounting. Available at: https://www.accountingtools.com/fifo-vs-lifo-accounting (Accessed: 16 September 2016). Auasb.gov.au (2016) Auditing Standard ASA 700: Forming An Opinion And Reporting On A Financial Report. Available at: https://www.auasb.gov.au/admin/file/content102/c3/ASA_700_2015.pdf (Accessed: 16 September 2016). Caanz, S. (2016). Auditing And Assurance Handbook 2016 Australia. Australia: John Wiley And Sons. Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand (2016) AASB 102 Inventories. Available at: https://www.charteredaccountants.com.au/Industry-Topics/Reporting/Australian-accounting-standards/Analysis-of-AASB-standards/AASB-102--Inventories?standard= (Accessed: 16 September 2016). Hart, J. , Fergus, C. and Wilson, C. (2012) Management Accounting: Principles And Applications. 5th (edn.) Australia: Pearson Australia. Indigenous Business Australia (2016) Payroll Procedures. Available at: https://www.iba.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/Template-Commercial-Capability-Toolkit-Payroll-Procedures.pdf (Accessed: 17 September 2016). Loftus, J. , Leo, K. , Clark, K. , Picker, R. and Wise, V. (2012). Understanding Australian Accounting Standards. Australia: John Wiley And Sons Australia Limited. Rodgers, R. and Lucas, P. (2012). Bookkeeping And Accounting Essentials. Australia: Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited. Romney, M. , Steinbart, P. , Mula, J. , McNamara, R. and Tonkin, T. (2013) Accounting Information Systems. Pearson Australia: Australia. Smallbusiness.chron.com (2016) What Is A Modified Audit Opinion. Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/modified-audit-opinion-26322.html (Accessed: 16 September 2016). Turner, J., Mock, T., Coram, P., and Gray, G. (2010) Improving Transparency and Relevance of Auditor Communications with Financial Statement Users, Current Issues in Auditing, 4(1), pp. A1-A8, [Online]. Available at: https://www.aaajournals.org/doi/abs/10.2308/ciia.2010.4.1.A1 (Accessed: 16 September 2016). University Of Washington (2016) Internal Controls. Available at: https://f2.washington.edu/fm/fr/internal-controls (Accessed: 16 September 2016). Xu, Y. , Jiang, A. , Fargher, N. and Carson, E. (2011) Audit Reports in Australia during the Global Financial Crisis, Australian Accounting Review, 21(1), pp. 22-31, [Online]. Available at : https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1835-2561.2010.00118.x/full (Accessed: 16 September 2016).

The Defeat Of Napoleon In Russia Essays - Russia, French Emperors

The Defeat of Napoleon in Russia The Campaign of 1812 should have been a another crusade for Napoleon, but he now faced 2 new policies that he had never faced before, the severe Russian winter and the notorious scorched-earth policy. On June 23, 1812 Napoleon's Grande Armee, over 500,000 men strong, poured over the Russian border. An equal amount of Russian forces awaited them. The result of the campaign was a surprise. Two authors, General carl von Clausewitz and Brett James, show similarities in reasons why Napoleon had lost this campaign to Russia. Napoleon believed that after a few quick victorious battles, he could convince Alexander to return to the Continental System. He also decided that if he occupied Moscow, the Russian government would crumple and ask for peace. " A single blow delivered at the heart of the Russian Empire, at Moscow the Great, at Moscow the Holy, will ineztly put this whole blind, apathetic mass at my mercy." pg 6, 1812 Napoleon's Defeat in Russia. This was his belief he expressed in March 1812. However, when Napoleon eventually took over Moscow, the Tsar still did not surrender. Napoleon, sent a message to the Tsar, demanding a immediate surrender. However, the Tsar could not surrender because if he did, he would be assassinated by the nobles. Clausewitz replies by saying, " Napoleon was unable to grasp the fact that Alexander would not, could not negotiate. The Tsar knew well that he would be disposed and assassinated if he tried so." pg 256, The Campaign of 1812 in Russia. General Clausewitz said, "Napoleon believed if he defeated the Russian Army and occupied Moscow, the Russian leadership will fall apart and the government would call for peace." pg 253, The Campaign of 1812 in Russia Brett James also agreed that Napoleon's occupation had no result. " The occupation of Napoleon in Moscow did not have a effect on the government." pg 13, 1812 Napoleon's Defeat in Russia With his battle plan set, Napoleon prepared his troops for the attack on Russia. But, Napoleon did not consider the fierce Russian winter which awaited him. According to Ludwig Wilhelm Gottlob Schlosser, a onlooker, he described the army by saying, "The French, down to the lowliest drummer were very fastidious. These poor French devils were not satisfied with less than soup, meat and vegetables, roast, and salad for their midday meal, and there was no sign of their famous frugality. They were completely devoid of the coming winter." pg 13, 1812 Napoleon's Defeat in Russia Napoleon was even warned by General Rapp about the extremities of the oncoming winter in Russia. "The natives say we shall have a severe winter," Napoleon retorted scornfully, " Bah! You and your natives! We shall see how fine it is." pg 147, 1812 Napoleon's Defeat in Russia Napoleon should have heeded Rapp's words. As the Grand Armee marched toward Moscow, many horses and men were lost in the freezing snow, and for those who remained, their morale and effectiveness was at the nadir. General Clausewitz states his point by saying, " With more precaution and better regulations as to subsistence, with more careful consideration of his marches, which would have prevented the unnecessary and enormous accumulation of masses on one and the same road, he would have preserved his army in a more effective condition." pg 255, The Campaign of 1812 in Russia Brett James also shared the same opinion, " Napoleon appeared to have made no effort to discover the facts in Russia, or prepare his troops for it." pg 140, 1812 Napoleon's Defeat in Russia. As Napoleon and his army was making their way to Moscow, they encountered typhus, colds, and dysentery. Even the mighty Napoleon had caught a mild case of the flu. However, his soldiers had received the brunt of the attack. Captain Thomas- Joesph Aubry relives this ordeal, " After this the typhus made appalling inroads in our ranks. We were fourty-three officers in our ward. All of them died, one after the other, and delirious from this dreadful disease, most of them singing, some in Latin, others in German, others again in Italian - and singing psalms, canticles, or the mass." pg 210,

Understanding Communicative Competence

Understanding Communicative Competence The term communicative competence refers to both the tacit knowledge of a language and the ability to use it effectively. Its also called  communication competence, and its the key to social acceptance. The concept of communicative competence (a term coined by linguist Dell Hymes in 1972) grew out of resistance to the concept of linguistic competence introduced by Noam Chomsky. Most scholars now consider linguistic competence to be a part of communicative competence. Examples and Observations Why have so many scholars, from so many fields, studied communicative competence within so many relational, institutional, and cultural contexts? Our hunch is that scholars, as well as the contemporary Western societies in which most live and work, widely accept the following tacit beliefs: (a) within any situation, not all things that can be said and done are equally competent; (b) success in personal and professional relationships depends, in no small part, on communicative competence; and (c) most people display incompetence in at least a few situations, and a smaller number are judged incompetent across many situations.(Wilson and Sabee) By far the most important development in TESOL has been the emphasis on a communicative approach in language teaching (Coste, 1976; Roulet, 1972; Widdowson, 1978). The one thing that everyone is certain about is the necessity to use language for communicative purposes in the classroom. Consequently, the concern for teaching linguistic competence has widened to include communicative competence, the socially appropriate use of language, and the methods reflect this shift from form to function.(Paulston) Hymes on Competence We have then to account for the fact that a normal child acquires knowledge of sentences not only as grammatical, but also as appropriate. He or she acquires competence as to when to speak, when not, and as to what to talk about with whom, when, where, in what manner. In short, a child becomes able to accomplish a repertoire of  speech acts, to take part in speech events, and to evaluate their accomplishment by others. This competence, moreover, is integral with attitudes, values, and motivations concerning language, its features and uses, and integral with competence for, and attitudes toward, the interrelation of language with the other code of communicative conduct.(Hymes) Canale and Swains Model of Communicative Competence In Theoretical Bases of Communicative Approaches to Second Language Teaching and Testing (Applied Linguistics, 1980), Michael Canale and Merrill Swain identified these four components of communicative competence: (i) Grammatical competence includes knowledge of phonology, orthography, vocabulary, word formation and sentence formation.(ii) Sociolinguistic competence includes knowledge of sociocultural rules of use. It is concerned with the learners ability to handle for example settings, topics and communicative functions in different sociolinguistic contexts. In addition, it deals with the use of appropriate grammatical forms for different communicative functions in different sociolinguistic contexts.(iii) Discourse competence is related to the learners mastery of understanding and producing texts in the modes of listening, speaking, reading and writing. It deals with cohesion and coherence in different types of texts.(iv) Strategic competence refers to compensatory strategies in case of grammatical or sociolinguistic or discourse difficulties, such as the use of reference sources, grammatical and lexical paraphrase, requests for repetition, clarification, slower speech, or problems in addres sing strangers when unsure of their social status or in finding the right cohesion devices. It is also concerned with such performance factors as coping with the nuisance of background noise or using gap fillers.(Peterwagner) Resources and Further Reading Canale, Michael, and Merrill Swain. â€Å"Theoretical Bases Of Communicative Approaches To Second Language Teaching And Testing.† Applied Linguistics, I, no. 1, 1 Mar. 1980, pp. 1-47, doi:10.1093/applin/i.1.1.Chomsky, Noam. Aspects of the Theory of Syntax. MIT, 1965.Hymes, Dell H. â€Å"Models of the Interaction of Language and Social Life.† Directions in Sociolinguistics: The Ethnography of Communication, edited by John J. Gumperz and Dell Hymes, Wiley-Blackwell, 1991, pp. 35-71.Hymes, Dell H. â€Å"On Communicative Competence.† Sociolinguistics: Selected Readings, edited by John Bernard Pride and Janet Holmes, Penguin, 1985, pp. 269-293.Paulston, Christina Bratt. Linguistics and Communicative Competence: Topics in ESL. Multilingual Matters, 1992.Peterwagner, Reinhold. What Is the Matter with Communicative Competence?: An Analysis to Encourage Teachers of English to Assess the Very Basis of Their Teaching. LIT Verlang, 2005.Rickheit, Gert, and Hans Strohner, edi tors. Handbook of Communication Competence: Handbooks of Applied Linguistics. De Gruyter, 2010. Wilson, Steven R., and Christina M. Sabee. â€Å"Explicating Communicative Competence as a Theoretical Term.† Handbook of Communication and Social Interaction Skills, edited by John O. Greene and Brant Raney Burleson, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2003, pp. 3-50.

Negative Shopping experience assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Negative Shopping experience - Assignment Example Ignorance from the staff when trying to enquire about something also makes it uncomfortable when shopping in a given store. The presence of these experiences tends to make shoppers shy off from visiting a given shopping store for their shopping. Lack of the customers preferred item on a particular shopping center makes the experience more frustrating. It always feels good for any shopper to find his or her preferred item with ease, when the process of obtaining the item becomes tedious, then the experience is always not good as the shopper has to move from one shop to the other wasting lots of his or her time. Shopping together with irritating shoppers who usually dont care what they do in the shops may be a bad experience too. Some shoppers are always not patient, and some tend to overrun the queue to do their payment acting as if the other shoppers are not in any hurry. Such shopping habits are so irritating and make the experiences too bad for some of the shoppers. Some of the malls usually insist on their customers to carry out their shopping online, and the retailers will in turn organize for the delivery of the goods. The problem with this type of shopping is that, there will always be late deliveries, the customer care number indicated may fail hence the customers may fail to ask some important questions before shopping from the store. A study carried out to know why some clients are not comfortable with this type of shopping has identified that the shopping method is very demanding as the potential customers are bound to take lots of time trying to browse through the net and the information given to describe the products is very minimal. The result of this is the delivery of low-quality goods that do not meet the expectations of the customers and affect the experiences of the customers negatively. Again, most of the online shoppers have complained of clicking through many pages that makes the whole process

Competencies Checklist Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Competencies Checklist - Personal Statement Example The reporter stresses that "I fully understand the need for good behavior amongst young people and the principles that are essential in the guidance of children’s behavior in order to provide the best educational and social results. I am familiar with the major hypotheses required in educating young children, which are dependent on the learning abilities of young children. In addition, I am knowledgeable on the importance of developing children, families, and communities that create valuable relationships amongst young people. The family-children relation program further enables the families of young children to empower them through their relationships. I also have adequate knowledge of the history of my profession, which is an added advantage since I fully understand the needs that arise on any occasion. I am technologically educated, and I use this ability to assist the children in my classroom to learn more efficiently. I am aware of the ethics that are involved in educating young children and I fully employ them in my teaching center in order to develop disciplined individuals. I am also able to deliver education and quality care by employing the Pearson education model. I fully comprehend the needs of assessing young children and documenting the reports for reference. I also engage in programs that involve studying and teaching, which are helpful in increasing my knowledge about my career and increasing my competency. I am currently taking a degree on CDA in order to further my teaching career. I have written my philosophy of teaching, which is consistent with my actions when carrying out my responsibilities. I am also keen on keeping my teaching up to date and understand the contemporary issues in the society."

DB #4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

DB #4 - Essay Example By talking about how he conducted his study by taking care of the sick and terminally ill patients, Christakis uses the rhetoric proof of Pathos to persuade and inform his audience (TED). His storytelling of how he begun to conduct his study evokes emotion among his audience. Christakis employs the rhetoric proof of logos in showing how people become embedded in dense social networks. He uses slides to present a logical appeal of how clusters develop to form dense social networks. He also employs mathematical reasoning to present data to his audience and thus making a further logical appeal to them. Christakis makes a valid argument on the hidden influence of social networks. He argues that social networks help to define individuals’ health, happiness, and overall life goals. He presents his argument on the basis of a scientific research, which he conducted and this makes his argument to tick. He shows how social networks develop and how they get to influence different individuals dependent on their location in the network. His exploration of large-scale and face-face social networks, is able to show the impacts of social networks on a wide variety of traits such as obesity and happiness on people’s lives (TED). Simply put, he affirms the thought ‘show me you friends, and I will tell you your

Homeless Youth Facilitators and Barriers

Homeless Youth Facilitators and Barriers When considering the problem of homelessness, we may think of the stereotypical skid row bums, drug addicts, or perhaps the mentally ill living on the sidewalks begging for change from passerby (Letiecq, Anderson, Koblinsky, 1996). All people that are homeless do not live on the streets. Homeless people can be someone who stays with a friend or a family member, someone living in overcrowded conditions, someone living in poor conditions that may affect their health, someone living away from their loved ones because of certain conditions. Many of these people are youth who lacks proper shelter. Homelessness among young people is a major social concern in the United States. Youth homelessness is not a new phenomenon and it has become more and more severe over the years. We ask what youth homelessness is. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, homeless youth are individuals under the age of eighteen who lack parental, foster, or institutional care (2008). Homeless youth i ncludes runaways, throwaways, and street youth. They are also referred to as unaccompanied youth (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2008). ÂÂ  Homelessness for youth has been an ongoing issue and is at greater risk due to the greater vulnerability due to the background factors related with their life style. Homeless youth can be found anywhere throughout the U.S. and most of these youth are age 18 or below. Many of these homeless youth comes from low-income communities or from dysfunctional families. Although the prevalence of youth homelessness is difficult to measure, researchers estimate that about 5 to 7.7 percent of youth- about 1 million to 1.6 million youth, under the age of 18 experience homelessness each year (Pope, 2013). As an estimated report by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in the US Department of Justice, there are about 1,682,900 homeless and runaway youth (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). ÂÂ  Children and youth identified as homeless by the Department of Education in FY2000, only 35% lived in shelters; 34% lived doubled-up with family or friends, and 23% lived in motels and other locations (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). These children and youth may not immediately be recognized as homeless and are sometimes denied access to shelter or the protections and services of the McKinney-Vento Act (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). Youth that are homeless can become this way for a variety of reasons. Many youth become homeless as a result of family problems and financial difficulties. Some of the causes of homelessness are due to physical or sexual abuses, family that has a drug addiction, or because of parental neglect. Often the young people experience more than one of these factors in their homes. For example runaways usually leave their home without letting their parents or a legal caregiver know about their whereabouts. They often tend to have a history of hardship in school and behavioral problems with other peers. Children from families that have always been poor are likely to be worse off than children in families that experience sudden hardship due, for example, to the recession and foreclosure crisis (NCSL, 2103).ÂÂ   Parents are the majority of the time a primary reason these youth becomes homeless. A dysfunctional family can be one of many reasons why these youth would leave their home. The youths become homeless due to some disruptions of their families caused by divorce. If the families break up, the youths are forced to search for new places to live and this becomes very difficult for them. They may lack suitable places to go or stay as they may lack the required funds.ÂÂ  The number of homeless youth has been growing and it has become a serious problem in our society. In a study, 46% of runaway and homeless youth had been physically abused and 17% were forced into unwanted sexual activity by a family or household member (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2007). Some of these young people becomes homeless when their families suffers financial crisis resulting from lack of affordable housing, no job opportunities, no medical insurance or inadequate welfare benefits. ÂÂ  They are not only in need of money, but they are also in need of attention and support. Youth homelessness face gets involve in a high-risk survival behaviors in order to meet their basic needs. Youth on the streets fall prey to substance abuse, develop mental illness, and victimization. Young homeless people are most likely to have high-risk behaviors in such like engaging in unprotected sex, having multiple sex partners and gain access to substance abuse. Some of the homeless youth are forced to involve themselves in prostitution in order to obtain their daily bread and survival. For instance, they participate in unsafe sex in the exchange of basic necessities such as food, shelter and money. This is so because the greater percentage of the youths is sexually active at the average age of thirteen and fourteen years.ÂÂ   Homeless youth use prostitution as ways to survive, in which it can cause lots of unwanted pregnancies. Chronic health conditions, including asthma, other lung problems, high blood pressure, tuberculosis, diabetes, hepatitis, or HIV/AIDS, are prev alent among homeless youth (Pope, 2013). To obtain money, food, or a place to sleep, homeless youth may panhandle or resort to extreme measures such as theft, drug sales and abuse, prostitution, or survival sex (Pope, 2013). Homeless youth can also become mentally unstable. Mental health problems may develop as a result of violence or other trauma experienced while homeless (Beharry, 2012). Homeless youth can be face with traumatic and stressful events which can cause them to be in constant fear or become mentally unstable. They have a greater risk of severe anxiety and depression, suicide, poor health and nutrition and even low self-esteem. Drug and alcohol use are often seen by homeless youth as self-medication for depression and other mental health issues, as a social outlet for connection with peers, or as an otherwise adaptive coping strategy for survival on the streets (Christiani, Hudson, Nyamathi, Mutere, Sweat, 2008). These mental problems can or most likely interfere with their activities such as learning and communicating in school. ÂÂ  Homelessness can lead to an interruption of their education and therefore affects their future ability to live comfortably and independently. These youth that lacks education can set them to experience s evere financial and emotional challenges as not being able to secure any employment in the United States of America. The presence of uneducated and unemployed homeless youths affects the development processes of the societies. Homelessness can affect their educational opportunities for future success. Homeless children and youth who are able to enroll in school still face barriers to regular attendance: while 87% of homeless youth are enrolled in school, only 77% attend school regularly. (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). Youth that are from families who are struggling seems to move around a lot in search of something that is affordable for them such as housing and for employment. These children or youth experiences changes of school messes up their education because their family has to find a place where shelter is affordable for them. According to the Institute for Children and Poverty, homeless children are nine times more likely to repeat a grade, four more times more likely to drop out of school, and three times more likely to be placed in special education programs than their housed peers (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). ÂÂ  Homeless youth need access to services that will help them regain stability in their lives, such as obtaining a job and affordable housing. What does homeless youth need? They would need housing which includes shelter, transitional living programs, and supportive housing that is permanent for youth with mental illness. Homeless youth benefit from programs that meet immediate needs first and then help them address other aspects of their lives.ÂÂ   States can provide homeless youth with access to educational outreach programs, job training and employment programs, transitional living programs, and services for mental health and life skills trainings (NCSL, 2013). There are many programs run by government and voluntary organizations that are aimed to help homelessness by providing advice, financial support, a place to stay and other assistance. There are programs such as housing subsidy, local or federal government assistances. When there is no shelter it becomes a problem for these youth. A lack of affordable housing and limited scale of housing assistance program have contributed to the current housing crisis and to homelessness (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009). Income and housing-related factors continue to play a significant role in the growth of homeless families (Anderson Koblinsky, 1995). When parents cannot provide for their kids, these youth are also affected as well. Housing is the key to ending homelessness to help these young people and their families. There are only a small percentage of all homeless youth that seek shelter (Pope, 2013). There are ways to help house these youth. Youth housing programs include group homes, residential treatment, host homes, shared homes, youth shelters, and community-based transitional living programs (NCSL, 2013). As according to LaKesha P. Pope, there are the five strategies to house homeless youth (2013): Develop stable housing without time limits specifically designed to meet the needs of youth which link services for future independent living. Include set-aside unites for youth in existing or newly developed mainstream affordable housing. Allow youth to be integrated into the local Continuum of Care planning and implementation process and as consumers of affordable housing stock. Market housing resources in places where youth will see them. Educate private landlords about the special needs of homeless youth and the existence of programs willing to offer supervision and assistance to youth tenants. These strategies can bring in some positive attitudes to these youth when they know that there is some kind of help or assistance that is set up. What homeless youth need the most is a home. Programs are out to help these youth but it can be a challenge to get the services. It can be a challenge for homeless youth to find help and assistance shelters. They can lack transportation to get to their destination for help. Many youth feel that agencies favors are usually with people who need help the least. Connecting youth to resources is a critical service and especially when a program that lacks funding to provide shelters. A barrier that homeless youth can experience in accessing housing are (Pope, 2013): No rental history Age discrimination No job or not enough income to afford market-rate rents Lack of standing to sign lease Trouble with mobility due to few public transportation options Exposure to domestic violence, sexual assault and adults who solicit youth for illegal activity in exchange for housing Teen parents Past abuse and trauma resulting in mental or cognitive disabilities Failure to find housing with proficiencies in various youth cultures Youth often find themselves homeless because of family breakdowns, system failures, and marginal resources (National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2013). Homeless youth who are not able to live with their families, other options should be made available for them to contribute and take care of themselves. However, we cannot change how people treat their youth, but we can try to change the outcome of a youths life. There are many risks that these youth can face being on the streets with no shelter or help. Some youth may never want to find help or look for assistance but we as human service worker, should try to reach out the best we can.

Art :: essays research papers

World Cultures Baroque Art Essay During the Baroque period, new ideas and views of society and of religion spurred up. To express these new ideas many artists used the ideas of past artists to further expand their own motives. " If I have seen further (than you and Descartes), it is by standing upon the shoulders of Giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1676 The artists of the baroque period were using past ideals as a ladder to the prevalent and the gallant. Four pieces of art that exceplified the usage of the great minds of the past were; The Rape of the Sabine Women by Nicholas Poussin, The east faà §ade of the Louvre Palace, The View of Delft by Jan Vermeer and The Palace of Versailles. The magnificent artwork of Nicholas Poussin shows the mixture of Roman architecture and ideas. He copied the body sculptures and the basilicas of ancient Rome and added them to his medium of oil. Poussin traveled to Roman museums for inspiration and models. In The Rape of the Sabine Women, he show s how he balanced his art by carefully arranging opposites. Since he used statues for models, the people in his painting look to be chiseled and very statuesque. Poussin also uses a background of a Roman city to further enhance his love for the classical world. He sought for permanent in the momentary and the universal in the individual. Many artists of the time turned to classical Greece and Rome for their ideas. Another prime example is the East Faà §ade of the Louvre Palace in Paris, France. KING LOUIS XIV originally commissioned this piece of work to Gianlorenzo Bernini in 1665. The king's finance minister felt " it left the king housed no better than before." so his plan was rejected and a French architect named Claude Perrault was appointed to finish the job. This palace had to grand enough for the "sun-king", so Perrault used classical influences to achieve the proper grandness fit for a king. He used a long Corinthian colonnade, friezes, and pilasters. T his acted as a restraining influence to the baroque ideas of the time. Greek and Roman art influenced many Europeans, especially the monarchs of the time. No monarch showed that better than King Louis XIV of France. His rule of France's nobles required a large palace to be built to accommodate and preoccupy the people that could have threatened his absolute power.

Hong Kong and Chongqing Air Pollution

Air Pollution Observation between Hong Kong and Chongqing Part 1 General Picture of Hong Kong and Chongqing and Meaning of Comparing A whole host of similarities between Hong Kong and Chongqing make this thesis's aiming to exploit air pollution and approaches governments take more pragmatic and meaningful. Among the aforementioned similarities, the geographical ones could be treated as lurking causes of air pollution and other relative issues. Hence, this part is intended to showcase a general delineation of this aspect of things in common.The cities of Chongqing and Hong Kong are both located at hilly areas that are highly opulated, with buildings and major highways located very close to slopes and earth- retaining structures. Landslides and rockfalls are very common in both cities, and large expenditures are being incurred by both Governments on the investigation, design and implementation of mitigation and preventive measures to reduce the likelihood of the loss of life and econom ic losses due to landslides. Both Hong Kong and Chongqing have a humid subtropical climate.Summer is hot and humid with occasional showers and thunderstorms, and warm air coming from the southwest. Summer is when typhoons are most likely, sometimes resulting in flooding or andslides. Winters are mild and usually start sunny, becoming cloudier towards February; the occasional cold front brings strong, cooling winds from the north. The most temperate seasons are spring, which can be changeable, and autumn, which is generally sunny and dry. Hong Kong averages 1,948 hours of sunshine per year, while the highest and lowest ever recorded temperatures at the Hong Kong Observatory are 36. oc (97. 0 OF) and 0. 0 oc (32. 0 OF), respectively. On the other hand, known as one of the â€Å"Three Furnaces† of the Yangtze River, Chongqing has a monsoon- nfluenced humid subtropical climate, and for most of the year experiences very humid conditions. Besides, its summers are long and among the hottest and most humid in China, with highs of 33 to 34 oc (91 to 93 OF) in July and August in the urban area. Winters are short and somewhat mild, but damp and overcast. Because the city's location is in the Sichuan Basin, Chongqing has one of the lowest annual sunshine nationally.The fgure is only 1,055 hours, which is much lower than some nations of Northern Europe. (Wikipedia: Chongqing) Chongqing is adjacent to northeast part of Sichuan province, and the area of this city is over 23,000 km2 with 5million population. Chongqing is one of the most polluted cities in China: from 1981 to 1996, S02 (Sulfur Dioxide) emissions were about 800,000 tons, and TSP (Total Suspended Particulates) emissions were about 200,000 tons per year. The daily concentration of S02 reached to 0. 26-0. 49mg/m3, which is 3-7 times higher than the Class II national standard of air quality

The Comparison of Montessori Education and a Regular Mathematics Program in Kindergarten Classroom

The Comparison of Montessori Education and a Regular Mathematics Program in Kindergarten Classroom Background According to Gardener’s theory of multiple intelligences, children can acquire knowledge through different ways because they have different capabilities and competences. It is apparent that every student has special skills and learning needs.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Comparison of Montessori Education and a Regular Mathematics Program in Kindergarten Classroom specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, teachers often fail to identify the capabilities of their students in part because of the conventional teaching methods that they use in kindergarten classrooms. The success of most education programs is attributed to the application of modern teaching methods. The teaching methods commonly used in well-organized education programs include project work, self-directed learning, literature-based reading, and problem-based curriculum. Montessori education system emphasizes the importan ce of a well-prepared learning environment since it enhances high performance among students.  Piaget (1970, p. 30) asserts that the development of intelligence and acquisition of knowledge is a continuous process. The facets of intelligence include analytical, creativity, and practical skills. The primary role of intelligence is to facilitate understanding and invention. Successful learning is correlated with the incessant development of primary sensory motor actions among children. Thus, the more â€Å"practice a child gets with sensorial activities the higher a child will perform abstract mental operations†. Young learners should be guided to generate ideas and to discover mathematical relations on their own rather than forcing them to accept other’s thoughts. Children should gain experience in using mathematical skills through regular practice. This helps them to develop deductive reasoning and neurological thinking, which is essential for their academic progress . According to Nicholl (1998, p. 37), teaching efforts should focus on knowledge acquisition. An effective teaching strategy should facilitate the development of the learner’s character, emotional maturity, and wisdom. Nonetheless, the teaching methodologies used in most schools are ineffective because majority of students lack essential skills such as analytical ability and creativity, as well as, flexibility in thought. In this regard, teachers should help their students to develop interpersonal intelligence. This will enable students to assess their weaknesses and strengths.  Montessori (1995, pp. 5-12) asserts that infancy is the most important stage in a child’s development and learning because their interest to learn is at its peak. Consequently, educators must utilize the appropriate methodologies to maximize learning at the infancy stage.Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OF F Learn More It is against this backdrop that the Montessori teaching methodology focuses on developing young learner’s sensorial and motor skills during their early years. A Montessori teacher must focus on continuous improvement of their professional skills in order to facilitate better learning. Teachers who are responsible for teaching above average students are aware of the fact that different strategies help them to meet the diverse needs of their students. Nonetheless, the statistics on students’ performance in mathematics indicate that a lot of improvement is still needed in teaching the subject. The schools in the United States have been unable to improve the math skills of their students. Research indicates that the performance in math in K-12 classes in the US is lower than in other developed countries. Hence, there is a need to improve performance through improved teaching methods. The foregoing paragraphs highlight the weaknesses of the con ventional teaching methods that are used in most schools. Additionally, they highlight the importance of using the most appropriate teaching methodology in order to enhance learning, especially, in math classes. Most educators believe that the Montessori education system can help students to acquire advanced mathematical skills at the kindergarten level. Consequently, the goal of this study is to gather evidence concerning the positive and negative aspects of using the Montessori system to teach mathematics in kindergarten. Concisely, the study will compare the Montessori system with the conventional education system in order to identify the model that best suits learner’s needs. Research Question The main question in this study is: what are the advantages and disadvantages of adopting Montessori education as a method of teaching mathematics in a kindergarten? In answering this question, the study will attempt to explain how the Montessori system facilitates learning among ch ildren. Furthermore, it will compare the strengths and the weaknesses of the Montessori system with a regular mathematics program in order to determine the extent to which it benefits students. The Essence of this Action Research It is a well-known fact that students have varying learning needs, as well as, ability to learn. Students can differ significantly in terms of their approach to learning. The conventional teaching methods that are commonly used in kindergartens often mask teachers’ ability to identify their students’ unique learning needs and abilities.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Comparison of Montessori Education and a Regular Mathematics Program in Kindergarten Classroom specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Consequently, the needs of some students are hardly met in regular mathematics programs. In this regard, it is necessary to identify an improved teaching method that will en able teachers to meet the learning needs of all students in their classrooms. This can be achieved through action research that evaluates the merits and the demerits of existing teaching methodologies in order to identify the best. Thus, this study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the Montessori education system as an alternative method of teaching mathematics in kindergarten. This will involve comparing the strengths and the weaknesses of the Montessori system with those of regular mathematics programs. The Setting and the Participants The selected location for the study is a privately owned Catholic school in Campbell, California. The objective of the school is to model future leaders of the world. The school provides complete education that not only develops the mind of the learners, but also their character. It offers a comprehensive content of art-based curriculum that enables students to engage in critical thinking, discovery of their world, and to overcome the challenge s they face in life. The school’s teaching program develops the students’ character alongside their academic development. The objective of this strategy is to produce complete scholars who are able to seek the truth and to utilize it in their everyday lives. The learning program used in the school promotes intellectual, emotional, and physical development of students in all grades. In this regard, the program provides the best setting for implementing the Montessori education system, which is the focus of this study. The participants were drawn from a class that consists of 12-year-old students. The students are mainly from middle and upper-middle class families. Hence, most of them are from families with relatively stable financial backgrounds. However, nearly 5% of the families depend on financial aid. Procedure for Data Collection and Analysis Data will be collected from the following sources in order to answer the research question. First, I will analyze the result s of formative assessments and evaluations such as students’ homework. This is an important source of data because it can shed light on the performance of students. Second, I will use observations in order to monitor students’ progress with learning in class.Advertising Looking for research paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Observation is an important data collection method since Montessori education requires little interference with students’ learning activities. The data collected through observation will be used to compare the effectiveness of Montessori education with traditional mathematics programs. Third, I will implement scoring rubrics in order to measure students’ performance. Concisely, it will be used to evaluate students’ ability to acquire mathematical skills, and the effectiveness of the Montessori methodology.  Fourth, student focus group discussions will be used to collect data. These discussions will enable me to collect data concerning the students’ knowledge, opinions and learning experiences. Additionally, I will be able to identify the teaching methods that children are familiar with and the challenges that they face. This will help me to evaluate the effectiveness of my teaching interventions. I will also be able to get new teaching ideas from the te achers who will participate in the discussions. Finally, teaching journals will be used to collect data concerning my experiences in class in order to improve my instruction methods and strategies. I will be evaluating the strengths and weakness that will be identified in lessons and teaching techniques on a weekly basis. I will use videotaping to identify my weaknesses and strengths during lessons. Moreover, my notes will be peer-reviewed by other teachers in order to identify mistakes. References Gubbins, J., Emerick, L., Delcourt, M., Newman, J., Imbeau, M. (1995). Research Related to the Enrichment Triad Model. Storrs: University of Connecticut. Montessori, M. (1995). Absorbent Mind. New York: Henry Holt and Company. Nicholl, M. (1998). Accelerated Learning for the 21st Century. New York: Dell Publishing. Piaget, J. (1970). Science of Education and the Psychology of teh Child. New York: Orion Press. Sternberg, R., Grigorenko, E., Ferrari, M. (2004). Giftedness and Expertise. S torrs: University of Connecticut. Watters, J. (2010). Career Decision Making among Gifted Students: the Mediation of Teachers. Gifted Child Quarterly, 53(3), 222-238.

Daly City essays

Daly City essays Down the Old Mission Road, west of the grassy slopes of San Bruno Mountain, and near the village of Colma, stands Daly City; gateway to the famed San Francisco Peninsula. Natured blessed this small piece of the peninsula with temperatures that rarely reach seventy degrees and seldom drop lower than forty. Because of this, residents can see flowers bloom in December as well as in May and vegetables may grow throughout the year. This is a land that is often covered by thick, white fog that forms over the Pacific Ocean, then sweeps in land and crosses the northern peninsula, leaving a belt of cool air between the sunshine of San Franciscos Mission District and the heat of the southern part of the peninsula. Many believe that the secret of the beauty and vitality of San Mateo County lies in the variation experienced in its everyday temperature. From Sickles Avenue, near the county line, Mission Street and San Jose Avenue climb steadily on a collision course to Top of the Hill, Daly City. After an easterly curve, Mission Street levels off for a block or two before beginning its southerly descent toward Colma and beyond. It is bounded by San Francisco to the north, Colma to the south, San Bruno Mountains to the east and by the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks below Niantic to the west. In 1920, with a population of three thousand seven hundred seventy nine, Daly City was still a small town even with the arrival of many refugees from San Francisco after the great earthquake and disastrous fire of 1906. About half of the citys residents lived in the Knowles tract, west and down the hill from Mission Street. The remainder lived in the Crocker Tract, east and up the hill from Mission Street. At that time, nearly everything within the citys limits was residential and most everything outside was agricultural. The land just east of Hillside Boulevard between Daly City and Colma was extensively cultivated and ...

Popular Recreation and Resistance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Popular Recreation and Resistance - Essay Example The popular culture is usually observable in such area including clothing, cooking, sports and recreation and also consumption and entertainment. On recreation, we can view golf playing as a popular culture practiced by the rich in the society. Today cultural activities are segregated and there exist restrictions that are formal and also informal. Restrictions apply to those that are not part of that culture and may be tempted to join that culture. Some cultural activities are highly restricted by the laws of the society, an example is a beer drinking, beer drinking, for example, is prohibited in Saudi Arabia and there exist a law that will prosecute those found drinking beer. The drinking of beer, therefore, is a popular culture among the masses of many societies and this culture is proposed by the mass media through advertisements of these brands, the culture is restricted in some societies like Saudi Arabia formally. There also exist informal restrictions to cultural practices, these informal restrictions are those restrictions that do not exist in writing but are termed as norms in the society, and they do not exist in writing but are termed as rules governing behavior. These informal restrictions include the expected reaction by society, the society has informal ways in which to discourage behavior example a person doing wrong may be isolated by society, for example, the case where people have tattoos all over their body, this is a popular culture among the young but in some society the making of such decorations on the skin may lead to one being isolated and disown by the society.  Ã‚  

Applying objectives Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Applying objectives - Assignment Example For example, small business will focus primarily in, marketing, customer care, employee retention, growth and core values. With marketing, the business firm will understand the consumer buying trends hence they become able to anticipate the distribution needs of products and develop relevant business partnerships. Secondly, noble customer service enables the firm to retain her clientele and generate more of repeat revenue. Next, employee retention would be of essence since employee turn over costs lots of money. The money incurred in recruitment and productivity. Moreover, growth will equally be a prime objective in small businesses since and core values will also help state the beliefs of the company in terms of employee satisfaction, costumer interaction, responsibility the society excreta. On the other hand, mega business enterprises would prioritize different objectives such as; profitability, productivity, maintains financing, competitive analysis and change management. Profitab ility will ensure that the profits or revenue is above the costs incurred. Productivity Coca-Cola company business being a mega business enterprise will prioritize customer retention, competitive analysis and productivity as its major objectives. The efficiency of the machines of production, the level of customer retention through situational analysis can be evaluated in measuring these goals. Some of the types of outsourcing are BPO and KPO. In business process outsourcing deals with outsourcing of a particular product such as a payroll while knowledge based processing entails carrying out standard processes to the clientele. The latter is more effective because it addresses the extramural needs of the consumer. BPO is advantageous because it gives opportunity o employment. It equally has disadvantageous because it impedes creativity. On the other hand, KPO is advantageous because it gives room for innovation and learning through

The Merchants Tale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Merchants Tale - Essay Example He is upset that such a beautiful young woman married an old fellow. As they returned to their home, January apologized in advance for the sexual exploits he would act on her. After the customary four days, May joins January at the banquet table and it is at this point that he notices Damien’s absence and is informed he is ill. He sends May to visit him on his behalf, during the visit, Damien hands a letter to May declaring his love for her and in return she reciprocates by writing to him about her love towards him. However, January’s happiness does not last for long as he loses his eyesight, this result to him relying on May for assistance, something that Damien is not happy about. May signals to Damien to January’s secret garden. She displayed a lusty appetite for fruits and led January to the garden where she asked him to bend over and let her stand on his back as she climbed a tree to get pear. She climbed up where she met Damien and they had sex. Suddenly, J anuary’s eyesight was restored and saw May and Damien having sex and he was filled with rage. May convinced January that his sight was weak and the brightness affected his sight such that he saw certain things strangely. She jumped from the tree and January embraced her. According to the merchant, the theme of marriage can be described from two fronts in this tale: marriage as a state of holy matrimony, a means to secure an heir, he demonstrates a wife who has good qualities and how they support each other during instances of need. However, he also reflects his bitterness towards marriage as he is unhappy and has only been married for two months. Due to May’s infidelity, the reader may conclude that January is a foolish husband, May, a slut and Damien a

The problem with public relations Essay Example for Free

The problem with public relations Essay Budd and Ruben (1988) stressed that the absence of data sources signals mass media’s inevitable downfall and destruction. Once and for all, information is media’s main (product). Thus, it is pretty impossible for media organizations to deliver such (product) if there is an apparent lack of supplier. PR is therefore instrumental in sustaining media’s existence and survival. PR departments of business establishments can supply industry-based news and stories. Likewise, government agencies utilize PR to increase the public’s awareness about the government’s projects and endeavors. Similarly, it can be noticed that advocacy and interest groups capitulated on public relations to voice out their views and opinions. However, while it is true that public relations aid the media in satisfying the market for information, it cannot be denied that PR’s sole purpose is still grounded on the principle of building publicity and creating massive media exposure. The marriage of press releases and news items make it too difficult and confusing for the public to distinguish plain news materials from press releases. The implications of the above-mentioned scenarios are pretty compelling and cannot be readily ignored. For one, the dependence of media organizations on PR departments as news sources raises question regarding the quality of news production. For one, media practitioners are trained and expected to conduct heavy research and collect different news sources to ensure accuracy. Relying on a single source is a cardinal sin for many journalists and broadcasters primarily because news items must ensure that all angles of the story are presented. Relatively, this also served as a challenge to the degree of professionalism practiced by individuals that work in the media. Data gathering and verifying information are essential routines in news production. This means that journalists and broadcasters are expected to go out of their comfort zones and look for socially relevant topics that serve the public’s interests. The notion that media practitioners should develop a keen eyes for details and nose for news, imply that media outfits must exert effort in providing news rather than merely sit and wait for PR handouts. But more than anything else, this situation readily surrenders mass media’s freedom. Mutual connections of news organizations and PR departments manifest media’s subtle suppression and independence from the powerful influences of external environments. Indeed, PR departments, due to its strong links to business organizations, governmental agencies and even advocacy groups, now has the upper-hand in the overall process of how news is produced and delivered to the public (Fitzpatrick Bronstein, 2006) . Drawing on Dahrendorf’s idea of power legitimacy, business establishments and government agencies have the authority to transform news materials into mere promotional or propaganda copies (Slattery, 2003). These actors are well positioned in the social strata that grant them a good grasp of influence. The uneven distribution of authority and rule (Slattery, 2003) readily legitimizes the position of business organizations and government agencies in the social, political, cultural and legal hierarchy. PR subsequently becomes a tool for control and manipulation via exerting pressure to distort and fabricate news items. It is important to note that media outfits are also business endeavors that depend on profiteering to sustain their survival. Profit, in the media context is measured by high ratings and wide audience reception. But this can be only achieved if newspapers and television programs alike have enough information to offer for public consumption (Craig, 2004). It is the information—the news stories that function as lifebloods of the media industry. When PR departments become involved in news making, they are very much capable of withholding data and information that leaves journalists and broadcasters at their mercy. This is most especially true in situations wherein corporate reputation is very much at stake. In these times, media practitioners must exercise neutrality and objectivity. However, neutrality in this case does not work well for PR. One must readily take sides. What happens then is that journalists and news anchors are compelled to transform press releases into (well-researched) news reports that simply explain the sides of the affected party. However, a closer look into the matter shows that these simple explanations are no less than defense mechanisms that are pursued to protect capitalistic aims and orientations. Other business organizations would even push media practitioners to exaggerate press releases and resort to sensationalism (Whitaker, Ramsey Smith, 2004). On the other hand, government agencies can impose legal sanctions to influence news coverage and to a certain extent—silence media groups. These institutions can very much exercise censorship to dismantle media’s critical stand. This situation is highly evident in communities governed by extremely authoritarian regimes. Likewise, if government offices fail to garner favorable media attention, they can create their own media system and thus capitalize on PR. Nowadays, it is not too much of an extraordinary thing to see government agencies publish their own newsletters or newspapers (Franklin Murphy, 1991). A deconstruction of these media contents clearly show that campaign materials are readily expressed as news. Yes, these copies may well increase the public’s awareness. But news, in the truest sense of the word, is not self-serving. Apparently, this scenario manifests a blatant abuse of freedom of expression. However, press releases are also exploited by other media practitioners. This can be specifically observed in journalists and broadcasters who are active members of advocacy groups. Their ideological beliefs may very much interfere with the way they handle news stories. Biases may occur in treating subjects that have differing opinions and perspectives. There are instances wherein released statements of their respective groups are customized to look like news items. But then again, no matter how noble the intentions are, this does not erase the fact that the public is deceived and mislead. The inability of media individuals to distance themselves from their respective affiliations is a subtle and unconscious way of placing more PR content in news items. The agenda-setting model states that mass media in general have the ability to dictate and redefine the audience’s perception (Botha et. al, 2007). News organizations, regardless of the ethical standards that govern broadcast, print and online media can tell the public which issues should be considered important and which should be immediately dismissed as irrelevant. The agenda-setting function of media is manifested through giving focus and emphasis on particular subjects (Botha et. al, 2007). When certain events or personalities receive much media attention, the public is made to believe that these are important. It can be observed that majority of released news items are mainly concern on few large-scale issues. Yet, it seems that there is diversity in newspapers and television news programs. But the truth is, these issues are simply dissected and articulated from different angles. Public relations officers know this very well and PR agencies are readily capitulating on these situations (Burns, 2002). Even though it is a common practice for news producers to identify news angles, this has been nonetheless, abused. Consequently, this scenario is also instrumental in the prevalence of unethical practices in mass media. These include biases, data fabrication, inaccuracy, and conflicting interests. Under this context, news and media in general becomes a tool of the elite to retain their positions in the social and political ladder. Media becomes a hegemonic machine of the ruling class. This situation further reaffirms Althusser’s argument that media is part of the so-called â€Å"ideological state apparatuses or ISA (Fourie, 2007). † Conclusion PR is indeed, a good source of news stories. However, there should be a clear distinction between press releases and news items. Media organizations must assert their independence and autonomy from certain groups that could very well affect news production. It should be always remembered that providing relevant information is not synonymous to creating â€Å"praise releases. † Ethical practices in the media must be strictly observed. The public’s demand for information should not be perceived from a business-oriented view. News stories are not commodities. The public needs to know because the public needs to make a decision. Media, more than anything else is accountable to the public, not to PR agencies. Reference List Benkler, Y. (2006). The Wealth of Networks How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedoms. Connecticut: Yale University Press Botha, D; Chaka, M; du Plessis, N; Krause, B; Rawjee, V. P; Porthen, D; Veerasamy, D and Wright, B. (2007). Public Relations Fresh Perspectives. Cape Town: Pearsons Education South Africa (Pty) Ltd. Budd, R. and Ruben, B. (1988) Beyond Media New Approaches to Mass Communication. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers Burns, L. (2002). Understanding Journalism. London: Sage Publications Ltd. Clear, A. and Weideman, L. (2001) Dynamics of Public Relations and Journalism. (2nd ed). Cape Town: Juta Co. Ltd. Craig, G. (2004). The Media, Politics and Public Life. North South Wales: Allen Unwing Davies, A. (2003). Public Relations and News Sources. In S. Cottle (Ed. ), News, public relations and power. London: Sage Publications Inc. Fleming, C; Hemmingway, E; Moore, G and Welford, D. (2006). An Introduction to Journalism. London: Sage Publications Inc. Fitzpatrick, K and Bronstein, C. (2006). Ethics in Public Relations. London: Sage Publications Inc. Fourie, P. (Ed. ) (2007). Media Studies Media History, Media and Society (Vol. 1). Cape Town: Juta Co. Ltd. Franklin, B. and Murphy, D. (1991). What News?. London: Routledge L’Etang, J. (2004). Public Relations in Britain. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc. Ray, S. (2007) And Now for the good News. Massachusetts: Moment Point Press Schultz, R. (1998) Reviving the fourth estate. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Slattery, M. (2003). Key Ideas in Sociology. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes Ltd. Sloan, W. and Parcell, L. (Eds) (2002). American Journalism History, Principles, Practices. North Carolina: McFarland Company Inc. Whitaker,W; Ramsey, J and Smith, R. (2004). MediaWriting Print, Broadcast and Public Relations. (2nd ed). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc.