British Petroleum and its Operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

British Petroleum and its Operations - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that British Petroleum, which is also referred to as BP PLC is a British international Gas and Oil Company, which its headquarters stationed in London, England. Based on the revenue statistics released in 2012, British Petroleum is the fifth largest Oil and Gas Company in the world. It deals with the exploration, production, transportation, refining, marketing, distribution and trading of oil and petroleum products. It also deals with power generation, research, and exploration of renewable energy sources such as wind energy, solar energy and biofuels. Petroleum helps provide oil-based fuels for machines, lubricants and petroleum products used in infrastructure development, making plastics, gas, and petrochemicals among other products. BP America forms the largest British Petroleum subsidiary. The company also owns nineteen percent stake in Rosneft, which is a Russian Oil Company that is the most publicly traded in the Oil and Gas sector of the stocks exchange. British Petroleum’s market capitalization is an excess of eighty-five billion pounds and makes the fourth largest company listed on the London Stock Exchange. The company is headed by a board, which is responsible for oversight and guidance of the company in the interests of the shareholders. The company’s executive management has several branches that include, Finance, Refining and Marketing, Exploration, Safety and Operational Risk, Production, Strategy and Regions, Corporate Business Activities, Human Resources, and the Upstream department. Various subsidiaries have leaders who report to the main offices in London. There are various external factors that can affect British Petroleum’s success. These include the global economy, natural environment, wars, politics, currency devaluation, infrastructure, customers and the relationship between the company and the local communities. The most important external factors that can affect the compa ny’s success are the global economy and the natural environment. The global economy has a strong influence on the success of British Petroleum as seen during the recession in 2008 when the company recorded falling profits. The profits had declined from eight billion dollars to three dollars. If the recession continued the company would have started to make losses, which would affect its success negatively.

The Darkness out there Essay Example for Free

The Darkness out there Essay Changing the mood during a story makes it more exciting and less predictable which captivates the readers interest. Both stories show evidence of significant mood change, which created a successful amount of suspense when I read them. The endings of the three stories are all quite similar because the characters die at the end because of what they have been through. Frankenstein ends as it began with letters written from Walton to his sister. Frankenstein has journeyed to the Arctic in pursuit of his creation and has lived to tell the extraordinary tale of his life. The reader finds out that the end of Frankensteins story was in the prologue and everything is pieced together, for example, the sighting of the gigantic stature in the beginning. After completing his story, Frankenstein dies on the boat and his monster finds him. The compassion he once felt for his creator returns to him as he confesses he wants to die too. The morals used throughout the story are summed up here in part of the monsters speech. I, the miserable and the abandoned, am an abortion, to be spurned at, and kicked, and trampled on Here, Shelley communicates the idea that everyone should be loved no matter how they look. This could be related to many modern issues, for example, a mother abandoning her baby. The ending matched the theme of the story, e. g. death and bereavement, and was very detailed. I liked the way the letters at the beginning and the end made the story very complete, and gave the story more of a purpose to be told. Walton wanted to hear it; Frankenstein wanted to tell it. Many of the ideas Shelley used in the novel were talked about by the monster at the end which also made the story educational because it talked about very realistic issues. In The Raven Poe leaves you unsure about the ending he has written. It is quite evident that the man is dead and the raven has frightened the man to death because his soul from out that shadow lies floating on the floor, which seems as if he has left his body but we are never sure why. The only evidence we have is that the man was a firm believer of superstition and maybe he was so scared of the thought of dying that it killed him. This is like the ending in The Tell Tale Heart, also by Edgar Allan Poe. At the end you know that the younger man has killed the older man but you cant figure out why. Poe lets the readers decide for themselves what has truly happened which involves their imaginations, which makes it a more memorable ending because the reader has had to think about it more. In Man Overboard it is safe to assume that a shark killed the man because he was praying to die and suddenly His last appeal had been heard and a fin approached him slowly. In Frankenstein and Man Overboard the men wanted to die so the ending is satisfactory to the character and reader because it was what was expected. In one of the stories it might have been better to keep the character alive for longer to create more fear in the characters mind which would have built up more suspense in the story if the character had to keep going through more horror. The ending of The Raven was good because the man didnt want to die but he did. This made the story more horrific because the character didnt want what happened in the end, making him more frightened and adding more fear and tension to the story for the reader because they could be so involved in the story that they would feel what the character is feeling. Linking ideas throughout a story is an effective way of keeping a reader interested. It keeps the story exciting if the reader is able to piece parts of different plots together. However, if the writer continually keeps inventing new plots that have no relevance to any of the current ones and make up a new story on their own, the reader may start to lose interest because it may confuse them. In Frankenstein, Shelley links many plots to one another as the novel progresses. This helps the reader to develop a clearer understanding of what is happening because each plot supports another one. The letters in Frankenstein are a good example of the way Shelley links different characters ideas together in the story. The letters Frankenstein received when he was away at Ingolstadt were about what was happening at his home. These letters made it easier for me to understand the story when Frankenstein returned home because all of the information had already been supplied about the environment and characters. I didnt have to concentrate on figuring out things about the story, which made it easier to read. The letters acting as the prologue and epilogue from Walton to his sister also linked the story together very well. When I had finished the story I realised what everything meant at the beginning, for example when Frankenstein said to Walton I have lost everything and cannot begin life anew. Reading statements like that at the beginning built up a lot of suspense and made me want to keep reading to find out more. This helped me enjoy the story more because I was always searching for something to find out about in the text. In The Raven, Poe links ideas with words, rhyme and verse structure. The way he wrote about the raven saying Nevermore at the end of each verse gave the plot more continuation because it provided a reason for man to keep reacting to in the next verse. It made me wonder whether the raven would say anything else so it kept me interested. The verses and the rhyming patterns are very structured, which linked each verse of the story together because they were of similar length and sound. The way the rhyming of the ore sound kept appearing in the same places in each verse gave the poem more rhythm and familiarity and linked the verses together even more because I was able to tell when the next rhyme would be. In Man Overboard, Churchill links the song with the setting very well. This is very important because the song is the cause of the ending of the story. Rowdy Dowdy Boys is a sea song and as the story is set on a ship, this makes it very appropriate and makes the atmosphere feel more realistic. It makes it easier to imagine the song being sung in its surroundings and puts the story into context more effectively. The main difference between these two stories is the type of language they contain because of the different periods they were written in, and the effect the language has on the style of the story. The Old Nurses Story and The Darkness Out There were written in different periods of history. The Old Nurses Story uses a more formal style of English.. The style of writing in The Darkness Out There may still be used in writing today. The style of language used in each story makes them very different from each other and we can identify the period in which they were written in very easily by looking at some of the words used and things written about that were popular at that time. I found that both stories contain many realistic and relevant ideas about morals and the contrasting behaviour of adults and children. Mukwinda Phiri 10Wn English 7 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mary Shelley section.

Personal Skills Audit And Preferred Learning Style Education Essay

Personal Skills Audit And Preferred Learning Style Education Essay The further management development starts from the responsibilities of manager towards achieving his task. In this fast changing and competitive environment managers need modifications in order to make new ways and strategies to cope up with the diversity occur in the organization. Responsibilities for achieving the task include the clear vision for the group that perfectly defines the direction and segregate work to keep in view the workers skills and flexibility. Determine which resources, processes, and systems are used. Develop the strategy to achieve the task, tactics, time, measurements and by understanding and delegation. Setting the benchmark is to restrict your subordinates to achieve the level that is up to the mark and gain maximum results. Entertain properly the control and maintaining activities and monitor overall performance against plan. Responsibilities as a manager for a group includes the standards and ethics to be performed in the workplace, define a proper organizational culture so your subordinates will be feeling comfortable in the environment and able to work efficiently and easily cope up with the situations. Manager should develop a team slogan to encourage his team towards the task and make them believe that they will be given their best to the task and will achieve the target. Threats which violated the organizations morale, try to turn these threats in to opportunities thats what many good managers with excellent communication skills does. The most important action plan which helps managers to manage the department includes the understanding of individual, their personalities, skills, strengths, weaknesses, needs, and capabilities and assists them in such a way that you can support individuals-plans, conflicts, and challenges they face by them. Classify every individuals objectives, and give appraisals in order to encourage them towards their tasks. Arrange career development programs to train them further because employees may need some new talent and in order to give them information about new technologies. The good leaders always have command over these main areas. First a leader believes to do the entire task no matter whatever the circumstances are, he keeps the right balance according to the situation, gets results, and strengthen the morale, quality, and develops strategies to attain maximum satisfaction. The most important function in leadership development includes planning keeping in view the appropriate information and elaborates the tasks in order to meet the standards. Commence the action and allocate the tasks with setting its standards. A good leader is proactive that supports individual and encourage team spirit and informing the tasks, plans, and schedule properly and give his feedback. Develop feasibility of plan to enable the assessment of the planned task. These all actions help leader in leading, and also includes strong emphasis by applying these techniques through training. Explain the impact of learning styles on personal development. Everyone has different learning style that is unique to the person and the way which seems interesting to him. Analyze your personal learning style by which you can give your best to the task and improve your personal life, which improves the time management also manage studies and, find new strategies to learn more. SELF-AWARENESS AND MOTIVATION Start realizing your thoughts, and be aware of your thoughts and decisions you take in order to make your life peaceful. Think position and develop healing pattern which encourage your thoughts and decision power in the position way. The more you know about yourself the better decision you will be taken. Self awareness also helps in spiritual growth when you have clear upstanding of your religion and believe you will start living accordingly. CREATE PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS In order to progress in your field you must learn how to make solutions of the problems occur, and must be able to describe or investigate the problem. Diagnose the causes of the problem that affects in your personal life, develop strategies and make alternates to resolve the problem, and analyze your weak areas where you are not able to make proper decisions. And at last implement your own strategy and assess the effective and efficiency of the decision. COMMUNICATION SKILLS Convey your message in such a way that people understand them clearly and having perfect idea what are you conveying. If your conveying method is not effective you will receive ambiguous feedback that other person perceived wrong. Find new ways to learn more about communication style that you can deal effective with people around you and build a trust through your good communication and make a good relationship. PAIRED AND GROUP STYLE OF LEARING The paired and group learning style is the most effective way to learn because a person will find a new ways from other people and learn from their experience to improve their personal life. Group learning style provides you the regularity and you will get better results. The paired and group style of learning also helps you in building your confidence and overwhelm shy factor. The group discussion will not only increase your knowledge but also helps in you progressing in personal growth. The advantages of group learning are numerous which provides an opportunity to compare results and helps in making accurate interpretation regarding to the personal life and career. Assignment 2 Personal Development Planning Purpose The purpose of this assignment is to provide a framework within which the learner can: Prepare and implement a personal development plan . Scenario Your tutor has asked you to provide evidence of your own personal and professional development throughout the course of your studies for this learning programme. As professional development is an ongoing process, this assignment will not be completed until the end of the learning programme. Task 1 Produce an ongoing personal development plan and reflective record of management experience which sets out: This provides evidence for 3a Task 2 Compile a portfolio of evidence which demonstrates how you have implemented the actions in Task 1 above over a period of at least six months, and includes records of: training and/or development needs from a recent appraisal or job review action planning, diaries, learning journal feedback from a variety of sources (eg manager, colleagues, customers) This provides evidence for 3a Task 3 Write a report of between 1000-1500 words which evaluates how well the main themes of the learning programme have impacted (or could in the future) on your work role and chosen career path. You should include an analysis of your strengths and weaknesses both at the start and end of the programme, and explain the importance of self review and how this informs future professional development This provides evidence for 3b Your objectives for career and life planning. The actions you plan to take to meet these goals. Your short/medium/long term goals and objectives. The resources and support needed and available to meet objectives target dates for monitoring and review. >>>> Manager Personal Skill and Professional Skill Introduction: Developing effective management skills to deal with specific challenges and problems of each organization is the urgent needs of many businesses and organizations in the global competitive environment, rapid changing of technology and environment. The new tendency of training and development of successful organizations over the world today is developing effective skills in dealing with specific challenge of their own organization to reach their own mission and objectives in the new organization that characterized by networked, flat, flexible, diverse, global organization. Based on the research in the world and in Vietnam, and from the success of previous workshops, the Center for Excellence in Management Development (CEMD) continuously offers the workshop on Effective Management Skills to help people and organization improving their own effectiveness and efficiency. Through this workshop, participants are not only developed specific competencies in the schedule, but also improved learning skills, facilitating skills, and teamwork skills very important skills in the 21th century organizations. Participants: Managers of businesses, organizations, and people who want to develop competencies in creative problem solving, communications, conflict management, negotiation, and improving self-management and individual effectiveness to improve organizations effectiveness and efficiency. Objectives and Contents: 1. Creative Problem Solving Skills: (1) Describing and analyzing a problem, (2) Identifying causes of a problem, (3) Developing creative options and choosing the best course of action, and (4) Implementing and evaluating effective and efficiency of the decision. 2. Communication Skills: (1) Listening skills, (2) Presentation skills, (3) Feedback Skills, (4) Report witting skills. 3. Conflict Management Skills: (1) Identifying sources of conflict functional and dysfunctional conflicts, (2) Understanding personal style of conflict resolution, (3) Choosing the best strategy for dealing with a conflict, and (4) Developing skills in promoting constructive conflicts in organization and teams. 4. Negotiation Skills: (1) Distinguishing distributive and integrative negotiations, position and principled negotiation, (2) Identifying common mistakes in negotiation and ways to avoid them, (3) Developing rational thinking in negotiation, and (4) Developing effective skills in negotiation that benefits all parties involved. 5. Self-Awareness and Improvement: (1) Understanding the concept of self-management, (2) Evaluate the effectiveness of self management, (3) Developing creative and holistic thinking, (4) Understanding the importance of emotions in works as well in self-development, (5) Understand of self-motivation, and (6) Effectively managing self-learning and change. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Personal Learning Style PERSONAL LEARNING STYLE Who would have ever thought taking a college course would require one to learn how to learn?    It is a good concept we normally undergo at a very young age.    At the pre-school age one will find children learning their strength and weakness through their playtime.    As adults we almost forget we have to learn how to learn to continue growth in our workplace, school, and in life.    In our second week of online classes I learned strengths and weakness in my learning style with the aid of learning assessments, personality spectrums, and time management logs.    In this paper, I intend to describe the various components of my learning style and outline a plan to improve my time management and study skills. A big component of my learning style is hands-on experience; learning while doing.    This usually involved someone with more experience instructing me as I performed the task.    Through the hands-on approach, I picked-up the knowledge and gained proficiency >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Assignment Task 1 1 Introduction This task is about analyzing personal development plan and make strategy for development of PDP. Personal development plan (PDP) shows an evaluation of current skills and knowledge that includes individual strengths and weaknesses. As per scenario, Finance 4 U is finance and accounting based company. Managing director has lot of plans in ensuring that companys staffs fully participates in improving personal and professional skills as the company has problem with staff morale and motivation. Personal development plans needs to be discussed in this task. As Finance 4 U urgently needed a personal development plan in terms of professional and career development and assists the company in progression. 2 Objectives The objectives of this task are to identify strategy for developing a personal development plan, its importance and how plan can improve daily professional life? Characteristics of plan must also be explained such as à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚ ¢ Objectives and goals (both short term and long term)       à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚ ¢ Dates and time scale       à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚ ¢ Resources       à ¢Ã… ¾Ã‚ ¢ Milestones and checkpoints (where performance should be reviewed) 3 Personal Development Plan its Importance Personal Development Planning is a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development. The primary objective for PDP is to improve the capacity of individuals to understand what and how they are learning, and to review, plan and take responsibility for their own learning. http://www.qualityresearchinternational.com/glossary/pdp.htm Personal development is a field of practice and research. As a field of practice PDP includes personal development methods, assessment systems, learning programs, tools and techniques. As a field of research, personal development topics increasingly appear in higher education reviews, scientific journals, >>>> Skill Audit SKILLS AUDIT GRID We would encourage you to review this regularly and particularly before tutorials |Generic Engineering Skills:                      |Good    |Average|Poor    |Academic Study                                  |Work Experience                                  |Extra-Curricular Activity                   |Action Planning                                  | |Analysis                                                 |          |          |          |                                                       |                                                       |                                                       |                                                       | |Modelling                                                 |          |          |          |                                                       |                                                       |                                                       |                                                       | |IT                                                          |          |          |          |                                                       |                                                       |                                                       |                                                       | |Problem solving       |Project implementation                            |          |          |                                                       |                                                    |Appropriate use of laboratory and             |          |                                                       |workshop equipment                                  |                                                       |                                                       |                                     |Design                                                 >>>>>> ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ABSTRACT          Well as I begin I would like to remember you one point that no one can withstand in the market of an organization when the people lack certain skills and knowledge. In order to ensure for proper skills and knowledge a proper idea about the development of their skills are briefed in this report. Keeping in mind, the four skills developed in this report were time management, stress management, running meeting, and group discussion. Not only the skills but also the learning styles were discussed. What are the techniques and objectives to meet the desired characteristics? How to improve the management skills for the effective leadership? The main concept of learning is mentioned clearly in this report which may be useful in the future requirements for an organization to be effective and imaginative. CONTENTS       à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ ABSTRACT       à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ OUTCOME 1 TASK 1: METHODS TO IMPROVE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS    1. (a) EVALUATION OF PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS TASK 2:    1. (b) IMPROVIZATION OF SUCCESSFUL MANAGER SKILLS       à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ OUTCOME 2 TASK 3: PERSONAL SKILLS AUDITS 1.2 (a) PREFERRED LEARNING STYLE FOCUSSING ON THE SKILLS REQUIRED FOR EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP       à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ OUTCOME 3 TASK 4: PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 1.3 (a) DETAILED PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN TASK 5: 1.3 (b) MONITORING FEEDBACKS AND ADJUSTMENTS TASK 6: 1.3 (c) IMPACTS OF LEARNING AND UTILIZING IN THE FUTURE       à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ CONCLUSION       à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ BIBLIOGRAPHY OUTCOME 1 TASK 1: METHODS TO IMPROVE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS       à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Communication, communication, communicationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦!!! This is an important method to improve both personal and professional skills. This is the first factor required to develop in any organization.       à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Developing the necessary business ethics and corporate social responsibility. This development of the workshop helps in understanding the ethical behavior and participants >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Personal Learning Styles Personal Learning Style Byron Taylor University of Phoenix Gen/101 Skills for Lifelong Learning Group ID #ONO61CS04 Daigre Victorine, Phd May 11, 2006 In the course of writing this paper I have learned a great deal about the styles of learning and how to incorporate personality traits into effectual learning principles. This paper will consist of an analogy of the components of my learning style to the facets of my personality. This will aid in strategically creating a plan to use in improving my time management and study skills. Components of learning style       I believe that my personal learning style, as do most people, encompasses many traits that extend far beyond categories and agree that these are tools to assist an individual in understanding capabilities, rather than give a definition of what type of person learns under different situations.    For instance, according to my scores in The Pathways to Learning Assessment, I am highly developed in Musical and Interpersonal learning and underdeveloped in the concepts of the Visual-Spatial and Naturalistic learner.    The fact is while I am very musically inclined, I have never created rhythms out of words, beat out rhythms with my hand, written a rap, changed materials to songs I already know, or used music while studying.    On the other hand, I realize that using some components of the Musical-Rhythmic learner I might be able to develop an additional style of studying, by evaluating the effectiveness of those components.       The components of an Interpersonal learner are traits that seem aligned with how I believe I would best learn.    When I was in sigh school, I thrived in the classes which were interactive in nature, as opposed to lecture driven.    I rarely understood the need for slide shows or other visual aids and often felt they had little bearing on the subject even though some of my classmates seemed to believe they helped them immensely. So if a category that fit most of what >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Personal Learning Styles Personal Learning Styles University of Phoenix Everyone learns differently.    This is something that we all discover at a young age.    Some of us absorb information from a Professors lecture very easily, while others will need to go back and read or recite this same information.    Everyone has a learning style that is unique to them, developed over time by their own learning experiences.    By examining our personal learning style, we are able to gain valuable insight on how we learn best, which allows us then to convert study material from its offered format into one that is more palatable for us as individuals.    After a thorough assessment, I have developed a detailed understanding of my own learning style and personality, as well as a strategic plan to improve my time management and study skills. Especially as children, we all have our favorite subjects in school.    Typically, we simply choose subjects we have a natural aptitude for as our favorites we enjoy things better when they come easy to us.    My favorite subjects in school were always math and science related; subjects where everything made logical sense.    I learn best when I can bring logical order to the information presented to me.    Not surprisingly, I also learn best when working on my own, so that I am able to organize my thoughts in a logical manner. After completing the Pathways to Learning1 assessment, I discovered, somewhat unsurprisingly, that I am most strongly developed in the Logical-Mathematical and Intrapersonal intelligences.    I then completed the Personality Spectrum1 and learned that my personality type is that of a Thinker. The results I received from these two assessments complement each other well.    I discovered that while I learn best through problem solving, my best study practices are to study in a quiet place, organize material logically (when possible writing outlines or developing charts and graphs), read text and highlight important points, write or rewrite >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> My Personal Learning Styles Like most people, I can definitely say there have been times in my life when learning was a chore. I can remember looking at the clock on the wall watching the second hand tick away while feverishly tried to grasp the material before me. On the other hand, I can clearly recall times when I was eager to learn. I looked forward to the experience, almost counting the hours until my next opportunity to dive into the scheduled material. As the years have passed from my early days of learning until now, I have realized there is a key word that defines my learning style: scheduled. I am a schedule person. From as far back as I can remember, I have always envied the organized person. The one who had a schedule for everything. The one who knew everything and knew where to go to get what they did not readily possess. I have studied temperament types and learning styles in great detail, primarily trying to find new ways of understanding others and myself. At one point, I took the Strong Interest Inventory Test to try to find out my personal learning style. In an interpretive report following the testing, Allen Hammer and Judith Grutter explained: Your score on the Learning Environment scale suggests that you are interested in applied or practical problems. You may be most interested in short-term training that can teach you practical skills that will help you prepare for a particular job. You probably learn best in settings where you can learn by experience, not through books or lectures (11). The Skills for Professional Development textbook provided four distinct tests to help me define my learning style even further. Test 1: Peak and Valley Learning Times (University of Phoenix 74), confirmed to me that I learn best in the early morning hours. Early morning is definitely a peak learning time for me. I can frequently be found early in the morning with a book and a cup of coffee. I wake up and my brain seems to be already engaged. Saturday mornings afford me the Criteria reference To achieve the criteria the evidence must show that the learner is able to: Task No Page numbers 1 evaluate the personal and professional skills required to meet both organisational and own goals and objectives evaluate more effective ways to learn in the future 2 undertake a personal skills audit, identifying preferred learning style, which focuses on the skills required for effective management and leadership 3 produce a detailed personal development plan evaluate and review the effectiveness and impact of your learning

Ambiguity in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay example -- Young Go

Ambiguity in â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚         There is no end to the ambiguity in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†; this essay hopes to explore this problem.    Peter Conn in â€Å"Finding a Voice in an New Nation† makes a statement regarding Hawthorne’s ambiguity:      Almost all of Hawthorne’s finest stories are remote in time or place. The glare of contemporary reality immobillized his imagination. He required shadows and half-light, and he sought a nervous equilibrium in ambiguity. . . . Where traditional allegory was secured in certitude, however, Hawthorne’s allegorical proceedings yield only restlessness and doubt. The stable system of correspondences that tied allegory’s images and ideas together was lodged squarely upon the religious orthodoxy that Hawthorne rejected. In his belated version of the sacramental world, the links binding visible to spirit have become vexed and problematic. . . . The flickering, uncertain revelations offered by the physical world in Hawthorne’s fiction allow simultaneously for confession and concealment, for discovery and disguise. This doubleness generates tensions that can be felt throughout Hawthorne’s work. . . .   (82-84).    R. W. B. Lewis in â€Å"The Return into Rime: Hawthorne† mentions the ambiguity associated with the key imagery in â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†:   â€Å"For Hawthorne, the forest was neither the proper home of the admirable Adam, as with Cooper; nor was it the hideout of the malevolent adversary. . . . It was the ambiguous setting of moral choice. . . .† (74-75). Henry James in Hawthorne, when discussing â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† mentions how allegorical Hawthorne is, and how it is not clearly expressed with this author:    The only cases in which ... ... Lang, H.J.. â€Å"How Ambiguous Is Hawthorne.† In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.    Lewis, R. W. B. â€Å"The Return into Time: Hawthorne.† In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.    Martin, Terence. Nathaniel Hawthorne. New York: Twayne Publishers Inc., 1965.    Melville, Hermann. â€Å"Hawthorne and His Mosses.† In The Norton Anthology: American Literature, edited by Baym et al.   New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1995.      Ã¢â‚¬Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne.† The Norton Anthology: American Literature, edited by Baym et al.   New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1995.    Wagenknecht, Edward. Nathaniel Hawthorne – The Man, His Tales and Romances. New York: Continuum Publishing Co., 1989.            

The Professor Is a Dropout by Beth Johnson

The Professor is a Dropout â€Å"The Professor is a Dropout† by Beth Johnson is about a woman who was told she was retarded and her journey of becoming Dr. Lupe Quintanilla. Lupe, a Mexican native came to America young where in school she would be deemed as un-learnable (retarded), she dropped out of school in the first grade. Lupe continued her life, marrying and eventually started a family. When her children were deemed un-learnable as well she quickly took action to ensure they didn’t endure a similar fate.A very persistent Lupe was able to enroll in college; where she earned her doctoral degree. In Chapter seven of our textbooks we focus on purpose and tone. The reason for a particular passage is called the purpose. There are three common purposes; which are to inform, persuade or entertain. Figuring out the purpose of a passage can help the reader better determine the author’s reasoning for writing. Tone is the writer’s feelings towards the subject he or she is writing about. Simply put tone is the writer’s attitude.The purpose for â€Å"The Professor is a Dropout† is to inform and the tone is determined. I really enjoyed reading this story, because it’s very inspirational. I think Lupe is and was a very determined individual who would no longer accept what people told her all of her life. After reading this story it makes me want to work harder to lead by example. I believe that everyone is a capable of doing anything as long as they put forth an honest effort. Lupe in this story is prime examples that if you work hard, never give up and believe in yourself anything is possible.

The Lingual Theory A Hybrid of Semiotics and Stand Point Theories of Analyzing Films

The Lingual Theory A Hybrid of Semiotics and Stand Point Theories of Analyzing Films The media is an avenue through which occurrences taking place in a society are communicated to the audience. Such communication is usually guided by specific frameworks meant to deliver information in a certain manner. Colombo (2004) points out that film and other forms of mass communication ascribe to particular theoretical frameworks to deliver their message to the target audience.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Lingual Theory: A Hybrid of Semiotics and Stand Point Theories of Analyzing Films specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, some of the theories used in this field have been overtaken by events, rendering them irrelevant in contemporary society. As such, it is incumbent upon the stakeholders to come up with new theoretical frameworks that respond to the evolving needs in these changing times. In the current paper, the author seeks to develop a new theory of communication with regards to film. Colombo (2004) points out that generation of new theories is made possible by building upon existing models. To this end, the author of this paper relies on the semiotics and standpoint theories to come up with a new structure of communication. The utilization of these two theories in the field of film generation and distribution is critically examined in this essay. Such assessment helps the author to come up with a hybrid theory whose concepts build on the weaknesses of the other two. The applicability of the new theoretical model, dubbed the lingual theory, will be tested against a real life scenario in contemporary media. The Semiotics Theory of Communication The theoretical structure is developed from the study of signs and their related processes and applications in communication. According to Friedman and Thellefsen (2011), the theory is closely related to the linguistic model of analyzing the structure of a particular language. The model helps to determine the meaning of the various languages used in communication. Friedman and Thellefsen (2011) add that the theory of semiotics builds on linguistic studies. To this effect, it makes use of sign systems that are not themselves linguistic in nature. In a bid to illustrate the components of the semiotics model of communication, Friedman and Thellefsen (2011) point out that signs form the backbone of the theory. Friedman and Thellefsen argue that the theoretical framework is applied in a wide array of platforms in the communication and media arena. For example, Friedman and Thellefsen (2011) are of the opinion that the theory is used in the fashion and the science fiction movie industries. The developers of this framework suggest that human beings are naturally animals. Friedman and Thellefsen (2011) add that, due to their animalistic nature, humans have the ability to develop and interpret signs. It is this development and interpretation of symbols that forms the basis of the semiotics theory.Advertising Looking for research paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In analyzing this theory, Li (2011) posits that there are three main branches that give it its meanings. The first is the branch that focuses on the semantics of the language. Here, the meaning of the signs used in communication is deciphered. In addition, the theory looks at the structural relations between the given signs. It is these relations that Li (2011) refers to as the semantics. Finally, the model has a pragmatic component to it. The element helps to determine the relationship between the sign using agents and the signs developed. In other words, it identifies the language in relation to the user. The theory is widely used in communication given that language and linguistics are major components of this phenomenon. In such cases, the signs are developed to form some kind of code. Such codes represent a particular element of the society (Alsina Jimenez, 2010). An example of its application is found in the imagery used to depict a specific phenomenon in the society through the media. Alsina and Jimenez (2010) hold that advertisements and films make use of sexual allure to pass across their message to the target audience. In this case, the symbol of a woman is mostly used. The need to develop this theory stems from the two of the assumptions that are made. Friedman and Thellefsen (2011) point out that the model assumes that cultures are formed through language. Consequently, the use of a language that appears to be private creates an atmosphere of unfairness. Another supposition is made with regards to speech in the society. The theory presupposes that all individuals have the ability to communicate in more than one ‘speech community’ (Colombo, 2004, p. 44). The two assumptions are evidently in conflict with each other. As a result, a need arises to generate a blend between the two (Friedman Thellefsen, 2011). The model insists that everybody can participate in the various speech communities. As a result, the theory implies that all cultures have a similar signage in their languages (Friedman Thellefsen, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Lingual Theory: A Hybrid of Semiotics and Stand Point Theories of Analyzing Films specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Such an assumption is not entirely true. An example of the erroneous nature of such a supposition can be seen in the generational gap between people. For instance, there was a time when certain depictions that are not in use today were accepted in the media. Alsina and Jimenez (2010) make a case for feminism and how its acceptance varies depending on one’s age group. The generation that lived in the fifties accepted the image of a submissive woman in the media. The same is unacceptable in today’s society (Friedman Thellef sen, 2011). To the female watching a 50s film today, an image of a woman working out in the kitchen appears like a foreign language. Such are the reasons why the theory needs to be changed since imagery is viewed as a private language to people of different speech communities. Standpoint Theory of Communication In modern society, there exist various forms of communication which are inter-subjective in nature. The standpoint theory is a framework developed to analyze discourses of this form (Anderson Baym, 2004, p. 589). The theoretical model is of the view that people’s opinions are formed by their knowledge. As a result, the opinions vary depending on the levels of knowledge among different individuals. The perspectives of the audience in relation to a particular subject matter are based or informed by their past experiences. Anderson and Baym (2004) provide a working definition of the standpoint concept to illustrate this model. Anderson and Baym (2004) conceptualize the c oncept as a specific location from where an individual looks at their society. The standpoint model of communication focuses on a number of issues. The elements addressed include gender, race, and social class (Anderson Baym, 2004). An example of the use of this theory is evident in the way one perceives a person from the African American community. The media depictions of the said racial group’s association with crime support the biased nature of such individual perceptions. A similar situation is seen among the Hispanic community. However, a change in their social class may lead to variations in the perceptions accorded the individuals. The theory is synonymous with feminism in mass communication (Anderson Baym, 2004). Like any other social science model, the standpoint theory makes a number of assumptions. In their research, Buzzanell (2003) affirms that the standpoint model of communication is feminist in nature. The same stems from the assumption that social relations are understood on the basis of societal classes (Buzzanell, 2003). In addition, the theory postulates that the elite members of a society lord their opinions on their inferiors. The upper classes suppress the opinions and welfare of persons in the lower echelons of the social ladder. The view further assumes that the ‘standpoints’ of the social elite rank higher than those of persons from the lower cadres.Advertising Looking for research paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The assumptions made by the standpoint theory fuel the sentiments of those opposed to it. The critics argue that it focuses on the marginalized groups in the society, leaving out the others. According to Intemann (2010), the conceptual framework is applied in instances where there is a need to illustrate marginalization in the community. The most common example of the application of this theory is in the analysis of the issue of slavery. At the time of the slave trade, the Africans sold to slavery were believed to be from an inferior school of thought. Consequently, films created in this field tend to depict persons of African origins as inferior to the Caucasians (Intemann, 2010). In the modern times, feminism appears to be the most common channel through which the standpoint theory conveys information to the general public (Buzzanell, 2003). An example of this application is made apparent in the African context where radio is used by women to highlight their sufferings in the soci ety. Such is a biased perspective given the fact that it is discriminatory to use the radio to address the issues related to women along. Buzzanell (2003) points out that mass media exhibit feminism by depicting women as inferior to men. Intemann (2010) points out that the internet age has made information accessible to many people. As a result, the class and gender biases associated with this theory are increasingly becoming irrelevant, necessitating a new framework. The standpoint model attempts to build on previous theories by insisting that experience is not necessary in formulating perceptions about a group of people. However, by creating class and gender biases, the theory appears to erect hurdles with regards to information access. As a result, it is important to develop a better framework to reduce this bias. The Need for a New Theory of Communication Anderson and Boym (2004) posit that communication should be beneficial to the audience targeted. The said benefit can be real ized through elimination of biases. Effective communication makes use of coded language in a bid to discriminate against or pour contempt on another group of people. The two theories discussed above fail to meet the high threshold of fairness. Based on this, the need to develop an effective communication framework requires the advancement of a new theory. The shortcomings of the two theories above are grounds enough for the formulation of a new theoretical framework. The author of this essay responds to this need by developing a hybrid theoretical concept. According to Anderson and Boym (2004), communication philosophy should evolve with time. Hybridization of existing theories is a way through which this evolution is realized. The New Lingual Theory of Communication Termed the lingual theory, the new framework borrows various concepts from the two theories discussed above. According to Mejias (2001), communication is a dynamic social behavior. It follows that the frameworks through which information is communicated to the masses must respond to these dynamics. In line with this, the lingual theory attempts to introduce dynamism to the semiotics and standpoint theories. In essence, the new model brings together the two ‘antique’ frameworks and builds on their weaknesses. The underlying principle of this new framework is the language factor. Wright (2001) argues that communication should develop in tandem with the changes taking place in the language sector. The changes are usually in the semantics and the demographic perceptions associated with particular languages. In such cases, the semiotics theory addresses the issue through the signage concept. On its part, the standpoint theory donates its concepts on knowledge. By fusing the two dimensions, the lingual theory seeks to reduce the biases and prejudices attributed to the earlier conceptualizations of communication. Theories are usually formulated by making several assumptions (Wright, 2001). T he lingual theory presupposes that communication is a phenomenon characteristic to all living organisms. For the purposes of this discourse, the phenomenon is assumed to be present in all human beings. The second conjecture of this theory is that people from all walks of life are free to access information. Consequently, communication will phase out signs and analogies that lock out some groups in the society. Mejias (2001) illustrates that in today’s cyber age, access to information is not restricted. On the basis of this reality, the lingual theory makes the assumption that information should be made available to all people. The theory proposes the elimination of coded language that creates some form of secrecy. The objective is to ensure that information is communicated without a tinge of prejudice whatsoever. The propositions made in the lingual theory are aimed at reducing the identified biases. The model promotes innovativeness in communication. According to Anderson an d Boym (2004), the dynamic nature of language implies that certain semantics do not make sense to some clusters of people in the society. The theory homes in on such circumstances and proposes innovativeness in the semantics and symbols used in language. For instance, instead of using sexual allure as a symbol for advertising female related products, media outlets should introduce some form of euphemism. In this sense, innovativeness is likely to increase the number of target audience The theory provides that communication should not discriminate against some groups in the society. Lack of discrimination will increase access to information. The suggestion rides on the assumption that information should be open to everyone in the society. Anderson and Boym (2004) make a similar suggestion by arguing that communication is expected to be a universally uniting form of art. To this end, the element should reduce racial, gender, and class discrimination, which characterize most forms of v isual art. Mejias (2001) affirms that theoretical frameworks are developed from various paradigms. The paradigms are schools of thought that tend to explain the perceptions of the various elements in the community. The lingual theory relies on a positivist paradigm given its focus on reality as defined by a person’s senses. The need to eliminate biases and prejudices informs the use of this paradigm. The theory seeks to be objective and realistic. The selected paradigm makes it possible to communicate by expressing concrete aspects of a society, including events and situations. The theory borrows heavily from the Shannon and Weaver traditions of communication models. Mejias (2001) points out that the model comprises of a sender, a medium, and a receiver. The lingual theory is based on the fact that modern communication relies on different media for transmission, upholding this tradition in the long term. The tradition adopted also stems from the fact that the new model addres ses the issue of parties involved in communication. Application of the Lingual Theory The theory can be used in different situations in a societal setting. As already indicated, it seeks to eliminate biases and prejudices in communication. It can be utilized to address complaints touching on feminism. According to Cuklanz and Sujata (2006), the depiction of women in the media is a major concern to many people. There are groups of people who feel offended by the feminist approach in highlighting women in films and other communication platforms. The lingual theory comes as a relief to women and other anti-feminist groups. Feminism can be used to understand the injustices meted out on women due to their gender (Cuklanz Sujata, 2006). Some media personalities find it important to use women to pass across information. However, such depictions are associated with various prejudices and biases. An assumption is made to the effect that women belong to a certain category. Such depictions of women as housewives were prominent in the 1950s. However, with changing times, women are increasingly embracing new professions. As a result, a portrayal of women as inferior beings goes against the ethics of communication. The most common element of feminism in communication is evident in the illustration of women as sexual objects. Cuklanz and Sujata (2006) argue that most films and advertisement campaigns seek to attract the attention of their clients by creating sexual images of women. In most cases such forms of communication are targeted at the male audience. In a way, the sexual highlight is prejudicial since women can be much more than objects of primal satisfaction. Communication of such nature is driven by the two theories discussed earlier. The lingual theory seeks to respond to anti-feminism, especially in mass media. An example is made of a fashion advertisement targeting women who are in the working class category. Bearing in mind that the lingual theory focuses on th e content, the creator, and the recipient of messages, innovativeness is expected to minimize bias. In line with this, the theory comes up with signs and semantics that sit well with the professional woman of modern times. For instance, rather than advertise a dress that has sexual connotations, the emitter can go for a comfortable, yet appealing, professional look. Figures 1 and 2 below illustrate this: Figure 1: Sexy dress Source: Women sexy dress lady party mini dresses backless clubwear evening (2013) Figure 2: Professional look Source: Ladies’ sweater ol fashion large size knitted coat women’s modern outer wholse, ladies’ autumn outerwear fall clothing (2014) Figure 1 creates an evident sexual appeal illustrated through the dress worn by the model. Such an impression is common in advertisements. However, the model in figure 2 helps to bring in some sense of self-worth to suggest that a woman can be comfortable and happy without the need to appeal to the s exual emotions. Symbols and signs inform most communication processes (Alsina Jimenez, 2010). However, according to the lingual theory, the symbol used in figure 2 lacks bias and prejudice. Semantics are key components of communication processes (Anderson Baym, 2004). By borrowing from the semiotics theory, the lingual framework incorporates semantics in the new equation. The textual language used to pass information should be non-prejudicial. In such instances, the emitter of a given piece of information is expected to make use of euphemism. An example can be made in the film industry. An example can be given of a film featuring women. Intemann (2010) argues that derogatory language may be used to refer to female characters. Such language is offensive to the women folk. The lingual theory restricts individuals from making use of such offensive language in a bid to accommodate everyone. Conclusion The author of this paper argues that the standpoint and semiotics theory limit the e ffectiveness of communication. Anderson and Boym (2004) hold the opinion that effective communication should not discriminate against some parties in the society. The shortcomings of the two theories necessitate the creation of an alternative model. However, it is important to note that the new lingual theory has its own shortcomings. By assuming that information is universally accessible, the theory goes against the need for privacy under sensitive circumstances. Nonetheless, the lingual theory provides an alternative framework of communication. References Alsina, R., Jimenez, L. (2010). Communication theory and research in Spain: A paradigmatic case of a socio-humanistic discipline. European Journal of Communication, 35(3), 273-286. Anderson, A., Baym, G. (2004). Philosophies and philosophic issues in communication. Journal of Communication, 54(4), 589-615. Buzzanell, P. (2003). A feminist standpoint analysis of maternity and maternity leave for women with disabilities.  Women and Language,  26(2), 53-65. Colombo, M. (2004). Theoretical perspectives in media-communication research: From linear to discursive models. Forum: Qualitative Social Research,  5(2), 26-28. Cuklanz, M., Sujata, M. (2006). Televisions â€Å"new† feminism: Prime-time representations of women and victimization. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 23(4), 302-321. Friedman, A., Thellefsen, M. (2011). Concept theory and semiotics in knowledge organization. Journal of Documentation, 67(4), 644-674. Intemann, K. (2010). 25 years of feminist empiricism and standpoint theory: Where are we now?. Hypatia, 25(4), 228-796. Ladies’ sweater ol fashion large size knitted coat women’s modern outer wholse, ladies’ autumn outerwear fall clothing [Image]. (2014). Web. Li, Y. (2011). Nonwestern semiotics and its possible impact on the composition of semiotics theory in the future. Semiotica, 2011(187), 229-237. Mejias, U. (2001). Sustainable communicational realit ies in the age of virtuality. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 18, 211-228. Women sexy dress lady party mini dresses backless clubwear evening [Image]. (2013). Web. Wright, M. (2001). Gestalt psychological theory’s value in rhetorical criticism. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 87, 208-215.