Ryanair- The Southwest of European Airlines Introduction...

Almost three decades ago, in July 1985, three brothers, Catlan, Declan, and Shane Ryan founded Ryanair airlines in the southeast of Ireland. Little did they know, it would become one of the most successful low- cost airlines in the whole industry. It started with just one leased fifteen seater plane that flew from Ireland to London’s Gatwick airport of which their father, Tony Ryan was the chairman. After the government deregulated air traffic to England, Ryanair got the license to operate from Dublin to London. At the end of that year, the airline had flown 5,000 passengers already. By the following year, it quickly started expanding with the purchase of two bigger but older planes. Since the very beginning the company maintained a low-cost strategy. They managed to provide fares that were 20% lower than what its main competitors were offering. Later on, in 1986, it furtherly expanded when it acquired a 85% stake in London European Airways that allowed it to get its requisite license. Ryanair now started flying also to Amsterdam and Brussels, but these routes were short lived and had to be abandoned. By 1987, the airline repositioned itself, and was flying to 65 different locations across europe. Its first main competitor for about a year was Aer Lingus, another Irish Airline. Then the Irish government would create a â€Å" two airline policy† that would eliminate such competition and would allow them to fly on separate routes. In 1990, Ryanair had expanded even more andShow MoreRelatedSwot Analysis Of Ryanair862 Words   |  4 PagesAbstract The aim of this report is to explain and analyse the role of Human Resource Management in the airline company Ryanair. To provide a background information of organisational structure, their vision, mission and strategic goals. Outline the key challenges and opportunities faced by their Human Resource Management.  Table of Contents HR Strategy in Ryanair 6 Ryanair HR Planning 7 Managerial Judgement 7 Delphi Technique 8 HR Audit 8 Global Macro Environment (PEST) 9 Political/Legal 9 EconomicRead MoreAnalysis of Ryanair and Its Business Environment1871 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction In this assignment, I will be analysing Ryanair Airline and its business environment. Ryanair is a low-cost Irish airline that has its headquarters in Swords, County Dublin, Ireland and was established in 1984. According to ryanair.com, Ryanair operates more 1600 daily flights from over 68 bases across 1600 routes with 186 destinations in 30 countries. Several factors will be addressed with regards to Ryanair’s financial issues, customer satisfaction, competitiveness, swot analysis,Read MoreManagement Assignment Ryanair5707 Words   |  23 Pages â€Æ' Table of Contents Introduction 3 Q1. Manager Profile Job Description 3 Assignment 3 Key Accountabilities: 3 Management Roles 4 Meeting challenges 4 Reporting 4 Summary of work experience educational attainment 5 Organisational Chart 6 Q2. Comparisons against Fayol’s key managerial roles 7 Q3. Future challenges of the Ryanair Director of Operations 10 Q4. Effectiveness of the Manager 11 Bibliography 13 Questionnaire 14 SWOT matrix for Ryanair Director of Operations 17 Read MoreAirline Airlines : Business Strategy Course Theories And Concepts Based On The Business Industry Of The Budget Service Providers1968 Words   |  8 PagesAs a result of the success story of the U.S Budget Airline - Southwest Airlines - Ryanair was established as a first low-cost airline in Europe. The case study is based on the revised Strategy of Ryanair to meet challenges within European airline industry of the budget service providers. The case discusses the business strategy the company adjusted to improve its performance in the challenging environment. To meet the aim of this case study we conducted a strategic analysis of the business environmentRead MoreRyanair6243 Words   |  25 PagesInstructor’s Manual 368  © Pearson Education Limited 2005 CASE TEACHING NOTES Ryanair – The Low-Fares Airline Eleanor O’Higgins 1. Introduction Ryanair was the first budget airline in Europe, modelled after the successful US carrier, Southwest Airlines. The case offers students the opportunity to evaluate the strategy of Ryanair against the backdrop of the European airline industry and the burgeoning budget sector. Business students at all levels enjoy this case and relate to it, since air Read MoreRyan Air3457 Words   |  14 Pagesthe external and internal factors influencing the company. The following report will discuss these factors regarding Ryanair, which is one of the leading budget European airlines. This report identifies important issues of Ryanair s environment which have been formed since the company s development. It also goes on to analyse the future opportunities and threats which Ryanair is likely to face in currently and in the future. Ryan air have developed a cost focus strategy, where it focusesRead MoreAirasia Case Study3534 Words   |  15 PagesAirAsia: â€Å"Now Everyone Can Fly† I. Introduction AirAsia is a Low-fare airline company owned by Anthony Fernandes. The company had its beginnings since 2001 and has been growing rapidly ever since. Within two years, AirAsia has proven that low-fare airline models such as Southwest’s, Ryanair’s, and easyJet’s model would fare well in the Asian marketplace. Its success has even spawned numerous imitators and competitors. But the question still remains, can the low-fare model continue to succeedRead MoreStrategic Analysis for Ryanair to Enter China8342 Words   |  34 PagesStrategic Analysis for Ryanair to Enter China Submitted in part fulfilment of the Master September 2010 STRATEGIC BUSINESS ANALYSIS (ULMS 719) University of Liverpool Management School 17 September 2010 Abstract Ryanair, the leader of low-fare carriers in Europe, will expand its business throughout the world. This report discusses the strategies which Ryanair entre the Chinese market. Through PESTEL analysis and SWOT analysis to have sophisticated understandings of the ChineseRead MoreCase Studies: Sas Airline Ryanair80169 Words   |  321 PagesHow did the deregulation of air transportation in Europe foster entrepreneurial behavior and innovation in the European airline industry over the last twenty years? Case studies: SAS Airline Ryanair Master Thesis in Entrepreneurship and Dynamic Business Contexts Spring 2007 Supervisor: Hà ¥kan Bohman Entrepreneurship Master Program Authors:
Gilles Helterlin and Nuno Ramalho
Acknowledgements We would like to express our gratitude to all who have contributed to the realization of this Read MoreRyanair Analysis and Strategic Recommendation10672 Words   |  43 PagesRyanair Ryanair is one of the largest and still fastest growing low-fares airline companies in Europe. Led by CEO Michael O’Leary, a diverse board of directors, and an experienced top management, Ryanair has been very successful following a cost leadership strategy, partially achieved by a â€Å"no-frills† service strategy. External influences such as the European economic crisis, aviation deregulation, and rising oil prices have created opportunities or threats to Ryanair, and internal weaknesses such

The Debate over Healthcare in America - 886 Words

Healthcare sits at the center of a major debate in America today. There are a number of questions that surround this debate. Some argue that healthcare should be a right that people are entitled to, while others argue for a system where healthcare is more of a luxury. Overall, the political environment surrounding healthcare in America has been shifting and also the topic of much consternation over the last three to four years. In order to understand this particular situation, one must approach it from a number of different sociological perspectives. Specifically, functionalism, conflict theory, and interactionism can help to provide a framework in which one can analyze the actions, thoughts, and perspectives of actors on all sides of the healthcare situation. Functionalism theory can explain why many believe that healthcare is such an important element for society to strive toward, conflict theory can help to explain why there is opposition to this concept, and interactionist theory can explain why Americans have attached so strongly to both sides of this debate, as certain symbols have become important to those people, and in some cases, has become more important than the principles that tend to underlie this particular debate. It is relatively easy to apply a functionalist perspective to the healthcare system in the United States in order to better understand why some people believe that healthcare needs to be somehow changed or improved. In terms of social change,Show MoreRelatedThe Health Care Of America1400 Words   |  6 Pageseducation, technology, and healthcare are the main criteria that determine a great country. Among the developed countries, U.S. is the number one country in the world which provides advanced and finest health care (Kane). However, the healthcare cost in America is the highest in the world because of the great consumers of medical technology and diagnostic imaging. (Kane). Numerous individuals are not able to afford their health ca re. Many people in U.S. do not have healthcare insurance. It is weird thatRead MoreObamacare And Affordable Care Act997 Words   |  4 PagesCase White Professor Eastman English 1020 29 January 2015 Obamacare’s Healthier America Health care has been a controversial topic of discussion for all Americans since it was put in effect many years ago. Currently the biggest debate of Healthcare up to date is Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, is a Health care Reform that is a governmental attempt to make basic health care easily obtainable. However, there are no benefits without cost in situations likeRead MoreThe Healthcare Debate On Healthcare1312 Words   |  6 PagesThe Healthcare Debate Healthcare has been a hotly debated topic in both of the last two presidential elections. As the cost of healthcare in America continues to rise, more Americans struggle to pay doctor and hospital expenses. Health insurance is suppose to provide money to pay for medical expenses, but as costs rise so do the insurance rates. Many Americans find private insurance is too expensive. As a result, many middle class Americans and low income households decide to go uninsured forcingRead MoreHealthcare In The United States vs. The United Kingdom Essay1166 Words   |  5 PagesCompare and contrast healthcare in the United States and United Kingdom In the contemporary world, America is one of the greatest countries. From the polio vaccine to Coca Cola, United States is mother to many inventions. As Americans, we enjoy higher quality living standards than most other parts of the world. This pleasure-oriented lifestyle makes a lot of other nations envious of us. And with the envy comes antipathy. For the time it has existed, the American healthcare system has been a subjectRead MoreThe United States Healthcare System1562 Words   |  7 Pages  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The United States healthcare system is one the largest and most complex systems in the world†(Artem Cheprasov, study.com). Healthcare is one of the most important items to provide for an entire nation, yet the US does not have free healthcare. Why you may ask? Well, there has been a long debate to whether the USA should provide free healthcare for all its citizens; however, there hasn’t been a big change to healthcare being provided for everyone. On both sides of argu ment, there have been logicalRead MoreThe Affordable Care Act ( Aca )956 Words   |  4 Pageslegislation that has had massive effect on healthcare in the United States. Its systemic effects on healthcare in this country are numberous, from insurance to ambulatory care, from healthcare related taxes to healthcare resources, and beyond. That said, the following research paper attempts to summarize how this massive piece of legislation has effected healthcare in the United States, to date; with a particular eye towards the effects on the average healthcare consumer. Lastly, it concludes with reasonsRead MoreThe Education and Healthcare Gap1686 Words   |  7 Pages In the worlds of politics, sociology and economics, debates have raged concerning the relative equality or inequality in America. Over the past one hundred years, we have seen a sizable shift toward equality in the legal rights of minorities. However, this legal equality is undermined by a pervasive and broadening socioeconomic inequality, especially in regards to healthcare and education. These issues disproportionately affect minorities. This paper will first touch on two other typesRead MoreThe Problem Of Health Care937 Words   |  4 PagesHealth care has been a debate for several years. Costa Rica’s is a developing country however, they provide health insurance nationwide to all their citizens and legal residents. This form of insurance is designed to provide monetary security in case there is serious illness or accident. Individuals, who do not have health insurance can be exposed to situations in which they can run into deep debt. Having a health insurance can protect individuals from high costs. I am focusing this essay on theRead MoreThe Effects Of National Health Care1451 Words   |  6 Pagesnational healthcare in America is having a profound effect on several American institutions such as government, workplace, and hospitals. This paper will explicate contrasting citizens’ social contract with the government before the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the social cont ract they had with American citizens after the ACA was put into effect. Additionally, the paper will demonstrate the roles of zealots, disciples and the congregation for and against the new national healthcare movementRead MoreThe Issue Of Healthcare Reform1570 Words   |  7 Pages Healthcare reform continues to be a topic of discussion among politicians, medical professionals, and many Americans who are struggling to pay for care in a system where costs are skyrocketing out of control. Consequently these costs are forcing many Americans to file bankruptcy due to the massive amount of medical debt that they owe, slowing our economy and reducing reimbursements for medical facilities (Khazan) The debate on how to fix health care continues, even after the Affordable Care

Philosophy of Life Free Essays

Philosophy of Life Life is a river! In human life there are many problems human being cannot face it and take his steps aside, where else a river problem are like pebbles in the way river cannot take a step back like the human they still face their problems and reaches toward with the proud and honor. Human life can be likened to the flowing of a river. The Rived’ in which the theme focuses on this phrase: â€Å"You know a dream is like a river, ever changing as it flows, and he dreamers just a vessel that must follow where it goes; trying to learn from what’s behind you, and never knowing what’s in store, this makes each day a constant battle just to stay between the shore. We will write a custom essay sample on Philosophy of Life or any similar topic only for you Order Now † What is a river? A river is a unique phenomenon of nature. In the river fresh water is being added to the existing water at every moment. The river is constantly moving, and eventually disappears into the evaporation, the lake, or the ocean. Life is constant motion that eventually merges the elements back into the whole. The elements that made the river are the merged, and recycled. The aspects of life either produced the seeds, or continue to affect the still-living through past actions. That is why it is more enjoyable to accept the temporary nature of life. That way is the illusion of permanence, and loss. Your life begins small, in something like the drops of rain which become small streams and eventually great rivers which flow into the ocean. Like these streams and rivers, we encounter obstacles and challenges. The streams and rivers overcome the obstacles by wearing them down or finding a path around or through them. At times there are massive floods and huge waterfalls. Then there are the periods of smooth and peaceful flow of the river. The thing is to note that the flow never stops. It continues until the ocean is reached. The river never passes the same point twice and is only at that point for the precious moment that is there. It flows immediately to the next point of the journey. Those few times it does, it becomes stagnant and brackish. The river goes not struggle and strain, it simply flows on until it reaches its destination. The river at times will change direction because of obstacles encountered, but will continue the journey to reach its goal. When one path is blocked it seeks to find another path. The river is patient, for it knows it will eventually reach its destination. There are many parallels between the river and our lives. As babies and children many small items of input from our outlook on life and influence the way our lives flow. How to cite Philosophy of Life, Papers

In The Skin Of A Lion Essay Example For Students

In The Skin Of A Lion Essay In the novel, In the Skin of a Lion, by Michael Ondaatje, the main character, Patrick Lewis, searches for identity and light. Without these elements, he lacks love and cannot survive the world. A passage in chapter three describes him as a lonely man that is isolated from the world around him. Clara and Ambrose and Alice and Temelcoff and Cato- this cluster made up a drama without him. And he himself was noting but a prism that refracted their lives. He searched out things, he collected things. He was an abashed man, an inheritance from his father. Born in Abashed, Ontario. What did the word mean? Something that suggested there was a terrible horizon in him beyond which he couldnt leap. Something hollow, so when alone, when not aligned with another- whether it was Ambrose or Clara or Alice- he could hear the rattle within that suggested a space between him and community. A gap of love, (Ondaatje, pg.157) suggests his feelings of separation from his close companions. Patrick Lewis is a lost soul and a searcher on a constant journey. In chapter three, ironically titled, The Searcher, Patrick is searching for Ambrose Small but that is merely a metaphor for his vocation. He searched out things, he collected things, (Ondaatje, pg.157) indicates that he is always searching for something. The title, In the Skin of a Lion, can also be used to illustrate Patricks perpetual search. In the preface, Ondaatje states, (T)he joyful will stoop I will wander through the wilderness in the skin of a lion. Patrick is wandering through the wilderness, searching and hunting. He has no purpose in life; he just searches. The thing that he is looking for is light. This ambiguous concept of light Ondaatje presents throughout the novel is not ordinary light, but one that illuminates the void of darkness. Just like the moths that Patrick is intrigued by that only tend toward light at night, Patrick only seeks light when there is none around him. Patrick continues his eternal search for li ght because he has none of his own to emit. The central theme behind many stories is the loss and regaining of identity. Patrick has no identity of his own, and his only way of gaining a temporary one is through light. And he himself was nothing but a prism that refracted their lives. (Ondaatje, pg.157) A prism, by definition, refracts light into a spectrum of colors. Correspondingly, Patrick contorts other characters identities as his own. The readers are introduced to this concept of reflecting light even before the novel begins. This is indicated by, (D)riving the four hours to Marmora under six stars and a moon. Patrick is the moon; he can only reflect a stars light. When reflecting light from the six stars, the main characters in the novel, Patrick is able to gain a temporary identity. This is what Patrick is searching for his true identity. Throughout the novel, Patrick becomes like the people he associates with, and he gains a temporary identity and purpose. He takes on Alices quest to dissolve the power of the rich by blowing up the Muskoka Hotel. He becomes a criminal like Caravaggio by breaking into the Waterworks. When Patrick is without light to reflect, he is without identity. When Clara leaves Patrick, he is thrust into a world of darkness. Only when Alice re-enters his life can he begin to have an identity again. Just like Alices story of several actresses sharing the animal pelt to tell the story, the characters in Patricks life become the focus of his life. When Patrick is without an identity and the light of other characters, he is also lacking love. Something hollow, so when alone, when not aligned with another- whether is was Ambrose or Clara or Alice he could hear the rattle within that suggested a space between him and community. A gap of love. (Ondaatje, pg.157). Only with love can anyone be expected to have identity and fit into a community. Hazin Lewis neglected this aspect in Patricks life. Without a motherly influence he never received the nurturing and encouragement he needed . This lack of love from his father, created Patrick to become an abashed man. When Patrick came to Toronto he tried to forget about his past, and tried to make a new beginning: Now, in the city, he was new even to himself, the past locked away. (Ondaatje, pg.157). As much as Patrick was trying to get away from his past, it engulfed his future. His past became him. He could not escape his lack of love as a child, and continually searched for it. Patricks life is like a train ride. He is confined to the train, meeting new and unique people as they get on and off. He talks with them and befriends them. But there is something essentially different from Patrick and the people whom he befriends. They all have purpose for riding the train, a destination they want to reach and eventually they get off and leave Patrick behind. Sometimes Patrick would like to go with them to their destination, but he cant. Patrick stays on the train ride, which is a reflection of his life, and looks for his stop and unknown destination. .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5 , .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5 .postImageUrl , .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5 , .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5:hover , .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5:visited , .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5:active { border:0!important; } .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5:active , .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5 .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1bc2319c20af4d52eb3cc400d65003d5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Time management EssayOne of many themes in this novel is the search for identity and light. One must possess these elements to survive the world. Patrick is constantly searching and looking for his true identity. Throughout his journey, he meets many people who help play an important role in his life. They also help build up his identity and true self. He feels a separation between him and the community he lives in. He also feels isolation and the lack of love. This passage states his inner feelings and thoughts and provides the readers some of his characteristic qualities. It states that he is an abashed man who searches and collects things, and who is isolated from every one who is close to him. This passage also provides emotional endearment for the readers, since it illustrates Patricks compassion and perception.

Knarls and Barkley free essay sample

Wake Technical Community Collage 91 09 Fayetteville Road Raleigh, NC 27603 To: Financial Aid Office Hello my name is Destiny McCall am writing this appeal because my gap is under a 2. 0 and my completion rate is under 67%. I had some many circumstances that occurred in 201 2, I was unable to continue going to my classes so I had to withdraw from all of my classes. Due to the fact was having issues with my mental health. I was unstable to continue my semester. I then took classes Fall 2012 and had stopped going to my therapy and became mentally unstable again. Have had many changes In my living arrangements with in he last year. I am now able to get back on track and focus on what I want in life which is to get my degree.And have a plan for any obstacle that may occur while in school and I now have the support need to be successful. We will write a custom essay sample on Knarls and Barkley or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Im asking for consideration for my financial Aid to continue my education at Wake Technical Community College. Please don t hesitate to contact me if you having any questions. Step 3: Explanation of Steps for Future Success Describe the Steps that you have taken to address the circumstances and ensure that you will be able to meet the minimum SAP requirements in the future. Emphasize what will be different in your situation to allow success. Provide appropriate documentation, if applicable. 1 Go to class I know this one is mind-numbingly obvious but its important.Many professors lecture directly from Powering and post the slides to the internet. This makes it tempting to skip class, download the lecture notes, and learn the material on your own. Although I can probably get away with this in easy courses, I will face problems in challenging ones. 2. Sit in the front row Not only will sitting in the front row build my self confidence, it will automatically engage me in the lecture. I will be an eager student and highly visible to the teacher. This will help my academic reputation and make me more likely to develop a relationship with the professor. I will have a much easier time maintaining focus and will feel more like a participant than a passive observer. 3.Take notes by hand Another unfortunate side effect of the Powering revolution is that it discourages students from taking notes. Taking notes by hand will improve my grades because it forces me to pay attention, and the physical act of writing aids memorization. If I take notes, I will find it much easier to stay engaged. My notes also provide a point of reference that will help me build a mental link between a written concept and the professors verbal explanation. This is key for efficient studying. 4. Do a weekly review A common problem students encounter is trying to learn an enormous amount of material right before the midterm or final exam.This is practically impossible. I will find it much easier if I take a gradual approach to studying. At least once a week, I will review my notes starting from the beginning of the course. Will take 15 or 20 minutes, just enough time to build familiarity with the material. . Go to office hours Professors usually make themselves available at regular times during the week for students to ask questions about assignments. I am going to take advantage of this opportunity. First, attending office hours will motivate me to get ahead on my work and prepare questions to ask. This will give me a huge edge in understanding problems that arent clearly explained in the lectures.Second, it will build my reputation as a high-effort student who deserves high grades. Step 4: Students Certification and Signature Please read the following carefully and initial next to each statement. I have read the WATCH Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. I I I understand that if my appeal is approved, I will be placed on probation for one semester only. I I understand that if I am placed on probation, I am required to complete all classes with a C or better. I lam submitting a complete appeal form. Understand that incomplete appeals will not be reviewed. I I I understand that my appeal may be denied and that the submission of this appeal does not guarantee that my financial aid will be reinstated.

Why did it take so long for th essays

Why did it take so long for th essays Why did it take so long for the European Nations to defeat Napoleon With Napoleon beginning his military career in 1796-7 with victories in the Italian Campaign, a new form of an old threat was realised in Europe. It was obvious that Napoleon was a general to be feared, as the leader of the most powerful nation in Europe. Napoleons self-declaration of Emperor in 1804 proved beyond doubt to Europe that Napoleon ambitions were very big. It was obvious that Napoleon as a general would be difficult to defeat. Throughout the last decade of the 18th century and the first decade and a half of the 19th century, the power of France became almost absolute. Yet with many other countries in Europe that would not benefit from France being so powerful, why didnt these countries defeat France sooner rather than later, and why did the Empire collapse in 1814? The answers to these questions are in the nature of Europe, and the fears that each nation had. For instance, Prussias foreign policy was generally centred on her current situation, while Austria was more c oncerned with safeguarding her interests by helping French power rather than defeating her. At the same time, one may see that the majority of Russian interests lay traditionally in the East. In effect, the situation in Europe was generally controlled by foreign policy based on differing national interests, largely dictated by the economical position. Yet, one may also see that major European countries did go to war with France, Austria in 1800, and Russia in 1807, but always alone and usually at a relative loss. This begs the question of why no one nation was really committed to helping another against France. The reasons are quite complex, but the answer is simple, each nation of Europe was in fear of not only Napoleon, but of each other. Fear is the most important factor in the European situation at that time. Countries were united together not through their c...

Apartheid in Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Apartheid in Africa - Essay Example Therefore, apartheid system of governance referred to legal racial segregation which although was used by many colonizers in various colonies in Africa, was majorly dominant in South Africa. This paper examines apartheid system of leadership, its effects and the way in which Africans rose to oppose it with specific attribution to South Africa. Substantial amount of empirical studies point it out that racial discrimination and separations existed before the NP became took over power (Beger pp1; Welsh pp 146 & Hemmel pp 4). The system only utilized racial discrimination as tool to oppress Africans and other non whites during those periods. South Africa was colonized both by the Dutch and the English from seventeenth century (Hummel pp. 4). In fact, the racial separation was introduced by the Europeans who by late 15th century were already combing various parts of the world in search of new sources power and wealth. These quests led to enslavement, racial inequalities and oppression of the natives of the lands they conquered. They also ruled by extensively exploiting the natural resources grabbing lands they felt were good for their settlement and forced the original occupants to dwell in certain area. The racial segregation and white dominance employed by NP party mimicked the aforementioned aspects. Foremost, the Dutch descendants also referred to as the Boers or the Afrikaners established colonies in areas of Transvaal and Orange Free States. Later on, the discovery of diamond on these areas around 1900 century caused English invasion. This pointed out their thirsts for economic resources and the extent at which they are willing to go grab them. Secondly, the government at this time, which was a coalition between the two powerful Europeans, passed the Native Land Act of 1913. The legislation saw many Africans being forced to live in reserves and banned from accessing certain public areas or

What does assimilation mean when it comes to second generation Essay - 1

What does assimilation mean when it comes to second generation immigrants studied in BECOMING NEW YORKERS - Essay Example Though incorporation of immigrants from all over the world has been a great accomplishment of America, especially New York, deliberations on how far these immigrants will be able to assimilate have been continuing over the years. According to the authors, social scientists of the mid-twentieth century felt assimilation to be closely connected to, if not to be the same as, acculturation and upward mobility. Assimilation or â€Å"becoming American† meant giving up one’s home-country ties, and the key concern was, â€Å"to what extent?† Social scientists believed that the ties to the home countries would gradually disappear leaving behind a culture which would be more American and less ethnic. This belief has proved to be true as, over the years, conflicts between American and immigrant identities has almost always led to the disappearance of the ethnic identity. The authors quote Tuan’s definition of assimilation as â€Å"becoming a white American,† and those who could not assimilate remained in some ways always foreign. However, ties to their home countries do not play an active role in the lives of the new generation immigrants. While the immigrants make it a point to teach their offspring their ethnic culture, they do not wish for marriage alliances from their home countries, but rather from among the immigrant Americans. Most of the new generation immigrants, especially the Asians, cannot speak their parents’ language, while those who can cannot read or write their native language. They distinguish themselves from their parents so much so that today there are ABCs (American-Born Chinese) and ARCs (American-Raised Chinese) as well as FOBs (Fresh Off the Boat). American-raised Koreans are referred to as 1.5 generation, while the New York-raised Dominicans are Dominicanyorks, and New-York-raised Puerto Ricans are Nuyor icans. In the second chapter of the book, â€Å"Unravelling the Race-Gender Gap in

Iago, when No One is Looking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Iago, when No One is Looking - Essay Example Iago's soliloquies and asides, in contrast to his speeches in the presence of other characters, reveals quite clearly his deceitfulness and self-disguise. The audience is not duped for a moment, as, through dramatic irony and our privileged position, we come see that he is engaged in "double-knavery" (1.2.318), and not at all the "honest and true" Iago that others believe him to be. The audience would be amazed at the absolute faith that the character have in Iago's honesty, which we know to be a lie even from his first appearance onstage. Iago's aim throughout the play is to "blacken" Othello's reputation to match the latter's face, in revenge for what he sees as a slight in Othello's appointing Cassio lieutenant over him. In his first soliloquy in Act I, scene iii, he gives three motives for his plotting: to fatten his purse (1.2.308), "to get [Cassio's] place" as lieutenant (1.2.318), and to make "sport" on Othello whom he hates (1.2.311). He later admits that he is somewhat in love with Desdemona, and reiterates his suspicion that "the lusty Moor/ Hath leap'd into [his] seat; the thought whereof/Doth gnaw at [his] inwards" (2.1.310-14), and that one of his motives is to be avenged "wife for wife" (2.1.315). Jealousy, susJealousy, suspicion and envy are not only key motives to Iago's actions, but are key elements of his character, as his soliloquies reveal. Not only does he harbor unfounded suspicions that Othello "hath done office 'twixt [his] sheets" (1.2.312-313), he suggests that Cassio also is likely to cuckold him (2.2.320). He gives a further reason for his jealousy of Cassio, who "hath a daily beauty in his life/That makes [him, Iago] ugly" (5.1.19-20). It is not surprising then, that the method he employs to embroil Othello in jealousy is based on the working of his own suspicious mind, where "mere suspicion /Will do as if for surety" (1.2.314-15). On the other hand, his soliloquies reveal that he is an astute observer of character. He knows people's nature well, and thus is able to use their weaknesses and foibles to his advantage. For example, he shows keen insight into the relationship between Othello and Desdemona, in particular the latter's influence on her husband. As a result, he plans to manipulate Desdemona's liberal tongue and goodness to "enmesh them all" (2.3.366) and "turn her virtue into pitch" (2.3.364). He is also aware of Othello's own insecurities, and inferiority complex due to his race. Despite the fact that Desdemona, "had eyes, and chose [him]", Othello is convinced that she is unfaithful and gives as a reason: Haply, for I am black And have not those soft parts of conversation That chamberers have, or for I am declined Into the vale of years (3.1.402-5), giving Iago fodder to work on his jealousy. Knowing that Cassio cannot hold drink, Iago manipulates him into drinking himself "full of quarrel and offence" (2.3.48), which action will lead him to a fight not becoming to his station, discrediting him in Othello's eyes, and allowing Iago to have the coveted position. He also reveals the means by which he will achieve his "monstrous" ends: by insinuating false motives to Cassio, who is handsome, charming, "framed to make women false" (1.2.323). Iago soliloquies further reveal his real thoughts about these

Critical Theory in Sociology

Critical Theory in Sociology The critical theory is a social theory, which is known to criticise and trying to change society as a whole. The traditional theory only described and explained society. Theorists such as Max Horkheimer, T.W. Adorno, Herbert Marcuse, Leo Lowenthal and Reich Fromm, were the main theorists who took part in the Frankfurt School, In Germany in the late 1920s at the institute fur Sozialforschung. The Frankfurts schools theory of society is very negative about how society runs, reasons for this is the increase in capitalism, and that societies social structure has been separated, (Swingewood 200, p. 130). Throughout the essay, there shall be more information about the Frankfurt school, and what they believed and wanted to change in society, also more information about what is critical theory and what it is critical of in society, also more information about the traditional theory. The work of Frankfurt school become very influential in the social sciences in the 1960s. Culture industry wor ked to put together the role of social struggles in the production and reproduction of society. Culture industry worked like an apparatus which brought together individuals and got them doing and thinking the same. The critical theory may be defined as a theory of setting humans free of human enslavement, and manipulation. Both Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno argued that critical theory is the theory of human emancipation based on free capitalist society, the bourgeoisies controlled the working class through manipulation of interests of politics, media, culture etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦as a silent dominant force. The critical theory argues that there are various types of manipulation, such as; Ideological, this consists of justifying decisions made by enforcing ones thoughts onto another, secondly, Cultural, this consists of the attempt to commercialise to maintain the status quo of the working class. Finally the psychological manipulation which means that we are more interested in other peoples life and this is because of the decline of the father figure in many families. Horkheimer argued that a capitalist society can only be changed if it becomes more democratic is it could be that all conditions of social life that are controllable by human beings depend on real consensus in a rational society (Horkheimer 1982, 249-250). Horkheimer argued that the only way in which we could fix problems in society, was by introducing the critical theory. There are four main points for the Critical theory these are; Reflective, this refers to that facts can be revised separately from other things that we may have to learn such as values. Dialectical; this refers to humans understanding of the world changing as the world changes too. Critical; which refers to stating what is wrong with the current society, and coming up with reasonable ideas on how to change it. Immanent critique is the main support for critical theory.(Adorno, 1991) Critical theorists argued that Marx did not foresee some key developments on capitalist society. Especially, centralisation and various mechanisms of ideological, cultural and psychological domination, associated in particular with the development of a commercialised mass media. Critical theorists conclude that the working class was no longer the revolutionary agent foreseen by Marx. The only way in which theorists could change the way society was is by firstly stating what is wrong with the current society, has to identify the actors to change it and finally it has to provide achievable goals for social transformation. Any truly critical theory of society, Has as its object human beings as producers of their own historical form of life (Horkheimer, 1992, 21). Critical theorists have argued that humans need to become more aware of how science and other type of facts and knowledge work together in creating oppression.Critical theory identifies facts and everyday life as the foundation for human beings, in waiting that people will realise the power and their influences on their lives and be able to overcome them. Fredrick Taylor introduced science in the 19th century, Henry Ford among many other people was influenced by Fredrick Taylor by his ideas on how to improve and raise production. By being influenced by Fredrick, Henry Ford creating an assembly line. By doing this Ford was able to reduce hours and save money, at the same time produce more. This idea became very popular, companies were able to produce much more with less work due to the right machinery. Instrumental reason refers to the opening up of reliable modes of organisations, the critical theory criticises the instrumental reason. The reason which why critical theory is critical of instrumental reason is because it raises action, which means this would be a means to an end. The instrumental reason sees individuals as instruments instead of humans this was introduced by positivistic science. As mentioned before, in the concentration camps humans were not seen as humans, but they were seen as objects. (Swingewood, 2000). Another example of this could be the rise in tuition fees in 2010, this change would benefit large institutions, especially the government, however it does not benefit the people who would mostly experience the change of this such as students. Critical theory is also critical of mass culture, mass culture refers to individuals following and believing what the media say. An example of this can be such as girls believe it is always best to be slim. Culture industry refers to anything that gets in the way of freedom. The Frankfurt school gives us useful information about the process of how society changed from traditional culture and modernism in the arts to a mass produced media orientated society. Society has become much more media orientated as technology has become much more advanced, The traditional theory was originally known as the positivism theory, however, Horkheimer labelled the traditional theory. The traditional theory was based more on facts, the more facts we had about everything, the more knowledge we have. The traditional theory did not see people as humans, instead humans were looked at as things for example in the concentration camps individuals who died, were not looked at as humans dying, but a specimen. Unlike the critical theory, the traditional theory only explains how society is in the present time, where as the critical theory looks at society, what is wrong with it and aims to change it. Positivism functions ideologically, this is done by promoting passive behaviour. Habermas argued that a free society should let people communicate freely without anything getting in the way, when people can do so, this would be known as a free society. Positivists ignore the roles of humans in society, they tend to treat society as a natural process. Habermas did not agree with Adorno and Horkheimer views that they can identify what is wrong with society and change it, also change the whole technological interaction with nature (Habermas, 1971). Horkheimer continued to argue that critical theory should focus on society being complete, e.g. how society became how it is in the present time. He argued this could be done by bringing together major social sciences such as geography, economics, sociology, history, science etc (Bohman, 1996). Adorno and Horkheimers book Dialectic of Enlightenment, which is a text about critical theory, which explains what the Frankfurt School considered as the failure of Enlightenment, the book was published in 1944 in New York. It is one of the main core texts about Critical theory. In the book we can see how Enlightenment norms had turned into their opposite, how democracy had produced fascism and reason had produced unreason. In conclusion to the above, we can see that there are many different views on how society runs, and as we can see is whether society is fine the way it is, or what should be changed if its not. The critical theory is obviously critical of society as it is now, The critical theory is mainly critical of how society is in terms of exploitation of humans., especially jobs such as labour work. However, the critical theory can be negatively criticised as it always looks upon society negatively. Horkheimer argued that the a theory can only be critical if it is explanatory, therefore critical theory should successfully explain what is wrong with the current society and what is needed to make it right, (Bohman, 1996). As we can see, there are many factors that affect society, also we can how society brain washes individuals to thinking that they live in an equal society system.

The Telephone :: Informative, Technology, Inventions

The Telephone   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The telephone itself is a rather simple appliance. A microphone, called the transmitter, and an earphone, called the receiver, are contained in the handset. The microphone converts speech into its direct electrical analog, which is transmitted as an electrical signal; the earphone converts received electrical signals back to sound. The switch hook determines whether current flows to the telephone, thereby signaling the central office that the telephone is in use. The ringer responds to a signal sent by the central office that causes the telephone to ring. As simple a device as the telephone, had a mighty big impact on society during the 30's. This was due to the fact that, it was during the 30's when telephone service became economically feasible and also reliable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Men and women alike were captivated by the intrique and fascination of talking to relatives and friends, miles and miles away. Not only did the telephone pamper to individual woes, but it provided a very useful industrial service. It allows commercial companies to expand their horizons infinitely easier than ever before. It became possible to set up meetings and discuss business matters with partners thousands of miles away. Companies that posessed a telephone had a enormous advantage over the rest. And in a time as economically troubled as the 30's depression, everyone was looking for a competitive edge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The telephone wasn't invented in the thirties, nor was the first transatlantic line built then, but the thirties represents a time in history when the world was changing incredible fast and much of that change was made

Macbeth: Victim or Villan

Macbeth: Victim or Villain William Shakepear’s Macbeth is a tragedy that contains a perfect example of how lust for power can twist one’s thoughts, emotions, and personality. Even the noblest human being can become malicious when faced with the opportunity to gain power. Macbeth, the play’s protagonist, comes face to face with this exact dilemma, causing him to transform from a valiant war hero into a murderous villain. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth’s future is foretold by three witches. The first prediction is stated by the first witch saying, â€Å"All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis† (I. ii. 48)! Thane of Glamis was already Macbeth’s title; therefore the first witch is correct. The second witch predicts that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor. Immediately after the witches disappear, a message comes for Macbeth saying that he will now be the Thane of Cawdor as a result of the preceding Thane’s act of treason. The final prediction made by the witches was that Macbeth would be â€Å"†¦King hereafter† (I. iii. 50. ). At first, Macbeth dismisses the predictions, but because the first two predictions from the witches are correct, Macbeth concludes that the third must be true as well. The prospect of gaining power as king appeals to Macbeth, but he does not yet know how he will become king. Macbeth decides to take matters into his own hands, creating a plot to kill the current King of Scotland, thereby speeding up the time between now and Macbeth’s coronation. The witches’ predictions have already taken root in his brain and, by dwelling on them, Macbeth allows his evil thoughts to grow and flourish. This causes him to carry out his evil deeds along with his wife, Lady Macbeth, who has also become lethal in the pursuit of power. After realizing that he can make himself king, Macbeth concocts a plan to kill Duncan, the present King. Macbeth and his wife decide to kill Duncan when he comes, as a guest, to their castle. At this point, Macbeth can easily change his mind and allow the future to take its course without his interference, but instead, his decision to kill Duncan remains. After murdering Duncan, Macbeth feels a wave of guilt. As the play goes on, Macbeth’s conscience begins to become numb to the idea of taking the life of someone else. The next major character in the story that is killed is Banquo. In the play, Banquo is also given a prediction by the witches: â€Å"Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none† (I. iii. 67. ). This means that although Banquo is not king, his descendants will be. Macbeth realizes that this may be a problem later on and it may interfere with him being king. Banquo is also suspicious about how Macbeth is able to become king. He says â€Å"Thou hast is now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all, / As the weird women promised, and I fear / thou play’dst most foully for ‘t† (III. i. 1-3). With the prospect of Banquo’s descendants becoming king and the possibility that Banquo is suspicious of how he became king, Macbeth decides that Banquo and Banquo’s son, Fleance, must be exterminated. Macbeth hires murderers to kill the two of them as they both go horseback riding. Though Banquo is a close friend of Macbeth, this does not stop him from murdering both Banquo and Banquo’s son in Macbeth’s quest for power. Subsequently, Macbeth returns to the witches to get more information about his future. Macbeth is so concerned about keeping his crown that he willingly goes to the witches so he can figure out which action to take next in order to maintain his power. While there, he is given four more predictions in the form of apparitions. The first apparition, which is an armored head, says â€Å"Beware Macduff! Beware the Thane of Fife† (IV. i. 71-72. ). This apparition means that Macbeth should be wary of Macduff because he somehow poses a threat to Macbeth. Macbeth refuses to allow Macduff to be the one that ends Macbeth’s rule as king. Without a second thought Macbeth hires murderers to go to Macbeth’s castle and kill everyone there, but what Macbeth does not know is that Macduff is not in his castle. Macduff is in Engla nd convincing Malcom, Duncan’s son, to send an army to Dunsinain. This is the same army that ultimately leads to Macbeth’s doom. This means that Macbeth has killed the innocent people in Macbeth’s castle for nothing. Macbeth has multiple opportunities to change his mind about his pursuit of the crown, but he still chooses to kill innocent people for his own selfish gain. Macbeth’s judgment is repetitively clouded by his quest for power throughout the novel. His apathy towards his murderous ways makes him a villain in the play. His identity changes from a war hero to a bloodthirsty tyrant. This shows that anyone is capable of becoming evil when given the right motive.

Construction of America essays

Construction of America essays 1. When the British won the French and Indian War and gained all North American land East of the Mississippi River, they became engulfed in a financial crisis. Because of this, they brought about new laws and taxes on the colonists. Also, after the war, the British government stationed 10,000 troops in the territories to control the Native Americans. Maintaining the troops was very expensive and it doubled Englands debt. The new British Prime Minister, George Grenville, established the sugar act in fear the colonists were smuggling in goods. By the end of 1764, they were disagreeing on how colonies should be taxed and governed. These feelings would eventually swell into an outright rebellion 2. The Stamp Act required colonists to purchase stamped paper for every legal document, license, newspaper, pamphlet, and almanac. They imposed special stamp duties on packages of playing cards and dice. The Sugar Act did three things, it cut in half the work on foreign made molasses (in hopes the colonists would pay the lower tax instead of risking getting caught for smuggling). It placed duties on certain imports. And it strengthened the enforcement of the law by allowing the cases to be tried in a harsher vice-admiralty court as apposed to a more lenient colonial court. Colonists apposed it because it was taxation without representation. 3. One policy established in 1767 was the Proclamation of 1767. It banned all settlements east of the Appalachian Mountains. The ban established the proclamation line that colonists were not to cross. However, the British could not sufficiently enforce the law, and colonists continued to move into Native American lands. The Townshend Act, set up by the Parliament was a direct tax levied on imported materials such as glass, lead, paint, and paper as they came into the colonies. These acts also imposed a three-penny tax on tea, the most popular drink among the colonies. Two ...

The Brave New World Response Paper Essay Example

The Brave New World Response Paper Essay Example The Brave New World Response Paper Paper The Brave New World Response Paper Paper Essay Topic: Brave New World After reading the novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley I realized that this is no ordinary story. It predicts a future overpowered by technology and government and where the people have no true freedom of choice. This book made me think about whether the utopia depicted in the novel would be a perfect place to live or a terrible place to live. It is hard to distinguish where the line is drawn between making life simpler and losing the meaning of life. Although some may look upon this type of life with envy I personally would rather have to work hard and earn my living than to lose the chance to make my own destiny. The first thing that made me dislike the idea of this utopia was the fact that the government overpowered the world and took over every single aspect of it, causing the loss of freedom. Never having to worry about a job or food or the basic needs of life is something most people would appreciate as is the case in this society but at the same time it is not worth losing all of your freedoms for. Freedom is more important to happiness than having wants and needs automatically satisfied. One freedom that is taken away in the story is religion. I feel that religion plays an important role in peoples lives. It represents our principles and values. We choose to believe in what we want based on our own ideals not the ideals that someone else has imposed on us. Mustapha Mond when referring to the Holy Bible says that theyre old; theyre about God hundreds of years ago. Not about God Now (Huxley 237). Mustapha Mond is saying that with the evolution of time the need for religion has disappeared and has been replaced by the worship of one man who is Ford, the very person who is responsible for the construction of this controlling, freedom-less society. In this civilization, the people are isolated from one another, divided into five different classes which in descending order according to rank in society include Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas, and Epsilons. In every society of our world there are classes of people of all sorts, we are all essentially genuine in our own ways but to have these classes so defined as in the brave new world is a crime. No one is given the chance to move up and make more of themselves. The members of each class are ranked according to their mental capacity and physical appearance which are also predetermined before their birth. This seems that it would take away all individual motivation and dreams. If you think about it sometimes dreams are all we have. It is unfair that even before you are born your future is already written out for you. Another reason I do not see brave new world as a utopia is the conditioning of the people which has lead them to a lack of individuality and care for each other’s well-being. Due to their conditioning, they do not fear death but accept it as a way of life, they view life as expendable. This goes against the most basic of human instincts. If the loss of a life means nothing, wouldn’t that convey the idea that the life itself meant nothing? The people in the book are also deprived of their history, culture, and background. According to my views, these things are an unquestionably important aspect of life and I would go so far as to say that I could not live without them. If the people of the brave new world were granted these things that signify individuality and freedom such as the ability to create their own culture, it leaves the possibility for revolution which is the very reason they are not given ability to obtain them. The society also feels that parents, family, and friends are primitive but these are all essential to a happy society in my view. In our world, parents pass on to their children their own values and principles, what they may become as a result of their upbringing could be anything, it is not predetermined therefore they control their own destiny making them free. Emotional attachment to another person and monogamy is discouraged by the utopian society and considered improper, this is wrong to me, love and care for others is what makes our world so great. This discouragement is described through this excerpt from the text, Four months of Henry Foster, without having another man why, hed be furious! If he knew (Huxley 40). Lenina, a character in the book, is being frowned upon for being with one man for an extended period of time. This idea that relationships and attachment are bad restrains people from getting too emotionally involved and putting their loved ones needs before the societys. In the utopian society, youre so conditioned that you cannot help doing what you ought to do (Huxley 244). Thanks to their conditioning, nobody even considers fighting for themselves. All of this is what makes our world what it is today, all of which are repressed in the brave new world. Another example that led me to feel the way I do about this novel is the character of Bernard Marx. Bernard is an alpha-plus and therefore should be living the good life but even though his mental status is that of an Alpha-plus, his physical appearance is similar to that of an Epsilon. He is described in this excerpt, They say somebody made a mistake when he was still in the bottlethought he was a Gamma and put alcohol into his blood-surrogate (Huxley 46 ). He quickly becomes an outcast and does not get along with the opposite sex. This shows that even in this society there are imperfections and racism, so even in the â€Å"perfect society†, the bad aspects of our world remain just in a more subtle, unrecognized manner. One can clearly see that even though this world in the novel may seem perfect to its inhabitants, it is absent of free will, self-choice, and free thought. Is that really perfect? It was best said by Mustapha Mond, The key to happiness is enjoying who you are and what you do. In a society where who you are and what you do is not defined by your own actions but forced upon you by someone else means that the true happiness of life does not exist.

Ethical Relativism and its Beliefs Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethical Relativism and its Beliefs - Assignment Example This argument is true because from the past, cultures were isolated and people had little information about other cultural practices. Today, people consider their practices and traditions in their own cultures, which have existed over the years, in determining what is ethical. Even with information technology and the widespread use of the internet, it would be ignorant to think that there is a universal way of determining what is ethical. It is not wise to think that one culture’s way of doing things is the best way of doing things. Cultural diversity still exists around the world. For the instant, after the recent terror attacks in Paris, where the main target was a satirical magazine called Charlie Hebdo, people in France felt that the attack was an attack on freedom of speech. As a result, the magazine published magazines with Prophet Mohamed on the front cover. Many French people supported the magazine and saw this as a way of fighting for their freedom of speech. In this country and the rest of the western countries, the publication of the magazine was ethical. However, this was not the case in the Arab and Muslim countries who considered the action unethical and a mockery to the prophet and to the Muslim religion. This example clearly shows that it is not reasonable to assume that people interpret what is ethical in the same way. The theory of ethical relativism is also valid because it avoids ethnocentrism. This means that the theory does not judge another culture based on another culture instead. Ethnocentrism makes one culture look more superior to the others. It is argued that such thoughts are a form of discrimination just like sexism and racism (Hinman, 2013). Ethnocentric people devalue and look down on other cultures. If religious opinions are brought into this debate, more cultural differences can be identified. There are different religious opinions on what is right and what is wrong.  

Business Writing Class Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Writing Class Discussion - Assignment Example Francis then adds that including sub-topics when preparing the first draft is important as doing this later on can prove to be quite demanding and time consuming. Therefore including them at the first instance will aid efficiency. Joel basically reiterates what Francis said but he puts his thoughts differently as he mainly focuses on the creation of the problem statement and filing and storing enough data before embarking on the project. What is a problem statement? It is a concise description of the issues that need to be addressed by a problem solving team. The problem statement helps in providing the focal point for the document. In the legal profession such statements are referred to as the locus classicus. They help to give the document direction and tie in the whole document together. Collecting enough data before starting an assignment is also very importantas this is where one can retrieve materials. Most students use the internet but never save such documents in the belief that they can just use their search engines to look for these documents. This on the other hand consumes a lot of time which can be spent doing other activities. Storing this information is also useful for future references. The essence of planning cannot be emphasized enough and just to illustrate its importance, all the three class members have referred to it, including Timmy. According to Timmy, time management is key to achieving success. He says if he could do it all over again he would choose his topic much sooner and plan his time better. Procrastination is the best time thief and it is very common among students. It gives one a false belief that there is always ample time but before you know it, it is a day before the deadline and you are forced to burn the mid-night oil. Proper planning and organizing is of paramount importance if one is to achieve success both in

Biochemistry - Cystic Fibrosis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Biochemistry - Cystic Fibrosis - Essay Example In some cases, the CFTR protein is prevented entirely to take place at all and in some cases, CFTR protein does produce and get its way into the cell membrane but cannot operate properly. One way of treatment method is to supply a different class of chloride channel to compensate for the loss of the CFTR chloride channel. Gene therapy could be a better solution in future in which a normal copy of the CFTR gene to the cells is delivered. In this way, direct synthesis of the normal CFTR protein will be possible to treat the biochemical abnormality leading to cystic fibrosis. Introducing healthy gene will take over all functions of the CFTR protein that are necessary including those which are yet not known. And the best way of gene therapy is to exploit the ability of viruses bringing their DNA to enter into cells. Adenoviruses are suitable for this purpose due to their natural tendency to infect human

Study Notes for Midsummer Nights Dream Essay Example for Free

Study Notes for Midsummer Nights Dream Essay The scene in Act V clearly echoes Shakespeare’s idea of love, presented in multiple parts of the play. Perhaps the greatest example of the dream-like qualities of love emerges in the awakening of Titania to Bottom, with whom she immediately falls in love. For Titania, real life becomes a dream. Upon first observing Bottom, even in his transformed shape, she exclaims, â€Å"Mine ear is much enamoured of thy note; / So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape; And thy fair virtue’s force perforce doth move me / On the first view to say, to swear, I love thee† (3. . 122-125). Titania’s language emerges as flowing and poetic; she ends in a sing-song rhyming couplet, supplicating her lover. Shakespeare emphasizes the poetic qualities of the language of love; he additionally exaggerates the dream-like nature of love in Titania’s awakening and immediate falling in love. Even Bottom initially doubts her instantaneous love, but eventually admits that â€Å"reason and love keep little company together nowadays† (3. 1. 127-128). Bottom upholds that reason and love cannot exist together. Theseus’ world of reason and facts cannot coexist with the dreamlike and poetic world of love in the woods. Indeed, his love life emerges as entirely devoid of any of the truly romantic or dreamy qualities of love. Throughout the play, Shakespeare portrays how the experience of love often seems like a dreamlike experience and cannot be proven, as Theseus would like, with facts and rational arguments. For instance, the relationship between Hermia and Lysander seems quite romantic at the beginning of the play, as the young lovers escape to the woods to elope in secret. Likewise, at the end of the play, even the newly formed relationship between Helena and Demetrius closely parallels the ideals of romantic love. The setting is one way in which Shakespeare created the dream-like setting, both the time and the place setting. Night is when most people sleep and therefore, when most people dream. By setting the play to occur mostly during the night, it is easy for the audience to relate to the ephemeral quality. By putting most of the action in the forest, where there is much mystery because of the darkness and because of unseen creatures living there, Shakespeare further emphasizes the mystical quality. The characters are another way Shakespeare gives the play a dream-like nature. The fairy-folk characters of Oberon, Titania, Puck, and all the others give the play this quality. These creatures arent real, but many people of Shakespeares day would have been unsure about whether or not fairies existed. This doubt combined with the magic that the fairies can perform give the play a dream-like effect. Finally, the action of the play itself gives the play the effect. Another powerful image is the unnatural affection between Titania and Bottom. Whereas Titania is graceful and royal, Bottom is earthly and deformed. Working within this harmony versus disharmony is the use of contrast. The character, Bottom, is very useful because he illustrates a very central dichotomy in the play—what is true and what is thought true. Bottom considers himself an eloquent speaker and talented actor worthy to play every part in the play when, in reality, he often uses completely wrong words and conflicting statements. And when Robin transforms him and the spell causes Titania to fall in love with him, Bottom believes he is simply reaping the good fortune due him. He remains completely unaware of his true self. Although the tensions arise most poignantly among the lovers, it is Bottom who emerges from the dream state with the desire to learn from his unconscious moment and the ability to see the mingling of the dream versus reality. Love and dreams both become foggy, unclear, passionate states in which the individuals involved become delusional victims. The title emphasizes the importance of each of the characters dream, and highlights the irrational, impersonal and under valued qualities of love. Like dreams, love is foolish, crazy and driven by desires. Shakespeare highlights the absurdity of love by showing the dispensable and interchangeable emotions within the dreams. The male characters claim each love as being the greatest love, yet their shallow and conventional words show the true nature of the en. Dreams and love have a reoccurring way of mimicking and repeating conventions. Despite the trite words, betrayals and heartache within the dreams, not all of the characters within the play change or learn upon awakening. In fact, some of the characters seem unchanged by their dreams, such as Hermia and Helena, who remain blind to the pain their lovers had bestowed, while Lysander once again directs his affection toward Hermia as though it had never faltered. Then, Demetrius is seemingly changed for the better as though he remained dreaming. Prior to falling asleep, Demetrius seemed concerned only in himself, disregarding the wants of the woman he claimed to love. Rather than letting her marry a man whom she loved in return, he set out to force her to unwillingly marry him. However, when dreaming, Demetrius finds himself under the enchantment of the love juice and in love with Helena. Upon awakening, he remains true to the person he had become in the dream, restoring order in reality by marrying Helena and allowing Lysander and Hermia to be together.

Portrayals and Presentation of Cancer in Cinema

Portrayals and Presentation of Cancer in Cinema INTRODUCTION Through years, many movies have been released for public viewing regarding cancers of all types. Depictions might include the nature of cancers, patients’ response, care-givers’ response, and the clinical outcomes. Since movies may affect thoughts of the viewers, outcomes in movies may affect decision making of the patient or caregiver and may affect care-seeking behavior, the way they react to the situation and their compliance to treatment. At present, films featuring cancer patients are no longer a rare scenario, as stated in a press release at the ESMO 2012 Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology. Many cancer movies were released for viewing, however, the portrayal of the patient’s chances of survival are rarely accurate. In 82 movies that focused on cancer patients, Dr Luciano De Fiorre et al, found that descriptions on cancer experience in the films were not reflective of cancer in its scientific meaning. In the Philippines, there are only few movies that feature a person/persons with cancer. And in most of the Filipino movies that depict cancer, cancer patients are diagnosed late and hospitalization with other therapeutic modalities are not clearly seen. Cancer patients experiences described in the movie were so different from the truth. Davaoenos, like most Filipinos, see that cancer is always worse in the movies. The illness is usually depicted as death sentence. To our knowledge, no previous descriptive reviews of movies about cancers in children, adolescents, and young adults have been documented, hence this research. Review of Related Literature Medical portrayals in the media, including depictions of clinical outcomes, may impact public perceptions and health decision-making. Media greatly affects people’s behavior toward a certain event and the said response varies in each individual, depending on how they perceive or understand. What we see affects what we think, and thoughts may become action. We act upon what we see thru imitation (Koordeman et al 2011) Both market research and anecdotal case reports have long claimed that the general public learn and form reactions regarding health conditions based on what is seen on television (Eisenman et al., 2005) (Tayal, 2003). Increasingly, media has not only been an entertainment tool, but has been applied deliberately as a health educational source, as â€Å"entertainment education† in different countries (Hether H.J et al, December 2008.) Some people do not only rely to medical professionals regarding their health. According to one study, (Kowalczyk et al, 2012)o lder generations greatly depend on internet in gaining information about cancer, hence it must be ensured that they are gaining information from a reliable source. Cinema had also been used for medical-educational purposes (Akram et al, 2009). More recently, entertainment education has been attempted on the topic of cancer as well, for instance promoting breast cancer awareness in adults. The extent and nature of depictions of cancers in children, adolescents and young adults, however, remain less clear. Negative perceptions result from negative portrayals and negative outcomes. In one research, it was noted that there had already been lots of motion pictures with negative portrayals of the medical profession (Thibodeau et al, 2007). In another research with 131movies as sample size, it was pointed out that physicians were portrayed negatively in 44% of movies and that 27% of the sample size had medical inaccuracies. (Flores et al, 2002). There may be a wide disparity between public perceptions and scientific findings. This usually happens when we are convinced by what we saw or hear on the news and not relying on the scientifically documented events. Movies like â€Å"Erin Brokovich† let the people think that cancer in New Jersey and Long Island, New York trigger the cancer clusters (Robinson D,2002). In reality, it is not only the purely environmental exposures that may lead to cancer. After carefully studying 82 movies that centre on a person with cancer, Dr Luciano De Fiore et al, found experiences pertaining to cancer as described in the films were not reflective of the truth. In the movies the researchers studied, 40 characters with cancer were women, and 35 men. In 21 films the type of cancer was not mentioned. Symptoms were considered in 72% of the movies, while diagnostic tests were mentioned in 65%. The most frequent treatment mentioned in the movies was chemotherapy followed by pain-relief. Death occurred in 63% of all movies). Doctors and nurses turned up in 58 films (77%). (De Fiore, 2012) If we are exposed to wrong information, we will be living in wrong direction. If cancer patients in movies die without a fight, diagnosed cancer patients may also choose to die without a fight. It is the government’s role to protect the viewers from what they see. Some research had already pointed good representations about cancer in movies. Some movies are informative and the role of medical research in overcoming the disease is already highlighted ( Lederer SE,2007). A positive outlook about cancer is very possible if people will see realistic portrayals in movies. Movies especially those containing health issues will give hope if those will not only show death and hopelessness of cure. At present, there are movies with scenes pertaining to health and death issues which contain inappropriate portrayals although it is worth mentioning that some movies remind audiences that not all scenes are based on real events but are reflective of the writer’s view. In a bigger perspective, it is not only cancer prevention consciousness is the major barrier in fighting against cancer. Poor language skills, low income and low education are contributory barriers (Loughridge, 2012). There must be a collaborative effort in our fight against cancer. Cancer patients, medical practitioners, health allies and the government must move to destroy against these barriers. In a press conference made during World Cancer Day, it was pointed out by Dr Lucio Lecciones that leukemia accounts 40-60% of cancer among patients in the Philippine setting. And that in Philippine Medical Center Hospital alone, the case rate is increasing by 30% annually. Deaths from leukemia accounts greater than the number of dengue shock syndrome, sepsis and prematurity combined. It was also stated that 70% of the newly diagnosed childhood cancer cases in the country were recognized in the late stages of the disease. Diagnosis was made when the cancer is no longer curable , even with the use of the most aggressive and expensive treatment. Socioeconomic status is also a great contributory factor to the abandonment to treatment. High cost of diagnostics and treatment affects survival rate and there is barely 2 in ten children surviving cancer. (Jet Villa, 2014) The Department of Health is active in the campaign for the fight against cancer. Educating people not only on how to prevent cancer, but also, how to survive it. Most doctors encourage prevention, as the saying goes â€Å"An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure- Benjamin Franklin. Cancer cases were increasing in number. There were more than 82, 000 new cancer cases, affecting both males and females in 2010 in a census from the Department of Health, Philippines. With the increasing trend in cases, it is estimated to reach 85, 000 new cases annually. According to Dr Ona, the number of cases is expected to double within the next decade. Cancer ranks third as the leading cause of death in the Philippines, according to PSMO president Felycette Gay Lapus. The risk factors in developing cancer include smoking, viral infections, sedentary lifestyle, alcohol and radiation. With the great number of people affected, vigilance to its warning signs, a healthy lifestyle and early treatment will shield the people against the disease. How can we expect cancer patients submitting themselves to doctors if most of the cancer movies show no hope for cure, portrayals of non compliance to treatment and death immediately after diagnosis. How can we expect people to gain true information when media has its own flaws in its portrayals. Much freedom is given for entertainment but not much is given to qualify information. Even if we have the most potent medicine or cure for patients, if we are directed by misleading information, science will still fail. In the end, it is not the therapy that will have a great influence to people but it us how they help themselves not to be victims of misleading information. There are only few movies that contribute or portray facts about cancer and even other health issues. With its double edge sword, vigilance to its content can prevent future deaths and maladies. Research Questions 1.What are the most common movie depictions of cancer in childhood, adolescents, and young adults? Are the depictions relevant and/or appropriately show the true nature of cancer- regarding its detection, treatment and outcomes? Do movies show the common symptoms of cancer? 2.Do movies discuss the care-givers’ and patients’ options to treatment? Do movies promote hospitalization among cancer patients? 3.What are the most common outcomes of cancer as depicted on movies? 4.What are the patients’ and caregivers’ response or coping mechanisms in dealing about cancer? 5.How do movies portray cancer in children, adolescents and young adults (AYA), including outcomes? Significance of the Study In our fight for cancer, we need to address problems about economy, problems arising from bad health habits and addressing the country’s education. Media is a double-edged sword promoting entertainment to people and depicting pictures which can be perceived as facts. Media can be merely entertaining or may be source of information. These informations may twist a myth into a fact, and wrong decisions may be produced. This study aims to explore movie depictions in children, adolescents and young adults through a review of cancer movies for the last twenty five years. Media becoming an entertainment-educational tool portrays a role in information dissemination thus may help in prediction of viewer’s attitudes towards cancer. This is an exploratory study of movies which aims to describe cancer depictions and portrayals. Our result will guide future research to better understand movies, including their effect on viewing public. Furthermore, this research specifically describes movies depictions as how they may affect viewers who are themselves patients and caregivers. Accurate result of this study will provide awareness to medical practitioners of the dismal movie depictions which will guide them on how to correct each. It will also help them understand why patients have feeling of fear and opted not to be treated medically. Practitioners may educate the public by showing the data in the hospitals Hospital administrators will be able to identify the dismal portrayals of cancer and promote scientifically based scenario thru health programs and by disseminating information thru all forms of media. It will also serve as an important tool in their advocacy in the fight of cancer. If we are exposed to wrong information, we will be living in wrong direction. If cancer patients in movies die without a fight, diagnosed cancer patients may also choose to die without a fight. It is the government’s role to protect the viewers from what they see. But the burden of correcting the moviemakers’ wrong portrayal of diseases specifically cancer lies on us physicians. It is hoped that this study will provide the figures of the disparity between fact and myth. Should the results of this study show significant dismal portrayals of cancer in movies, health allies will be obliged to warn public about the disparities in movies, especially those pertaining health. It is not only empathy that is elicited when viewing movies. Some persons may imitate whatever they saw, good or bad. Absolute correction of wrong portrayals may be impossible, however public warning will still help the viewing audience not to be misguided. Objectives 1.To characterize the depiction of cancers in children, adolescents and young adults (AYA) in English-language or –subtitled movies. 2.To gather data about the most common signs, symptoms and outcomes of cancer as depicted on movies 3.To gather data about behaviors and coping mechanisms of patients in response to cancer, as depicted on movies. 4. To gather data about behaviors and coping mechanisms of families, caregivers and/or significant others of cancer patients, as depicted on movies. 5. To gather data about where treatment is initiated on movies, and estimated time to live of cancer patients from time of detection. Design/Method A qualitative type of research will be used in this study. A preliminary list of mainstream, independent, and made-for-television movies produced from 1975 to 2010 will be independently identified by two authors through manual searches of the internet and movie databases, for English-speaking or English subtitled films. This will be made possible by searching from websites namely: www.google.com and www.youtube.com. Abstracts of movies will then be viewed thru www.imdb.com and will be decided whether they fit the inclusion criteria. Qualifying movies will then be viewed by the two authors. Included movies will be those movies containing individuals aged 29 and below whose signs and symptoms of cancer are noticeable by the audience. Data gathering about the variables regarding cancer, most common signs and symptoms of cancers, behavior of patients and families and the most common outcomes will then be gathered and tabulated. Setting Data gathering were done by the two researchers independently at home by viewing the movies included in the criteria. The outcomes of the data gathering are to be collaborated Inclusion Criteria Each of these criteria must be met for inclusion: 1.The cancer movies are released on public during the year 1975 to 2010. 2.The character of the movie, particularly the patient with cancer must be aged 29 and below and these characters clearly manifested signs and symptoms of cancer noticeable to the audience. Exclusion Criteria Either of these criteria being met will lead to exclusion: 1.Cancer movies released before year 1975 and beyond 2010 are excluded in the study, including those with cancer characters with age 30 years and above. 2.Cancer movies filmed between the year 1975-2010 which contains languages not clearly understood by the proponents of this research. 3. Movies which involve cancer patients who are not the main subjects of the film or cancer manifestations not highlighted in the film. Data Gathering Main outcome measures 1.The Variables of Cancer in an individual affected as reflected on movies 1.1.Age 1.2. Sex 1.3.Type of cancer Table2. The Most Common Signs and Symptoms, Treatment Options, Outcomes of Different Types of Cancer and Estimated Time to Live among Cancer Patients as Reflected on Movies 2.1.Physical effects 2.2.Treatment Options 2.3. Outcome of cancer 2.4. Estimated time to live among cancer patients Table 3.Behavioral Reactions of people toward cancer Behavioral reaction of patients toward the sickness Behavioral reaction of families/caregivers toward cancer 3.3.Where treatment is initiated Data Handling and Analysis The co-authors will review cancer movies based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data from the movies included will be tabulated in a table. All of the movies viewed independently by the co-authors will be collaborated at the end of the 10-month study period. The data on age, sex, type of cancer, physical manifestation of different types of cancer, treatment options, outcomes and estimated time to live will be presented as frequency and percentage. Typical emotional process that most people with a terminal illness and families go through namely: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance will be presented in frequency and percentage. 1

The Chorus of Sophocles Antigone :: Antigone essays

The Chorus of Antigone      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The chorus was not only a major part of Antigone, but also the most insightful portion of this play's cast.   The members of the chorus tell Creon and the audience very important truths about themselves.   Throughout the play the chorus comments on Creon's actions, and gives us all unbiased views on our hypocritical species.   Without a chorus Creon's epiphany may never have occurred and we wouldn't have, as easily, seen our personal flaws.   The chorus is included in a very effective manner, the chorus talks about death, love, and other unconquerable forces that humans eternally try to defeat, it shows the audience great futility and lets us see the problems we face throughout life.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Creon changes greatly throughout the play, he starts as a best friend, or someone out to help the common man, but later in the play he becomes more and more ruthless as his power corrupts him.   At about the time his degradation reaches it's climax the chorus interrupts with a song about death, how man can control the most powerful of elements, and tame the wildest beast, yet death still comes.   He also learns through them some important things about love, especially that it is unconquerable.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Through the chorus Creon begins to see that he is wrong and God is superior to himself, but it takes a lot to shake his belief that a perfect society is run by an unrelenting rule.   This play also told me a lot about humans in general, that the they aren't interested in anything but the fulfillment of their own needs, and that they refuse to see that something may be more powerful than themselves.   This revelation is the major theme of the play and is very important in Creon's growth as a person.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This play couldn't have existed without a chorus, these singers give too much to the structure of the play, without them Creon would never have changed as a person and the play would have been much more ambiguous as to the relationship of Creon's problems to our own.   With the help of the chorus Creon learns that he is just a frail being in a world much greater than his own pitiful kingdom.

Life Cycle Stages Essay

There are four stages in the financial life cycle of an individual. The accumulation, saving, pre-retirement and retirement stages. Judging from the financial ratios of Winston and Yvonne, we concluded that Winston and Yvonne are in stage 2: the savings stage of the financial life cycle phase. This stage of the life cycle is usually characterized by the increase of assets, net worth and the decline in the use of debts, as by this stage Winston and Yvonne have already accumulated more assets over the years and would seek to protect their wealth and priorities and at the same time seek to be more risk adverse than before. People in this stage are usually concerned in saving for the future like children’s education, retirement etc. As the savings Ratio can be easily explained by the amount of money a person saves as a percentage of their total income. The level of savings as a percentage of Winston’s and Yvonne’s income is 60.41% as calculated is expected of the cou ple in their mid 30s falling in this stage of the life cycle as it portrayed high savings planning for the future of their children’s education. In the savings stage of the life cycle, we could expect an increase in net worth and assets as those had been accumulated before reaching conservation phases in that cycle. The increase in assets meant that Winston and Yvonne have a relatively high net worth as calculated at 74.51%. As Winston and Yvonne have a relatively high net worth ratio, their financial solvency is lower as most of their funds are being tied up with their fixed assets and their high net worth ratio also showed that their investments and commitments are being funded by debts and trade payables that are not proportionate. Winston and Yvonne might also face problems such as liquidity problems as their high ratio meant that they do not have immediate access to their cash. Therefore any decline in value of their investments or in any aspect that is relevant to their assets would cause them to have the inability to pay back their debt, thus lead to bankruptcy. Winston and Yvonne should seek to lower their net worth ratio by diversifying their funds in lesser fixed assets like property, home contents and education funds as lowering the ratio of their net worth would help them have more f inancial flexibility and ability to meet their financial payment obligations. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/interpret-assetstonetworth-ratios-57281.html. http://www.accountingtools.com/net-worth-ratio. As Winston and Yvonne are in their wealth protection phase, we explained that there would be an indication of a high net worth and a decrease in the use of debts. The debt Service ratio is the monthly debt commitments in comparison to total income and expressed in a percentage. In other words it is the ratio of the ability to repay loans over a period of time. If a debt service ratio is too high it would mean that one is too highly leveraged and has a high amount of loan and in the long run might run into difficulties in repaying off the loan commitment in the future. In this stage we expected financial prudence and a high risk adversity. The low debt service ratio of Winston and Yvonne at 14.21% indicated the low dependability on debt and increases their ability to service their debt, reducing the risk of them not being able to continue going in the long run. This could be expected of them as they are seeking to save for the future and make sure that they are able to service their l iabilities in the long run and not exhausted halfway through by limiting their commitments and slowly getting a debt free approach when it comes to their retirement. http://www.e-conomic.co.uk/accountingsystem/glossary/debt-ratio.

When Should You Start Studying for Your AP Exams

When Should You Start Studying for Your AP Exams SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips So you’re taking a couple AP classes, they’re going well, and you feel pretty good about most of the material. The exam in May seems a long way off. Do you need to start studying?The answer is, that depends! Every student and every exam is different. However, my general advice is to start studying no later than the midpoint of the school year. (That would be after winter break for most of you.)Why the midpoint of the year? Keep reading to find out! I’ll also discuss how many hours you should plan to prep based on how the course is going and what score you are aiming for. Then I’ll present some strategies for determining how you should balance general conceptual review of the material and dedicated exam prep like taking practice exams. Finally, I’ll make suggestions as to when and how you should study based on overall course subject (math, science, foreign language, and so on.) Note that in this article I’m going to generally assume that you are taking the class for which you are going to take the AP exam. For self-study, see my article onstudying for AP exams without taking the class. 3 ReasonsYou Should Start Studying for Your AP Exams by the Midpoint of the Year The way I see it, there are three reasons why you should start studying for you AP exams in earnest by the midpoint of the school year. Reason 1: You’ll Know a Good Amount of Course Material By the middle of the school year, you will have covered enough material in class that you will be able to answer a decent amount of practice questions and problems without wanting to tear your hair out in frustration. If you start looking at AP practice exams in October, you will have only learned a fraction of the course material, so they will be of limited use to you. Reason 2: Avoiding the Cram! The midpoint of the year is also still early enough that you won’t have to cram for the exam. You’ll have plenty of time to familiarize yourself with the exam format and make sure you understand all of the course content. A major danger of waiting too late to prep is you might find that there’s a segment of the course material that you really don’t understand or a section on the test that is very foreign to you, so if you start in the middle of the year, you can be confident you’ll have enough time to fully prepare. The only cramming you should be doing is these delicious cookies into your mouth. Reason 3: Pacing Yourself Another advantage to starting early is that you won’t necessarily have to spend hours and hours a week studying to hit your target amount of study-hours, which will help you later in the semester when things are busy and you may not be able to devote entire weekends to cramming for an AP exam. If you’re in a particularly content-heavy course, you should probably review class material throughout the first semester so that it stays fresh. In general, though, the midpoint of the year will give you enough time to brush up on the material, identify any gaps in your knowledge, and prepare for the exam format. What If You’re in a Semester-Long Course? Some schools offer semester-long AP courses. If you’re in one of these, should you still start studying at the midpoint of the year?This depends on when you take the class. If you take the class during the first semester,keep the midpoint of the year as your prep start point. You'll basically start prepping as soon as the class is over. This is for two reasons: first, you will know all the material before you start studying for the exam, so you can take practice tests and write essays without being concerned that there may be questions about material you haven’t studied yet. Secondly, prepping throughout the second half of the yearwill help you remember the material. Keeping it fresh in your mind will be much easier than trying to play catch-up in the few weeks leading up to the exam. If it’s a second-semester only AP course, you’re in less danger of forgetting the material, but you also have less time to study. This is fine. Semester long APs don’t cover as much material as full-year ones, so just so long as you are doing well in the class, you can afford to wait until four to six weeks before the exam to put your studying in full gear. That said, if there are any concepts you aren’t clear about or that seem fuzzy, try to learn them as soon as you realize there’s an issue. This will save you a lot of heartache during the studying process. Not this kind of fuzzy. How Many Hours Should I Study for My AP Exam? There is no magic number of hours you need to study for an AP exam to get a certain score. There are, though, two main factors that together should give you a rough idea of how many hours you should plan to study. Factor 1: How You’re Doing in the Course If you’re acing exams and the material clicks with you at an A+ level, you can probably get away with studying around 15 hours for the exam and walking away with a 5 in the bag (Remember, you’re spreading the prep out over a semester, so 15 hours total would only be about an hour and a half a week for ten weeks). If, though, you’re scraping by with a C+ or B- (which is perfectly respectable- these courses are hard!) you may well need to devote 40+ hours to get the same score. (An added bonus is that all of that extra studying will probably raise your course grade.) Factor 2: How Well You Want to Score Obviously the higher you want to score, the more you need to study relative to how you are doing in the course. If you’re aiming for a 3 and you’ve got a B, you may well only need to study for 15 hours to pull it off. If you want a 5, that may be more like 35 hours. See my handy table below, where you can cross-reference the letter grade you have with the score you want on the AP exam and the absolute minimum hours you should plan to study. (I assumed no one is aiming for a grade lower than a 3, the general minimum accepted for college credit.) The more demanding the course is overall, and the more content it covers, the more you should plan to study. Ultimately, only you can truly gauge how much time you need to spend preparing to feel comfortable with your chances of getting your target score. Mimimum Study Time Based on Letter Grade and Target Score 5 4 3 A 15+ 10+ 10+ B 25+ 20+ 15+ C 40+ 30+ 20+ D 60+ 45+ 30+ F 80+ 60+ 40+ As you can see, how many hours you need to study depends on a lot of things- how well you're doing in class, how much material there is, and your skill level in the given components of the test. If you’re great at timed essays, you won’t need to spend as much time studying for AP Lit and Comp as someone who struggles with them. In general,it’s better to spread your prep out over time- a couple months at least- as opposed to doing massive cramming. Cramming will stress you out, especially in May when you are probably also trying to wrap up projects and study for exams in other classes. Once you have an idea of how many hours you will need to study for the exam, how should you spend those hours? Read on for my recommendations on balancing general review of the course material with dedicated exam prep. Study slow and steady like a snail. Say that five times fast. General Review vs. Dedicated Exam Prep: How Much of Each? Once you determine how much time you’re going to spend studying, you need to decide how you’re going to spend that time. There are, generally speaking, two kinds of studying you can do for the AP. You can review the material the course is based on, or you can prepare specifically for the exam by taking practice questions, writing practice essays, and so on. Obviously, to do well on the exam, you need to have a good grasp on the material. But understanding the material is not always enough to ace the exam. Many AP exams have portions that test special skills, like the DBQ on the history exams, so it’s good to prep for the actual format of the exam as well. Understanding the material is like the foundation, and doing well on the exam is like building a strong house on that foundation. So how should you split your exam prep time? What should you focus on? In general, I would focus more on reviewing the material when you first start studying, especially if you decide to do any studying during the first semester. Before you know a decent amount of material, taking practice tests etc will just be frustrating, because there will be a lot of questions you have no idea how to answer. As you pass the midpoint of the class, you can start to familiarize yourself with the exam format. Familiarity with the format will become more critical as time goes on. So the closer you get to the day of the exam, the more the balance will shift from material review to exam prep. That way you’ll know you’ve got a strong foundation before you start trying to build a house on it! You might also (politely!) ask your teacher what you will be doing in the course to prep for the AP specifically. If you are going to be doing a lot of dedicated exam prep exercises during class time, you may not need to do quite as much outside. If you are just trying to race headlong through the material so you aren’t still learning on WWI material on exam day, you’ll know it will be pretty much up to you to familiarize yourself with the exam format. Remember, regardless of what you learn in the classroom, it will be you taking that exam on test day, so you are ultimately responsible for your own prep. Now that we’ve discussed balancing conceptual reviews and dedicated prep, I have some more specific recommendations based on the exam’s general subject matter. You are as majestic as this crane, and better-prepared for the AP exam. When and How To Start Studying for AP Exams Based on Course Content The general guidelines I’ve given so far will hold for most, if not all, AP exams. Still, it is worth calling out that the best way to use your study time, and when you should ideally think about preparation, will vary quite a lot among exams. In the following section I give my study recommendations based on the general subject matter of the course. When and How to Start Studying for Math AP Tests In general, math coursework is cumulative- everything you learn builds on what you learned before. So the single most important thing you can do for prepping for an exam like AP Calculus is to make sure you learn concepts as soon as it is clear you are struggling with them. If you do poorly on a test in class, the time to try to learn that material is decidedly not in the two weeks leading up to the AP exam, it’s right after you realize you don’t get it. There is no shame in this! There are some hard, hard concepts in these classes.Overall, making sure you really learn the material as you go along is the best thing you can do for your AP exam score. So basically, the time to start studying for a Math AP is immediately, by making sure you know the material backwards and forwards as it is being presented to you. When and How to Start Studying for Science AP Tests Most of the science APs- Chemistry, Physics, and Biology- cover a lot of material and have reputations for being fairly difficult. This is another category where studying right from the get-go is quite important, and where content is probably more important than test format. Don’t get me wrong- it will still help you to be familiar with the general format of the exam- but most of your energy should be focused on making sure you understand all of the huge swathes of material throughout the year. Focus on content throughout the year, and format after the midpoint. Space: the final frontier that's not your AP exam. When and How to Start Studying for Foreign Language AP Tests To build a strong foundation in a foreign language, constant practice is the name of the game. If your high school class is pretty intensive, you may not have to study quite as much outside, although brushing up on vocab and grammar rules occasionally to stay sharp is a good idea. It will also help you to do things like watch TV or movies in the language you are studying, and to read books. It will definitely help you to do dedicated AP test prep, but the most important thing is bringing your language skills as close to fluency as you can, and you can work throughout the year to do this. It’s also fairly common to take a foreign language AP in a language that you grew up speaking at home. This means you probably already have a phenomenal foundation in the language, but you should still prepare. For one thing, you should brush up on all those pesky grammar rules; it can be surprisingly difficult to remember the specific grammar rules for a language you have mastered. You should also practice writing timed essays.Fluency won’t carry you all the way if you can’t give the AP graders what they want. When and How to Start Studying for English AP Tests The most important thing you can do to practice for the two English AP exams is timed essay practice. You should hone your timed essay skills for all of the different kinds of essays that appear on a given exam, and carefully study the rubric. This is an exam area where general subject mastery of English is certainly helpful, but developing AP-rubric-specific timed essay-writing skills will make a huge difference in ultimate success. So when should you start writing practice essays? I would advise getting your start fairly early in the year- around or even before the midpoint- so you can gauge how much additional practice you should put in throughout the year. If things are going well, you’ll know you won’t need as many outside-of-class prep hours. When and How to Start Studying for History AP Tests A main challenge with learning historical material is that it can be fairly siloed: you learn about the Civil War and then don’t come back to it, you learn the French Revolution inside and out and then won’t be tested again until the AP, and so on. This is why keeping historical information fresh is essential, and you should be doing it throughout the year. You may need to do more dedicated content review for AP History exams, and start reviewing old content earlier than for any other AP, simply because so much of the exam relies on your ability to recall historical facts and details. Obviously, a sense of overall historical trends is very important, but an occasional dip back into your textbook will go a long way towards helping you remember the peskier little details. Pesky details like whoever this lady is. When to Start Studying for AP Exams - Conclusions So as you can see, when exactly you need to start studying for your AP exam depends on several factors.In general, the latest you should start studying for the exam is during the midpoint of the school year. The number of hours you should plan to devote to studying depends both on how you are doing in the course and what your target score is. Reviewing conceptual material is more important earlier in the year, while specific AP exam prep becomes more salient later on.How much to weigh one or the other depends on the specific exam and your own knowledge and skill level. It’s a lot to consider. But if you study as you go and balance content review with dedicated test prep, you can go into the test with confidence. What's Next? Need help registering for your upcoming AP exams? Check out our article on registering for AP tests and classes. Still considering which AP classes to take next year? Let us help you with our AP class schedule planning guide. If you're taking the SAT this year, be sure to check out our guide to the new SAT, which was offered for the first time on March 5th of this year! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: