Abstract-writing guidelines Essay Example for Free

Abstract-writing guidelines Essay An abstract allows the author to communicate to his audience the critical information of his original research in a concise manner. Foote (2006) and December and Katz (nd) recommend that in writing a good abstract, it should contain four elements background or objectives, methods, results and conclusion. The background highlights the research questions and/or hypotheses, the methods describe the study population, data gathering techniques and statistical analysis. The results indicate the most pertinent findings and should contain actual data (Maughan 2001) and illustrative examples. The conclusion summarizes the findings and implications of the study (Rooryck van Heuven 2003). The abstract should be between 100 and 250 words (Foote 2006, Shannon 2000, Guidelines for writing an abstract n. d. ) and should never be longer than a page (Rooryck van Heuven 2003). Staiger (1965) suggests that a good abstract can have as little as 150 words once the information is concisely presented. Shannon (2000) and December and Katz (n. d. ) advise that nonessential information such as literature reviews should be avoided. In terms of style only common abbreviations should be used and only minimally (Foote 2006, Shannon 2000) and jargons should not be used (Maughan 2001). The future tense, adverbs and adjectives should also be avoided. The text should flow and be intelligible and easily comprehended by non-specialists and international readers. Abstract The traditional pattern of negotiation and placing of insurance risk between brokers and underwriters follows a face-to-face and paper approach but the new electronic placing system (EPS) is available to allow for submitting, transmitting and negotiating risks and processing claims electronically. This study explores the reasons for introducing, causes for the slow adoption and resistance to the implementation of the EPS systems. In a longitudinal research between 1993 and 1996, we surveyed 94 senior Market management, IT directors and staff, brokers and underwriters in the London Insurance Market using semi-structured interviews, observations of insurance risk placement work practices along with resource reviews. Reasons for introducing, delaying or resisting EPS introduction were copied verbatim and categorized based on its impact on work transformation or professional identity in the workplace. EPS was implemented because of the benefits of productivity, efficiency, speed and cost, its capability to facilitate simultaneous risk transmissions and potential to broaden job horizons. Reasons for resisting or delaying introduction of EPS were the resulting minimization of client, broker and underwriter interaction, the EPS’ inability to transmit supporting customer documents to potential underwriters and its potential to undermine the professional role and identity of brokers and underwriters and to worsen employment conditions and job satisfaction. Brokers also saw EPS as a potential threat to their employment security. There is resistance to technological change in the London Insurance Market and failure to adopt these technologies. EPS challenges the traditional mode of operation. We recommend that there be a balance between the use of computer technologies and traditional methodologies. References December, J. Katz, S. nd, ‘What is an abstract’ The writing center, [Online] Available at: http://www. rpi. edu/web/writingcenter/abstracts. html Foote, M. 2006, ‘Some concrete ideas about manuscript abstracts’, Chest, vol. 129, no. 5, p. 1375-1377. ‘Guidelines for writing an abstract’, Sigma Theta Tau, International, [Online] Available at: http://www. umassd. edu/nursing/theta_kappa/research_committee/guidelines_abstract. doc Maughan, R. 2001, ‘Editorial: abstract thoughts’, Journal of Sports Sciences, vol. 19, no. 5, p. 305. Rooryck, Johan van Heuven, V. 2003, ‘Guidelines for writing abstracts’, Leiden University, [Online] Available at: http://www. unc. edu/linguistics/confinfo_files/hil-tips. pdf Shannon, S. 2000, ‘Writing a structured abstract’, Canadian Association of Radiologists Journal, vol. 51, no. 6, p. 328-329. Staiger, D. L. 1965, ‘What today’s students need to know about writing abstracts’, Journal of Business Communication, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 29-33. Walsham, G. 2001, Making a world of difference: IT in a global context, Wiley, Chichester, pp. 150-160.

Salem Witch Trials Essay -- Witchcraft Salem Witch Trials History Essa

Salem Witch Trials Throughout history millions of people have been scorned, accused, arrested, tortured, put to trial and, persecuted as witches. One would think that by the time the United States was colonized, these injustices on humanity would have come to an end, but that was not so. In 1692 a major tragedy occurred in America, the Salem witch trials. It all began when a group of girls accused others, generally older women, of consorting with the devil. The witchcraft hysteria in Salem, Massachusetts resulted from the strict Puritan code which aroused the girls interest in superstition and magic and caused strange behavior. The Salem witch trials were based on the Puritans and their God versus Satan and his followers and their strict codes. Puritans had always thought that they were the new chosen people, abandoning a land of sin and oppression to establish the Promised Land (New England). Puritans beliefs were rooted in contrasts. (1) They believed that if there was something good there was something bad to contradict it, for instance since there was a God, there must be a devil. Since there was good, there must be evil, and since there were saints chosen to do God’s work on earth, there must be witches who were instruments of the Devil. (2) So if someone did not believe in witches it was considered heresy in Salem. A witch was regarded as a person who had made an actual, deliberate, formal pact with Satan and would do all in her in power to aid him in his rebellion against God. (3) The Puritans believed that they were living in a world of chaos and crime, and directed their efforts to constantly guard against sin. (4) Life in Salem Village was not easy at the best of times. Gaiety and merrymaking were regarded as irreligious, and the people of the village were somber and severe. Their lives were spent in hard work and religious observance. Even their relaxation was associated with the meeting house. On the Sabbath there was a long service in the morning and another in the afternoon. Village residents who came from outlying farms were not able to get home before the services, and it gradually became a regular practice for the time before the services to be spent in visiting and conversation. This was the time when gossip and news were spread from one to another. (5) Children would accompany their parent... ...irley, The Witchcraft of Salem Village, Random House, New York, 1956,p.5. 8.Robinson, Enders, A. Salem Witchcraft and Hawthrone’s House, Heritage Books, Browie, MD.,1992, p13. 9.Robinson, Enders, A. Salem Witchcraft and Hawthrone’s House, Heritage Books, Browie, MD., 1992, p.12. 10.Robinson, Enders, A. Salem Witchcraft and Hawthrone’s House, Heritage Books, Browie, MD., 1992, p.86. 11.Jackson, Shirley, The Witchcraft of Salem Village, Random House, New York, 1956,p.17-18. 12.Robinson, Enders, A. Salem Witchcraft and Hawthrone’s House, Heritage Books, Browie, MD., 1992, p.86. 13.Robinson, Enders, A. Salem Witchcraft and Hawthrone’s House, Heritage Books, Browie, MD.,1992, p.81. 14.Robinson, Enders, A. Salem Witchcraft and Hawthrone’s House, Heritage Books, Browie, MD.,1992, p110. 15.Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. â€Å"Witchcraft.† 1996 16.Robinson, Enders, A. Salem witchcraft and Hawthrone’s House, Heritage Books, Browie, MD., 1992, p.80. 17.Robinson, Enders, A. Salem Witchcraft and Hawthrone’s House, Heritage Books, Browie, MD, 1992, p.206.

A Philosophical Assessment

A Philosophical Assessment in Kauchak & Eggen: Chapter 7 (Examining Your Beliefs). Lance DeLong Of the four philosophies of education; Perennialism, Essentialism, Progressivism and Social reconstructionism, the one that seem to best fit my fundamental beliefs would be reflected in Essentialism philosophy. This is, because I believe that the role of the public school system is to teach students essential elements of knowledge that then in turn enables the student to development critical thinking skills associated with advanced critical thinking.These learned skills can only be applied after a student has gained the knowledge necessary to function effectively in society, and only after he understands that society can he make critical decisions relating to that society. The dilemmas identified in the situation posed by the text book exercise; â€Å"Decision Making: Developing Your Philosophy of Education†, can be analyzed through the perspective of this educational philosophy as such: The basic premise of what are the responsibilities of the education system and how we achieve critical thinking speaks to the issues presented in the first part of this exercise.The essence of understanding what one is thinking about and making decisions on, must first be established in in the students mind, would be my opinion. Essentialism, is the idea that centers around basic truths that must be learned in order for students to engage and participate in such activates. Essentialism is a belief that life is a series of building blocks and certain truths must be learned that allows the student to achieve advancement and an understanding of the society and the culture in which they are making decision on.This philosophy must also be looked at in the light of our Christian world view and the Bible. The Bible must be the basis and reflection of all philosophical truth. Paul warns us in Col. 2:8, â€Å"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ†. Though not all worldly philosophies are deceiving and drawing us away from Christ, I believe that any that question the basic tenants of education set forth in the scripture to be contrary to said and easily disassociated.The basic principle acknowledged by essentialists is that there are essential truth and those truths are to be imparted in the educational system. While absolute truths are communicated through scripture and basic academic truths regarding history, English, mathematics, and literature are the basis for this philosophy; one must acknowledge this, to be the basic responsibility of an educational system, imparting absolutes, to be an essentialist. Other educational philosophies that foster the process of discovering truth rather than acknowledging truth must be recognized for what they are â€Å"vain deceit†.Another principle the essentialists would hold true to, is that learni ng requires discipline and usually is accomplished through hard work. This seems to be negatively reflected in the situation presented in the text book. The students in the example seem to have been the product of a system that does not teach personal discipline and hard work as evidenced in their attitude for a quick solution and desire to learn just what is required to get by.If these students had been exposed to a system associated with discipline and hard work and that was the standard, questions such as â€Å"why do we have to learn this stuff† would not have been posed and comments such as â€Å"C’mon just tell us what you want us to know† would not need to be made because students would have learned that hard work and discipline produces usually positive results. It seems that these students have been given and have not learned to work for their education.If these foundational principles had been instilled into these students through a disciplined learnin g environment they would not have been left to their own devises as it seems these students have, but would have developed a deliberate regimented method to learning one that would have been measured and proved though testing. Also, in the situation presented, there seemed to be an element of disrespect associated to the system and the teacher. The element of submission to authority has not been instilled in the students.Paul tells us in I Peter 5:5, â€Å"Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble†, the element of authority and the respect thereof has seemingly not been established in this learning environment. The essentialist recognizes the traditional teacher centered philosophy where the respect for authority is the basis for the importance of the information being communicated.The imparting of knowledge, information, and skill s from the older (presumably wiser) generation to the younger one is imperative in this philosophy. The teacher's responsibility is not only to impart those mentioned elements of basic education, but also to instill respect for authority, and moral norms as deemed acceptable in a society. The situation described in said scenario seems to be a reoccurring dilemma recognized in our public school systems today. This seems not to be a need to redefine the educational system, but a need to readdress roles and responsibilities.Going back to the principles of the founder of the essentialist educational theory, William C. Bagley seems to be the answer. His basis principles of â€Å"the recognized right of an immature student to the guidance of a well-educated, caring, and cultured teacher†, would seemed to have resolved the assumed attitude of the students in question of non-importance of education. That â€Å"the imparting of the ideals of community to each succeeding generation of children†, would have resolved the issue of respect for the teaching system and teacher and would have fostered the feeling of community and society. Having a specific program of studies that required thoroughness, accuracy, persistence, and good workmanship on the part of pupils†, would have set the precedence and provide the students specifically with what was required of them. I would agree with Professor Bagley’s’ statement of â€Å"(American) essentialism is grounded in a conservative philosophy that accepts the social, political, and economic structure of American society and schools should not try to radically reshape society†.I hold to the same thought that American schools should transmit the traditional moral values and intellectual knowledge and those students need to become model citizens. I hold to the basic tenant that when a student leaves school that they should possess basic skills and an extensive body of knowledge, discipline and a practical mind that then allows them to apply school house lessons in a real and practical world. Finally I believe the American school system is in decline as evidenced in the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).The results of these test showed that only about one third of American students exhibited proficiency in technology and science. â€Å"Living in the past† is the phrase I will use as some reflect on the fact that in the 1950s SAT scores reached an all-time high as reflected by the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), surveying Adults 16-65 relating not to math and science but literacy. As years go by statistics continue to drop. The current administration has promised even more spending on their â€Å"Race to the Top† initiative with seeming little or no positive results.Some will find excuses for the decline, but it seems to me that the progressive mind set relating to current educational philosophies is not necessarily working an d that a return to traditional values and proven theories of education would be prudent to return to. A philosophical model of education that reflects the principles of ultimate truths do not change and that sound conservative practices of essentialism seems be the basis for this return.

Soft Media And Soft News Media Essay - 2034 Words

Just how influential are soft news outlets in informing the american people? I approached this topic with an interest in the answer because soft news media is one of the early ways that I was introduced to politics. It is through this medium of media that I have seen many people increase their political participation. There have been some studies in this topic but I want to see how prevalent these studies are to today’s soft news media. One of the more useful resources that I had while writing this paper is that of Matthew A. Baum. He has written many studies regarding soft news in the media throughout the years. I believe that soft news outlets are a great way for the politically uninformed to become better informed rather than watching the more hard news outlets. What does the term â€Å"soft news† actually mean? Well one great way of defining it is as a â€Å"style and genre that blurs the line between information and entertainment.† (Lisa Mills-Brown 2014) A few examples of some of the more well known soft news programs are The Daily Show and The Tonight Show hosted by a variety of anchors. In my opinion, what makes these shows so popular is how each show is able to combine jokes and lighthearted humor to news that would otherwise be serious. Accordingly, many people probably feel the same way. By moving away from the more traditional hard news, people are probably looking more towards soft news media as a way to get their daily political news. With a variety of differentShow MoreRelatedNegative Effects Of Social Media On Youth1088 Words   |  5 Pages Social media is best left alone Social media is considered to be a huge stepping stone in the technological age; it allows for connections to be made across all social and economic platforms. There are many positive accomplishments we can attribute to social media, there are also some very negative side effects that go hand in hand with the use of social media. From the absence of soft skills to the lasting damage of focus, social media may not be the saving grace we are looking for. The wide spreadRead MoreCadbury Beverages Case1524 Words   |  7 Pagesbeverage division of Cadbury Schweppes PLC, a major global soft drink and confectionery marketer. In 1989, Cadbury Schweppes PLC had worldwide sales of $4.6 billion, which were produced by product sales in more than 110 countries. Cadbury Schweppes PLC headquarters are located in London, England; Cadbury Beverages, Inc. worldwide headquarters are in Stamford, Connecticut. Cadbury Schweppes PLC has the distinction of being the world’s first soft drink maker. The company can trace its beginnings toRead MoreAppropriate Promotional Strategy894 Words   |  4 Pagesof but not limited to media communications such as advertisements through radio, billboards, Television, newspapers and magazine. Other promotional exercises may involve discounts, offers/gifts, or intermediaries contests. The strategies used in promoting a product or service carry one core objective; to make known the product in the market appeal to the existing and potential consumers (Parmar Kumar, 2006). In this paper, appropriate promotional strategy for Pepsis Soft drink and Nestles breakfastRead MoreThe British Are Coming ! J20 Essay1749 Words   |  7 Pagescollege vacations, campuses, and in high city population places. Company Overview Britvic is a British producer of soft drinks based in Hemel Hempstead. They are the second popular soft drink producers in the United Kingdom. Britvic manufactures different products such as Britvic itself, Robinsons, Tango and J2O. Out of the four products, J2O is one of the better selling. J2O is a still soft drink made from fruit juices and is widely popular in the United Kingdom and Ireland. J2O is available in threeRead MoreA Brief Note On Journalism And The Society Essay1716 Words   |  7 PagesAND THE SOCIETY 1.WHAT IS NEWS News is an important piece of information that is often current and unknown and is broadcasted to a mass audience. News is divided into two categories that are hard news and soft news. Hard news is up-to-date information of serious topics and events while soft news deals with human interest. What distinguishes hard news from soft news is that hard news is presented with a serious tone and its main agenda is to inform the public while soft news seeks to entertain the audienceRead MoreCoca Col A New Campaign Essay1324 Words   |  6 PagesThe Coca Cola company has promoted a new campaign launch to help catch consumer’s attention. From 1886 to 2016 Coca Cola has been a well-known soft drink. The campaign launch â€Å"Share a Coke with a Friend† that was released in 2014 had grabbed consumer’s attention tremendously. The new campaign was targeting everyone. The Coca Cola company knew they needed to create a campaign that would make an impression on the newer generat ion. The â€Å"Share a Coke with a Friend† Campaign was an interesting approachRead MoreThe Role Of Power In International Communication1391 Words   |  6 Pagesthe connection between media and power. At the same time, it shapes our perception by affecting the way we see cultural and economic power along with how we obtain our knowledge. International communication shows that the media is interrelated with power and influence. It has a major role in defining, maintaining, and transforming the structure of power distribution in the society. Considering how a significant part of power and influence belongs to the government, the media clearly has an importantRead MoreCase Study Pepsi Cola1228 Words   |  5 PagesCase Study_Pepsi Cola MBA INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT DECLARATION SUBJECT: Marketing – Pepsi Cola Case Study 1. What criteria would you suggest Pepsi and Suntory use when screening for new limited edition soft drinks? [ 15 marks] Screening is the selecting of the ideas with the greatest potential for further review. The objective of screening is to eliminate unsound concepts prior to devoting resources to them. The two problems that may arise during the screening process are the acceptance of a poorRead MorePepsi vs Coke Essay1515 Words   |  7 Pagescompetitors within the soft drink market. By employing various advertising tactics, strategies such as blind taste tests, and reward initiatives for the consumer, they have grown to become oligopolistic rivals. In the soft-drink business, â€Å"The Coca-Cola Company† and â€Å"PepsiCo, Incorporated† hold most of the market shares in virtually every region of the world. They have brands that the consumers want, whether it be soft-drink brands or in PepsioCo’s case, snacks. With only one soft-drink market, the twoRead MoreEmergence of Globalization Phenomenon1521 Words   |  6 Pagescomputers, satellite TV, print media and telegraphy have fused together to form the global communication network. The proliferation of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the possibility of wire and wireless almost everywhere, no spot on earth is apparently left untouched by global communication. The internet is the most remarkable development which grew from a few hundred website in the 90s to several millions at the end of last decade. Easy access to media and cyberspace has eliminated