Yeast Population Lab Report Essay Example

Yeast Population Lab Report Paper The biotic factor being tested here is what effect the temperature of he yeasts environment has on its ability or inability to reproduce efficiently. The lab tests the yeast in three separate temperature settings: a cold temperature (ICC), room temperature (ICC), and a hot temperature (ICC). Here, the independent variable is the temperature of the yeast habitat and the dependent variable is the amount (in ml) of CO gas produced by the yeast. The biotic factor in this experiment is what effect the concentration of the yeast has on its ability or inability to reproduce efficiently. The lab tests three different concentrations of the yeast: add 0. 25 ml, 0. 5 ml, or 1 ml of yeast suspension to the test tube. The independent variable is the amount of yeast concentration added and the dependent variable is the amount (in ml) of CO gas produced by the yeast. INTRODUCTION Yeast is a single-cell fungus that produces carbon dioxide (CO) as a byproduct of cellular respiration. Therefore, the more yeast cells in an area, the more CO they will be able to produce. Yeast has many uses as a common ingredient in many foods and drinks, such as alcoholic beverages like beer and wine, and acts as a leavening agent in baking cakes, bread, and other foods by converting the fermentation sugars in the food into CO. This is what makes the dough in many foods rise while baking. This lab closely monitors a yeast population over a period of 72 hours, with various limiting factors being applied to the yeast population. These are factors that have the potential to greatly influence a populations dynamics, sometimes positively and sometimes negatively. We will write a custom essay sample on Yeast Population Lab Report specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Yeast Population Lab Report specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Yeast Population Lab Report specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer They are generally categorized into two groups: biotic and biotic. Biotic factors pertain to life or living things, and some examples in an environment include predators that can kill or injure an animal of a species, competitors that make it more difficult for one animal to access vital sources like food and water, and pathogens or parasites that can quickly kill or weaken a species. In most cases, the existence of predators is a good thing because it helps to keep the population from becoming unbalanced with the coexisting species living around them. However, if the predator population becomes too large, or if an abundance of new predators is introduced to the area, the population of this species will quickly decrease, and possibly be endangered or, after many years, extinct. In addition, having competition in an environment is important to keeping to well-balanced between plants and animals, but can backfire when there is too much competition, and plant life becomes scarce, unable to support the animals. This is true with all limiting factors: they can have a good or bad impact on a population. On the contrary, biotic factors pertain to non-living things, like sunlight, climate, temperature, and varying amounts of rainfall. For example, rainfall is essential in an ecosystem to hydrate both animal and plant life, and it is necessary for survival. However, too much rainfall at one period of time, or flooding, can wash away and kill many forms of plant life, damaging the populations that rely on plants for food, in turn. In addition, temperature can impact a population like yeast (which is tested in this experiment) positively or negatively. For example, if the yeasts environment is very warm, the yeast will be able to thrive in it. This is due to its activation in warmer temperatures. It is able to reproduce faster and more efficiently in a warm environment, thus producing more CO. However, when placed in colder temperatures, it deactivates and, although it does not die or stop producing CO, this drastically slows down the rate of reproduction and production of CO. Therefore, these factors (both biotic and biotic) can potentially, given the circumstances, greatly impact the dynamics of a population. This labs goal is to demonstrate these effects on yeast populations. Yeast is the most efficient model to demonstrate these population dynamics because it can easily be closely watched and it is a simple organism. Testing multicultural organisms in a lab can be more challenging because many of them possess some sort of rational thinking method that can impact the results in a lab. Yeast is a simple, unicellular organism that has only two intentions in its life: arrive and reproduce. This eliminates any impact that yeasts intelligence could have on the experiment. This is one less control that needs to be worried about. Also, yeasts reproduction is rapid. If the lab were to test a multicultural organism, it would take weeks or even months to get a proper result. Using yeast, the lab only took 72 hours. Furthermore, collecting CO from the yeast is a viable method for determining the population growth of yeast because CO is a byproduct of the yeasts cellular respiration process. As more yeast cells are produced, more CO will be produced because there will be more cells to reduce the gas in the enclosed environment as they respire, as measured through the volume displacement method. A carrying capacity in a population is the maximum number of individuals of a given species that an areas resources can sustain indefinitely without significantly depleting or degrading those resources (Population Size). Once the carrying capacity is reached or exceeded, this will take a toll on the environment as a whole. The resources that support this species would quickly diminish, and any other animals that this species preys on would become endangered because there are too many predators killing them.

Does the media increase fear of crime Essays

Does the media increase fear of crime Essays Does the media increase fear of crime Essay Does the media increase fear of crime Essay Fear of crime is becoming as serious a problem as crime itself. According to the Governments British Crime Survey (BCS) of 2001/2, 30% of the UK felt crime increased a lot, and a further 30% thought it increased a little in the previous two years (Home Office, 2002), compared to 33% a lot and 65% a little in the BCS of 2006/7 (Home Office, 2007). The media is a powerful way of getting messages across to citizens and many criminologists have studied the way crime is portrayed and how this affects levels of fear. The governments 2002 BCS reported that 43% of tabloid readers thought the national crime rate had increased significantly, compared with 26% of broadsheet readers (Home Office, 2002). These statistics have led me to investigate how the media reports crime, why they represent crime as they do and the potential consequences. How is crime reported in the media? Crime is prominent in all media. Throughout history there has been a fascination with crime. Robert Reiner (Maguire et al, 2002, p393) claims the risk of crimes as portrayed in media are both quantitatively and qualitatively more serious in the media than the official statistically recorded picture. Reiner argues that the media disproportionately represents violent accounts of crime, and focuses on events which are intense, exciting, arousing and extreme. From my research there appears to be a virtually universal finding that media representations exaggerate both the levels of serious interpersonal crime in society and the risk of becoming a crime victim. This representation of crime is largely event-oriented in that it focuses on specific criminal cases and incidents rather than wider debates around causes, prevention, or policy (Rock, 1973, cited in Hale). A study done in Scotland found that 6.5% of the news reported in newspapers involved crime, and 46% of this was violent and sex ual crime, even though only 2.4% of reported crimes were actually violent or sexual (Williams and Dickinson, 1993). Cohen (Kidd-Hewitt, 1995, p10) summarises that .so much space in the mass media is given to deviance [crime] that some sociologists have argued that this interest functions to reassure society that the boundary lines between conformist and deviant, good and bad, healthy and sick, are still valid ones. According to the Guardian newspaper Attitudes to crime are hugely influenced by newspaper reports, with tabloid readers almost twice as likely to be worried about crime as those who favour broadsheets (Guardian, 2003). Tabloids news is generally found to include a greater proportion of crime stories reported in a more sensationalistic style than broadsheet news (Graber, 1980, cited in Hale). My study leads me to believe that the tabloids are generally right wing, with the main consumers not reading to be intelligently stimulated and to have their views, values and politics challenged but instead reading to have their deep implanted values and opinions reinforced by the reporter. Tabloids generally lack informative information choosing instead to use emotive language aiming to have the reader agreeing as they read and supporting the reporters opinions and view of the situation. For example, a report in The Sun newspaper on Saturday 10th May 2008 about Josef Fritzl (The Sun Newspaper, 2008) used eight emotive words including Evil, Monster and Beast in an article of approximately 80 words. This type of language induces what Stanley Cohen (1972) describes as moral panic which stimulates an increase in fear of crime. So why does the media represent crime in this way? For an event to gain media coverage and attention it has to be classified as newsworthy. It appears that the tabloids are not interested in reporting the facts and reassuring society that crime levels are okay and consequently reducing fear, instead they are interested in selling their papers and increasing fear of crime helps achieve this aim. Looking at news values helps to explain the attention and broad profile crime and control gain in the media. Interpersonal crimes of sex and violence can be more easily presented as dramatic and arousing than non-violent crimes such as white collar crime. Although names are generally included where possible, one of the most compelling images in crime is that of the unknown predatory stranger. People will buy newspapers to read about crime because its stimulating, exciting, intense and emotional. Few stories can capture the public imagination as forcefully as the killer on the loose, especially when the potential victims are children. Crimes which are considered spatially and culturally close to home, will generally be considered more newsworthy than the same crimes, or events, happening far away. This is also the case for non-western countries, which are widely perceived as more spatially and culturally distant. An example of this was on 26th December 2003, Iran was struck by an earthquake which killed more than twenty-five thousand Iranian Citizens. It was the second story reported on the UK evening News at Ten, the headlining story was that of an English police officer who had been shot (Hale, 2005, p165). The news value of proximity helps to explain why the story of one police officer being shot at home was considered more newsworthy than twenty-five thousand citizens being killed by an earthquake in Iran. Cultivation analysis as discussed by Gerbner et al. (1976, pp.172, cited in Hale) looks at the influence of violence on prime-time US television. This study found that heavy television viewers (those who watch more than four hours per day) cultivate a world-view which more closely resembles the television message than light television viewers (those who watch less than two hours per day) therefore heavy viewing is said to cultivate higher fear of crime. Television overstates both the seriousness and risk of criminal victimisation, portraying the world as mean and scary. Recent research on US television news concluded that local crime coverage generates more fear than national coverage (Chiricos et al. 2000, p.172, cited in Hale). I believe that this is because we think we have a higher risk of becoming a victim when we are told of crime happening on our own doorsteps. However National crime coverage may relieve and reassure viewers as they believe that their own communities are comparatively safe. What are the consequences of the media disproportionately representing crime? We are living in an age of media saturation with the media playing an increasing central role in everyday life and becoming more and more powerful within our society. The media today have the power and ability to develop awareness of an issue among the general public, and even manipulate the public response. Societys response is what Stanley Cohen, 1972, describes as moral panic. This social reaction to the perceived threat to societal values is both disproportionate and hostile and involves sensational and stereotypical media coverage, public outcry and demands for tougher controls. Cohen (1972) studied the medias response and manipulation of a situation in his study of the conflict between the Mods and Rockers. To summarise Cohens argument, the media exaggerated and distorted the events, which resulted in them actually creating crime. Groups of youths were labelled as troublemakers by the media portraying them as folk devils. This stereotyped image was held by police and the public, creating moral panic, which further increased the fear of crime (Moore, 1996, p122-3). Cohen demonstrated how the labelling and marginalisation of Mods and Rockers created a deviancy amplification spiral in which future disturbances were virtually guaranteed. These disturbances seemed to justify initial fears, resulting in more media coverage, more public outcry, more policing, and thus the spiral of reaction continued. This study highlights the power and manipulation the media can have on society, and in turn the overall fear the media can create in a deviant group. A powerful example of the media manipulating, using fear and moral panic to boost sales is the Naming and Shaming of paedophiles in the wake of Sarah Paynes murder trial, published Sunday 23rd July 2000 in The News of the World. They released the pictures and names of 100 offenders. It boosted sales by 95,000 copies. Parents queued to buy several copies to find out if their neighbours were paedophiles, and consequently whether their children were in danger. This irresponsible journalism led to vigilante behaviour, where innocents were attacked. In one case Iain Armstrong was beaten to death by a mob in Manchester through mistaken identity. The News of the World acted negligently, they didnt consider the long term effect and produced out of control behaviour as a consequence. The Home Office described the public response as a climate of fear and panic (BBC, 2001). Throughout history the media have created folk devils. They have divided and manipulated society to single out a group, in what is Foucault described as the Other. By labelling this deviant group as the Other, society is able to place the blame on them for the problems within society. The media have created many scapegoats throughout history including Teddy boys in 1950s, Mods and Rockers in 1960s, Skinheads, Hooliganism in 1970s, Mugging in 1970s, Joy riders in 1990s, Yob culture in 1990s, Teenage Pregnancies in 1990s and IRA in 1970s, 80s and 90s, plus many more (Muncie, 1987). A frequently quoted statistic is that more than 70 per cent of studies claim to demonstrate that media portrayal of violence does cause real life violence (Andison, 1977 citied in Hale p168). Banduras Bobo doll study found that children who saw aggressive behaviour rewarded, displayed aggressive behaviour more than those who viewed non-aggressive interactions, or interactions that were punished (Hale, 2005, p168). Media representation of crime has often been blamed for violent criminal acts. One example is the case of toddler James Bulger, who was murdered by two ten-year-olds in 1993. A lot of attention was directed at the film Childs Play III as a likely inspiration for this criminal act (Kidd-Hewitt, 1995, p6). The violent film Natural Born Killers (1994) has also been accused of inciting a number of copycat murders. A debate has risen among Criminologists, Psychologists and Sociologists around the nature, extent and significance of the influence of such violence in the media. The two main arguments are that of the political right, with the concern that the media images glamorise crime and violence, undermining respect for authority and the rule of law and encouraging criminality. On the other side, the political left argue that media images of crime and deviance increase public fears and anxieties, helping to win support for authoritarian measures of control and containment. Conclusion Following my research, I support the argument that crime reporting in the media creates a distorted picture of reality which is reflected in peoples beliefs and attitudes in society today. Although I am unable to demonstrate conclusively that media increases fear of crime I am convinced that without a doubt media has a profound influence. I have discussed how crime is reported and some possible explanations for the way in which the media select which crimes to report. My research shows that crime is grossly misrepresented and that there appears to be an institutionalised need in media to create moral panic in order to make good copy. As discussed previously, tabloids in particular use fear inducing language with intense coverage and disproportional representation of violent accounts of crime in a bid to make the story newsworthy and consequently increase newspaper sales. The creation of Folk Devils and other scapegoats throughout history has enabled the media to continue to incite moral panic and even become the creators of crime itself. The growing trend of copycat crimes inspired through media such as television and video continue to cause concern and debate amongst academics as the medias influence dominates society and impacts on fear of crime. This ability to bring disturbances, riots and increased fear into our homes is an issue of social concern and fear of crime has to be taken as seriously as crime prevention and reduction.

Beowulf and Sir Gawain

When envisioning the ideal hero, a person might picture a selfless individual, one who shows bravery in the face of defeat and is willing to beat the overwhelming odds. Often times, a hero is an everyday person who with one selfless act proves them a strong individual. Heroes are not born a hero, it is in the times you least expect it that heroes are made. Heroism is not congenital, rather something that is demonstrated. Yet, the definition of a hero is constantly changing; as society evolves, here is a great deal of variation in the importance of the morals and values within the culture. We have studied multiple heroes this semester thus far, yet two classic poems, Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight include similar heroes who went above what they were called to do, and embraced the challenge that lay before them. Although our definition of a hero has changed, we dont necessarily have to fght a green monster, it is obvious why these two men were highly praised. The idea of a hero has been transformed through time, in the Old and Middle English periods, hen people received their information from the storytellers; heroes came as entertainment for the people to enjoy. During the Old English era, the people were overcome by the epic poem Beowulf, in which the Old English heroic ideals were displayed by the warrior Beowulf in his battles with various monsters that threatened citizens in several countries, noting that none of them were his own. The people of the Middle English period idolized the chivalrous figure of Sir Gawain in stories such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Each story shows the type of ideal hero that the time period recognized. However, as time has passed from Old to the Middle English eras brought certain changes in the belief of what a true hero encompasses. Even through time, Beowulf and Sir Gawain stories have developed and grown. Their heroic adventures have captured an audience who enjoys seeing a normal human endure non human events, and in the end, becoming the hero that no one expected. Through their bravery and strength, Beowulf and the Green Knight represent the heroes who overcame insurmountable odds to win the loyalty of the people in their respective countries in fourteenth-century England. A quest is a Journey that a hero takes that is often dangerous and endures elements that no normal human can endure. We are first introduced to Beowulfs heroics when he hears of the trouble that his uncle is under. The inspirational Beowulf sets out for the land of Denmark with fourteen of his bravest men. Denmark is ruled by the great King Hrothgar; however for twelve winters Herot, the castle in which the king lived, had been cursed with a demon from deep down in the darkness. In the night it came through the hall of Herot and killed the warriors while they slept. The monsters name is Grendel, the onster of evil (3, 6) and he had left the weaker individuals and taken the lives of some of the strongest men. It was then that Beowulf was called to help, Heard in his home: of heroes then living/ He was stoutest and strongest, sturdy and noble. He the ocean (4, 8-12). Beowulf is preparing a group of finest individuals who will help him to conquer Grendel and help his uncle out. This quote shows how Beowulf is already displaying heroic characteristics such as strength and nobility. To be called to such an event is admiring in itself but what Beowulf goes on to do proves much ore difficult. Beowulf had an ultimate goal in his voyage to his uncle. He had to not only slay Grendel but restore happiness to a country that seemed to have lost all hope. When Grendel returned to the country in hopes of finding more warriors to slay, he instead came face to face with Beowulf, who bore no weapons because he did not want an advantage over the monster. Beowulf was not a large human being and his strength was no greater than the other men who fought with him. His perseverance was what made Beowulf unique. After a gruesome battle, Beowulf was ble to tear the arm of Grendel off his body and forcing him out of the country, back to the marshes to die. What makes this battle so unique is two main points. Most people are heroes for their country and their people, Beowulf wasnt part of this country and besides his uncle had very little ties to Denmark. His ability to fght the monster when everyone around him had ultimately failed also makes this battle unique. Beowulf took the monster single handily for most of the fght yet we are given lines that prove that Beowulf never gave up. Unfortunately, Beowulfs days of fghting were not over. Grendels mother became so outraged when she heard of her sons death that she immediately took to Beowulf to kill him. In another heroic battle, one that Beowulf questioned if he would make it, Beowulf hit his lowest point. In the midst of the fght, Gazed on the sea-deeps, that the surging wave-currents/ Were mightily mingled, the mere-flood was gory:/Of the good one the gray-haired together held converse, The hoary of head, that they hoped not to see again/The atheling ever, that exulting in victory/ Hed return there to visit the distinguished folk-ruler: Then many concluded the mere-wolf had killed im. (24, 35-41). It was at this point, where the reader feels that there isnt a way the character can make it out alive after all. To the people, Beowulf was the last hope of survival in the kingdom. With any monster alive, no one was safe. Once again, Beowulf fought back and defeated the mother, even after they all believed that the blood they saw seeping up had to be Beowulf, he emerged victoriously. After that fight, Beowulf returned home to become king. A country that didnt need his help saw his abilities and awarded him with the highest honor. Beowulfs days offghting were ot over and after a number of years he found himself in the midst of turmoil. Through each battle though Beowulf succeeded and only gave us more reason to call him a hero. Beowulfs biggest downfall was letting the idea of being a hero get to his head. He was able to accomplish something that seems to anyone else, non human like characteristics. Beowulfs bravery and poise in time of battle proved himself not only a hero in his time period but one that has developed and continued through the ages. We dont read about monsters coming into castles today, but yet as we continue o read Beowulf, we are still inclined to consider him the hero. Another poem that embodies another type of hero is Sir Gawain in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight who unlike Beowulf was not called upon to country to help out but instead in a brief moment choose his life to save others. While enjoying a meal with King Arthur, a head off. Without thinking, Sir Gawain volunteered himself and took an axe to the knights head. With surprise, the knight bent down and picked up his head. As everyone was in awe, the knight informed Sir Gawain that in a years time he must come and find the knight to finish his quest. Like Beowulf, he followed the knights orders and went on with the quest in due time. When the time came for Sir Gawain to accompany the knight in his castle they agreed to exchange their days worth of earnings. On the first day, the Green Knight came home from a day of hunting to trade a deer for a kiss that Gawain had admitted and believed had come from the wife of the knight. On the second day, Gawain was awarded a wild boar head on a stick for two kisses from the knights wife. Finally, on the third day Gawain was given a fox pelt in exchange for three kisses and a green elt with magical powers; however, Gawain disobeyed the rules and did not inform the knight that he was given the belt that held the magical powers. Gawain reason behind keeping the belt was because he believed he would soon be beheaded by the knight. The day came that the knight and Sir Gawain were going to fght. Much to his surprise, the knight only nicked his neck, causing no serious issue. Sir Gawain believed that it was the belt that saved his life until the knight informed him that it was not the belt, but that this deal was arranged far in advance and that the belt roved to not assist at all. In shame, Sir Gawain returned home embarrassed that he had lied about the belt. He didnt want to return to his country knowing that he had let not only King Arthur down, but the men that looked up to him. What Sir Gawain wasnt expecting was that the country truly was pleased with his heroics. It didnt matter whether he beat the monster or not, Sir Gawain was a hero to them for going on the quest in the first place. In his honor, they wore the belts around with pride, to show to him that they appreciated all that he did for their country. A hero can be idely defined. It doesnt always take the killing of a beast to become a hero. Sometimes the mere fact that you stand up for a country proves heroic enough. Beowulf and Sir Gawain each respectively became heroes in the minds of others. Their stories is what generations have read and come to admire their bravely. Although both stories can be looked at as very different, in the bigger picture, they both represent the theme of heroics. Sometimes it is better to look at the bigger picture in the story. It isnt who you beat, but what you endure to get there, that is what being a hero truly becomes.

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Research Paper Example Computers manufactured with the ultimate objective of green conservation are manufactured in a way that reduces the energy used and produced and the emission to the atmosphere (Young 230). As previously mentioned, green cpomputing also refers to the practice of manufacturing computing equipment that will increase the efficiency of the machine. This is done by manufacturing smaller computers that use less energy, has more integration of it parts, uses easily disposable parts and emits less transmission. The central processing units that conform to green computing standards are smaller, faster and more energy efficient that older computers. As already mentioned, the ultimate goal of green computing is energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. The process of green computing benefits the environment in three main ways (Young 234). The first way is that less emissions are made to the environment from the hardware used, which is achieved by using material that do not emit harmful substances. The second benefit to the environment is that the products from green computing can be disposed of safely to the environment. Before the advent of green computing, the waste products from the IT field posed serious detriments t the environment. This is because these products were not biodegradable, and the harm caused to the environment was immeasurable. However, with the advent of green computing comes the third benefit, that of biodegradability and sustainability. The products used to manufacture green computing IT solutions can be disposed of without any worry of harmful emissions or releases to the environment. The running of the computers made in green computing standards also benefits the environment. As already mentioned, the goals of green computing is to make products that emit less to the environment, are energy friendly, and use as little resources as possible (Young 234). The green computing process ensures that the machinery used is safe for the environment , in that it releases minimal emissions to the environment and uses minimal energy. This means that the operation of green computing solutions is beneficial to the environment in its operations. One of the most common terms in the conservation field is the carbon footprint, which refers to the total emissions of greenhouse gases and material that an entity makes during its lifetime (Roorda 31). Greenhouse emissions are hard to measure through the lifetime of an entity, so it is measured by considering the carbon dioxide emitted by an entity, either an individual or company or organization. The greenhouse gas equivalent of an individual is measured to determine the carbon footprint of the entity. The reduction of the carbon print in green computing is aimed at one major factor, which is reducing the carbon footprint to zero in machines that comply with green computing requirements (Roorda 131). This is done by ensuring that the IT equipment used uses as little energy as possible, and emits as little carbon dioxide s possible. This ensures that the ecological benefit of green computing is measurable, as defined by the Kyoto Protocol. In 1992, a program was developed to measure the standards of products

Objectives of Reconstruction in the years immediately after the Civil Essay

Objectives of Reconstruction in the years immediately after the Civil War - Essay Example the strongest desire to secure to the freedmen the full enjoyment of their freedom and their property and their interdependence and equality in making contracts for their labor† (Johnston, teachingamericanhistory.org). This is the thinking and suggestion of Andrew Johnson. At the same time, Abraham Lincoln had a similar opinion concerning the freedom of men after the civil rights, â€Å"with malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds† (Lincoln, teachingamericanhistory.org). According to my view, these three great individuals had similar views in regard to the slaves and the freedmen, though the kind of approach that they had taken was different. Lincoln agitates for peace, while Andrew Johnson rejected a bill passed by the senate and approved by the house of congress. In his explanation, it is quite clear that the details of the bill were not consistent with the people’s welfare; he therefore had to reject it. Given the effort and steps taken by Andrew Johnson towards the establishment of measures that could oversee that the freedmen and the slave got justice, he has been greatly attacked by Sumner Charles, whereby he describes him with many attributes, â€Å"original partisan of slavery North; habitual compromisers of great principles; maligners of the declaration of independence† (â€Å"Charles Sumner opinion,† rug.nl). This description depicts a negative image of the one known for his understanding and good will for the people. Though all these individuals had the same aim, to deliver the slaves from the bondage of suffering, they had different approaches. Abraham Lincoln has described the origin of the civil war and has greatly included God’s involvement in his issues. He eventually urges the people to come together so as to ensure that all slaves get their rights. Andrew Johnson on the other hand is one person

Business and administration Essay Example for Free

Business and administration Essay You should use this file to complete your Assessment. The first thing you need to do is save a copy of this document, either onto your computer or a disk Then work through your Assessment, remembering to save your work regularly When you’ve finished, print out a copy to keep for reference Then, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your completed Assessment to your tutor via your My Study area – make sure it is clearly marked with your name, the course title and the Unit and Assessment number. Please note that this Assessment document has 5 pages and is made up of 4 Sections. Name: Section 1 – Understand the purpose of information technology in a business environment 1. In relation to your current business environment (or one that you are familiar with), identify at least two different types of information technology that may be used when completing work tasks. Bookings/Appointments Clients details, address, phone number, name 1. Presentation software 2. Databases 2. What are the benefits to businesses (and others) of using information technology for doing work tasks? Two main important aspects to information exchange using IT are; Sending and receiving, emails are useful as the sender can attach documents to the email they sent. These can be word documents, spreadsheets, sound files or images. Bearing in mind when sending an email its important to know the competence of the recipient for that email there is no point in sending email if the person receiving it can’t understand or doesnt know how to open it! Using the Internet to find information, its important to use a search engine to find the information that you need on the Internet. Search engines look for websites based on the criteria a person enters into the search box. The best-known search engine is Google, other popular search engines include Yahoo! search, Bing and Ask Jeeves. Always be specific when you do Internet research as this will help you to get the correct information more quickly, if you are not specific you might end up with the results that are meaningless or lead up to the wrong path. Whenever using your search engine be precise in your search criteria. Section 2 – Understand how to manage electronic and paper-based information 1. Explain the purpose of agreeing objectives and deadlines when researching information. If possible, refer to specific examples from research tasks you have worked on to support your answer. Research is very important in a business, and to provide information that will inform business decisions. If any information is not collected or is only partially collected, and this can lead to poor-quality decisions being made. Getting research right can be tough but it helps to have objectives and deadlines for what you want the research to achieve. Getting research rights can be tough it helps to have objectives and deadlines for what you want the research to achieve. When I was working at the salon I was asked to research a few different companies that sold products that we used, I had to write down the information for my boss so that he could decide who to go with and who was the best prices. Meeting deadlines is very important, as you could potentially lose clients. 2. Identify the different ways of researching, organising and reporting information. Organising When conducting research it is important that the information being collected is kept well organised, I do need the information should be kept in clearly marked files. Information can be organised in a few different ways, this can be done by sorting alphabetically or numerically, the most important thing is that the research is able to find the information that they need quickly, it helps to have an idea of the information that will be reported. Reporting There are several types of documents listed that may be used to report information such as, business letter, email, fax, formal report, informal reports, memo, notes, text. If a member of staff has a clear brief on what is to be researched and how it is to be presented, then it is possible to organise the research appropriately. Researching When researching information, there are a few things that needs to be done if the research is to be successfully completed. These are as follows: Ensure the researcher knows what they are looking for Discover how the information should be presented Source the correct document Confirm the document is up to date Use documents efficiently Read relevant information carefully. 3a) for your own organisation (or one you know well), describe the procedures that need to be followed when archiving, retrieving and deleting information. Your answer should cover procedures for both electronic and paper-based information. When something is our achieved is put into storage, this is associated with paper based files. Finding these documents often has problems. To avoid storage problems, a business can periodically review its information systems and take appropriate actions such as, removing and deleting duplicate documents and leave in a single copy, removing and deleting unimportant documents that will never be used again or are achieving files that have to be retained. Most businesses will specify in their procedure is when I achieving and deleting can take place and who is able to do this. When i worked in the salon we never used to our achieve we mainly stored addresses, names, appointment dates and phone numbers, we would only delete information if asked by a client is not the clients information would be stored correctly this helps with marketing services so if your client havent come back for a while youre able to collect the information i. e. telephone number so you can contact your client to maybe offer them a discount to bring them back to your salon. if a client wanted their information to be deleted this is easy enough all we have to do with On the delete button and then their information would be erased and if we had any paper information on them i. e. colour codes for their hair or information on manicures etc. then this will all get shredded. 3b) When following the procedures outlined in Question 3a above, are there any legal requirements to consider? When storing information there are some important legal requirements to consider such as, the data protection act 1998, retention periods or industry-specific legal requirements. All businesses must carefully consider the way information is managed. The requirement to keep important records and respect the privacy of people places considerable responsibility on businesses and organisations. Failure to get it right may result in the business breaking the law. The only legal requirements really to consider when I was working in the salon was to never ever give out the clients information to anybody ringing up or asking for this in person. 4. Why is confidentiality critical when managing information? Most businesses keep a lot of information, some of this information is sensitive or confidential, and so it can be viewed or accessed by everyone in the business. Access to confidential information should be strictly limited and secure. You can differentiate between levels of confidentiality such as, confidential contracts, confidential negotiations, business secrets or internally sensitive documents. Information concerning individuals can also be confidential. This includes things like medical records, personnel files and employment contract details. There is certain information that is kept confidential for several reasons. These include: Legal requirements, including complying with legislation such as the data protection act or the content of legally enforceable contracts. Commercial requirements, such as keeping confidential information secret. A lack of confidentiality can show a lack of competence and/or trust. Moral requirements, there is a strong moral obligation to respect people’s privacy and confidentiality. If this is broken and then people will withhold information and lack of trust. People need to know what they can and cannot access and the repercussions that may follow if confidence and trust are broken. Section 3 – Understand the purpose of producing documents that are fit for purpose 1. Identify at least two reasons for producing documents that are fit for purpose. The information that goes into a document can make all the difference in the effectiveness and efficiency of a business. You should agree in advance with all who is involved what the document should contain within it. 2. Use the table below to describe some of the different types and styles of documents that are produced in a business environment, and then explain when these different options may be used. Documents When they are used Email Less formal, Documents easily attached, Can be sent instantly worldwide Fax Faster than letters, Once good for sending graphics and images, Being superseded by emails, Cumbersome if large quantities of information are being delivered Formal Report Can give clear account of things, Can present more complex and linked information Text Immediate, Best suited for small chunks of information Section 4 – Know the procedures to be followed when producing documents 1. In most organisations, time is taken to agree the purpose, content, layout, quality standards and deadlines for the production of documents. What are the reasons for doing this level of planning? It’s very important that you know exactly what your clients want – both internal and external. If this information is unknown or guessed, its likely that customers will not get what they want. Time should be taken to agree on the specification of a document. This way, many potential problems can be avoided. A failure in one or more areas may significantly undermine all the work that has been done in other areas. For example, an ‘outstanding’ report that delivers on purpose, content, layout and quality standards but is three weeks late (poor on deadlines) may be worthless. Likewise a document that is fine on purpose, layout, and quality standards and deadline but misses some key content would also be of very little or no use. 2. Businesses will spend time checking finished documents for accuracy and correctness. a) How is this done? A finished document will always have to be checked in some way or another for accuracy and correctness before it can be given to the customer. If the document doesn’t get done or completed then mistakes may happen. b)Why is this done? This is done to ensure the document is fit-for-purpose. If the checking phase is not completed, then there is a good chance that mistakes and incorrect or insufficient information may make their way in to the final document. This could result in inefficiencies and dissatisfied customers. 1. Have a copy of the final draft document awaiting approval. 2. Have the document specification available. This may be the business specified way for producing documents such as letters or minutes. Or it may be the specification agreed between a supplier and a customer. 3. Compare the document with the specification agreed between a supplier and customer. 4. Check the spelling and grammar in the document. The first person to check the document is likely to be the author. But best it’s to have someone else to have a look over the document as they wouldn’t have been working with it as closely as the author has been. On word processing systems they have a spell checking and grammar checking facilities, which can be used to check over the accuracy of what has been written. However, these spell checkers dont pick up everything and its best to use them as well as with reading a printed version of the document 3. Explain the purpose of following confidentiality and data protection procedures when preparing documents. In all businesses should have clear procedures on data protection and confidentiality when producing document. They are required by law to do so and it is also good, ethical business practice. If people thought that a business could not respect their confidentiality, they would withhold information or look for an alternative business. The business should make it very clear to their clients who has access to which items of data and for which purposes. The issues of access may apply to people other than staff – it can apply to people outside the organisation. 4. In business environments, there is often a requirement to use notes as the basis for text and documents. a) Compare the different types of documents that can be produced from notes and include a description of the format of each document. Notes that have been taken down tend to be, key points of information, key dates/times and also key names. MEMO -The format will include, To, From, Reference, Date and then the relevant information being communicated. LETTER Printed on company headed paper, listing ref, date, name, address, subject, letter content, yours faithfully/yours sincerely, signature, name ; job title. Also if the letter is confidential this must be stated. REPORT Title, introduction, body of report, a conclusion, consistency of format is essential i. e. using the same paragraph spacing and font style/size throughout content of report. b) Explain the procedures to be followed when preparing text from notes. 1. Establish the purpose for why you are note-taking. 2. Establish the format for the document needed. 3. Check that all the notes for clarity and make amendments if you feel its necessary. 4. Check that the detail in the notes is sufficient for producing the document. 5. Check over all the facts. 6. Produce the document. 7. Check the final document. 1. Don’t write down everything that you read or hear. Be alert and attentive to the main points. Concentrate on the meat of the subject and forget the trimmings. 2. Notes should consist of key words, or very short sentences. As a speaker gets side-tracked you can go back and add further information. 3. Take accurate notes. You should usually use your own words, but try not to change the meaning. If you quote directly from the author, quote correctly. 4. Think a minute about your material before you start making notes. Don’t take notes just to be taking notes! Take notes that will be of real value to you when you look over them later. 5. Have a uniform system of punctuation and abbreviation that will make sense to you. Use a skeleton outline, and show importance by indenting. Leave lots of white space for later additions. 6. Omit descriptions and full explanations. Keep your notes short and to the point. Condense your material so you can grasp it rapidly. 7. Don’t worry about missing a point. Leave space and try to pick up the material you miss at a later date, either through reading, questioning, or common sense. 8. Don’t keep notes on oddly shaped pieces of paper. Keep notes in order and in one place. 9. Shortly after making your notes, go back and rework (not recopy! ) your notes by adding extra points, spelling out unclear items, etc.. Remember, we forget quickly. Budget time for this vital step just as you do for the class itself. 10. Review your notes periodically. This is the only way to achieve lasting memory. Once you have completed all 4 Sections of this Assessment, go to www. vision2learn. com and send your work to your tutor for marking.

Causes of World War 1 :: essays research papers

The First World War began in August 1914. It was directly triggered by the assassination of the Austrian archduke, Franz Ferdinand and his wife, on 28th June 1914 by Bosnian revolutionary, Gavrilo Princip. This event was, however, simply the trigger that set off declarations of war. The actual causes of the war are more complicated and are still debated by historians today. Causes of the war also dealt with such ideologies as Nationalism, Imperialism and militarism along with the prominent alliance systems and the naval race. One of the main causes of the First World War is Kaiser Wilhelm 11. Kaiser Wilhelm 11 One of the causes of the outbreak of the war was Kaiser Wilhelm 11 ambitious aim. He had many aims but his main aim is to make Germany the superior. The German Kaiser was extremely envious of Britain for having a larger navy than that of Germany's and ordered the production of new Dreadnought-class battleships. Britain responded to the Germans attempt to equal its navy by creating a navy so large and powerful that no other nation's navy would ever contemplate an attack. This head-to-head production period was known as the "Arms Race" and created more tension between the two nations. Navy Alliances a system of military alliances was formed to provide European powers with a sense of security. There were two rivalling alliances The Triple Alliance consisted of the Central Powers, Germany and Austria-Hungary that had existed since 1879 when Bismarck had befriended the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In the agreement, both countries pledged that they would go to the aid of the other if attacked by Russia. This was done to ensure that Germany would always have an allied nation on its border if war were to occur. Italy later joined this alliance in 1882, which remained in tact until the beginning of World War I. The conditions of the alliance changed after Italy was added and stated that countries would aid any other that was under attack from two or more countries. The other alliance: The Triple Entente, was made up of Great Britain, France and Russia. As a result of Germanys build-up in naval resources, Great Britain was forced to abandon its isolation policy and adopt allies. France joined Great Britain in 1904. Unlike the Triple alliance, this agreement contained no promises of military support, although the two powers began to talk of joint military plans. The Triple Entente was completed when Russia joined in 1907.