Web Communication and Advertising

Web Communication and Advertising The development of online technologies has transformed marketing strategies of many companies; in fact, nowadays it is difficult to find a product that is not advertised via Internet. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Web Communication and Advertising specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, many organizations still underestimate the benefits offered by the World Wide Web. This paper aims to develop an Internet marketing strategy for such a product as mineral water. It is normally advertised through television, radio, and billboards but online channels are seldom used. There are several objectives which have to be attained: 1) to raise the customers’ awareness about the product; 2) to allow the customers make online purchase; 3) to increase the customer base of the company. This internet advertisement will target two types of clients: Individual customers who may be willing to learn more about different compa nies selling mineral water. Private companies: restaurants, hotels, snack bars, fast food chains that will make wholesale purchase. At this point we can discuss several aspects of online advertising and their importance. One of them is direct e-mail. We are going to use in order to inform our returned customers, most likely, they will be wholesalers, restaurants, hotels about new products, benefits and discounts. It is also necessary to compile a list of prospective companies that may require this kind of product and send them newsletters. One should note that customers should be contacted via e-mail no more than two times per month; otherwise these mails can be regarded as spam. The major benefit of this approach is that it enables the company to raise awareness about the products and about other offerings. Additionally, direct e-mail enables companies to maintain long-term relations with returned customers. Cross-media advertising is another aspect of Internet advertisement that one should utilize. Overall, this approach can be regarded as combined use of television, radio, print and video (Chaffey et al, 2009). The distributers of mineral water can successfully adopt this strategy with the help of Internet since nowadays there are many online radio stations or online newspapers; furthermore, one should not forget about online television. Additionally, there are also many video-sharing websites where companies can post their commercials. The producers of mineral water can promote their products through each of these media. Cross-media advertisement is important for the attraction of new customers. By adopting this approach, the companies can reach a wide target audience (Chaffey et al, 2009, p 180).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The companies, which produce and sell mineral water, can also rely on banner advertising. These banners shoul d be placed at the websites of online newspapers and Internet forums. The banners should emphasize some distinguishing properties of the product such as the benefits for health of the consumers, its taste and certainly the price. In this case, the main objective of this strategy is to attract the customer’s attention to the product (Belch Belch, 2009). Furthermore, the banners must provide links to the website of the company. It will be particularly relevant for private companies that may be searching for the information about different producers of mineral water. In this way, they will be able to make online wholesale purchases. Banner advertising is important to that extent that it serves different purposes at a time: first, it enables the company to increase people awareness about the company and most importantly form the customers’ initial perception of the product. Prior to launching an Internet marketing campaign, the company should accurately determine the ta rget market. As it has been mentioned before, the producers of mineral water should address the needs of individual clients and profit organizations like restaurants, hotels. The potential consumers of this product can be of different age, sex, income level, values or occupation. Therefore, one should not give preference to only one type of websites. Thus, the advertisements should be placed at forums, social networks, web directories, website of different newspapers, etc. The identification of target market is crucial for a company because one has to understand the purchasing habits of the customers. The key advantage of Internet marketing is that it can allow us to target different groups of customers, depending on their age or occupation. We need to mention some other elements of an Internet marketing strategy; they are public relations (PR) and promotions. The manufacturers of mineral water should maintain their public image by providing information about themselves at their w ebsites. They need to focus on such issues the technology that they use, the quality standards, health benefits that they offer to the customers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Web Communication and Advertising specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the age corporate social responsibility PR management can play the most crucial role. Its purpose is to ensure that customers take positive attitude to the firm. PR campaign has to convince them that the company cares not only about profit-making but also about the community. At the beginners companies producing mineral water should choose above the line promotion which means that they need to pay a specific agency (online newspaper, forum, social network, video-sharing website) for the placement of the commercial (Jones, 2007). At this particular stage, they need to attract the customers’ attention to the brand. The selection of promotion strategy is crucial for t he formation of brand identity; in other words, they aim to make the name of the company as well as its products recognizable. The enterprises which intend to sell mineral water have to conduct Internet marketing research. In particular it is necessary to conduct survey among the customers and ask them about those qualities which they value most in this type of product or why they select a specific product among many others. Secondly, it is vital to learn what kind of websites they regularly visit. Internet marketing research can shape the outcome of a marketing campaign because it will give the company insights into the values and habits of customers. Finally, one has to speak about the search engine registration. The producers of mineral waters create official websites that would be accessible through different search engines like Google, Yahoo, AltaVista, MSN etc. Search engine can improve the visibility of the company and its products. This is why one should not disregard them. Therefore, in this paper we have demonstrate how producers of mineral water can benefit from Internet marketing and its various aspects. The key advantage of this approach is that it allows to target a wide audience. Moreover, it is less expensive than traditional marketing.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Reference List Belch, G. and Belch, M. (2009). Advertising and Promotion. (8th ed.). NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Chaffey D. Chadwick F. Mayer R. Johnston. K. (2009). Internet marketing: strategy, implementation and practice. NY: Pearson Education. Jones M. (2007). Customer Communications. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Biography of Moses, Leader of the Abrahamic Religions

Biography of Moses, Leader of the Abrahamic Religions Moses, if he existed, likely lived in Egypt during the dynastic New Kingdom, and he was an early leader of the Hebrews and one of the most important figures in Judaism. He is a significant patriarch of all the Abrahamic religions, those who use the Torah, Christian Old Testament, or Quran as sacred texts. Fast Facts: Moses Known For: Patriarch of the Torah, Christian Old Testament, and QuranBorn: Land of Goshen, New Kingdom, EgyptParents: Yocheved and AmramDied: Mount Nebo, MoabSpouse(s): Adoniah or Tharbis, an Ethiopian princess; Tzipporah the MidianiteChildren: From Tzipporah, Gershom and Eliezer. Early Life If there was a historical man named Moses, he would most likely have been born in Egypt (the Land of Goshen) during the reign of Ramses II (ruled 1279–1213 BCE), the pharaoh of the New Kingdoms 19th dynasty. According to the Torah, Moses was the youngest of three children born to Yocheved (sometimes spelled Jochebed) and Avram. Yocheved was the daughter of Levi; she married Avram, a grandson of Levi, which means Yocheved was also Avrams aunt. Moses siblings were Aaron (the founder of the Hebraic priestly dynasty) and Miriam (an important prophetess). Pharaohs Curse Not much else is available on Avram or Yocheved in the Torah itself, but Midrashim records- ancient rabbinical commentaries on the Torah- say that Yocheved was 130 years old when Moses was born and that Avram divorced Yocheved while she was pregnant, so that their son Moses would escape the pharaohs decree. According to Exodus, the pharaoh of Egypt decreed that all Hebrew boy babies were to be drowned at birth. Yocheved hid her newborn son for 3 months and then placed her baby in a wicker basket in the Nile River reeds. The baby cried and was rescued by one of the pharaohs daughters, who kept the baby. This legend is similar to one in the Mesopotamian story of Gilgamesh, when the Sumerian king Sargon I was placed in a reed basket and floated down the Euphrates river. In the Court of the Pharaoh Moses sister, the prophetess Miriam, knew what would occur and was watching when the daughter of the pharaoh took the baby. Miriam came forward to ask the princess if she would like a Hebrew wet nurse for the infant. When the princess agreed, Miriam fetched Yocheved. Moses grew up in the palace as an adopted son of the pharaohs daughter (identified the Midrash as Queen Bithia), but he went to see his own people when he grew up, and as an adult he may have been a governor working for Ramses II. During Ramses IIs reign, Ethiopia was an Egyptian province with an Egyptian governor named Mesui, who some scholars suggest was Moses. While in Ethiopia, Moses married an Ethiopian princess named Tharbis or Adonais. When he witnessed an overseer beating a Hebrew, Moses struck the Egyptian and killed him, with the beaten Hebrew as a witness. The pharaoh learned that Moses was the murderer and ordered his execution. Moses fled to the land of Midian, where he married Tzipporah, daughter of Jethro. Their sons were Gershom and Eliezer. A Burning Bush In the land of Midian, Moses was tending a flock of sheep for his father-in-law when he saw a bush that was burning but not being consumed by the flames. He approached the bush and first an angel and then God (or more properly Yahweh) himself spoke to him, telling him that he must return to Egypt and shepherd the Israelites out to Canaan, their promised land of milk and honey. Moses was convinced when Yahweh changed his staff to a snake, then gave him a new staff with which to lead his people. Moses returned to Egypt to seek the release of the Hebrews and to bring them to Canaan, but when he approached the pharaoh, Ramses refused to release the Hebrews. In retaliation, Yahweh imposed a series of 10 plagues, the last being the killing the firstborn of every Egyptian. Only after suffering through the beginning of the tenth plague did the pharaoh relent, telling Moses he could take the Hebrews out of Egypt. However, after Moses and the Hebrews left, the pharaoh reversed his decision and had his men follow them. When they reached the Red Sea, Moses used his staff to part the waters and allow the Israelites to pass through the seabed. The Egyptian soldiers also entered the dry seabed, but once the Israelites had safely crossed Moses lifted his arms: the sea closed, and the Egyptian army was drowned. The Biblical Exodus During the 40-year journey of the Hebrews from Egypt to Canaan, Moses went to Mount Sinai to fast and commune with Yahweh for 40 days. There, he received the 10 Commandments from Yahweh. While Moses was gone, his followers including Aaron became nervous that he would not return and built a golden calf. Moses told Yahweh that his followers had begun to leave and Yahweh wanted to kill them, but Moses dissuaded him. But, when Moses saw the actual calf and altar he was so angry he hurled and shattered the two tablets holding the 10 Commandments; Moses made two more tablets and Yahweh inscribed them again. When the people complained they needed food in the desert, Yahweh fed the Israelites with manna, a substance white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey that rained down from the heavens, and quail. Death Near the end of the 40 years, Yahweh informed Moses that only the new generation of Israelites would enter Canaan, and for that reason, Moses would never see the Promised Land. Moses climbed Mt. Abarim and saw Canaan on the horizon, but that was as close as he would come. Moses chose Joshua as the successor, and, at the ripe old age of 120, Moses climbed Mt. Nebo and died. Who was Moses? Much of this tale is legendary and full of miracles, the stuff of ancient religion. But the role of Moses in the Bible, to Jews, Christians, and Moslems, is rich and complex beyond the miracles. He is seen by all three as the leader of the Israelite people who shepherded them out of Egypt. He is the embodiment of Mosaic law- the one who interceded with Yahweh on behalf of his people, and the one who acted as a judge on behalf of the sacred. He was a teacher and the founder of the cult and sanctuary of the ancient Hebraic religion. The last four books of the Torah- Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy- are primarily dedicated to the life and activities of Moses and his people. Exodus starts with the birth of Moses and Deuteronomy ends with his death and burial by Yahweh. Early interpretations of that circumstance suggested that Moses himself wrote the books of the Torah (or received them direct from Yahweh). Modern biblical scholars mostly agree that the five books were redacted from four independently written documents written long after Moses would have died. The Ptolemaic-era Egyptian historian Manetho mentions Moses- again, long after Mosess death. There are other late historical references in the writings of the Roman historians Josephus, Philo, Apion, Strabo, Tacitus, and Porphyry. His story is told in the Bible in the book of Exodus and the ancient commentaries on the biblical text known as the midrashim. As Musa, he is also is a significant prophet in the Quran. Biblical scholar J. Van Seters, said it best, The quest for the historical Moses is a futile exercise. He now belongs only to legend. Sources Feldman, Louis H. Josephus Portrait of Moses. The Jewish Quarterly Review 82.3/4 (1992): 285–328.Josephus Portrait of Moses: Part Two. The Jewish Quarterly Review 83.1/2 (1992): 7–50.Nigosian, S. A. Moses as They Saw Him. Vetus Testamentum 43.3 (1993): 339–50.Robinson, Marilynne. Moses. Salmagundi 121/122 (1999): 23-46.RÃ ¶mer, Thomas. Moses Outside the Torah and the Construction of a Diaspora Identity. The Journal of Hebrew Scriptures 8.15 (2008): 1–12.Van Seters, John. Moses. The Encyclopedia of Religion. Ed. Eliade, Mircea. New York: Macmillan, 1987. 116.Wineman, Aryeh. Between Person and Metaphor: Moses in the Hasidic Homily-Literature. Hebrew Studies 59 (2018): 209–20.

Scientific inquiry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Scientific inquiry - Essay Example ccording to National Standards for Science Education (NRC, 1996, p.23), scientists learn about the natural world in diverse methods on the basis of evidences derived from their work and they propose explanations for the study. The scientific inquiry includes some core elements such as ‘making observations, posting questions, examining information sources, planning investigations, analysis and interpretation of data, proposing answers, explanations and predictions, and communicating results’ (NRC, 1996, p.23. Cited in Simonson & Schlosser, p.2). Thus science and scientific inquiry are differentiated in various respects; the later tries to acquire knowledge about natural world through an assortment of observations and investigations whereas the knowledge obtained through the scientific inquiry constitutes science. I/O psychology refers to Industrial and Organizational psychology which is also called work psychology or organizational psychology or talent assessment. In the opinion of Spector (2003: 6) ‘the application of psychological principles to organizational settings’ and people at work in the organization is called Industrial and Organizational psychology. The primary objective of this branch of psychology is to preserve the ‘health and well-being’ of employees and thereby it helps the organization to ‘get the most from their employees or human resources’ (Spector. Cited in Furnham, 2005, p.2). Even though science and scientific inquiry are the fundamental elements of I/O psychology; scientific inquiry benefits more than science in the field of I/O psychology. In today’s complex business structure, priority is given to HRM strategies and thus organizational psychologists mainly concentrate on behavioral science and psychology. They analyze in dividual’s behavior through a sequence of processes such as close observations, interviews, investigations and interpretations. Organizational psychologists also make use of science for the thorough

Brand plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Brand plan - Essay Example ark of international quality, a brand that can be used as a yard-stick in daily jargon to compare excellence in product through flawless craftsmanship. Every Rolex watch tells the tale of an instrument that passes through a series of stringent tests in the manufacturing units supplemented by individual care in making sure it truly represents this undisputed royal watch brand. â€Å"Rolex watches are popularly regarded as status symbols† (Khurana, 2010) There are many reasons why Rolex is positioned in the market the way it is. It was a pioneer in the invention of wrist watches through the skill of its co-founder Wildorf in innovating Oyster waterproof case and screw crown. Rolex has many â€Å"first† which account for its â€Å"father-figure†, aristocratic and near-Godly stature. Rolex manufactured watches were the first to come with Kew â€Å"A† test, a prestigious achievement in the early 1900s that deemed it to be perfect in time keeping. Again, Rolex watches were the first to have â€Å"perpetual self winding rotor mechanism† that kept the watch at optimal tension and wound on its own at the slightest movement of the wrist. (Rolex.com, 2012) The watch and jewellery market is huge at the global level with international brands like Rado, Tag Heuger, Citizen, Gucci, Jaeger-LeCoulture, Schwarzkopf, Breitling, Victorinox (Swiss Army), Cartlier, Omega, Tissot, Movado, ESQ, Edward Mirell, marahlago, David Vurman, John Hardy, Roberto Coin, Ammolite, Llardo, Marco Bicego, Honora, Yvel, Tudor etc. Even though these watches make up for them mid-range watch and jewellery market they compete to a certain extent with Rolex to get a share of the larger customer base who are not Rolex loyalists. Rolex has numerous competitors in the 43.6 billion USD watch and jewellery industry. Rolex has released its Tudor in 1946 to eliminate stiff competition faced from mid-range wrist-watch brand like Tag Heuger and Rado. Its model categories: Prince, Princess, Monarch and Sport entered

Introduction to Export Finance Essay Example for Free

Introduction to Export Finance Essay Credit and finance is the life and blood of any business whether domestic or international. It is more important in the case of export transactions due to the prevalence of novel non-price competitive techniques encountered by exporters in various nations to enlarge their share of world markets. The selling techniques are no longer confined to mere quality; price or delivery schedules of the products but are extended to payment terms offered by exporters. Liberal payment terms usually score over the competitors not only of capital equipment but also of consumer goods. The payment terms however depend upon the availability of finance to exporters in relation to its quantum, cost and the period at pre-shipment and post-shipment stage. Production and manufacturing for substantial supplies for exports take time, in case finance is not available to exporter for production. They will not be in a position to book large export order if they don’t have sufficient financial funds. Even merchandise exporters require finance for obtaining products from their suppliers. This project is an attempt to throw light on the various sources of export finance available to exporters, the schemes implemented by ECGC and EXIM for export promotion and the recent developments in the form of tie-EXIM tie-ups, credit policy announced by RBI in Oct 2001 and TRIMS. Concept of Export Finance: The exporter may require short term, medium term or long term finance depending upon the types of goods to be exported and the terms of statement offered to overseas buyer. The short-term finance is required to meet â€Å"working capital† needs. The working capital is used to meet regular and recurring needs of a business firm. The regular and recurring needs of a business firm refer to purchase of raw material, payment of wages and salaries, expenses like payment of rent, advertising etc. The exporter may also require â€Å"term finance†. The term finance or term loans, which is required for medium and long term financial needs such as purchase of fixed assets and long term working capital. Export finance is short-term working capital finance allowed to an exporter. Finance and credit are available not only to help export production but also to sell to overseas customers on credit. Objectives of Export Finance: * To cover commercial Non-commercial or political risks attendant on granting credit to a foreign buyer. * To cover natural risks like an earthquake, floods etc. An exporter may avail financial assistance from any bank, which considers the ensuing factors: a) Availability of the funds at the required time to the exporter. b) Affordability of the cost of funds. Appraisal: Appraisal means an approval of an export credit proposal of an exporter. While appraising an export credit proposal as a commercial banker, obligation to the following institutions or regulations needs to be adhered to. Obligations to the RBI under the Exchange Control Regulations are: * Appraise to be the bank’s customer. * Appraise should have the Exim code number allotted by the Director General of Foreign Trade. * Party’s name should not appear under the caution list of the RBI. Obligations to the Trade Control Authority under the EXIM policy are: * Appraise should have IEC number allotted by the DGFT. * Goods must be freely exportable i.e. not falling under the negative list. If it falls under the negative list, then a valid license should be there which allows the goods to be exported. * Country with whom the Appraise wants to trade should not be under trade barrier. Obligations to ECGC are: * Verification that Appraise is not under the Specific Approval list (SAL). * Sanction of Packing Credit Advances. Guidelines for banks dealing in Export Finance: When a commercial bank deals in export finance it is bound by the ensuing guidelines: a) Exchange control regulations. b) Trade control regulations. c) Reserve Bank’s directives issued through IECD. d) Export Credit Guarantee Corporation guidelines. e) Guidelines of Foreign Exchange Dealers Association of India.

michael jordan :: essays research papers

Michael Jeffrey Jordan is the son of Deloris and James Jordan. He has three siblings, Ronald James, Deloris, and Larry. Mike was born on February 17th, 1963 in Brooklyn Hospital. He grew up in North Carolina. Before basketball Mike enjoyed playing the game of baseball. I chose him because I knew little about him, like he played with the Chicago Bulls and he got married and had a son. Before I didn’t know he got a divorce. He is currently playing with the Washington Wizards in his fifteenth season of basketball. He is the fourth player to score 30,000 points. Besides basketball, Michael Jordan opened his own school and training camps called Michael Jordan Flight School.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One day Mike’s father made a full basketball court in their backyard where Larry and Michael always played there. He started playing around the age of eight. Every time the two brothers played it made Mike’s skills get better and made him into a better player. He wasn’t sure if basketball fitted his talents, so he went to baseball, football, and track. However, Mike found his love in the game of basketball. He wanted to work on his game to become a pro player so he skipped school to practice, but unfortunately he got suspended. His mother made him study all day. Mike never said an unkind word to anyone and was liked by everyone, even his teachers. When he needed help, he’d come after school to learn more. Some people would make fun of him in front of girls. In that way no one would marry him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A basketball scout picked him in Division I. No one from his school had ever played in Division I. His experience gave him more confidence to play the game of basketball. He played for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels where he made both team and starting lineup. At age 20 Michael was 160 lbs., six foot six inches and could run the 40-yard dash in 4.3 seconds. His confidence and carelessness improved his game and made him into a great decision maker to lead in all areas of the game. He loss to St. John’s University, University of Missouri, and Tulane University in 1982-1983. The Sporting News named Michael Jordan College Player of the Year. Michael Jordan was drafted to the NBA by the Chicago Bulls in 1984 in the first round (third overall) to start his amazing career as a pro basketball player.

Philosophy, Abortion Essay

Judith Thomson in her article ‘A Defense of Abortion’ the scholar discusses philosophical and psychological issues, outlining the biases of common perception of abortion as a murder. Her primary argument relates to developmental issues, which either directly or implicitly suggest that human ontogenesis begins after the birth, so â€Å"the fetus is not a person from the moment of conception. A newly fertilized ovum, a newly implanted clump of cells, is no more a person than an acorn is an oak tree† (Thomson, 1971, p. 7). In addition, the author positions human right for choice, more precisely, to control physical processes as a redline of the paper. Interestingly, the scholar defends women’s position in the following way: supporting the interests of the prospective child, the members of anti-abortion movement often forget that the mother is also a person, who might feel discomfort or fear when ‘housing’ her child, moreover – might be at health risk, as the lives of pregnant woman are not actually safe. The female therefore is entitled to protect herself from such threats or eliminate them. On the one hand, the unborn individual definitely has the right to live. On the other hand, the woman unquestionably can decide whether to allow the unborn individual to use her organs, as no-one can be forced to allow physical intrusion. The right for life, she continues, relates precisely to the right not to be killed unjustly, but abortion is in reality a murder, providing the eradication of the health threat (pain, at least). The independence of fetus, as Thomson argues, is extremely doubtful, because such prospective children need the women’s physical resources, a house, in Thomson’s words. Finally, the scholar denies the permissibility of abortion and restricts the right for killing the unborn to the presence of health threats, rape or fetus pathology, as Minimally Decent Samaritanism requires of mother safe, sound and healthy reproduction, so the fact of reluctance to bear a child is not enough for abortion, as this phenomenon is viewed as indecent and immoral in the cases behind the three aforementioned conditions.

The Development of Multi-Faceted Literacy in American Culture

Though many theories have been formulated about literacy and how to apply proper education to it, few seem to grasp the fact that true literacy involves lots of different aspects. Though many educators have tried to put the term literacy into a strict definition, it is best understood as a complex educational aspect. Literacy combines elements of culture, both nation and international. It involves picking up essential skills that can be taught in the classroom, as well. In addition to all of that, it involves a person learning the advanced art of articulation. Speaking well, writing well, and understanding how to get a point across are three things that should be included in that discussion, as well. How a person understands literacy is dependent upon which of these theories that person accepts as being the standard. According to Dr. Robert Needlman, literacy needs to be understood in a broad sense, as it is very important to all other forms of learning. In a recent article on the matter, Needlman wrote, â€Å"Literacy is more than just being able to read and write. Literate children see reading as fun and exciting. They use reading to learn about a wide range of subjects, and they use writing to share their ideas† (Needlman). This means that teachers must learn to teach their students how to read and write at the most basic level, but that is rarely enough. True literacy can not be gained without a wide application of many different principles. One position that has become very popular among educators in recent years is one that employs a strategy of teaching students to communicate. Learning how to frame words in sentences and paragraphs is not enough in order to truly teach someone to be literate. In order to be literate, a person has to be able to take those words and put them into coherent thoughts. This position is probably the one that most closely represents what today’s educators should be aiming for when they frame curriculums for students. Skills based literacy is the building block from which all other things have to come. This is generally accepted by most educators out there. The problem is that some of these educators are not going beyond that. Though literacy starts with the basic skills, it certainly cannot stop there. It can only be effective if it is combined with a literacy program that teaches students cultural literacy and communications skills, as well. Teaching one without taking the time to teach the other is like teaching a person how to fish, giving them all of the equipment, and then forgetting to tell them where the pond is located. Though learning the actual skill of reading and writing is obviously an important part of the process, the cultural aspects are even more important. Especially in the United States, cultural literacy has not been nearly as much of a concern as other aspects of education. This is partly because teachers have been teaching with their eye on standardized tests and partly because no real value has been placed on cultural literacy. Now, the value and importance of both understanding how to read and write and understand how to put those things into context is being stressed more and more in schools and to America’s youth. Certain school districts have taken the initiative of instilling this sort of program within their curriculum for students. According to literature put out by the Poway Unified School District, cultural literacy is important to the development of students. Their website states, â€Å"The best lessons for cultural literacy come from the many students who sit in front of us each day in our classrooms. Their cultures, heritage, and stories formulate the most powerful cultural literacy curriculum† (Poway Unified School District). Elementary schools are not the only ones taking notice in this. College writing programs have implemented strategies as well to give their students a chance to become fully literate. Reed College, for example, has an entire writing program that is dedicated to teaching students the proper rules for communicating in their writing. This program not only focuses on writing, but it also teaches the value of things like drama and other liberal arts. Hampden-Sydney College is another college in the United States that has put an emphasis on this type of education. Their rhetoric program must be completed by all students who come through the school, whether those students are business majors or history majors. In the full context of a college liberal arts program, writing takes on a huge level of importance. Universities that offer these programs need to instill a writing intensive program across the board. This does not mean that just journalism or English students should have to concentrate on refining their skills. It means that in history courses, religion courses, philosophy courses, and other sorts of classes, a bunch of writing should be required. By incorporating writing into the curriculum of these other subjects, students will further learn how to communicate with their writing and they will become better at the other subjects, as well. Without an emphasis on writing, a liberal arts program is doomed to failure. Successful communication is a necessary aspect of these programs, as well. That cannot be gained without learning how to write critically, though. As E.D Hirsch is quick to point out, the English language lends itself to much interesting diction for writers. In his book, Hirsch wrote, â€Å"Literature in English excels in every kind of writing. Its particular glory is its poetry. For historical reasons, the English language acquired a vocabulary that is unusually rich and nuanced, combining words of Germanic root (such as see and glimpse) with words of Latin root (such as perceive and envision)† (Hirsch). There are quite a few different approaches to organizing a program such as this. Some colleges have started specific writing courses that teach students how to put their ideas into writing. More times than not, these classes are put into freshman year experience programs. These are the programs that teach students how to learn and how to be good college students. More times than not, these classes are taught alongside a study skills course. After all, most students are going to have to write multiple essays when they enter college and writing will be an essential part of their life. It only makes sense to preach the importance of writing from the very beginning of the college experience. This is not enough, though. In today’s world, being able to write and communicate is essentially important. Just about everything revolves around it, including the business world. According to the Educational Testing Service, which handles much of the student testing in the United States, the situation is extremely dire. They state, â€Å"As society becomes more technologically advanced, the quantity and types of written materials are growing. Adults are expected to use information from these materials in new and more complex ways and to maintain and enhance their literacy skills through lifelong learning activities. Literacy skills are critical not only for the personal achievement of individuals, but also for the social and economic development of each nation. These skills are no longer linked to a single threshold that separates the literate from the nonliterate† (Educational Testing Service). This quotation does much to state the overall importance of literacy in society and it also hammers home the point that literacy is becoming more important and more relevant, despite what some might think. In fact, it is dire, according to C.H. Knoblauch. In his Literacy and the Politics of Education, Knoblauch writes, â€Å"However, if literacy today is perceived as a compelling value, the reason lies not in such self-interested justifications but in its continuing association with forms of social reality that depend on its primacy† (Knoblauch). In addition to that, there is sentiment from other literary sources about the American situation. The Formation of National Cultures states, â€Å"In America, the reality is that we have not yet properly achieved monoliteracy, much less multiliteracy† (Foundation of National Cultures). This means that the United States still has to work on both the simple parts of literacy, as well as the more advanced aspects. One of the staples of any liberal arts program is a good history department. History courses are interesting because of the fact that they incorporate many different aspects of reading, writing, critical thinking, and lots of other skills. Students are not only forced to write and read critically, but they are often forced to do these things in a cultural sense. History courses not only teach what happened and when it happened, but they study cultural trends. Writing and reading have to be a huge part of any history course. Framing a history course with an eye on literacy is easy. In fact, it would be very difficult to even consider teaching any sort of history class without the inclusion of these things. As far as the actual setup of a course is concerned, it would not be all that difficult to integrate. The course would need a strong textbook, which must be read each and every night. In addition to that, the instructor of the course would teach the class in a lecture/discussion format, where students have to get used to both critical listening and critical communication. During each class period, students would have to listen to an instructor and take notes on what that professor is saying. This is one way to not only teach students the art of writing, but it also teaches students to think about the most important things that they are hearing. From that, they will react to that knowledge. The course would not be taught with only lectures, though. There would obviously be some grading that would be required. Writing would be integrated into the course in both essays and in tests. For the essays, students would be required to submit a number of them, depending upon length. This would give students a chance to not only explore the liberal arts staple of history, but it would also make them learn how to express themselves in a logical way. Essays would require proper writing skills, as well as good organization and good understanding of the material at hand. This would be an appropriate test of the knowledge and a good way to further integrate literary skills into the course. When it came time to give the test, writing would be on that, as well. Some part of the test would include an essay, where students would have to prepare a concise thought without too much time to research the issue. By doing these things, writing, reading, and critical communication could take their rightful place of importance in the liberal arts field. Without them, the courses would be naked and barren. By including writing and reading in liberal arts programs, a university would not be precluded from also offering advanced writing courses. Traditional definitions of literacy have come up with the conclusion that it is actually a skill that must be learned and mastered. Though the cultural literacy idea has become much more popular in recent years, the idea of literacy being a skill has still not been lost. With the right amount of instruction, students can learn how to both read and write at a very high level. Like with other subjects in a curriculum, writing programs must take the opportunity to teach both the basics and the advanced aspects of writing and reading. Colleges would be well advised to offer a literacy major or minor within their course catalog. With this program, the university could offer tens of classes on writing and reading. Everything from critical writing to business writing could be offered within this major. With that knowledge, a student would be able to go on to many different careers, since it has been established that writing and reading is such a large part of the business culture today. As long as literacy is a skill, it is something that must be harnessed and taught in universities and in lower levels of schools, as well. Elementary, middle, and high schools would be smart to adopt similar programs, which would further prepare students for the rigors of college literacy programs. In short, this would take a concerted effort at every level of academia if it is going to be successful. This is something that Allan Bloom takes very seriously in his book, The Closing of the American Mind. In there, Bloom writes, â€Å"I used to think that young Americans began whatever education they were to get at the age of eighteen, that their early lives were spiritually empty and they arrived at the university clean slate unaware of their deeper selves and the world beyond their superficial experience† (Bloom). The need for education at early levels is of the utmost importance to people like Bloom. No matter what definition of literacy a person subscribes to, the fact remains that it is a very important part of education that must be addressed. At current standing, schools are not doing nearly enough to teach the skills and to instill the type of cultural knowledge that is essential in order to truly communicate. Literacy is far more complicated than many educators have been willing to give it credit for. The first step to truly teaching literacy in a correct way is to understand that it is a changing thing. According to the folks at the Perkins School for the Blind, literacy includes many different aspects that must be accounted for. Their website reads, â€Å"The development of literacy is founded upon our experiences – beginning with birth – and our interactions with the world and those around us. Over time, these experiences enable us to develop the ability to connect meaning to words and letters. First, though, the path to literacy requires establishing communication and connecting meaning to objects, events and people in our world† (Perkins School for the Blind). This means that literacy is constantly being learned by everyone, each and every day. With this sort of knowledge in hand, it is easy to conclude that literacy must be included in every aspect of education. When talking about a classic liberal arts education, this is especially true. No matter if the skills-based literacy interpretation is correct or the other interpretations are correct, one must concede that all aspects of the idea should be considered. When shaping the plan for literacy training within a liberal arts program, lots of things must be considered. Luckily for those people who frame curriculums,   many liberal arts classes already require many pieces of literacy to be included to begin with. From critical writing to reading to other forms of communication, literacy will always be a part of history, philosophy, English, and the other subjects within liberal arts. With that in mind, the key is to highlight those skills and make sure that students are given an opportunity to enhance them. Works Cited Bloom, Allan. Closing of the American Mind. Educational Training Service. What is Literacy? http://www.nocheating.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.c988ba0e5dd572bada20bc47c3921509/?vgnextoid=2a8eaf5e44df4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&vgnextchannel=6773e3b5f64f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD Hirsch, E.D. Cultural Literacy. Knoblauch, C.H. Literacy and the Politics of Education. Perkins School for the Blind. Perkins Panda Early Literacy Kit. http://www.perkins.org/literacy/panda/ Poway Unified School District. Cultural Literacy. http://www.powayusd.com/projects/edtechcentralnew/culturallit.htm â€Å"Formation of National Cultures† Needlman, Robert. What is Literacy? http://www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,5133,00.html         

Farai Chideya essays

Farai Chideya essays Farai Chideya has accomplished many things at 28 years old that many journalists can only hope to achieve. She began her career as an intern at Newsweek while studying at Harvard. After her graduation, she was hired at Newsweek as a reporter and stayed on from 1990-1994. Chideya covered news in Newsweek's New York and Chicago bureaus, as well as in the Washington bureau, where she covered national politics, from an article titled "Skewering Congressional Pork," to following President Clinton as a pool reporter on Air Force One. Soon afterward, Chideya made her transition to newswriting at MTV from 1994-1996. During this short period of time, Chideya also completed a fellowship at the Freedom Forum Media Studies Center, examining why young Americans are tuning out the news. She published a book in 1995 called Don't Believe the Hype: Cultural Misinformation About African-Americans, which is now in its eigth printing. Using statistics largely from government sources, she attempted to undercut the argument that African-Americans are at the roots of problems such as crime, welfare and drugs. Chideya spent time as a CNN Political Analyst during the 1996 presidential campaign. It was at this time that she was named to the New York Daily News' "Dream Team" of political reporters and commentators. She appeared on programming such as "TalkBack Live" and "CNN She saw the publishing of her new book, The Color of our Future: How the Nation's Most Diverse Generation is Reshaping American Culture., in 1997. That was also the year that she began her two current positions as an ABC News Correspondent and Editor of National Affairs at VIBE magazine. During same period, Newsweek named her to its "Century Club of 100 people to watch as we approach the year 2000." As a freelance journalist, she has wri...

5 Steps to Completing Your First Draft

5 Steps to Completing Your First Draft 5 Steps to Completing Your First Draft 5 Steps to Completing Your First Draft By Mark Nichol Follow these stages of preparation and production to assemble a first draft of written (or spoken) content. 1. Identify Your Purpose What is the reason for writing the content? Are you objectively presenting information? If so, is it for educational purposes, or for entertainment or both? Are you writing to help someone make a decision, or encouraging someone to take action? Identifying your goal for the content will help you shape the piece. 2. Identify Your Readership Who are your intended readers (and your unintended ones)? What is their level of literacy, and what is their degree of prior knowledge of the topic? Imagining who your readers are will help you decide what voice and tone to adopt, how formal or informal your language will be though that factor also depends on your approach (see below) and how much detail or background information you provide. 3. Identify Your Approach Should your content be authoritative, or is it the work of someone informally communicating with peers? Are you offering friendly advice, or is your tone cautionary? Are you selling something, or are you skeptical? Should the content be serious, or is some levity appropriate? Determining your strategy, in combination with identifying your readership, will help you decide how the piece will feel to the reader. 4. Identify Your Ideas Brainstorm before and during the drafting process, and again when you revise. If appropriate, talk or write to intended readers about what they hope to learn from the content. Imagine that you are an expert on the topic, and pretend that you are being interviewed about it. Write down the questions and your answers to help you structure the content. Alternatively, present a mock speech or lecture on the topic and transcribe your talk. Draft an executive summary or an abstract of the content, or think about how you would describe it to someone in a few sentences. Or draw a diagram or a map of the content. Using one or more of these strategies will help you populate your content with the information your readers want or need. 5. Identify Your Structure Craft a title that clearly summarizes the topic in a few words. Explain the main idea in the first paragraph. Organize the content by one of several schemes: chronology or sequence, relative importance, or differing viewpoints. Use section headings or transitional language to signal new subtopics. Integrate sidebars, graphics, and/or links as appropriate. Incorporating these building blocks will help you produce a coherent, well-organized piece. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Business Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Words for Facial ExpressionsFlier vs. Flyer50 Synonyms for "Song"

Writing an evaluative essay about the experience

Writing an evaluative about the experience - Essay Example The play begins with the appearance of the three witches where they meet the two generals Banquo, Macbeth. We later find that the heinous crimes committed by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have affected their psyche. Lady Macbeth is seen suffering from sleep walking malady and finally she kills herself. Macbeth is left alone to fight with the enemies after he has been crowned the King of Scotland. The play ends with the death of Macbeth. He is beheaded (Shakespeare, Gill). I have analyzed the play based on- The program note informed that the director designed the theme based on a 16th century mandala, which was present at the backdrop of the play. The play was spectacular. The supernatural scenes, which were played by three men, were exquisite. The witches looked perfect in their black gory dressed with their accompanying high-pitched voices. The dresses of the actors looked perfectly of the Elizabethan period. The dim lights and the shadowy backdrop reinforced the effect of darkness and mystery that portrayed though out the play. To enhance their effect the witches were dressed in rotting costumes, which were types of shrouds. The porter scene was also very symbolic. The drunken porter went on rambling about the inner hell of Macbeth’s castle. His drunken yet appropriate metaphors not only enhanced the plays but also lifted to another level. The sleepwalking scene of Lady Macbeth is also nerve chilling because it shows the complete disintegration of her psyche. It is seen that she tells to herself that not all the perfumes of Arabia would sweeten her hand. By this she means that the crimes that were committed by these hands could not wash away and the heinous deeds were as if smelling even after they had been washed away repeatedly. The doctor informs later the audience that she used to keep on washing her hands. We