Xemba Translations Project Plan

Xemba Translations Project Plan Project Performance Measurement Metrics The broad objectives of the work of any project manager are the delivery of a project on time, within budget, and within the quality criteria. These objectives provide the basis for the development of performance measurement metrics for any project. The following five metrics will be applied to the performance measurement of the Xemba Translations Project.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Xemba Translations Project Plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The first metric is the measurement of the budgeted cost of labor versus actual cost of labor. While general metric dealing with all costs would still provide some information, the nature of labor in this project calls for proper accounting for its use. The human resource for this project came with a price tag. The hourly pay model gives a clear indication of what it costs the company to motivate human resource commitement to the project. The measurement for this metric will be the number of hours billed versus the number of hours in the project plan. The project will be performing poorly if the budgeted hours are less than the hours actually used in the project for the designated work packages. The second metric is similar to the first one, although it is related to the cost of acquisitions. It measures the budgeted versus the actual cost of acquisitions. This metric needs monitoring because of the expected increase in the cost of acquisitions. This expectation arose from the realization that the company will need twelve more computers to complete the project. The measurement of the metric will be similar to the method used to measure staff performance. This is the calculation of the money actually spent on acquisitions versus the money budgeted. If more money goes to the acquisitions compared to the money in the budget for that purpose, then the project will be off budget. The third metric to be used in the measurement of project performance will be the variance between the scheduled versus the actual time spent on the activities of the project. The deadline for the project is the beginning of the third quota. A failure to keep time will have consequences for the company’s operations. This measure will come from the Gantt charts for the project, which show the amount of time needed to complete the project.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A related metric will be the task completion rate. This metric will combine the Gantt chart values with time indicators to determine whether the project stakeholders are handling their tasks as planned. The task completion rate will help determine whether the pace of the project at any time is commensurate to the targets set to complete these tasks. This metric, calculated weekly, will give a value indicating the pa ce of the project. The project is currently behind schedule and there is need to monitor the daily progress of the tasks to ensure that everything ends on time. The task completion rate will provide the basis for making conclusions about any discrepancies in the delivery of work packages. It is essential to complete the project on time, which is before the third quarter. The reason why the work packages are important to measure is that they provide critical information for reporting the progress of the project to all stakeholders. The completion of any work package constitutes a project milestone. The calculation for this metric will rely on time. Justification of Metrics The need to deliver the project on time and within budget informed the decisions that guided the choice of metrics for performance measurement for the project. The five metrics deal with time management or financial management. The justification for the using labor expenses as a metric for the project is as follows . First, the company committed some employees and contract workers to work on the project. The company bills the project for the time the employees and contract workers spend working on the project. Secondly, the time that the members of staff spend working on project reduces the overall project time. This means that an observation of how much money goes towards paying for the resource persons is an indirect indicator of the progress of the project.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Xemba Translations Project Plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The decision to have a separate metric measuring the cost of project acquisitions came from the realization that there is need to keep track of the cost of items earmarked for purchase. The main items that the company will need to acquire are new computers that can replace slower ones. There is information that the number of computers the company needs to buy to replace the slow computers is more than the number estimated at the beginning of the project. A second reason to monitor these computers is that the supplier will be late in supplying the computers by two weeks. This is because there was a fire that affected their main supplier. In addition to these two reasons, it is necessary to make a decision regarding the type of computers to buy. The choices that exist now are between laptops and desktop computers. The laptops are more expensive. This means that buying desktop computers may help in managing the budget. However, there are operational factors regarding their use that need consideration. The third metric regarding schedule management arose because of the need to bring the project back on track. All the work packages are behind schedule. There is need to identify the causes of delay and to find ways of ensuring that the project concludes on time. Keeping track of the schedule will benefit the project in two ways. First, it will ensure tha t there is an objective measure of the use of time at regular intervals. This will help in the identification and elimination of the sources of delay in the project delivery. Failure to uncover the causes of delay may cause further interruptions to the project. Secondly, the project needs to recover time because of the delays already experienced. The only way to measure the degree of recovery needed and the impact of new measures geared towards the recovery of time is by using a performance measure that tracks the schedule. The task completion rate as a metric will help monitor the actual output derived from the project resources. The first reason for measuring the task completion rate is that this is the only way that the project management team can know whether the resources assigned to the project are creating value for the project.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Secondly, task completion is the basic unit of measurement of the delivery of project goals. It is an accurate means of measuring the progress of the project. The final metric chosen to measure project performance is the rate of delivery of work packages. The work package is a larger unit of work which completion amounts to a milestone for the project. The first reason for choosing this metric is that it is very important for reporting progress to the stakeholders such as the management. Secondly, the delivery of a work package is a milestone for the project with a complete set of benefits. It is important to keep track of the completion rate of the work packages in this regard. Project Status Based on Metrics Resource Name Cost per Hour ($) Budgeted Hours Budgeted Cost ($) Work Completed ($) Remaining Hours Projected Hours to Complete Project Time Overrun (hrs) Cost Overrun ($) Elizabeth 70 121.43 8500.1 122 -0.57 0 0.57 39.9 Hugh 70 120 8400 103 17 17 0 0 Kimberly 70 76 5 320 72 4 16 12 840 Phoebe 68 98 6664 76 22 20 -2 -136 Ben 68 138 9384 93 45 52 7 476 Zeke 65 384.67 25003.55 153 231.67 245 13.33 866.45 Malinda 75 224 16800 58 166 160 -6 -450 Willis 70 108 7560 160 -52 68 120 8400 Jackson 45 268 12060 177 91 112 21 945 Valene 60 150 9000 116 34 64 30 1800 Kendrick 40 78 3120 86 -8 0 8 320 Marcel 75 432.85 32463.75 268 164.85 200 35.15 2636.25 Clemencia 80 218.05 17444 104 114.05 114 -0.05 -4 Lianne 37.5 204 7650 170 34 110 76 2850 Darius 55 72 3960 30 42 42 0 0 TOTAL 2693 173329.4 1788 905 1220 315 18583.6 Table 2: Analysis table for various costs The Budgeted cost of labor for the project was 173,329.4 dollars. Projected time overrun shows that the money required for the project to go to completion is 18,583.6 dollars. This is an increase of 10.7% from the original budget. This proves that there is a need to monitor the way the resources use project time because of the obvious increase in the budgetary deficit for th e project. Willis and Marcel lead in both the time spent on the project above the budgeted time, and the time needed to complete their tasks. Special focus needs to go into monitoring the time these two employees spend on the project. The company budget shows that acquisitions for the project must not exceed 73,670.57 dollars. The report presented, which is related to the need to acquire new computers shows that the company needs to buy twelve extra computers. The initial plan was to buy thirty-five computers. However, after auditing the existing ones, the total number of computers due for replacement went up to forty-seven. This will escalate the cost by between 11,400 dollars and 14,200 dollars, depending on whether the company acquires desktop computers or laptops. Variance in Activity Time Task Name Work (hrs) Baseline (hrs) Variance (hrs) Actual (hrs) Remaining (hrs) % Work Complete Computer inventory and requirements 375.95 340 35.95 375.95 0 100% Technical support 197. 33 200 -2.67 160.67 36.67 81% Computing support 258 210 48 192 66 74% Document servers 356 330 26 242 114 68% Shared drives 351.2 310 41.2 228.8 122.4 65% FTP Sites 621.67 609 12.67 230.87 390.8 37% Firewalls 417.6 424 -6.4 97.6 320 23% Web-based meetings 430 270 160 260 170 60% 3007.75 2693 314.75 1787.89 1219.87 Table 3: Activity summary of tasks and work packages Task Completion Rate The activity summary shows that in almost all areas, there will be a need for more time than scheduled. Various factors affected the progress of the project. The important issue to bear in mind at this point is that most work packages will require more time to deliver. Table 2 also shows that work package delivery is still very low, with the completion of only one work package. The high number of hours beyond the planned time that the project requires before completion is of more interest. Impact of Current Problems The analysis of the status of the project revealed the following i ssues. First, two employees will account for more than fifty percent of all cost overruns related to labor. The two employees carry the highest staff costs for the project. Marcel and Willie will require more than 10,000 dollars out of the total projected cost overrun of about 18,000 dollars. This presents three problems to the project. First, it means that any interruption in the availability of these two employees will lead to further delays in the project. Secondly, the nature of task distribution that led to this situation reveals a fundamental problem with the original organization of the project. The two employees seem to carry an inordinate amount of responsibility in the project. This may lead to lapses or inclusion of errors in their output because of the strain on them. Thirdly the two employees need extra time to complete their tasks because of the exhaustion of their previous time allocation This is an indication that there is need to investigate the actual distribution of work in relation to the two employees. Is there a chance that the two employees are not creating value for the project as initially intended? The second main problem that the analysis revealed is that the project will exceed the budget by more than ten percent. This conclusion comes from two observations. The first observation comes from the projection that the cost of staff will exceed the budget by 10.7 %. These projections came from the estimated time the project staff members require to deliver the project. The causes of the delays that led to the need for more time still exist. For instance, not all information that relates to the operations of the final system is available. It is only wise to anticipate some more delays that may lead to the need for more time, especially in relation to the testing of the new system. The second observation is that the cost of acquisitions will exceed the budget. The reason for this is that there are components whose necessity became apparent only after the inception of the project. For instance, the budget estimates show that the number of new computers the organization will need to buy to replace the slower ones is thirty-five. However, the actual number of computers that the organization needs to replace is forty-seven. This will increase the cost of acquisitions by more than 10,000 dollars. The third main problem the analysis revealed is the risk of catastrophic failure of the system. The two main aspects of the project that will lead to this eventuality are time and technical constraints. The rigid deadline set when the project started, demands the completion of the project before the third quarter. The project is already behind the schedule because of various factors. The only way to ensure that the project ends on time is to increase the work rate of the employees available or to assign more employees to the project. The second problem related to the technical limits is that the team must work within. Many techni cal risks exist around the project. If any of the associated risk events occurs, the project will be in jeopardy. The relationship between this situation and the analysis above is that the project is under dire time and resource constraints. If there is no injection of new resources to support the delivery of the project on time, then the available resources may not be sufficient to mitigate the risks. All it will take for a catastrophic failure to occur is one mistake. Mitigation Measures The mitigation measures needed to deal with these problems are as follows. First, there is a need to undertake an audit of the work assigned to Marcel and Willis. This will help determine the cause of the huge time requirements that they need to complete their work packages. In the event that the distribution of work was overwhelming for them, then it will be important to assign more resources to handle aspects of their work packages. If the audit shows that they are incompetent, then the best act ion in the interest of the project will be to replace them. Nothing can bring the project back on budget at this stage. Since the management gave an allowance of going over-budget by up to ten percent, there is need to approve the necessary funds to cover for the impending shortfall. This will ensure that the team meets the quality criteria for the project. The board needs to approve a supplementary budget to cater for the financial shortfalls experienced by the project so far. The risk of catastrophic failure due to time and resource constraints is the most challenging issue to deal with in this project. The risk management matrix revealed that several risks could occur concurrently leading to catastrophic failure. This will require very careful management of the project to keep these risks from taking place. The best way to ensure that the entire project succeeds is to bring the project online in phases. It will also help to carry out more performance tests than earlier planned. I t is also possible to increase the resources available to the project to increase the work rate of the employees. This will enable the project team to handle the risks more easily. Executive Summary Xemba Translations is in the middle of an IT project geared towards making it possible for telecommuters to work effectively for Xemba. The new risks identified include the likelihood for resource competition among project priorities, and an increase in labor costs. Other risks are the failure to meet the project deadline and the potential for a catastrophic technical failure due to implementation mistakes arising from pressure to deliver the project on time. The metrics that will help in measuring the performance of the project are as follows. The first metric is a comparison of budgeted cost versus the actual cost of labor. This arises from the realization that labor consumes project funds at an hourly rate. The second metric is a comparison of the budgeted cost of acquisitions versus the actual cost. The third metric is the measurement of the actual time consumed by project activities, compared to the scheduled time. The fourth metric is the task completion rate. The project has fifty-five tasks. This metric will help to measure how well the project is performing based on task completion rate. The fifth metric is the measurement of the delivery of work packages. After applying these metrics, the main problems uncovered during the project are that two resource persons account for more than fifty percent of labor cost overruns. Marcel and Willie need more 10,000 dollars to complete their work. The second problem is that the project will exceed the budget by more than ten percent. The third main problem is that there is a risk of catastrophic failure of the project arising from the time and resource constraints. The measures required to mitigate against these problems include auditing Marcel and Willie’s work to ensure they are competent and that they are ca pable to deliver on their workpackages within the remaining time. Secondly, the project requires more money for it to be completed on time. It is necessary to approve the required money as soon as possible because it exceeds the 10,000 dollar threshold. Thirdly, from this point, the project manager must observe every process closely to ensure no more time goes to waste. References Arson, E. W., Gray, C. F. (2011). Project Management: The Managerial Process,. New York, NY: McGraw Hill International. Meredeth, J. R., Mantel, S. J. (2011). Project Management: A Managerial Approach (8 ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons. Phillips, J. (2010). IT Project Management. New York: McGraw Hill Professional.

Expert Guide to the AP Language and Composition Exam

Expert Guide to the AP Language and Composition Exam SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips With the 2016 AP English Language and Composition exam approaching on Wednesday, May , it’s time to make sure that you’re familiar with all aspects of the exam.In this article, I’ll give a brief overview of the test, do a deeper dive on each of the sections, discuss how the exam is scored, offer some strategies for studying, and finally wrap up with some essential exam day tips. Exam Overview The AP Language and Composition exam tests your rhetorical skills. Essentially, how do authors construct effective arguments in their writing? What tools do they use? How can you use those tools to craft effective writing yourself? That is the essence of rhetorical analysis. The exam has two parts: the first section is an hour-long, 52-55 question multiple-choice sectionthat asks you questions on the rhetorical construction and techniques of a series of nonfiction passages. The second section is free response. It starts with a 15-minute reading period, and then you’ll have 120 minutes to write three analytical essays: one synthesizing several provided texts to create an argument, one analyzing a nonfiction passage for its rhetorical construction, and one creating an original argument in response to a prompt. You will have about 40 minutes to write each essay, but no one will prompt you to move from essay to essay- you can structure the 120 minutes as you wish. In the next sections I’ll go over each section of the exam more closely- first multiple choice, and then free response. The AP English Language and Composition Multiple-Choice The multiple-choice section is primarily focused on how well you can read and understand nonfiction passages for their use of rhetorical devices and tools. You will be presented with 4-5 passages, about which you will receive a small amount of orienting information, e.g. â€Å"This passage is excerpted from a collection of essays on boating† or â€Å"This passage is excerpted from an essay written in 19th-century Haiti.† You will be asked somewhere from 10-15 questions per passage. There are, in general, eight question types you can expect to encounter on the multiple-choice section of the exam. I’ve taken my examples from the sample questions in the â€Å"Course and Exam Description.† Magic eight-ball says there are eight types of multiple-choice questions! Type 1: Reading Comprehension These questions are focused on verifying that you understood what a certain part of the passage was saying on a concrete, literal level. You can identify these questions from phrases like â€Å"according to† â€Å"refers,† etc. The best way to succeed on these questions is to go back and re-read the part of the passage referred to very carefully. Example: Type 2: Implication These questions take reading comprehension one step further- they are primarily focused on what the author is implying without directly coming out and saying it. These questions will have a correct answer, though, based on evidence from the passage. Which interpretation offered in the answers does the passage most support? You can identify questions like these from words like â€Å"best supported,† ‘â€Å"implies,† â€Å"suggests,† â€Å"inferred,† and so on. Example: Type 3: Overall Passage and Author Questions These questions ask about overall elements of the passage or the author, such as the author’s attitude on the issue discussed, the purpose of the passage, the passage’s overarching style, the audience for the passage, and so on. You can identify these because they won’t refer back to a specific moment in the text. For these questions, you’ll need to think of the passage from a â€Å"bird’s-eye view† and consider what all of the small details together are combining to say. Example: Type 4: Relationships Between Parts of the Text Some questions will ask you to describe the relationship between two parts of the text, whether they are paragraphs or specific lines. You can identify these because they will usually explicitly ask about the relationship between two identified parts of the text, although sometimes they will instead ask about a relationship implicitly, by saying something like â€Å"compared to the rest of the passage.† Example: Type 5: Interpretation of Imagery/Figurative Language These questions will ask you about the deeper meaning or implication of figurative language or imagery that is used in the text. Essentially, why did the author choose to use this simile or this metaphor? What is s/he trying to accomplish? You can generally identify questions like this because the question will specifically reference a moment of figurative language in the text. However, it might not be immediately apparent that the phrase being referenced is figurative, so you may need to go back and look at it in the passage to be sure of what kind of question you are facing. Example: Type 6: Purpose of Part of the Text Still other questions will ask you to identify what purpose a particular part of the text serves in the author’s larger argument. What is the author trying to accomplish with the particular moment in the text identified in the question? You can identify these questions because they will generally explicitly ask what purpose a certain part of the text serves. You may also see words or phrases like â€Å"serves to† or â€Å"function.† Example: Type 7: Rhetorical Strategy These questions will ask you to identify a rhetorical strategy used by the author. They will often specifically use the phrase â€Å"rhetorical strategy,† although sometimes you will be able to identify them instead through the answer choices, which offer different rhetorical strategies as possibilities. Example: Type 8: Style and Effect Some questions will ask you about stylistic moments in the text and the effect created by the those stylistic choices. What is the author evoking through their stylistic choices? You can identify these questions because they will generally mention â€Å"effect.† Example: Some very important stylish effects going on here. TheAP English Language and CompositionFree Response The free response sectionhas a 15-minute reading period. After that time, you will have 120 minutes to write three essays that address three distinct tasks. Because the first essay involves reading sources, it is suggested that you use the entire 15-minute reading period to read the sources and plan the first essay. However, you may want to glance at the other questions during the reading period so that ideas can percolate in the back of your mind as you work on the first essay. Essay One: Synthesis For this essay, you will be briefly oriented on an issue and then given anywhere from six-eight sources that provide various perspectives and information on the issue. You will then need to write an argumentative essay with support from the documents. If this sounds a lot like a DBQ, as on the history AP exams, that’s because it is! However, this essay is much more argumentative in nature- your goal is to persuade, not merely interpret the documents. Example(documents not included, see 2015 free response questions): Essay Two: Rhetorical Analysis In the second essay, you’ll be presented with an excerpt from a nonfiction piece that advances an argument and asked to write an essay analyzing the rhetorical strategies used to construct the passage’s argument. You will also be given some orienting information- where the passage was excerpted from, who wrote it, its approximate date, where it was published (if at all), and to whom it was directed. Example(excerpt not included, see 2015 free response questions): Essay Three: Argument In the third essay, you will be presented with an issue and asked to write a persuasive essay taking a position on the issue. You will need to support your position with evidence from your â€Å"reading, experience, and observations.† Example(from 2015 free response questions): This doesn't look like a very well-constructed argument. How The AP Language and Composition Exam Is Scored The multiple-choice section of the exam is worth 45% of your score, and the free-response section is worth the other 55%. So each of the three free-response essays is worth about 18% of your score. As on other APs, your raw score will be converted to a scaled score of 1-5. This exam has a relatively low 5 rate. Only 9.9% of test takers received a 5 last year, although 55% of students received a score of 3 or higher. In terms of how the raw score is obtained, the multiple-choice section is similar to other AP multiple-choice sections: you receive a point for every question you answer correctly, and there is no penalty for guessing. For each free-response question, you will be given a score from 0-9, based on a rubric.The rubrics all assess, in general, 3 major things: How well you responded to the prompt:Did you completely and fully address all of the tasks presented in the prompt, without misunderstanding any of them? How convincing and well-supported your argument was: Do you take a clear position that is not overly basic, simplistic, or obvious? Can you comprehensively support your position with evidence? Is your evidence well-chosen and well-explained? Do you tie everything back to your main argument? Have you thought through the implications of your stated position? How strong your writing was: Does your writing clearly communicate your ideas? Are your sentences not just grammatically correct, but sophisticated? Do you have a consistent style and a strong vocabulary? Is your paper well-organized and logically arranged? Each rubric broadly assesses these three factors. However, each task is also different in nature, so the rubrics do have some differences. I’ll go over each rubric- and what it really means- for you here. Synthesis Essay Rubric Score What the Rubric Says What This Means 9 Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for the score of 8 and, in addition, are especially sophisticated in their argument, thorough in development, or impressive in their control of language. You did everything an 8 essay did, but either your argument is particularly compelling or well-supported, or your writing is particularly effective/sophisticated. 8 Essays earning a score of 8 effectively address the task in the prompt. They develop their argument by effectively synthesizing at least three of the sources. The evidence and explanations used are appropriate and convincing. The prose demonstrates a consistent ability to control a wide range of the elements of effective writing but is not necessarily flawless. You thoroughly responded to the prompt, successfully using (and citing) at least three of the sources to support your argument. You supported your argument in a persuasive way. Your writing is competent, although there may be some minor errors. 7 Essays earning a score of 7 meet the criteria for the score of 6 but provide more complete explanation, more thorough development, or a more mature prose style. Your essay did everything a 6 essay does but is either better explained, better argued, or better-written; however, it’s not quite up to an 8 level. 6 Essays earning a score of 6 adequately address the task in the prompt. They develop their argument by adequately synthesizing at least three of the sources. The evidence and explanations used are appropriate and sufficient. The language may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally the prose is clear. You responded to the prompt in a reasonable way. You used and cited at least 3 of the sources in creating your argument. You supported your argument in a reasonably persuasive way, although not as compellingly as an 8 essay. Your writing is generally understandable. 5 Essays earning a score of 5 address the task in the prompt. They develop their argument by synthesizing at least three sources, but how they use and explain sources is somewhat uneven, inconsistent, or limited. The writer’s argument is generally clear, and the sources generally develop the writer’s position, but the links between the sources and the argument may be strained. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but it usually conveys the student’s ideas. You did respond to the prompt. You used and cited at least 3 of the sources in creating your argument, but you did not use all of them particularly effectively. The connection between the documents and your argument is underdeveloped. Your writing is mostly understandable but may have errors. 4 Essays earning a score of 4 inadequately address the task in the prompt. They develop their argument by synthesizing at least two sources, but the evidence or explanations used may be inappropriate, insufficient, or unconvincing. The sources may dominate the essay’s attempts at development, the link between the argument and the sources may be weak, or the student may misunderstand, misrepresent, or oversimplify the sources. The prose generally conveys the student’s ideas but may be inconsistent in controlling the elements of effective writing. You did not adequately respond to the prompt. You used and cited at least two sources, but you did not effectively link them to your argument. Your essay may summarize sources instead of truly taking a position, or you may have misread the sources. Your writing is not consistently clear. 3 Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for the score of 4 but demonstrate less success in addressing the task. They are less perceptive in their understanding of the sources, or their explanation or examples may be particularly limited or simplistic. The essays may show less maturity in their control of writing. Your essay did not adequately respond to the prompt. Your interpretation of the sources is incorrect or your argument is overly simplistic. Your writing is overly basic or unclear. 2 Essays earning a score of demonstrate little success in addressing the task in the prompt. They may merely allude to knowledge gained from reading the sources rather than cite the sources themselves. These essays may misread the sources, fail to develop a position, or substitute a simpler task by merely summarizing or categorizing the sources or by merely responding to the prompt tangentially with unrelated, inaccurate, or inappropriate explanation. Essays that score 2 often demonstrate consistent weaknesses in writing, such as grammatical problems, a lack of development or organization, or a lack of control. You barely addressed the prompt. You may not cite any sources directly, misunderstand the sources, never take a position, or write things that are not relevant to the prompt. Writing is very weak, including grammatical issues. 1 Essays earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for the score of 2 but are undeveloped, especially simplistic in their explanation, weak in their control of writing, or do not allude to or cite even one source Your writing barely addressed the prompt. Explanations are extremely simple, writing is incredibly weak, or sources are not used or cited at all. 0 Indicates an off-topic response, one that merely repeats the prompt, an entirely crossed-out response, a drawing, or a response in a language other than English. You made no attempt to respond to the prompt. - Indicates an entirely blank response You didn’t write anything! Time to synthesize this dough into some cookies. Rhetorical Analysis Essay Rubric Score What the Rubric Says What This Means 9 Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for the score of 8 and, in addition, are especially sophisticated in their argument, thorough in their development, or impressive in their control of language. You achieved everything an 8 essay did, but the quality of either your argument or your writing is exceptional. 8 Essays earning a score of 8 effectively analyze the rhetorical strategies used by the author to develop his/her argument. They develop their analysis with evidence and explanations that are appropriate and convincing, referring to the passage explicitly or implicitly. The prose demonstrates a consistent ability to control a wide range of the elements of effective writing but is not necessarily flawless. You successfully and persuasively analyzed the rhetoric of the excerpt in a way that is strongly supported by specific examples in the text. Your writing is versatile and strong. 7 Essays earning a score of 7 meet the criteria for the score of 6 but provide more complete explanation, more thorough development, or a more mature prose style. You achieved everything a 6 essay did, but your argument was either better explained or supported or your writing was of a higher caliber. 6 Essays earning a score of 6 adequately analyze the rhetorical strategies used by the author to develop his/her argument. They develop their analysis with evidence and explanations that are appropriate and sufficient, referring to the passage explicitly or implicitly. The essay may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally the prose is clear. You successfully analyzed the rhetoric of the excerpt, using appropriate references to the text. Your writing was generally understandable. 5 Essays earning a score of 5 analyze the rhetorical strategies used to develop the author’s argument. The evidence or explanations used may be uneven, inconsistent, or limited. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but it usually conveys the student’s ideas. You analyzed the rhetoric of the excerpt, although evidence from the passage may have been poorly used or deployed. Your writing is mostly understandable but may have errors. 4 Essays earning a score of 4 inadequately analyze the rhetorical strategies used by the author to develop his/her argument. These essays may misunderstand the passage, misrepresent the strategies the author uses, or may analyze these strategies insufficiently. The evidence or explanations used may be inappropriate, insufficient, or unconvincing. The prose generally conveys the student’s ideas but may be inconsistent in controlling the elements of effective writing. You did not analyze the rhetoric in the passage in a reasonable way. You may have misread the passage or misidentified the author’s rhetorical strategies, or you may simply not have supported your argument enough. Textual evidence may not be appropriate to the task at hand. Your writing is not consistently clear. 3 Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for the score of 4 but demonstrate less success in analyzing the rhetorical strategies the author uses to develop his/her argument. They are less perceptive in their understanding of the passage or the author’s strategies, or the explanations or examples may be particularly limited or simplistic. The essays may show less maturity in control of writing. A 3 essay has similar weaknesses to a 4 essay, but displays less understanding of the passage or the author’s intent. The writing may also be even more inconsistent or basic. 2 Essays earning a score of 2 demonstrate little success in analyzing the rhetorical strategies used by the author to develop his/her argument. These essays may misunderstand the prompt, misread the passage, fail to analyze the strategies used, or substitute a simpler task by responding to the prompt tangentially with unrelated, inaccurate, or inappropriate explanation. The essays often demonstrate consistent weaknesses in writing, such as grammatical problems, a lack of development or organization, or a lack of control. You barely analyzed the passage. You may have misunderstood the assigned task, seriously misread the passage or the author’s intent, or responded to something other than the prompt. Writing is consistently weak. 1 Essays earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for the score of 2 but are undeveloped, especially simplistic in their explanation, or weak in their control of language. A 1 essay is has similar weaknesses to a 2 essay, but is even more poorly supported or poorly written. 0 Indicates an off-topic response, one that merely repeats the prompt, an entirely crossed-out response, a drawing, or a response in a language other than English. You made no attempt to respond to the prompt. - Indicates an entirely blank response. You didn’t write anything! Examine your texts closely! Argumentative Essay Rubric Score What the Rubric Says What This Means 9 Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for the score of 8 and, in addition, are especially sophisticated in their argument, thorough in their development, or particularly impressive in their control of language. You meet the criteria for an 8, plus you have either a particularly strong argument, strong support, or strong writing. 8 Essays earning a score of 8 effectively develop a position on the issue presented. The evidence and explanations used are appropriate and convincing, and the argument is especially coherent and well developed. The prose demonstrates a consistent ability to control a wide range of the elements of effective writing but is not necessarily flawless. You persuasively address the prompt, using strong evidence to support your argument. Your writing is strong but not necessarily perfect. 7 Essays earning a score of 7 meet the criteria for the score of 6 but provide a more complete explanation, more thorough development, or a more mature prose style. A 7 essay meets the criteria for a 6 essay but is either better-argued, better-supported, or more well-written. 6 Essays earning a score of 6 adequately develop a position on the issue presented. The evidence and explanations used are appropriate and sufficient, and the argument is coherent and adequately developed. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally the prose is clear. You reasonably address the prompt, using reasonable evidence to support your argument. Your writing is generally good but may have some mistakes. 5 Essays earning a score of 5 develop a position on the issue presented. The evidence or explanations used may be uneven, inconsistent, or limited. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but it usually conveys the student’s ideas. You do address the prompt, although the support for your argument may be sparse or not wholly convincing. Your writing is usually clear, but not always. 4 Essays earning a score of 4 inadequately develop a position on the issue presented. The evidence or explanations used may be inappropriate, insufficient, or unconvincing. The argument may have lapses in coherence or be inadequately developed. The prose generally conveys the student’s ideas but may be inconsistent in controlling the elements of effective writing. You do not adequately address the prompt or form a strong argument. Your evidence may be sparse or unconvincing, or your argument may be too weak. Your writing is not consistently clear. 3 Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for the score of 4 but demonstrate less success in developing a position on the issue. The essays may show less maturity in control of writing. 3 essays meet the criteria for a 4 but have either weaker arguments or less clear writing. 2 Essays earning a score of 2 demonstrate little success in developing a position on the issue. These essays may misunderstand the prompt, or substitute a simpler task by responding to the prompt tangentially with unrelated, inaccurate, or inappropriate explanation. The prose often demonstrates consistent weaknesses in writing, such as grammatical problems, a lack of development or organization, or a lack of coherence and control. You barely addressed the assigned task. Your essay may misunderstand the prompt. Your evidence may be irrelevant or inaccurate. Your writing is weak on multiple levels. 1 Essays earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for the score of 2 but are undeveloped, especially simplistic in their explanation and argument, weak in their control of language, or especially lacking in coherence. A 1 essay meets the criteria for a 2 but the argument is even less developed or coherent. 0 Indicates an off-topic response, one that merely repeats the prompt, an entirely crossed-out response, a drawing, or a response in a language other than English. You made no attempt to respond to the prompt. - Indicates an entirely blank response. You didn’t write anything! As you can see, the synthesis rubric is focused on how you used sources, the analysis rubric is focused on how well you analyzed the text, and the argument rubric is focused on the strength of your argumentative writing without outside sources. Achieving a high score on an AP Lang and Comp essay is no easy feat. The average scores on essays last year were all under 5, with the Synthesis essay at about a 4.7 and the other two at just over 4. So even getting a 7 out of 9 is very impressive! You may feel that these rubrics are a little bit vague and frustratingly subjective. And, indeed, what separates a 6 from a 7, a 7 from an 8, an 8 from a 9 may not be entirely clear in every case, no matter the pains taken by the College Board to standardize AP essay grading. That said, the general principles behind the rubrics- respond to the prompt, build a strong argument, and write well- hold up. If you can write strong essays in the time allotted, you’ll be well on your way to a score of 5 even if your essays got 7s instead of 8s. So what can you do to prepare yourself for the frenzy of AP English Lit activity? The best kind of frenzy is a puppy frenzy! AP English Language Prep Tips Unlike its cousin, the AP English Literature and Composition exam, the AP Language and Composition exam (and course) have very little to do with fiction or poetry. So some students used to more traditional English classes may be somewhat at a loss as to what to do to prepare. Luckily for you, I have a whole slate of preparation tips for you! Read Nonfiction - In a Smart Way A major thing you can do to prepare for the AP Lang and Comp exam is to read nonfiction- particularly nonfiction that argues a position, whether explicitly (like an op-ed) or implicitly (like many memoirs and personal essays). Read a variety of non-fiction genres and topics, and pay attention to the following: What is the author’s argument? What evidence do they use to support their position? What rhetorical techniques and strategies do they use to build their argument? Are they persuasive? What counterarguments can you identify? Do they address them? Thinking about these questions with all the reading you do will help you hone your rhetorical analysis skills. Learn Rhetorical Terms and Strategies Of course, if you’re going to be analyzing the nonfiction works you read for their rhetorical techniques and strategies, you need to know what those are! You should learn a robust stable of rhetorical terms from your teacher, but here’s my guide to the most important AP Language and Composition terms. If you want to review, there are many resources you could consult: Wikibooks offers a list of â€Å"Basic Rhetorical Strategies,† which explains some of the most fundamental rhetoric-related terms. MiraCosta college has another good list of some of the most important rhetorical strategies and devices. A heroic individual from Riverside schools in Ohio uploaded this aggressively comprehensive list of rhetorical terms with examples. It’s 27 pages long, and you definitely shouldn’t expect to know all of these for the exam, but it’s a useful resource for learning some new terms. Another great resource for learning about rhetorical analysis and how rhetorical devices are actually used is the YouTube Channel Teach Argument, which has videos rhetorically analyzing everything from Taylor Swift music videos to Super Bowl commercials. It’s a fun way to think about rhetorical devices and get familiar with argumentative structures. Finally, a great book- which you might already use in your class- is â€Å"They Say, I Say.† This book provides an overview of rhetoric specifically for academic purposes, which will serve you well for AP preparation and beyond. Write You also need to practice argumentative and persuasive writing. In particular, you should practice the writing styles that will be tested on the exam: synthesizing your own argument based on multiple outside sources, rhetorically analyzing another piece of writing in-depth, and creating a completely original argument based on your own evidence and experience. You should be doing lots of writing assignments in your AP class to prepare, but thoughtful, additional writing will help. You don’t necessarily need to turn all of the practice writing you do into polished pieces, either- just writing for yourself, while trying to address some of these tasks, will give you a low-pressure way to try out different rhetorical structures and argumentative moves, as well as practicing things like organization and developing your own writing style. Not the most auspicious start to an argumentative essay. Practice for the Exam Finally, you’ll need to practice specifically for the exam format. There are sample multiple-choice questions in the â€Å"AP Course and Exam Description,† and old free-response questions on the College Board website. Unfortunately, the College Board hasn’t officially released any complete exams from previous years for the AP English Language and Composition exam, but you might be able to find some that teachers have uploaded to school websites and so on by Googling â€Å"AP Language complete released exams.† I also have a guide to AP Language and Composition practice tests. Once you’re prepped and ready to go, how can you do your best on the test? AP Language and Composition Test Day Tips Here are four key tips for test-day success. You are one hundred percent success! Interact With the Text When you are reading passages, both on the multiple-choice section and for the first two free-response questions, interact with the text! Mark it up for things that seem important, devices you notice, the author’s argument, and anything else that seems important to the rhetorical construction of the text. This will help you engage with the text and make it easier to answer questions or write an essay about the passage. Think About Every Text’s Overarching Purpose and Argument Similarly, with every passage you read, consider the author’s overarching purpose and argument. If you can confidently figure out what the author’s primary assertion is, it will be easier to trace how all of the other aspects of the text play into the author’s main point. Plan Your Essays The single most important thing you can do for yourself on the free-response section of the AP English Language exam is to spend a few minutes planning and outlining your essays before you start to write them. Unlike on some other exams, where the content is the most important aspect of the essay, on the AP Language Exam, organization, a well-developed argument, and strong evidence are all critical to strong essay scores. An outline will help you with all of these things. You’ll be able to make sure each part of your argument is logical, has sufficient evidence, and that your paragraphs are arranged in a way that is clear and flows well. Anticipate and Address Counterarguments Another thing you can do to give your free responses an extra boost is to identify counterarguments to your position and address them within your essay. This not only helps shore up your own position, but it's alsoa fairly sophisticated move in a timed essay that will win you kudos with AP graders. Address counterarguments properly or they might get returned to sender! Key Takeaways The AP Language and Composition exam tests your rhetorical skills. The exam has two sections. The first section is an hour-long, 52-55 question multiple-choice test based on the rhetorical techniques and strategies deployed in nonfiction passages. The second section is a two-hour free-response section (with a 15-minute initial reading period) with three essay questions: one where you must synthesize given sources to make an original argument, one where you must rhetorically analyze a given passage, and one where you must create a wholly original argument about an issue with no outside sources given. You’ll receive one point for every correct answer on the multiple-choice section of the exam, which is worth 45% of your score. The free-response section is worth 55% of your score. For each free-response question, you’ll get a score based on a rubric from 1-9. Your total raw score will be converted to a scaled score from 1-5. Here are some test prep strategies for AP Lang: Read nonfiction with an eye for rhetoric Learn rhetorical strategies and techniques Practice writing to deploy rhetorical skills Practice for the exam! Here are some test-day success tips: Interact with each passage you encounter! Consider every text’s overarching purpose and argument. Keep track of time Plan your essays Identify and address counterarguments in your essays. With all of this knowledge, you’re ready to slay the AP English Language and Composition beast! Noble knight, prepare to slay the AP dragon! What's Next? Taking the AP Literature exam? Check out our ultimate guide to the AP English Literature testandour list of AP Literature practice tests. Taking other AP exams? See our Ultimate Guides to AP World History, AP US History, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP World History, and AP Human Geography. Need more AP prep guidance? Check out how to study for AP exams and how to find AP practice tests. Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Ellen McCammon About the Author Ellen has extensive education mentorship experience and is deeply committed to helping students succeed in all areas of life. She received a BA from Harvard in Folklore and Mythology and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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Design Differences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Design Differences - Essay Example Qualitative research is basically concerned with the social aspects of the research topics, such as, reasons for any specific behavior of people, reasons for differences between cultures and societies, reasons fro differences of behaviors, and the ways people shape their beliefs and opinions. On the other hand, quantitative research constructs statistical models based on the observations to explain issues in a statistical form. Quantitative research requires a good understanding of the statistics for the scientists in order to produce statistical results generated using large-scale surveys. However, all scientists are not good statisticians, so extensive statistical analysis can be a big problem for some researchers. Therefore, we can say that qualitative research is somewhat easier to do as compared to quantitative research. â€Å"Quantitative research is all about quantifying relationships between variables† (Hopkins, 2008). A quantitative research determines the relationshi p between an independent and a dependent variable in order to establish an association between the two variables. A quantitative research is a better way to prove a hypothesis based on numeric results of a research. Relationship with what is Being Researched Another difference between qualitative and quantitative forms of research is related to the relationship, which the researchers have with what they are researching. In a qualitative research, the researchers do not know much about the topic being researched; rather they have to make interactions with people in order to get a better understanding of the research topic. The researchers are interested in getting awareness of the meanings created by the people. In a qualitative form of research, the researchers interact personally with what is being researched whereas in a quantitative research, the researchers are independent of what is being actually researched. â€Å"Qualitative research may be necessary in situations where it i s unclear what exactly is being looked for in a study† (McGuigan, 2011). Qualitative research is purely a fieldwork in which a researcher needs to go to different people at different places in order to observe their actions and behaviors, whereas quantitative research is based on the opinions of different people, which the researchers use to produce the facts. In qualitative research design, researchers use focus group technique and in-depth interviews to explore attitudes and behaviors of people whereas in quantitative research design, the researchers measure opinions and behaviors of people using structured research instruments. In a qualitative research, the primary instrument used for data collection and analysis is the research, whereas in quantitative research design, researchers make use of interviews and questionnaires to collect data in a numeric form. â€Å"Quantitative research involves gathering data that is absolute, such as numerical data, so that it can be exam ined in as unbiased a manner as possible† (McGuigan, 2011). Time and Efficiency Another difference between the characteristics of qualitative and quantitative researches is based on time and efficiency of the two forms of researches. Qualitative research design consumes more time for completion as compared to quantitative rese

Commodification & Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Commodification & Globalization - Essay Example Technology has transformed our world in such a way that words like national identity, local news, local economy, local culture and isolated catastrophe or calamity are fast becoming meaningless. Though Globalization has been defined by many in their own perspectives for political, traditional and intellectual motives, we will only consider the popular understanding of globalization. Packaging, pricing, marketing and ultimately selling something that was never a sellable commodity is generally known as a process of commodification. Commodification has its roots in the far spread capitalism around the world. Capitalism according to a popular belief (Gamble, 2001), is one of the ramifications of globalization. The phenomenon of commodification mines the commonly found objects, ideas, resources, culture and experiences in our daily lives and creates a monetary value for the previously un-commoditized entity. Such a process triggers a hunt for entities that can be commoditized since it en tails profits. In a capitalist world where the accumulation of wealth is prevalent, such a hunt can mean exhaustion of minable entities for commodification. Exhaustion of commoditize able resources is succinctly outlined by Jeremy Rifkin (2001), If the capitalist system continues to absorb large parts of the cultural realm into its sphere in the form of commodified cultural products, productions, and experiences, the risk is very real that the culture will atrophy to the point where it can no longer produce enough social capital and thus support an economy (p. 245). Online Multiplayer Gaming over the internet is fast becoming a commodity of a globalized world. Though internet experience in itself is a commodity but socializing over the internet via chat rooms, voice chat, social networks and emails has not been a commodity for some years now. The online multiplayer gaming today is charged from pay per hour to pay per year payment models. There exist more clever ways of commodifying the gaming experience that we will look into detail in the coming paragraphs. The commodity harvesters of the internet economy are quickly realizing the money making potential of Social Gaming, the internet games that involve players from around the globe. The very core of internet gaming experience involves real human interaction where the players may know each other; this adds a social dimension to the mix. The growing trend in size of internet gaming, amount of time people spend playing such games and lastly the viable business model that backs any internet application, are major factors that has helped commodification grow in online multiplayer gaming world. Advertisement is an essential step in commodifying something. One such example can be land commodification in over populated countries like China (Xu et. al, 2009), where masses are implanted with a dream of owning a lavish house at attractive locations thus creating a hyped value for irrigable or unused land which otherwise has a lesser value. Such a concept when applied to online multiplayer games, yields astounding value for otherwise a very cost technology. A comprehensive example that has stretched the concept of commodification and globalization to its maximum is called â€Å"Second Life†. The game has its own economy that runs through a currency known as â€Å"

What Is Career Planning Commerce Essay

What Is Career Planning Commerce Essay Destiny, faith, dreams, these unstoppable ideas are held dip in the heart of men. As long as they are people who seek freedom in this life, this things shall not vanish from the earth. But most people die without realising this ideas. Would you let that chance pass you by? So i have to stand up and stop thinking like a scalar multitude (having a point of magnitude without a direction) but act like a vector (having a direction and a point of magnitude) i.e. doing a great career planning for myself. Firstly, what is career planning? The act of choosing a career path. In most cases it is done during adolescence and early adulthood. But it is often modified as changes in the self, the world or work change in the course of an individuals life. In other words career planning could be defined with different terms such as; career vocational counselling, vocational guidance and career guidance. Career planning could also be defined as the means through which we achieve our objectives and move closer to our goal. Career planning could be divided in to the vertical and horizontal direction. Horizontal career planning is based on the ways in which i will use to acquire the knowledge and skills of my dream job. In the other hand vertical career planning is based on the knowledge i have on the industry i wish to work for and how they have evolve over time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For a start, what is my point of magnitude? My point of magnitude is the pick of my dreams, which is becoming a branch manager in an international bank. To reach this goal i have to go through some steps. Firstly, gaining my necessary skills needed for the job. So to gain these skills i have to be orientated on how to gain a strong educational background on my career. I will start from the level of achieving an advance level certificate in social science with a good grade (mathematic, Economics, Geography and philosophy). This will lead me to the next step in achieving an HND certificate in banking and finance. From this step i will try to gain work experience by doing my internship for a bank under the customer service department. In addition, I will strive on having my bachelor degree in business management. At this point, I will look forth on holding the position of a cashier in a bank that has a promising career growth like Lloyds TSB. Whi le trying to match up with this new responsibility, I while look on having a master degree in business management. I will try to impress my employer by showing my vocation for my job and putting in my knowledge in relation to my task in other to gain promotion in my career as a head teller which is the first line manager. After having my master degree in business management and obtaining the post of head teller in the bank, I will aim for a step forward. That is, being the vault custodian in the bank which is next to my point of magnitude. And finally, due to hard work, determination and devotion in my job, my chasse comes to an end when I am being promoted to the branch manager of the bank. All this steps sounds easy in writing or in word but actually, it is not what it seems to be. Yes they are obstacle that I will meet on my way to the top and not forgetting that the dream is not only mine so they will be competition on the way too. Looking in to the post of customer service. After having my HND in banking and finance at the age of 21, I will aim for an internship in the bank. This should be under the department of customer service in a bank. The point of view of an overall banking process, customer service plays a very important role in a banks income and revenue. The functions of this department mainly include dealing with returns, exchanges and complaints. Basically, our goal is not only to help the customers deal with their problems, but also offer them a service that exceeds their expectations. Several key points are listed as follows: 1. Know your product Know what service we are offering to customers completely. Make sure you can answer every question the customer asked correctly and explain every process in our service programs. 2. Body Language Most of the communication that we show to others is done through body language. Make sure to look your customers in the eye while they are speaking. It shows that we are listening to them. Also, talk with a smile is never bad. 3. Anticipate What Customers Needs It can make customer have a feeling of We care about them everywhere then improve their trust about our service. A customer service experience can change my perception of the customers: what do they want? What do they need? How can we help them? The most important is how to do an effective communication with customers. It is the so called commutation skill. Because of this is my first job, I can also learn how to get on well with each other: those who manage me, those who I manage, my colleagues, especially my customers. With these new skills I will look on to the next step, which is to further my education and career by gaining a bachelor degree in business management and trying to secure the post as a cashier in a bank which has a promising career growth like Lloyds TSB. Moving forward, what is a cashier? A cashier is a person who receives money or card payment from the customers for the goods purchased. Wherever any purchase of goods or services involved in every institute minimum of one cashier is employed. The number of cashier employed can be varied due to the range of work and the size of company. The more a smooth transaction between a customer and supplier a cashier deals the more expert he is. His responsibilities is not just limited to the collection money, they may vary depending upon the type of employment. Bank cashiers are the front line officers for the enquiries of customers entering a bank branch. So I will be responsible for the face to face interaction with the customers usually using customised computer systems to process transactions and deal with account enquiries. I am also entitled to undertake many of the day to day routine and administration tasks. As I will be a fresh officer or often be called new entrant may start my job as a clerk helping the seniors in paperwork and administration in the back room of the bank to progress the bank cashier on the front desk dealing with customers accounts and enquiries. Senior bank cashier may supervise branch assistants, helping the customers in completing loan and mortgage applications, authorising loans or working in the foreign exchange section. This session will come to me whenever I will be able to promote myself from junior to senior. In the modern competitive financial services provision banks are operating a huge range of role. Bank cashiers are expected to market and sell financial products and services to customers. Cashiers should acquire a comprehensive knowledge of products and services offered by the bank. To promote myself in the position of a bank cashier the previous experiences and knowledge needed will come from the customer care officer as I will have been serving for six months in the same banking field. To be a bank cashier the following skills and qualities I must have: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Communicative skills with a wide range of people à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Play a role as a part of a team. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ be honest and reliable à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The ability to pay attention to accuracy and detail ins and outs à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Increased level of confidence in selling and marketing products to customers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Knowledge in computer. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Be aware of confidentiality issues i.e. I must not disclose the inside information of the bank. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Provide a high quality and customer driven service. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Provide personalized, friendly and efficient cashiering service and also have temptation treating the customers fairly at the heart of their values. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Have a desire in acting as the first point of contact for customers in order to identify and address their needs and assist the bank in the achievement of its plan. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To succeed in the role, I am likely to enjoy relating to others whilst following a routine and adhering to procedures. The day to day basic duties and tasks as a bank cashier that I will be performing are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Collect and check the working cash at the start of the day from Branch Manager and counter. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Check deposit slip with accuracy before receiving the deposits in the form of cash or checks. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Verify the customer signature on the cheques and account details and then process to the cash withdrawals. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Prepare travellers cheque, cashiers cheque and personal money order. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Explain the foreign currency regulations and fees before carrying out foreign currency exchanges. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Receive and verify the payments of loans, mortgages or any utility bills. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Record the transactions accurately, promptly and in a standardized format. Also issue transaction receipts to the customers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Process the transactions like term deposits, retirement savings plan contributions, automated teller transactions, night deposits and mail deposits. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Respond to the enquiries of the customers about their accounts. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Attempt to resolve issues in the customers account. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Explain and promote banks products or services like travellers cheques, savings bond, money orders and cashiers cheques to existing customers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Organize the money received in the cash box and coin dispenser as per the denominations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Compute the financial fees, interest or service charges applicable to the customers account. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ At the end of the day or shift, I will have to balance the currency, cash and cheques in the cash drawer. In order to carry out all the above mentioned duties effectively, I must possess strong arithmetic skills, customer service orientation, proficiency in computers and related software, problem solving skills, honesty and integrity and stress tolerance abilities. My academic qualification for this position: Generally, there are no formal entry qualifications. Some employers specify four GCSE (A-C)/S grades (1-3) including English and Maths. Personal qualities are often equally as important as qualifications. Previous experience and knowledge in the similar field is also necessary. As I am graduating now in BBA from a renowned university, I must qualify for this position. I also have a good result including Maths and English in my GCSE. My desired hours and work environment: As I can see many cashiers working in the bank, so my expected working hours will be 9 to 5 from Monday to Friday including Saturday on a rota system. The most of the bank cashiers usually work behind a glass fitted screen with a number of customer services at desks in the front office of the branch. Bank cashiers are provided with a corporate uniform. Cashiers may be posted to other locations temporarily, where several branches exist within a town or area. Expected Annual Salary and Benefits: As a new bank clerk my salary will start between  £8750 and  £10500 depending on the size of the bank. In the course of my experience I will be earning between  £10,500 and  £16,000 a year. As a senior cashier or specialist customer service adviser I may earn between  £13,000 and  £23,000. Many banks have profit-related bonus schemes. Other benefits can include subsidised mortgages, loans, pensions, share options and insurance cover. Opportunities: As a bank cashier I may be promoted to senior bank cashier, a specialist customer service advisor, trainee manager and then branch manager. I have also some opportunities at the head offices of banks in the treasury, training, information technology and human resources departments or in merchant or investment banking and international divisions of the larger banks. With recent advances in IT and communications technology, there are many opportunities available in regional processing and call centres. Taking the next step of my career as Head Teller, this is the first line manager directly responsible for the tellers although they perform the same tasks this person has more experience in this field and has hands on knowledge of the job so the other tellers refer to her if they have any suspicions or queries about a particular transaction. She has to authorize transactions for above a particular amount of money which is usually set by the branch manager or head of operations. She usually has the highest amount of cash in her custody and if the other tellers need cash she transfers it to them rather than the vault custodian having to go to the vault every now and again depending on how busy the branch is. She is also responsible for the well being of the other tellers when it comes to taking their breaks, the tidiness of their work stations and to ensure that they abide by the rules and regulations of the bank. THE QUALITIES OF A GOOD HEADTELLER (KSA) You must always act professionally, set international standards, remain focused and work hard, accept results within your territory, be open to coaching, respond positively to feedback, compete effectively and win so that together we can celebrate success. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Very honest with an impeccable character. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Has a friendly personality. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Is meticulous and pays attention to details. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Works under pressure. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Very conversant with numbers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Able to change at short notice and is innovative. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Is fast and able to resolve issues quickly. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Very vigilant and takes all transactions serious. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Very patient and tolerant. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Respects all policies and procedures of the bank. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Quick in counting cash and at the same time able to detect bad notes. Vault Custodian; By the age of 24 year, I need to be a vault custodian. In the banking system, it is one of the most important positions where sensitive security issues are related in this position (Vault Custodian). I will have to do some creative works which are security involved. Like that I will be given promotion to go next post and that will be my dream job. I will have a lot of responsibilities to continue all baking activities properly and perfectly. Some of important activities I will have to perform those are (important activities related with this position) given down. http://files.turbosquid.com/Preview/Content_2009_07_15__03_14_54/Vault1.tgac4644f2f-ec04-4493-ae35-34081a2706d0Large.jpg Responsibilities of a vault custodian: Basically, I will have to use my skills, knowledge and abilities those are vital for doing things right. However, some essential activities, vault custodian, are mentioned bellow. First of all, In front of three people or individuals, I will have to close and open the vault at all the times. I will do compile all the security transaction records. Basically, I will be allowed to enter or go to vault. All the times, I will do delivery and receive securities like gold box, precious jewellery etc. To and from the vault. All securities will be deposited to bank and those calculations and monitoring will be my main job. Basically, I will have to write down the time when I opened and closed the vault. Because, it is really sensitive and safety issue for bank. When I will receive any types of precious things from customer then I will have to make sure that I did signature and description of the things which I have been given by the customer. Basically, I will need to write the details of the single or particular deposit. When anything will be pushed to the vault it is essential that make sure the account holder name and account number accurately. It is very important that release the deposit from the vault depositor (authorize) own decision. As a vault custodian I will have some important activities which are supervise the tillers and auditors. And, observing the all others activities of different other junior level activities. Basically, vault custodian just one step down the branch manager who needs to do almost same job like manager. Cash will be deposited overnight in main vault under joint custody of the dead teller and a designated bank staff. Finally I will strive forth to occupy the post of the branch manager of the bank.   Ã‚        Ã‚  The last stage of career plan is Branch Manager in a Bank .That is the dream job after passing through all the consecutive jobs successfully to reach in this position. Lets now look at the roles and responsibilities of a Branch Manager of a Bank.   Ã‚         The role of a branch manager is multifaceted. He is responsible for the overall leadership, sales force, operation and financial goals of the branch they manage. The branch manager must be familiar with the all the products and services offer by a bank and he should also be sales oriented. SALES:                Being a branch manager you are responsible for the success and failures of the goals and objectives. You should have Leadership qualities which influence the team members to motivate towards work; this will help to achieve the goals and objective. You should have an excellent communication skill to communicate with the employee, customers and society as you will be representing the bank with in the community. Other responsibilities include creating good budget sales and planning to monitor and act upon it. ADMINISTRATION:   Ã‚               Being an branch manager you will be responsible for making sure that work flows run smoothly .You are also responsible for the security and appearance of the branch facilities. You must be aware of employee or staff requirements .In any conflicts or if any problem arises which involves staff and customer a branch manager should be able to solve it effectively move ahead to achieve the goal. The other responsibilities of an branch manager include to keep an duplicate key of custody, to ensure the assets are in proper condition, to sanction the staff leave. FINANCE:             The role of a manager in a finance department is to ensure and to look after that the account Officer is maintaining proper books of accounts including basic accounting controls, for e.g. day to day cash in out, etc. She/he must ensure that all the expenses are incurred under the limit of the budget. Yes at last, finding my self in this position is in other words a dream come true. The dream I cultivated in my mind while still young has come to reality. It was not easy for me going though all those step due to the facts that; They was great competition in achieving that same post, they though time that I had to go out of my way to meet up with the customers demand and the expectations of the company, I had to match up my daily life and my work life, I had to put in great effort in my studies and I had to work as a team with colleagues that dont like me. To go through all this I had to be, flexible, enthusiastic, charismatic and very creative. Even at some point I had to employ characteristics which are not a part of my. Though through though times I had faith and it kept me going. And I will always give thanks to those that supported me in achieving my dreams like my colleagues, superiors, friends, family, and my profs. So go forth and chess your dream and never stop, Till it is accomplished. Dont forget destiny, faith, dreams, these unstoppable ideas are held dip in the heart of men. As long as they are people who seek freedom in this life, this things shall not vanish from the earth.

When Kids Get Life

In the Frontline video â€Å"When Kids Get Life† we were introduced to 5 cases in the state of Colorado where teenage boys had been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. After watching the video I found myself struggling to have an objective opinion on the issue presented, mostly because of personal experiences being a victim of childhood abuse and also having a family member (my brother) murdered. I felt the video to be very one sided but I do find myself agreeing with the point the producers were trying to make.I feel that teenagers should have more opportunities at rehabilitation from crimes committed before the age of 21 then those criminals that are convicted after the age of 21. I also feel strongly that when it comes to teenagers and violent crimes that great emphasis needs to be placed on the motive for the crime, for example if there was long term abuse or neglect as well as any substance abuse involved, and what kind of support if any the child has ever had in their lives.In my opinion the age at which a person should be given life imprisonment is 21. I developed this opinion for three reasons. The first being my personal experience, there were two men involved in my brother’s murder one man was 26 at the time and the other was just barely 18, neither man was sentenced to any long term prison time but of the two the 18 year old has shown greater signs of rehabilitation.I have also had a lot of exposure to the darker side of society and I have seen more improvement come from the younger ‘criminals’ then I have from the older ones. My second reason is the overwhelming amount of scientific evidence regarding brain development and mental processes. According to the Time magazine article ‘What Makes Teens Tick’ Dr. Jay Giedd states that â€Å"The very last part of the brain to be pruned or shaped to its adult dimensions is the prefrontal cortex, home of the executive functions. This area of the brain is the part that allows adults to weigh the consequences of their actions.A teenager may understand the principles of right and wrong but lack the ability to realize the ramifications of any wrong they might do. In another article by Lee Bowman of the Scripps Howard News Service Deborah Yurgelun-Todd of Harvard Medical School and McClean Hospital says that â€Å"[When] shown a set of people’s faces contorted in fear, adults named the right emotion, but teens seldom did, often saying the person was angry. Yurgelun-Todd and her team performed this test using the fMRI and discovered an amazing difference in the parts of the brain being used. The adults used both the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala to process what they saw and younger teens relied entirely on the amygdala while older teens (oldest being 17) showed a progressive shift toward using the frontal cortex My third reason is the hormone factor according to an article published by the American Bar Association.One of the hor mones which has the most dramatic effect on the body in adolescence is testosterone. Testosterone is closely associated with aggression; it increases tenfold in adolescent boy. Considering all of this information I feel that 21 would be a better age to consider legal culpability of a person. I do not feel that teenage offenders of violent crime should go unpunished but life in prison seems to be an excessive punishment for a teenager incapable of comprehending the consequences of his actions.My last issue to address is the circumstances by which an offender should receive life imprisonment. I feel that when it comes to cases of long term abuse of any kind when a teenager is feeling pushed into a corner and the only way out is to ‘kill or be killed’ there will undoubtedly be a negative outcome. There is a long list of possible effects and none of them are positive anything from drug and alcohol abuse, to self harm, to suicide, to homicide. One researcher Phyllis L.Crocke r of Cleveland-Marshall College of Law wrote that â€Å"the nexus between poverty, childhood abuse and neglect, social and emotional dysfunction, alcohol, and drug abuse and crime is so tight in the lives of many capital defendants as to form a kind of social historical profile†. According to Dr. Chris Mallett, Public Policy Director at Bellefaire Jewish Children’s Bureau in Ohio more that 30% of death row juvenile offenders had experienced six or more distinct areas of childhood trauma with an overall average of four such experiences per offender.Mallett also found that such mitigating evidence was presented to juries in fewer than half of the offenders’ trials . That fact I find astonishing I feel passionately that the motivation behind a teenager’s violent act should play a very hefty role in the prosecution of any said act. The cases highlighted in the video ‘When Kids Get Life† were very disturbing to me because several of the cases invol ved long term sexual and psychological abuse and it appeared that no one took that into consideration at the time of trial.In conclusion I feel that no violent crime should be excused however life imprisonment should be reserved for those over the age of 21, or for the truly psychotic individuals out there in society. Any teenager that is convicted of a violent crime should be given prison time but then after a determined amount of time re-evaluate the person psychologically and determine level of rehabilitation. I believe that people (even criminals) can change in both directions good and bad, and teenagers have an even greater capacity to change for the better if guided in the right direction.

Angels in Christianity Essay - 2576 Words

From the beginning of time, angels have played a significant role in Christianity and other western religions. Although, they are often seen as the supporting players in the scripture, they are an essential character to the nature of the stories mentioned in these scriptures. Therefore angels still play a significant role in Christianity and portray the character of a multifaceted and multidimensional divine being around the world (Patella 59). This development of the role of angels in the Christian Tradition doesn’t only have an impact through the stories read in the scriptures or from the portrayal of Angels in Christmas decoration or Christian movies, but they also serve an important purpose to Christianity (Patella 59). They are the†¦show more content†¦Although angels are thought to not have any physical bodies, it was thought that God made these angels either with light or fire (Jones 43). This was said because it helped to distinguish angels from human beings a nd animals. Angels were seen as heavenly bodies and therefore distinct from earthly bodies (Jones 44). The famous Christian Theologian, Augustine said that Angels reflected God’s eternal light. This he argues was because they were created when God said, ‘Let there be light’ and these angels share and reflect the light with God because he shines on them (Jones 43). In some ways, Jesus was also seen as an angel or a messenger to God during early Christianity by some people. This was because of the idea that when God has a message to send to the world, he delivers it through an angel. Therefore the greatest angel or messenger for God is considered Jesus since he not only delivers the message of God to individuals, but he himself is the word of God (Jones 63). Jesus was also called the great angel due to the fact that in the book of Isaiah, the savior is described as an angel. Therefore Jesus was seen as the, ‘Angel of Great Counsel’ who gave the good n ews of salvation to the world in the early Christianity (Jones 63). However the dominance of people in Christian religion rejects the idea of Jesus Christ being an angel. Most Christians believe that Jesus is the ‘Word of God’ and the ‘Word made flesh’ thereforeShow MoreRelatedEssay about The role of angels in christianity1067 Words   |  5 PagesGod sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendent of David. The virgins name was Mary. --Luke 1:26-27, NIV Today we will look at some of the aspects of the Christian doctrine of Angels and their continued role in Christianity and humanity in general. 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