Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Endangered languages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Jeopardized dialects - Essay Example There are various variables that analysts accept to assuming a main job towards the eradication of certain dialects. One of such factors is the part of guardians pushing their youngsters to learn dialects that they accept are esteemed and â€Å"superior† to other people, in this way totally disregarding their neighborhood dialects. It is a typical pattern particularly in the creating nations whereby numerous individuals think about their neighborhood dialects as substandard, consequently get absorbed by authorities dialects, for example, English. A critical number of individuals in the underdeveloped nations like Africa, especially Kenya and Nigeria are wandering ceaselessly from their unique conventions and local dialects. In such nations, an enormous number of the youthful age has moved to various dialects particularly English. A few guardians have chosen not to show their primary language dialects and rather show them a second language on account of numerous reasons identified with social class and monetary variables. The most disastrous thing is that greater part of them feel that kids can just figure out how to communicate in one language well, consequently choose to dump their local dialects (Dugan 10). They likewise feel free to take their youngsters to global schools that utilization the most prevailing unknown dialects. Common and man-made debacles are additionally key factors that are prompting the elimination of certain dialects. Such debacles incorporate war, starvation, ailments, quakes, demonstrations of slaughter, and torrent just to make reference to a couple. For example, the Rwandan Genocide nearly cleared out the Tutsi people group while Adolf Hitler’s system nearly annihilated the Jewish people group. During the massacre, in excess of 6 million Jews were slaughtered, which is an exceptionally enormous rate considering the way this is certifiably not a huge network. Relocation outside the first region is likewise a significant property of eradication of dialects. Sociolinguists contend that a few dialects

Saturday, August 22, 2020

chp 7 quiz questions Essay Example

chp 7 test addresses Essay Example chp 7 test addresses Paper chp 7 test addresses Paper Article Topic: Writing In the wake of introducing gatherings of research members words like string, eye, pin, syringe, sewing, sharp, and thimble, a memory scientist asks the members whether they saw the word needle. The way that numerous members do is a case of permastore. memory dream. amnesia. dã ©j vu. memory dream A key subject that has risen up out of the memory examine writing is that all express and verifiable recollections are put away in the hippocampus. memory dreams are proof of genuine memory issues, for example, Alzheimers illness or amnesia. the progression of time has practically no impact on the exactness of our recollections. we effectively recreate our recollections utilizing the signs and data accessible to us. we effectively recreate our recollections. You watch LeShon wave his fourth of July sparkler as he runs. As you watch the light, you notice a hover of light instead of only a solitary purpose of light. This impact exhibits the working of your echoic memory. flashbulb memory. famous memory. transient memory. famous memory After you wrap up this sentence, the data will stay in your ________ as you consider every one of the appropriate responses beneath. photographic memory momentary memory tactile memory long haul memory transient memory Kira is running down the road tuning in to her convenient music player. Unexpectedly, her batteries bite the dust and the music stops. Which of the accompanying records for her capacity to even now hear the last piece of the melody that was playing? Eidetic symbolism Momentary memory Echoic memory Notorious memory echoic memory While driving her youngsters, Adrianas vehicle stalled. She called her better half on the PDA for the quantity of a towing organization. In the event that the childrens conduct keeps her from rehashing the number to herself, in all probability Adriana should dial the telephone number inside the following __________ or she will overlook the number. 15 seconds minute 2 seconds 45 seconds 15 seconds Shanna has a test covering research techniques for both her science and brain research classes. As she examines, she is ceaselessly getting data confounded between the classes. The subsequent memory misfortune is clarified by recovery disappointment. sequential position impacts. impedance. mutilation impedance Which of the accompanying best shows retroactive obstruction? Susie battles to figure out how to play the violin, subsequent to playing the guitar for a long time. Chet battles to become familiar with the names of the new players he added to his dream baseball program. Mentor Todd considers one of her old softball players the name of one of her new players. Teacher Jones battles to gain proficiency with the names of his new understudies after educating for a long time earlier. mentor todd considers one of her old softball players the name of her new players In secondary school, Deanna took three years of Spanish. After taking on school ten years after the fact, she enlisted for a medicinal French course. At the point when required to talk in French during class conversation with her educator and schoolmates, Deanna as often as possible reacts with Spanish words rather than French words. This is one case of rot. blocking. proactive obstruction. retroactive obstruction. proactive obstruction The Magic Number of transient memory is fifteen give or take two. seven give or take two. nine give or take two. seven give or take three. seven give or take two Liv has quite recently observed a business publicizing an extravagant sort of make-up that she might want to purchase. She doesn't have a pen or a bit of paper to record the phone number, so she rehashes to herself again and again while she runs into the kitchen to discover the phone. Liv is right now utilizing the procedure of ________ practice to keep the phone number dynamic in her transient memory. appropriated semantic upkeep elaborative upkeep As per the examination on the power impact, if your dad read you a rundown of 10 things to get up at the home improvement shop you would most effectively review those things from the finish of the rundown. from right off the bat in the rundown. that are generally unmistakable. in the rundown. from right off the bat in the rundown Which two kinds of recollections are both viewed as a major aspect of unequivocal memory? semantic and wordy reconstructive and reviewed semantic and procedural theoretical and schematic semantic and wordy Jasmine needs to recollect a 8-line sonnet for her fifth grade English class one week from now. Her mom recommends that she interface the initial hardly any words from each line with an alternate piece of their home, beginning with the front entryway. This recommendation is generally like the memory system known as the strategy for loci. the pegword strategy. an abbreviation. the catchphrase technique. the strategy for loci In spite of the fact that you have never taken a class with Dr. Hua, you stroll into class, plunk down, open your note pad, and trust that the teacher will start his talk. What idea is being shown? Composition Preparing Capacity Supremacy effec composition Who is taking part in circulated practice? Geoff, who has been contemplating an hour a night in the course of the most recent three weeks for his life systems last Kris, who made glimmer cards the previous evening for his brain science last today Angela, who simply read through her notes while in transit to take her variable based math last Alan, who pulled a dusk 'til dawn affair to prepare for his science last geoff, who has been examining Which of coming up next is the best case of lumping? Andrea makes a sentence utilizing every last bit of her jargon words. Caroline utilizations the main letter of every one of her jargon words and explains the word, butterfly to enable her to recall. Cedric can recall the entirety of the names of the children in his group. Katie records a model for every one of her jargon words. andrea makes a sentence utilizing every last bit of her jargon words Proof recommends that when the genuine criminal is excluded from a live line-up, most observers will won't reply and request to leave the police headquarters. will be precise and advise the police that the individual is absent. will be mistaken and select the individual who most intently takes after the genuine crook. Nothing from what was just mentioned will be erroneous and select Albeit both Clive Wearing and a patient known as H.M. had seriously harmed hippocampi or evacuated hippocampi, the two of them demonstrated proof of ________ memory. understood express eidetic rambling understood Following an auto collision, Jane and Joan both endure head wounds with coming about amnesia. Joan can't recollect occasions that happened before the mishap, while Jane can't recall occasions that happened after the mishap. Joan experiences __________ amnesia and Jane from __________ amnesia. proactive; retroactive retroactive; proactive anterograde; retrograde retrograde; anterograde retrograde;anterograde There are different methods accessible to assist individuals with improving their capacity to review material. For example, when you remember something new by associating it intellectually to something you definitely know, you are utilizing levels of preparing. elaborative practice. conveyed study. a mental helper. elaborative practice Which mental marvel can be characterized as the maintenance of data after some time? Information Understanding Memory Thinking memory Which of coming up next would one say one isn't of the three significant procedures of memory? Long haul Capacity Encoding Recovery long haul We can utilize mental helpers to help us ________ data we need to hold in our recollections. encode recover store grasp encode The vast majority cant precisely recollect that anything they encountered in their most punctual years. This wonder is known as retrograde amnesia. adolescent amnesia. anterograde amnesia. puerile amnesia. puerile amnesia When we arent sure where a memory truly originated from (Did it truly occur? Or on the other hand was it a fantasy?) we can utilize signals, for example, how distinctive and nitty gritty the memory is to decide the appropriate response. This procedure is called cryptomnesia. starting memory. thought about memory. source checking. source checking After some time, youngsters create more prominent information on their own memory capacities and confinements. The expression for this is understanding. meta-memory. habituation. learning meta-memory Minds of individuals with Alzheimers contain feeble plaques and ________, anomalies that add to both neural connection misfortune and the passing of hippocampus and cerebral cortex cells. amygdala cells beta-adrenergic receptors propranolol neurofibrillary tangles neurofibrillary tangles A memory that is in reality bogus yet feels genuine and can be activated by, for example, taking a gander at a rundown of related words, is called a(n) delegate heuristic. memory fantasy. dynamic remaking. confusing memory. memory fantasy First saw in the hippocampus of hares in 1966, ________ alludes to how dull incitement of neurons after some time will progressively reinforce associations among the neurons in question. glutamate pathways long haul potentiation engram congregations review inclination long haul potentiation What sort of chart would be utilized to represent the supremacy and recency impacts? Ebbinghaus bend Histogram Enneagram Sequential position bend sequential position bend A gathering of understudies were told they were being given the medication ________ before taking the SAT while another gathering was told they were taking a spurious pill. Their unaffected SAT scores combined with their totally different impression of mental working and sharpness recommended that the misleading impact was grinding away. Provigil Adderall Ritalin Modafinil ritalin

Tuesday, August 4, 2020

How to Start a Successful Podcast

How to Start a Successful Podcast It has been a decade since we started this blog, and nearly four years since we started our podcast. Since then, we’ve learned a lot about what it takes to create a successful podcast. With more than 50 million downloads and 6,000 listener reviews, The Minimalists Podcast is often the #1 Health podcast on Apple Podcasts in eight countries, and it occasionally charts in the Top 10 of all shows. Because we receive countless emails about how to start a podcast, we decided to collect all our knowledge in this blog post. We worked with our producer, Podcast Shawn, to create the following step-by-step instructions for how to start a podcast, followed by an in-depth pre-production, production, and post-production analysis for exactly how we record and release our podcast. How to Start a Podcast in 5 Steps: Purchase a quality microphone Select the right recording equipment Choose an editing program Find an inexpensive hosting platform Record and upload your first episode We will expand on all five steps in the following section, including the exact equipment and software we use today, as well as examples of equipment we’ve used in the past. Start a Podcast: 5 Detailed Steps Here’s a step-by-step overview of how we started our podcast. This is how to become a podcaster in five simple steps. Step 1: Purchase a quality microphone When you think of podcasting, the first thing you probably think of is the microphone. It is the symbol of the broadcast. But what microphone should you use? How important is your microphone selection? What are the best microphones for a new podcast? Beginner Microphones Yes, it’s important to have a high-quality microphone. But a good mic isn’t as expensive as you might think. When we started The Minimalists Podcast, we used two different microphones (because there are two of us): Blue Yeti USB Microphone Rode Podcaster USB Dynamic Microphone Although both microphones are inexpensive, they’re both powerful. And they certainly don’t sound like “starter” mics. Although we found the Rode Podcaster to be slightly richer, either option will give you studio-quality audio on a minimalist budget. Because both mics are USB (and they arrive with the necessary USB cables), they can plug directly into your computer without the need for additional external recording equipment (we’ll discuss equipment in step 2 below). Professional Microphones After a few years of successful podcast recordings using the Blue Yeti and Rode Podcaster, we upgraded to the industry-standard professional microphone, the Shure SM7B, which you’ll find at thousands of radio stations, recording studios, and podcasts around the world. This is the microphone we still use today. Step 2: Select the right recording equipment Once you’ve chosen the microphone that’s most appropriate for your needs, it’s time to determine what equipment you may or may not need to get started. Beginner Equipment Because we favor a minimalist podcast set-up, we want to keep it as simple as possible. Here’s a list of the additional equipment we started our podcast with: Boom Arm. A boom arm attaches to any desk so you can use your Rode Podcaster or Blue Yeti microphone hands-free, which radically reduces any noise you would get from handling the microphone. Options: Rode Podcaster or Blue Yeti. Pop Filter. You want to avoid plosives and other unnecessary wind noise from your vocals, and a good pop filter is the best way to accomplish this. Options: Rode Podcaster or Blue Yeti. Sound Panels. Theres nothing more annoying than an echoey podcast. If the room in which you record has a noticeable echo, then you’ll want some sound panels to deaden the reverberation. We started recording our podcast in a small office and used these inexpensive basic foam panels to reduce background echo. You might also consider a soundbox like this. It’s worth noting that carpeted rooms, window drapery, and soft furniture also help further dampen sound. Recording Program. This isn’t physical equipmentâ€"it’s softwareâ€"but the least expensive and most effective solution for new podcasters is a free program called GarageBand for Mac, which is what we used to record our podcast for the first few years. If you don’t have an Apple computer, Audacity is the closest free equivalent for PC or Linux. Professional Equipment After a few years of using the basic equipment mentioned above, we upgraded to a dedicated studio space (video) and added the following professional recording equipment: Professional Boom Arm. After upgrading to the Shure SM7B microphones, which include a professional pop filter, we started using the RODE PSA 1 Swivel Mount Studio Microphone Boom Arm, which works great with those microphones. In time, we upgraded again to the Yellowtec Mikarm and Clamp, which are the highest quality on the market. Cloudlifter. With the professional XLR mics we use, it’s important to also use a Cloudlifter to boost the microphone’s audio signal, which provides the richest audio quality for our podcast. You’ll need one Cloudlifter for each microphone (e.g., if you have three mics, you’ll need three Cloudlifters.) Recording Device. To achieve the highest-quality recording without the complexities of a giant recording studio, we use a simple Zoom H6 six-track portable recorder in our studio. This piece of equipment is lightweight, which makes it easy to take it on the road to record podcast episodes remotely. The Zoom H6 runs off six AA batteries when youre traveling, but it’s best to purchase an AC adapter to avoid batteries running out mid-recording. Memory Cards. The Zoom H6 requires an SD memory card to store recordings. We’ve used both the SanDisk 128 GB SD card and the PNY 128 GB SD card, and we’ve found both reliable. It’s a good idea to have at least two in the event that one of them fails. We also have a third SD card where we store the raw audio files until the respective podcast episodes are released. External Drive. In addition to the storage on the SD memory cards, we also store our files on a WD 4TB external drive. Although you can store a secondary copy of your podcast episode files on your computer, it’s a good idea to store them on an external drive instead in the event your computer fails. And, if possible, keep the SD card with the original files in one location and the external drive with the secondary copies in a separate location for redundancy. We also have a case to protect the external drive and the SD cards. Microphone Cables. For each Shure SM7B microphone, we use two LyxPro Balanced XLR cables (one cable from the mic to the Cloudlifter, one from the Cloudlifter to the Zoom H6). The fifteen-foot option works for most people, but be sure to measure and select the length that works best for your room. Velcro Wrap. Although the microphone cables typically come with some form of binding to secure them to table legs or posts (and to keep them tidy when storing them), we’ve found the Velcro One-Wrap roll works best. Equipment Case. To store our equipment while traveling, we use a top-of-the-line Pelican 1535 Case. We want to protect our equipment so we dont have to worry about breaking it. Professional Sound Paneling. Depending on the room, you might be able to get away with a professional soundbox, or you can use professional sound panels like we use in our studio space (our sound panels are from a company called LA Sound Panels, which are similar to these professional sound panels on Amazon). Headphones. Because of their superior sound quality and relative affordability, Podcast Shawn uses the Sennheiser HD280PRO Headphones, while Joshua prefers the Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones. Video Cameras. Most podcasts are audio-only, but if you plan on recording a video version of your podcast, we use a Canon c100 with this lens. (Note: the first 135 episodes of our podcast were audio-only; we didnt add a video component until episode 136.) Step 3: Choose an editing program Now that you have the right microphone and recording equipment for your needs, you’ll want to edit your podcast using the best editing program. Personally, we still use GarageBand to edit every podcast episode we record on the Zoom H6, but here’s a list of the most popular podcast editing software: GarageBand. Price: free. Description: “GarageBand is a fully equipped music creation studio right inside your Macâ€"with a complete sound library that includes instruments, presets for guitar and voice. With Touch Bar features for MacBook Pro and an intuitive, modern design, it’s easy to learn, play, record, create, and share your hits worldwide. Now you’re ready to make music like a pro.” Audacity. Price: free. Description: “Audacity is a free, easy-to-use, multi-track audio editor and recorder for Windows, Mac OS X, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems. The interface is translated into many languages. You can use Audacity to: record live audio; record computer playback on any Windows Vista or later machine; convert tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs; edit WAV, AIFF, FLAC, MP2, MP3 or Ogg Vorbis sound files; cut, copy, splice or mix sounds together; numerous effects including change the speed or pitch of a recording, and more.” Adobe Audition. Price: $20.99/mo. Description: “Meet the industry’s best audio cleanup, restoration, and precision editing tool for video, podcasting, and sound effect design.” Final Cut Pro. Price: $299.99. Description: “Final Cut Pro combines revolutionary video editing with powerful media organization and incredible performance to let you create at the speed of thought.” Step 4: Find an inexpensive hosting platform Okay, you now have a microphone, the basic equipment, and an editing program, and you’re ready to record and release your podcast to the world. But how do you get your podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and all the other popular podcast apps? Simple: you find an inexpensive place to “host” your podcast. Personally, we use Libsyn to host our podcast, which is the hosting company weve used since our first episode. We pay for the $75 per month “Advanced 1500” plan, but their $20 “Advanced 400” plan works for most podcasts. No matter which plan you choose, Libsyn doesn’t require a contract, and they will give you the first month free with our promo code: First Month Free: Because The Minimalists are an affiliate partner, Libsyn will give you your first month free if you use our code SIMPLE when you sign up for any of their plans. Besides getting your podcast onto every podcast app, Libsyn provides advanced statistics so you know exactly how each podcast episode performs. Plus, the Libsyn custom smartphone app for podcasters engages audiences beyond your regular audio or video episodes. With four different kinds of content accepted by the app (audio, video, PDF, and text), you can offer your audience extras, blog posts, transcripts, and more, all in one place. Sure, you can post your podcast on SoundCloud for free, which is a great option for people who want to have a public podcast without any hosting costs. But if you want your podcast to be available on the most popular apps like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podcast Addict, Castbox, ScoutFM, and all the others, you’ll need a place like Libsyn to host your podcast. Step 5: Record and upload your first episode This is where the fun begins. You have everything you need to get startedâ€"microphone, equipment, editing software, and hosting platformâ€"and all you need to do now is release your first podcast episode. We’re going to spend the rest of this blog post detailing exactly how to record, publish, and promote your podcast, using our own experience and recommendations coupled with real-world examples of other successful podcasts. This advice will be split into three distinct sections: Pre-Production. What should you do before you launch your podcast? Production. What should you do during your podcast? Post-Production. What should you do after you’ve recorded your podcast? Then, we’ll end this blog post with a series of frequently asked questions. By the time you get to the end, you’ll understand exactly what it takes to start a successful podcast. Pre-Production What is a podcast? A podcast is essentially the modern evolution of a radio show, distributed via the Internet. Unlike radio shows, though, podcasts can be distributed without advertisements, without sponsorships, and without permission since a podcast has no gatekeepers: there’s no one stopping you from creating a podcast. Anyone with a small budget and a modicum of tech savvy can launch a podcast. And now is an ideal time to establish a listenership while podcasts are still in their relative infancy. Although they’ve been around since the early 2000s, the popularity of podcasts has exploded over the past few years (according to Podcast Insights, there are currently more than 750,000 podcasts and 30 million podcast episodes!)â€"yet fewer than half the population currently listens to podcasts. But that will surely increase over the years, so now’s the perfect time to start! 3 Reasons You Should Start a Podcast Before investing any time, money, or effort into creating a podcast, you need to determine why you want to do it. You must ensure you have what it takes to create something meaningful, impactful, and engaging. Your ‘why’ should include: Value. Adding value to others’ lives should be your primary goal in any endeavor in life. If you’re good at what you do and people appreciate the value that you add through what you do, you’ll build a loyal, engaged, grateful audience. Experience. Podcasting will give you invaluable experience in several areas: writing; speaking; performing; audio recording, editing, and distribution; website development; graphic design; and promotion, just to name a few. And all of these skills and knowledge are directly transferable to countless other professional pursuitsâ€"so even if podcasting doesn’t work out for you for some reason, you’ll still reap the benefits of your new skills and knowledge. Connection. Podcasting will not only allow you to share your unique perspective with a worldwide audience, but it will also give you the opportunity to share the diverse viewpoints of your contemporaries. In your own small way, you’ll be helping to create a more educated, empathetic global community. 3 Reasons You Should NOT Start a Podcast Your ‘why’ should NOT include: Money. If money is your primary driver for starting a podcast, you’ll likely find yourself horribly disappointed. When we produce creations based on “chasing the dragon” of money, the creations are often hollow, and they fail to resonate deeply with a wide, loyal audience. That said, there’s nothing wrong with earning money from your podcast; we just don’t want the almighty dollar to be the reason we create. Fame. Fame, like money, is an incredibly elusive, and often empty, “reward.” You’re more likely to find your creativity, and your pursuits, starved to death if you’re planting seeds in this barren field. Instead, aim to provide value to an audienceâ€"a much more noble pursuit. Promotion. Creating a podcast simply to promote a product or service will often have the opposite effect: people have an acute radar for detecting inauthenticity, and, once they have, they avoid the offending source like the plague. Focus instead on helping people solve problems and they’ll sing the praises of you and your creations far and wide. What is your differentiator? Why should listeners tune into your podcast instead of the plethora of similar podcasts out there? What makes you different? What makes you unique? What makes you more interesting than everyone else? Perhaps it’s Education? Expertise? Credentials? Personality? Delivery? A Barry White Voice? It’s important to get clear on these now so you can capitalize on themâ€"these are your differentiators. They’re what sets you apart from the pack. They’re what attracts an audience. They’re what gives you credibility and confidence. They’re invaluable to your growth as a professionalâ€"focus on them and refine them. What is the best podcast formula? Let’s talk about modeling for a moment. No, we’re not training anyone to strut the catwalk. Modeling, in this sense, means observing and adopting the behaviors of others to accomplish the same things that they’ve accomplished. If you want to do something successfully, you observe others who are already doing it successfully, and then you do what they do. So, if you haven’t already, it’s time to listen to some of the best-crafted podcasts. If you want to create a successful podcast, it’s best to listen to, and to study, successful podcasts. Here’s a brief list of podcasts that we believe have winning formulas (in no particular order): The Joe Rogan Experience SuperSoul Conversations The Tim Ferriss Show Happier Here’s the Thing Magic Lessons 99% Invisible Culture Gabfest On Being Brilliant Idiots The RobCast The Portal And dare we shamelessly mention The Minimalists Podcast? We dare. Certainly, listen to them and enjoy them, but then analyze them with a critical eye and ear to determine what elements set them apart. These are the elements you want to focus on developing in your own podcast, and these trailblazers have already provided some proven templates for you. What in the podcast title and the episode titles grabs you? What makes the artwork attractive? What format do they follow; e.g., introduction, body, conclusion, or something else? What nuances, special segments, do they throw into the mix? Is it a single host? A host and a co-host? A host, or hosts, with guests? Does it have a pleasant pace? Does it seem too long, too short, or just right? What makes a great podcast title? Titles grab our attention. They tease us about what we will find within. Think of the titles that have hooked you. What was it about those titles? Their brevity? Their cleverness? Their mystique? Create a list of titles you’re considering. (If you’re having difficulty coming up with a title for your podcast, you may consider using a site that auto-generates titles, like Wordoid.) Once you have a list of titles, try them out on family, friends, colleagues. Note the titles that garner a positive reaction. Cross out the ones that don’t. Cull the final list to your favorite five. Which one best captures the spirit of your podcast? Once you’ve selected a unique, intriguing title, you’ll want to create a logo to really make it pop on your website, in your newsletter, and in your podcast artwork. You can design it yourself using InDesign, Photoshop, or a text editor (Joshua used Apple’s Pages application with some free vector art to create The Minimalists’ logo), or you can hire someone to design it for you from a site like 99designs or Fiverr. How do I create compelling podcast cover art? Just like your title, the artwork for your podcast should be attractive, intriguing, simple, and beautiful. Take a look at the artwork for the most popular podcasts. What makes their artwork stand out? How can you incorporate those elements in your artwork? Similar to the logo for your title that we discussed above, you can either design it yourself using InDesign, Photoshop, or a text editor, or you can hire someone to design it for you from a site like 99designs or Fiverr. You can even use a photo of yourself and any co-hosts you may have, an appropriate image you already have, or a high-quality stock photo or image: Paul Jarvis (free), Unsplash (free), Library of Congress (free), iStock (fee-based), Shutterstock (fee-based). When you create your artwork, you will want to create it in two sizes: one for Libsyn and one for YouTube (we’ll expand on distribution on both a little later). Libsyn. For Libsyn, you’ll need an image that is 2000 x 2000. This image will appear as a static image when people play your podcast on their podcast app. YouTube. For YouTube, you’ll need an image that is 1280 x 720. This image will appear as a static image on YouTube when you create an MP4 file with your audio in Camtasia (we’ll discuss this in the YouTube section). Do I need a podcast co-host? Lennon and McCartney. Simon and Garfunkel. Statler and Waldorf. Millburn and Nicodemus. Some of the greatest creations of all time have been the result of collaborations. You’ll certainly find quite a few podcasts out there with single operators, but the vast majority have at least two: a host and a co-host. Or a host that relies heavily on guests (more on that in our Guests section). There are a few good reasons to run duo rather than solo: Variety. Most films, TV shows, playsâ€"and, well, life in generalâ€"consist of dialogue. Sure, you’ll get the occasional monologue thrown in to spotlight a specific insight, but a spirited dialogue between characters who each have distinct viewpoints drives the drama that captivates us. Dialogue shows us not only the different viewpoints of different characters, but it also helps clarify and refine those viewpoints further through challenges to those viewpoints. So add variety, and challenge yourself and your audience, by balancing your presence with a co-host, or co-hosts, that don’t look and sound like you, but still share a mutual respect. Expertise. Credibility is key, and expertise is paramount in securing and maintaining credibility. Ideally, find a co-host, or co-hosts, with expertise in areas related to the topics you intend on covering. Do your due diligence, of course, to ensure their background is legitimate: nothing will sink a show faster than the revelation that one of the participants has been masquerading as a faux professional. Ensure they have the education, licenses, credentials, experience that they claim. Rapport. It’s enjoyable and engaging to listen to people talking who obviously enjoy one another’s company and respect one another, so finding a co-host who you like and respect, who you share key values with, is crucial. Although it can be interesting and engaging to listen to a highly spirited argument occasionally, a plethora of ceaseless arguments will become mentally exhausting for both yourself and your audience. Should I have guests on my podcast? Guests are a great way to add variety and credibility to your podcast. We’re confident you’re interesting and engaging on your own, as is your co-host, but guests will augment these elements immeasurably. Not only do guests bring their expertise and personality with them, they also bring their audience. Bringing a guest on is a great way to communicate your message with an even wider group of people. And then those people, in turn, will pass that message on to even more people. Value begets value. Vet. Make sure the guests you’re considering for your podcast have the experience, credentials, licensure, education, reputation they claim. Nothing will sink your credibility fasterâ€"or alienate your audience quickerâ€"than a guest who’s a novice parading as an expert. Contact. We know you’d love to start out by having A-list celebrities on your podcast, but, unless you’re already rubbing elbows with them or people in their inner circle, you may need to build up a bit of an audience first. So start by reaching out to experts and professionals that you already know within the fields of topics you want to cover. Social media can be a great tool to contact potential guests (try to keep it to private messages, though, where possible: pinging a popular individual for a guest spot in their public feed could lead to something akin to chum in the waterâ€"sharks will start circling and scare the potential guest off). LinkedIn can also be a great toolâ€"most experts and professionals have LinkedIn accounts, and you can send them a private message. Reputation. It’s not a deal-killer to have a guest on your podcast that is a contentious public figureâ€"in fact, it can increase your audience exponentially, and it can provide a unique opportunity to challenge the assumptions of yourself and your audienceâ€"but it’s ill-advised to host guests that are actively alienating the public with inflexible ideologies. You don’t want to give a megaphone to individuals who are possibly, or who are actually, endangering other people. 90/10 split. Once the guest is on your podcast, keep the spotlight on them: the guest should be talking 90% to your 10%. Your job is to ask probing questions to guide the conversation and expand on interesting points. If you have a guest on your podcast, the audience members are tuning in to hear the guest’s take on the topic, given their expertise. Joe Rogan on The Joe Rogan Experience does a particularly good job in this aspectâ€"he keeps the focus on the guest (he’s essentially the modern-day Johnny Carsonâ€"another excellent example). Appreciation. In the course of recording the episode, be sure to mention the guest’s works, website, social mediaâ€"essentially, any links that the guest feels are best for your audience to connect with them (and include these in the show notes when you post the episode). And don’t forget to not only thank them on-air at the conclusion of the episode, but follow up with a personal thank-you within a week of the recording session (a handwritten note or card will go a long wayâ€"it’s a physical representation of genuine appreciation, and people that receive such thanks are sure to let others know). And follow up with them again when the episode airs to provide them all the relevant links to the episode, and take that opportunity to thank them once again. How do I research topics for my podcast? Providing statistics and other facts to support your viewpoint in your podcast is a great way to boost credibility and confidence with your audience. Ensure, however, that your research is culled from objective, reliable, respected resources: safe bets are usually academic journals; medical journals; and high-profile, reputable news outlets. Avoid resources that are opinion-based, subjective, and those that are easily manipulated/edited by the public (we’re looking at you, Wikipedia). Be sure to also provide links to your research in your show notes so your audience can verify the information and explore the topics further. The more transparent you are in this process, the more your audience will trust you. As you’re conducting your research, be certain you know how to properly pronounce any unfamiliar terms (including the guest’s nameâ€"it’s best to ask them how they pronounce it!). To ensure you dont forget these pronunciations in the heat of recording, it’s not a bad idea to include phonetic pronunciations in parentheses next to the actual words in your production notes. What is the format of my podcast? Once you’ve decided on a title for your podcast, a logo and artwork for your podcast, a co-host, guests, and you’ve conducted thorough research on some topics for future episodes, it’s time to choose a format and create some show notes as outlines for the production of the episodes. Most podcasts have a format similar to that of a simple essay: introduction, body, and conclusion, so it’s a good idea to start there. Following is a simple, similar format to use as a foundation. Of course, once you’re familiar with this floor plan, you can certainly renovate the structure wherever it’s appropriate for you. Introduction Introduce yourself, your co-host, the topic, and the guest Overview the discussion (be briefâ€"no one likes long intros) Body Interview the guest Answer audience questions Conclusion Thank the guest Provide the guest’s links Provide your show’s links Sign off Production Recording Space Although recording in a studio is not required, you will need to create a similarly suitable space that is relatively quiet and comfortable. Table. Especially if you’re hosting a podcast with at least a co-host and the occasional guest, you’ll want a waist-high table with a flat edge. This will give you the option to sit or stand, and the flat edge will allow you to secure the boom arms for the microphones. Chairs. Make sure you have comfortable chairs with solid padding and back support; it’s easy to lose your focus when your butt, back, and legs are in pain. Climate. Check to ensure everyone is comfortable with the room temperature. You want everyone focused on giving their best performance, not their discomfort due to the temperature. Quiet. Lock the door to your recording space and place a sign on it with the text, “Quiet, Please. Recording In Progress.” And remind everyone present in the recording session to place their mobile phones in Airplane mode. (This not only silences the mobile phones, it also cuts off their communication with mobile phone towers, Wi-Fi routers, and Bluetooth devices that would otherwise cause audible interference in the audio feed. If the mobile phones remained on, you’d hear this interference as a periodic tick-tick-tick sound in the audio feed.) Sound baffling. Be sure to take every measure possible to reduce echo in the recording location. See our entry above in the Equipment section regarding sound baffling. Podcast Session Supplies Notes. Be sure to bring your production show notesâ€"your outlineâ€"to your recording session so you stay on course. It’s tempting to explore every tangent and detour if you don’t have your charted course in front of you. Don’t stifle creativity, of course, but stay on point. Water. Stay hydrated. Whenever you stop talking, take a sip; it’s easy to get cottonmouth. Pens and Paper. As you’re recording, you may come up with a new question or idea for the discussion, so it’s a good idea to have pens and paper handy. And you may decide on the fly that a particular question or idea listed in your outline isn’t appropriate for the discussion, so you can easily cross it out. Warming Up Just as an athlete wouldn’t run a marathon without warming up, it’s also in your best interest to perform some rudimentary warm-ups prior to recording. Not only will a few simple exercises loosen you up, but they will also help relieve stress from pre-show jitters. Stretching Don’t overdo it with these. You’re just trying to loosen up and relax. Reach as high as you can in the air for 10-15 seconds, wiggling your fingers, breathing deeply. Bending at the waist, reach down as low as you can toward your toes for 10-15 seconds, wiggling your fingers, breathing deeply. Alternate between these two until you feel loose and comfortable. Vocalizing With these exercises, you’re just trying to loosen up your articulators (i.e., those bits in your mouth that form words), so, again, easy does it. Repeat each of the following until you can say them both quickly and clearly. The lips, the teeth, the tip of the tongue The hard palate, the soft palate, and where the hard and soft palates meet Rubber baby buggy bumpers Between each one, take a few long, deep breaths as well, breathing in through the nose, and then exhaling through the mouth. It’s also a good idea to read through your production show notes aloud to ensure you’re not tripping up on the pronunciation of any words, especially the guest’s name. Pro tip: Freeing the Natural Voice by Kristin Linklater is a great book on how to fully use your entire body to improve your vocals. It helped me improve my articulation, breathing, and projection immeasurably when I first started out in broadcasting at WYSO. How to Record and Edit Your Podcast Thankfully, it’s no longer necessary to spend months in an audio engineering program to learn how to record and edit audio: nearly everything you need to know about audio recording and editing is available on the Internet in video tutorials, user guides, and support groups, free of charge. GarageBand. To record your podcast episodes using GarageBand, which is what we used for the first two years of our podcast (we still use GarageBand to edit our podcast today), you can get the basics from a great video tutorial here. This will give you a solid foundation for the process. If you need additional clarification, you’ll find a user guide from Apple here. Zoom H6. To record your podcast episodes using the Zoom H6, which is what we use today, you can get the basics from a great video tutorial here. If you need additional clarification, you’ll find a user guide from Zoom here. Audacity. We don’t personally use Audacity, but we have friends who recommend it to record and edit their podcasts. To record your podcast episodes using Audacity, you can get the basics from a great video tutorial here. If you need additional clarification, you’ll find a user guide from Audacity here. Post-Production Back Up Your Recordings Redundancy is important. Redundancy is important. (We wont belabor this point. Waitâ€"yes we will: Redundancy is important!) Once you’re finished recording your podcast episode, be sure to make copies of your audio files on one of your spare SD cards and on your external drive. If possible, keep the spare SD card and the external drive in two separate locations. Editing Your Podcast Just like the recording process, nearly everything you need to know about audio editing is available on the Internet in video tutorials, user guides, and support groups, free of charge. See the above How to Record and Edit Your Podcast section for links to the software we use. Pro tip: Throughout the editing process, stop occasionally and save your filesâ€"especially after a particularly time-consuming edit. It’s best to save not only on the computer you’re working on, but also to your external drive, which you should eject and disconnect from the computer after the save is complete. This will protect the back-up file if the computer should fail. Distributing Your Podcast Once you’ve edited your first podcast episode, distribution will be how you get it out to the world via the Internet. Here we’ll focus on SoundCloud, Libsyn, and YouTube. SoundCloud SoundCloud is easiest and least expensive way to publish your podcast. SoundCloud offers a few different monthly plans depending on how many hours of audio you want to upload each month, but the free option will work for most beginners (and includes up to three hours of audio uploads each month). However, if you publish your podcast on SoundCloud alone, it wont be available on all of the most popular podcast apps. Thats why we distribute our podcast on SoundCloud, but also via Libsyn and YouTube, which well cover below. Starting a new SoundCloud account Uploading a podcast episode to SoundCloud Libsyn Libsyn will get your podcast on the major podcast platforms: Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, among many others. First Month Free: Because The Minimalists are an affiliate partner, Libsyn will give you your first month free if you use our code SIMPLE when you sign up for any of their plans. Libsyn offers a few different plans depending on how many megabytes of audio files you want to upload each month. While The Minimalists use the Advanced 1500 plan for $75 per month, the Advanced 400 plan for $20 a month is adequate for most beginning podcasters (it allows you to upload up to 400 MB of audio files each month). Starting a new Libsyn account Setting up a podcast show in Libsyn Publishing a podcast episode in Libsyn YouTube YouTube is yet another great platform for publishing podcasts, especially since your podcast episodes can show up as recommended viewing when people are watching other videos related to the topics of your episodes. When we first uploaded our podcast episodes to YouTube, we uploaded the audio with just a static image in an MP4 file using the software Camtasia. It wasnt until much laterâ€"episode 136â€"that we added an actual video component. So you neednt wait until you have a video version of your podcast to upload your podcast to YouTube. How to use Camtasia How to upload videos to YouTube How to Release and Promote Your Podcast Once your first episode of your podcast is uploaded, you’ll want to tell the world through your website, email list, and social media accounts. Website A website will give you several ways to let your audience know about your podcast: You’ll be able to use it to publish blog posts that coincide with topics you discuss on your podcast, to publish blog posts announcing the release of new podcast episodes that include the episode’s show notes, and to provide your audience with a place where they can sign up for your newsletter to be notified whenever you’ve produced a new creation. Fortunately, we already have all the step-by-step information ready for you in our guide, How to Start a Successful Blog. Email List Once you’ve created your website, you’ll want to create an email list so you can send email notices to your audience whenever you release a new podcast episode or other creation. For the most effective email communication with your audience, we recommend using Constant Contact. The rates are reasonable, and they offer user-friendly tools so you can easily tweak your emails. Pro-tip: Always respect the inbox of your audience members; they get just as annoyed as you do with an overflowing inbox. One of the quickest ways to lose your audiences trust is to send them junk, spam, or other emails that dont add value to their daily lives. Social Media Social media is another great way to let audience members know about new podcast episodes, to engage with audience members, and to solicit audience members for future episode topics and questions. If possible, you’ll want to find identical social media handles related to your title for the Big Three: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Take, for example, The Minimalists: on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you’ll find us “@TheMinimalists” on all three. It’s the same for each platform so it makes it easy for everyone to find us. If you can’t find the same spelling for each social media platform, you can certainly do a variation of your title. For instance, if “TheMinimalists” was not available on Twitter, we could have gone with “TheMins” or something similar. However, this can cause confusion and make it more difficult for everyone to find you, so you may consider going back and choosing a different title that is available on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Congratulations! You’ve shared your first podcast episode with the world. And now, after a quick pat on the back, it’s time to get started on the next one! If you found value in this blog post, please share it with others via email and on social media. Podcasting Video In this video, Joshua and Ryan discuss the lessons they’ve learned from their years of blogging and podcasting, and they answer the following questions: What is the most effective medium for sharing my expertise in order to build an audience? How do I determine what I should select for my next entrepreneurial pursuit? Podcasting FAQs Q: Why do I hear interference in the recording feed? A: If you’re hearing buzzing in your headphones, it could be attributable to a few different causes. Electricity. Check to ensure your microphone cables are not too close to any live electrical cords. If they are, either move the microphone cables away from the electrical cords or unplug the live electrical cords. Mobile phones. Make sure everyone present in the studio has their mobile phones set to Airplane mode. Mobile phone communication with local wireless towers will cause interference, even if the phone isn’t currently being used. Phantom power. If you’re using the Zoom H6 to record, make sure the phantom power option is turned off unless you’re using a Cloudlifter. Phantom power provides power to devices that lack power for their working internals, such as the Cloudlifter, but it can cause interference otherwiseâ€"particularly when you’re recording a feed from a soundboard. Q: Should I ever accept advertising? A: It’s unlikely you’ll have any advertising offers until you build a significant listenership, so it’s not a concern to get too worked up over. However, when the time comes, it’s a personal choice to make: if the product or service aligns with your values, then an advertising agreement could make sense. Be aware, though, that many products and services will then have some degree of say regarding the content of your podcast. There are always other options to fund your podcast, like Patreon or other crowdfunding. Q: How often should I release podcast episodes? A: Consistency is key. A majority of podcasts typically release one episode a week, but bi-weekly or monthly may also work. Just find the schedule that works best for you and stick with it. Q: Is it okay to include profanity? A: Hell, yeah! (Sorry.) If it’s part of your natural delivery and your audience accepts it, then use it. But be aware it may alienate new listeners, it may limit the sharing of your show, and you must use profanity warnings on your show on some platforms (particularly Apple Podcasts). Q: How can I track the statistics for my podcast to see how it’s doing? A: There are a few different places you can check. Libsyn has a “Stats” section where you can check your download numbers. Both SoundCloud and YouTube clearly display the number of views on each episode that you publish. And, finally, there is itunescharts.net, which will show you how your podcast stacks up against all the current podcasts. You can see a sample of our podcast’s performance here. FYI: Some of the above links are affiliate links, which means The Minimalists earn a tiny bit of money, at no additional cost to you, if you click through and buy a piece of recording equipment. But that’s obviously not why we’re recommending these products; we’re recommending them because we use them, they’ve added value to our podcast, and we hope they add value to your podcast, too. (If we earn enough money to buy a cup of coffee along the way, that’s nice, too.) Subscribe to The Minimalists via email.

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Ethical Decisions - 1017 Words

Ethical Decisions July 8, 2012 Ethical Decisions Every individual is faces with ethical decisions every day in both their personal and professional lives. To avoid making unethical decisions, one must know what leads to poor decision making. Once a person knows what leads to the poor decision, they must find ways to resist making an unethical act. A person cannot make the right choice if they do not know how to avoid it. A leader must also know how to inspire ethical decisions within their staff. This paper covers ways to avoid making poor decisions and ways to making ethical ones. Poor Decision Characteristics While there are many ways one can be ethical, Mallor, Barnes, Bowers, Langvardt suggest there are three†¦show more content†¦The last way to resist making an unethical act is to find a better solution in which everyone wins. This goes hand in hand with one buying some time before acting upon an unethical act. Analyzing the situation, and getting all the facts may lead to a decision in which one makes an ethical decision while meeting the requirements of the direction one has been given. Leading Ethically When leading other individuals, it is imperative that one be ethical themselves, in order to lead ethically. A person, who is unethical, is going to inspire unethical behaviors in others. When members of an organization see that nothing happens to their leaders, others will fall into the same unethical behavior and rationalize that what they are doing is ok as well (Mallor et al., 1966/2010, p. 119). Leaders must set the example of ethical behavior for others. Leaders must also communicate ethical values of the organization to the staff. How can an individual know what they are doing is unethical in the eyes of the organization, if they do not know what is expected of them? The leader must continually communicate to the staff and remind them of what is ethical behavior. Another way to lead other ethically is to reinforce ethical behavior in the staff. When a leader sees an ethical decision made by a staff member, recognize their action. This will help thatShow MoreRelatedEthical Decision Making : Ethical Decisions1496 Words   |  6 PagesFacing Ethical Decisions How does a person determine what is right or wrong when making a decision? Most people faced with an ethical decision usually revert to their personal values that hopefully guide them through the decision-making process. Assessing values and morals are an important role when making ethical decisions and how others view a person after making that decision. â€Å"Once we grasp the underlying concepts of making important decisions, we need to know how to apply them.† (Fisher, 2005)Read MoreEthical Decision Making : Ethical Decisions1047 Words   |  5 PagesEthical Decision-Making The first step in the CPA (2000) ethical decision-making model is identification of the individuals and groups potentially affected by the decision. In the ethical scenario I presented earlier, the individuals directly involved and likely to be most affected by the decision include the 54-year old woman and myself as the counsellor. Those who will likely be indirectly affected by the decision would be the woman’s family, including her 20-year old daughter, and the agencyRead MoreEthical Decision Making And Ethical Decisions1026 Words   |  5 Pagespeople within a particular organization. Also, it includes critical and ethical decision-making process so as to address various ethical dilemmas experienced by employees while undertaking their respective assigned duties within the company. Ethical dilemmas are hereby to stay as issues usually arise now and then and place a variety of options that bear different repercussions. Therefore, it calls for ethical and critical decisi on-making skills so as to make the most appropriate option that bearsRead MoreEthical And Ethical Decision Making1500 Words   |  6 Pagesmore important than others, ethical decision making is a skill that has become increasingly pivotal. Jones states that a ‘moral issue is present where a person’s action, when freely performed, may harm or benefit others’ and defines ‘an ethical decision is a decision that is both legally and morally acceptable to the larger community’ (1991, p. 387). In order to create a company wide culture of ethics, employees must believe that the organization has a desire to be ethical and see proof of this fromRead MoreCase Study : Ethical Decision Making2110 Words   |  9 Pages Module 1 Assignment 3: Case Study: Ethical Decision Making April Culberson Argosy University Module 1 Assignment 3 Summarized the behavior you consider unethical and unprofessional in the case study. Substantiated the analysis with reasons After reading the case study, it becomes apparent the many questionable behaviors Joe commits while counseling Jill. First is his reaction towards Jill’s confession concerning sexual confusion about being attracted to other women. Joe’s expression (shockedRead Moreethical decision making1211 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Ethical- Decision Making University of the Rockies Mabel Drafton Abstract Countertransference is how therapists distort the way they perceive and react to a client (Corey, Corey, and Callanan, 2011). Therapists are expected to identify and deal with their own reactions with consultation, personal therapy, and supervision that their clients will not be negatively affected by the therapist’s problem. Personal therapy is an effective way for therapistsRead MoreThe Moral Decision Making : An Ethical Decision1517 Words   |  7 PagesEthical decision-making is a vital part of my critical thinking, serving as a constant factor or theme throughout the process. History is full of leaders who, more than likely, were extraordinary critical thinkers capable fully dedicated to making solid decisions. However, a great decision developed through critical thinking does not equate to the â€Å"right† decision or an ethical decision. For example, one could argue Adolf Hitler and his inner circle were exceptional critical thinkers capable ofRead MoreEthica l Decision Making : The Ethical Dilemma901 Words   |  4 PagesEthical decision making is vital to the operation of any organization. Organizations that operate unethically can face step fines, civil suites and even jail time. Furthermore, and most importantly, companies that are considered ethical, are better at attracting customers, qualified employees and even have an easier time raising capital (Robinson, 2014). Organizations must ensure that everyone within their business operates ethically and understands what to do when faced with ethical dilemmas andRead MoreEthical Decision Making3508 Words   |  15 Pagesare some times when there is no choice but to make decisions with possible ethical consequences at some point in any human services career when an ethical dilemma is faced. If one chooses not to make a decision, it is a decision itself (Keith-Spiegel Koocher , 2010). In this paper, I am concerned with applied ethics and decision making using framework for a positive decision in presented scenario (Appendix) which guide the conduct for decisions based on theories about what is morally right or wrongRead MoreEthical Decision Making : Ethical Issue Essay1470 Words   |  6 PagesEthical Decision Making Recognize an Ethical Issue 1 Could this decision or situation be damaging to someone or to some group? Does this decision involve a choice between a good and bad alternative, or perhaps between two goods or between two bads? This situation can be damaging to both parties. The first party involved could potentially face legal trouble or termination of their position. The second party may be damaged because it is taking away from the supplies used for customers and the

Monday, May 11, 2020

To Kill a Mockingbird - Calpurnia Cares - 1058 Words

Calpurnia Cares â€Å"Calpurnia was something else again. She was all angles and bones; she was nearsighted; she squinted; her hand was wide as a bed slat and twice as hard.† (Pg 6) This is how Jean Louise â€Å"Scout† Finch describes Calpurnia, a black woman who serves as the Finch family cook and maid in Harper Lee’s â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird.† Although Calpurnia is employed by a high social class family she is still considered to be at the bottom of that social hierarchy because of her African-American descent. The Finches believe Calpurnia to be a valuable part of their family because she is a very hard working individual, she’s very motherly to the Finch children and she is an educated and intellectual black woman. Firstly, Calpurnia is a hard†¦show more content†¦She does this daily for the children, trying to bring them up right in the world in the world that they live in. Calpurnia also refers to Scout and Jem as her own children. When sheâ€℠¢s dressing them up to take them to church, she says to a complaining Scout, â€Å"I don’t want anybody sayin’ I don’t take look after my children,† she muttered.†(Pg 119) Calling Scout and Jem her own children is a way for Calpurnia to show affection and respect for them. Overall, Calpurnia is like a mother to Scout and Jem, and they’re happy to have her. Finally, Calpurnia is an intellectual black woman, which was rare back in the time of 1930’s Alabama. Calpurnia taught her oldest son, Zeebo how to read and write. â€Å"Yeah, Mister Jem. There wasn’t a school even when he was a boy. I made him learn though.†(Pg 125) She taught her son how to read out of an old book. She wouldn’t let him go around and be uneducated. In order for Calpurnia to teach her son how to read, she must have been able to read and write herself. â€Å"That’s why you don’t talk like the rest of them.† Said Jem. â€Å"Th e rest of who?† â€Å"Rest of the coloured folks.† According to Scout and Jem, Calpurnia speaks fine English, unlike the other black people in Maycomb. Calpurnia also teaches Scout how to read and write, which ends up leaving Scout in trouble at school. â€Å"Besides, I added, she’d already gotten me in trouble once today; she had taught me to writeShow MoreRelated To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee643 Words   |  3 Pages Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, there are many characters with very strong personality traits. These characters are very memorable and easily recognizable because of their traits. These characters have one thing in common, they all have influenced peoples life’s in one way or another. One of these great characters is Calpurnia. Three of Calpurnia’s most memorable traits are being a disaffection of the social rules, motherly, and courageous. In the 1950s, AfricanRead MoreKill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee1335 Words   |  6 Pages To Kill A Mockingbird follows Scout and Jem impacted by their father’s radical views in the 1930s. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is an iconic story with a great deal of dialogue. The dialogue and dialect in this story helps to reveal who the characters are. Dialect and dialogue in life help to create an image of a person as it does in fiction. Harper Lee uses dialogue and dialect to help bring her characters to life. Miss Maudie is depicted as selfless and educated. The same method also bringsRead MoreFoils in To Kill a Mocking Bird 1703 Words   |  7 PagesPriam care not just for power, but he also cares for the people of his kingdom; however, King Agamemnon only cares about power.) (This idea of placing somewhat similar, yet mostly opposing characters side-by-side is also undoubtedly presented in the book To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee does an incredible job of creating thes e opposing characters for Jam and Scout to encounter, so that they can learn what is right and wrong, and so that they could go from innocence to experience.) (In To Kill a MockingbirdRead MoreBlack or White: Moralistic Communities to Highlight Sin of Killing a Mockingbird1617 Words   |  7 PagesHarper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most popular fictions about racial inequality in America. Her portrayal of the Black community is amazingly positive and has therefore triggered discussion. In the fiction, while most of the white people treat the Black poorly and are evil-like, the blacks are generally genial and miserable. Atticus remarks that some Negroes do lie and act immorally. In this case, the rather one-sided Black community in the book seems to be idealized while the WhiteRead MoreExamples Of Compassion In To Kill A Mockingbird844 Words   |  4 Pagesclassic of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, characters display determined compassion. Atticus Fi nch, a peaceful and justice-seeking lawyer sides a trial and case of blunt racism for a falsely accused victim; his children see his love for all people and races. The Finch children, Scout and Jem, also have their affectionate household caregiver, Calpurnia, who acts just like a warm mother-figure they never had. As well as their cherished neighbor, Miss Maudie Atkinson, she cares for both Scout and JemRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Character Analysis924 Words   |  4 PagesThe novel To Kill a Mockingbird is based on the passed experienced from Harper Lees childhood. The character of Atticus resembles the author’s father, and the character of Scout resembles herself. To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel written by the well known author, Harper Lee. This book is written in Scouts perspective to portray her life. The main character, Scout, who is also the narrator is portrayed as a young girl who is still learning the rules of life. Her father, her brother Jem, and nannyRead Mor eTo Kill a Mockingbird Character Analysis Essay763 Words   |  4 Pagesrespectful, dignity attorney from To Kill a Mockingbird, as the greatest hero in 100 years of film history. Harper Lee published To Kill a Mockingbird in the 1960s and it immediately received huge acclaims from readers throughout the world. In the novel, Lee created Atticus Finch, the ideal parent of Jem and Scout, who gains much respect from his children and Maycomb inhabitants through series of events the family encounters in the novel. Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus exemplifies the best qualitiesRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Character Analysis956 Words   |  4 PagesEmpathetic Development in To Kill a Mockingbird Developing genuine empathy is one of life’s greatest challenges. In To Kill a Mockingbird, author Harper Lee uses unhypocritical, more experienced characters like Atticus to expose Jem and Scout to adult knowledge. Their adult influence is what brings about the empathetic growth and maturity of Jem and Scout. Atticus is one of these adults. After Scout is upset by her teacher’s inability to understand Maycomb County’s culture, Atticus delivers theRead MoreExamples Of Heroism In To Kill A Mockingbird999 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is your definition of a hero? When you hear the word ‘hero’, do you think of someone who is kind, compassionate, innocent, and honest? In To Kill A Mockingbird, there are many characters who show these characteristics. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a fictional novel about the drama that happens in a small southern town called Maycomb County. Maycomb is a racially separated town that has been hit hard by the Great Depression; and many people were going through tough times. TheRead MoreTo Kill A Mockingbird Stock Market Analysis907 Words   |  4 Pagesstory To Kill A Mockingbird is about a lawyer named Atticus defending a black man named Tom Robinson in a poor country full of racism. His kids Scout and Jem are being taking care of by a black lady named Calpurnia. Atticus want’s everyone to be treated equally. Harper Lee, author of To Kill A Mockingbird, gives the reader a gist of the 1930’s in many ways using real life situations. Harper Lee describes life during the 1930’s by comparing Maycomb to the Stock Market. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Current Gun Control Laws Free Essays

Dear Mr.. Mayor, I write this memorandum with renewed consciousness and self-reflection. We will write a custom essay sample on Current Gun Control Laws or any similar topic only for you Order Now I write this in regards to the current gun control policies and regulations. In today’s society there are far too many mass shootings that innocently take people’s lives. These mass shootings are occurring in schools, movie theaters, shopping malls, compounds, public events, and at work. Numerous shootings have occurred in the past few years and the numbers continue to evolve. It is our responsibility as citizens to stand up and take charge of the matter. We can start this endeavor by enacting gun control. No one has the freedom to take another’s life from them and once a person has died not anyone can bring them back. In this memorandum I will be mainly focusing on school shootings. Catastrophes will always occur, however, we as citizens can make a meaningful difference In preventing these shootings from occurring by Implementing stricter gun control regulations. Perhaps by enforcing antigen policies will prevent a hill, a teenager, a young adult, an adult, or senior citizen from making one of the biggest mistake of their life. Guns have no place in schools and schools are supposed to be designed not only for education but as a safe environment for children (Information for Gun Control, 2014). Yes, the Second Amendment gives citizens of the United States the right to bear arms (genuine. Com, 2013). However, at the time that the Second Amendment was established I do not think that children were killing children by walking Into a school and that our fore fathers envisioned the airlessness of gun owners and their lack of â€Å"control† of their own weapons. Politicians today are heedlessly Jeopardizing those whose freedom and rights they allege to be protecting. It Is time for the Government to withstand an honest glimpse at the tragic occurrences that are taking innocent people’s lives, the lives of young children in these gun shootings whether they are accidental or intentional. Responsibility for these heinous killings need to be assumed and it is the Government that needs to step up to the plate and federally regulate stricter gun control policies. Stricter gun control policies should include mandatory registration of weapons with a five to ten day waiting period, licensing of all gun owners, required gun permits and purchaser permits as well. Also included in these regulations should be intensive background checks with no stipulations. Unfortunately it is a fact that many of the guns used in these mass shootings were legally owned and obtained by the parents of the perpetrators. Other than the fact that schools should also have stricter precautions and security they must also have psychological observation and tracking. Yet another policy that would be welcomed Is responsibility of the parents in such that they too can be legally charged for allowing access to incompetent of securing a gun then perhaps they should not be allowed to possess one. How to cite Current Gun Control Laws, Papers

Friday, May 1, 2020

Coarse grey Essay Example For Students

Coarse grey Essay Dickens tells us of a man, all in Coarse grey. The colour of his clothes and the state of his clothes tells us that he was from the lower class of the society and also his behaviour is unrefined. He might have been sweating like someone has poured water on him. His appearance in front of Pip was that he has no respect that means he was with no hat according to the Victorian Times. He was a man has been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones, and cut by flints, and stung by nettles, and torn by briars; who limped and shivered and glared and glowed and those teeth chattered in his head as he seized Pip by the chin. We will write a custom essay on Coarse grey specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The repetition of the conjunction and gives the effect of a long list of tortures that have happened to the man. Also the overall effect was that he was a prisoner who has escaped from prison. In the novel, Pip never mentions that there was a convict because he observes the man through a childs eye. Yes he looks at the man through the eyes of a child. In chapter 2 Dickens presented two strong characters, which are Mrs Joe Gargery and Mr Joe Gargery. Joe Gargery is related to Pip because Joe Gargery is married to Pips sister, making him Pips brother-in-law. However, due to the age differences between them and the fact that Pip is an orphan, Joe is more like a father to Pip. This is the first loving relationship that the reader is told about. We know feel happy for Pip that he now has someone who loves him and treats him like a son. Also in chapter 2, the contrast between the kindness that Joe shows to Pip and the unkindness with which his wife treats the boy is shown clearly. Pip describes Joe with affection as a mild, good-natured, sweet tempered, easy-going and foolish dear fellow. Also in the novel, Pip sees that his sister treats Joe badly as she treats Pip in a similar way and dickens claims that he treats Joe as a large species of child and as no more than Pips equal. In appearance, Dickens describes Joe as a fair man with curls and flaxen hair on each side of his smooth face and with eyes of very undecided blue that they seem to have got mixed with his own white. An amusing comment Pip made about Joes character was when he said, Joe was a dear fellow-a sort of Hercules in strength and also in weakness. This would even make the reader laugh because of the way he calls his wife Mrs Joe which means that he is meekly accepting her superiority. It is ironic that Joe is huge yet his wife beats him. Again, the audience get the sense of humour and ridicule in the situation. Also, the way Joe talks reveals to a lot about his personality. For instance when he says, Mrs Joe, this shows that he has a lot of respect for his wife. Mrs Joe is a complete contrast. She is all rough surfaces, which matches her sharp personality. Also there is nothing soft about her. Charles Dickens gives us an interesting imagery about Pip during his childhood, when he wondered whether his sister Mrs Joe Gargery with black eyes had such prevailing redness skin that Pip sometimes use to wonder, If it is possible she washes herself with nutmeg instead of soap. Mrs Joe seems a hard character and she thinks of Pip as a burden to her. She was tall and bony, and almost always wore a coarse apron fastened over her figure behind with two loops and having a square impregnable bib in front that was stuck full of pins and needles. The reader gets a further comic picture of the situation because one does not expect a tall and bony woman to be so aggressive. Instead we thought she would be more graceful.  Another indication of her character is given in the words Ive never had this apron of mine off since born you were. She is constantly looking after them and that Pip should be grateful to her. This would also give the reader another impression that she does not like nursing children, or she finds this task burdensome and takes out all aggression out on Pip and her husband. .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2 , .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2 .postImageUrl , .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2 , .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2:hover , .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2:visited , .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2:active { border:0!important; } .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2:active , .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2 .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4ce310689ab4b60579fe97d9393592d2:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Brutus' Tragic Flaw EssayJoe is completely different. Hes a lovable fool and befriends Pip. Hes almost as much of a child as Pip is and suffers as much from Mrs Joe as he does. Pip clearly has a very hard life at the hands of his sister. This also adds to the pity we feel for Pip. His sister is violent towards her simple husband. she pounced on Joe, and taking him by the two whiskers, knocked his head for a little while against the wall behind him: while Pip sat in the corner, looking guiltily on. Pip feels guilty about everything, including being alive. He has a remarkable sense of guilt. If ever anybodys hair stood on end with terror, must have done so then. Pip is in a state of terror at the thought of stealing from Mrs Joe and the violent man outside intent on eating him. In Dickens time, all novels were published in serial form in magazines. Each group of chapter published would end in a cliffhanger. This would ensure the readership the next copy of the magazine would be like. Chapter 2 ends in a cliffhanger. The young boy, Pip turns back into the darkness to find the convict and therefore putting himself into a dangerous situation. The reader will be asked his or herself what will happen to Pip, which will increase the attention of the reader which will make them want to know more to find out what, has happened. I think the next chapter will be scary because Pip has run off into the darkness again to give Wittles to the convict. Wittles is also an old English word for food. Also, Pip will be in trouble because of the food he is going to give to the convict especially from his sister. It is going to be marvellous and fantastic.

Saturday, March 21, 2020

History of Bar Code and Bernard Silver

History of Bar Code and Bernard Silver What is a bar code? It is a  method of automatic identification and data collection. History of Bar Codes The first patent for a bar code type product (US Patent #2,612,994) was issued to inventors Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver on October 7, 1952. The Woodland and Silver bar code can be described as a bulls eye symbol, made up of a series of concentric circles. In 1948, Bernard Silver was a graduate student at Drexel Institute of Technology in Philadelphia. A local food chain store owner had made an inquiry to the Drexel Institute asking about research into a method of automatically reading product information during checkout. Bernard Silver joined together with fellow graduate student Norman Joseph Woodland to work on a solution. Woodlands first idea was to use ultraviolet light sensitive ink. The team built a working prototype but decided that the system was too unstable and expensive. They went back to the drawing board. On October 20, 1949, Woodland and Silver filed their patent application for the Classifying Apparatus and Method, describing their invention as article classification...through the medium of identifying patterns. Commercial Use of Bar Codes Bar code was first used commercially in 1966, however, it was soon realized that there would have to be some sort of industry standard set. By 1970, the Universal Grocery Products Identification Code or UGPIC was written by a company called Logicon Inc. The first company to produce bar code equipment for retail trade use (using UGPIC) was the American company Monarch Marking in 1970, and for industrial use, the British company Plessey Telecommunications was also first in 1970. UGPIC evolved into the U.P.C. symbol set or Universal Product Code, which is still used in the United States. George J. Laurer is considered the inventor of U.P.C. or Uniform Product Code, which was invented in 1973. In June of 1974, the first U.P.C. scanner was installed at a Marshs supermarket in Troy, Ohio. The first product to have a bar code included was a packet of Wrigleys Gum.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

How to prepare for a job interview when the interviewer is a robot -TheJobNetowrk

How to prepare for a job interview when the interviewer is a robot -TheJobNetowrk In today’s job search, a lot of things have been automated or digitized. Your resume is now a PDF that can be sent anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice. Your network may be full of people you haven’t met in person but have developed professional BFF-ships through the many social media options. But even with all of that, it may not occur to you that the interview- the ultimate face-to-face part of the hiring process- might be automated too. As companies look for ways to make their interview process more efficient (and less prone to human error), you may find that your interviewer is†¦not human. If you know ahead of time that you’ll be getting the Westworld version of an interviewer (though with less mayhem, of course), here are some tips for prepping.Don’t worry about small talk†¦You’re not going to score points with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot if you try to find out if you went to the same summer camp or by complim enting their office space. So that’s one less thing to worry about! Ordinarily, we’d recommend brushing up on your handshake skills and your small talk, but such things are much less important when your interviewer doesn’t have†¦hands. An AI-based interview may include some pleasantries built in for basic politeness, but you don’t need to spend much time thinking about how to impress the bot with your small talk skills.†¦but do work on body languageIn many AI interviews, the candidate gives responses to a set of standardized questions while being recorded. That recording is then analyzed for content, and also for visual cues. So while you don’t need to worry about building a rapport with the interview bot, you do need to make sure your body language and speaking skills are on point. That means good posture, confident tone, and eye contact. It also means keeping a close hold on your expressions- cameras can see microexpressions and movemen ts that a regular human interviewer might miss (not having megapixel eyes and all), so poise becomes especially important.Focus on keywordsWhen you’re answering questions that you know will be analyzed by some algorithm before a human ever gets around to reviewing your interview, make sure you’re tailoring your responses. That means focusing on the job description and using words and phrases that relate directly to the job. Remember, you can’t rely on charm to float you through weak points in the interview, because robots don’t have the time or the inclination to bond with you. Before the interview, be sure to read not only the job description but also the company’s website/mission statement/About Us to see what kind of qualities they prioritize and the specific wants they have for this job.Don’t phone it inIf you’re interviewing with some level of AI (a chatbot, a video screen of an oddly perfect-looking humanoid, a voice call with a n automated caller, etc.), don’t act like it’s less important than if you were dealing with a human. It can be tempting to put less effort into a dehumanized interview process, but remember, at some point, a human will be reviewing your interview. If they think you’re not taking the preliminary robot interview seriously, you’re unlikely to get called back for the real-deal, in-person version.With more companies than ever turning to AI to simplify and improve their hiring processes, the odds are ever greater that at some point during your job hunt you’ll have a robot interviewer. It’s the same level of prep, just a different focus. And whether you’re talking to a human or a robot, the goal is always to emphasize the stellar skills and experience that got you the interview in the first place. Good luck!

Monday, February 17, 2020

Analyse article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analyse article - Essay Example Furthermore, the article points out that oceans absorbs more carbon dioxide thus making it more acidic which erodes the skeletal structure of the corals. Consequently, these factors have led to loss of 27% of the coral reefs and an estimated 60% could be lost in 30 years. Accordingly, the article points out that when these corals are exposed to acidity conditions, or pollution, zooxanthellae and other microscopic algae in the process referred to as â€Å"coral bleaching† (Vallery 2015).These microscopic algae alongside the zooxanthellae are responsible for the production of oxygen, food and the beautiful rainbow colors that have made human beings to fall in love with the corals. Similarly, coral reefs usually plays a significant part in terms of ensuring that the aquatic system stays healthy and therefore it is important that coral reefs be preserved. Sadly, the article points out that loss of coral reefs would lead to up to 25% of the loss of the total biodiversity of the aquatic and marine life. Furthermore, this loss would lead to the extinction of various marine animals consequently affecting the global ecosystem. Quite surprisingly however, the article points out that the loss of coral reefs can be avoided. The article illustrates that a scientific study found that 12 out of 21coral reefs were able to recover as a result of the coral bleaching process. In a nutshell, the article talks about the importance of coral reefs in the overall ecosystem, whilst airing the concern that it has continued to face depletion. Therefore, the article campaigns towards the reduction in the amount of loss of the coral reefs, in order to realize a healthy ecosystem. People are therefore faced with the responsibility to ensure that coral reefs are given the chance to survive. This can be achieved through minimization of human actions such as overfishing, releasing carbon dioxide and other

Monday, February 3, 2020

HIST up to 1877 DB6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HIST up to 1877 DB6 - Essay Example Lincoln believed that slavery should be completely eradicated. Thus, Douglas and Lincoln differed on their stance on slavery. The two political gladiators at that time were on opposing sides on the issue of slavery. Thus, it could be said that while Stephen Douglas supported slavery, Abraham Lincoln opposed slavery (Donald 89-92). While Abraham Lincoln was concerned with the moral effects of slavery, Stephen Douglas was not in any way concerned with the morality threat that the institution of slavery brought with it. Douglas believed that the sovereignty of the people should be considered on the issue of slavery, this is the reason that he argued that slavery should be made to stand if the inhabitants of the region supported it. Lincoln believed that this was not an issue of popular sovereignty, but concerted efforts should be made to totally eradicate slavery. Thus, Lincoln differed from Douglas on the issue of slavery in the sense that, Lincoln opposed slavery, while Douglas lent a hand of support to the institutionalization of slavery in some states. Work Cited Donald, David Herbert. Lincoln. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995. Print

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Investment Appraisal Process: Objective, Inputs And Process

Investment Appraisal Process: Objective, Inputs And Process Introduction Decisions related to investments are one of the most important and vital decisions for any organization. Making investments is the only way to increase, and maximize return on the shareholders wealth. However, taking the right investment decisions is the biggest challenge that management faces. Investment decisions are always characterized by risk and uncertainty. According to Lumby (2004) investment decision defined in simple terms, is one in which organizations make an initial cash outlay, with the aim of receiving, in return, the future cash inflows. Investments can be analyzed from several perspectives, like its suitability according to the companys objective, social cause, environmental concern etc. Yet, for the purpose of investment appraisal, it is analyzed from the point of view of cash flow only. Thus, the basic aim of investment appraisal is to check whether the initial outlay would result in enough future cash inflows, to be considered worthwhile. In order to achieve this objective, companies require certain inputs. These inputs are put through the process of investment appraisal, to reach the final outcome. Inputs Required For Investment Appraisal Investment appraisal in broad terms requires only two inputs – the estimated cash flows, and discount rate. The estimated cash flows includes all the cash outflows starting from the initial stage till much later, and inflows taking place during the lifetime of the project. This gives the final figure, which is positive or negative cash flows i.e. either inflows are more than outflows which is the acceptable case, or outflows are more than inflows which obviously leads to rejection of that project. Calculation of these cash flow figures, involves the treatment of a number of items. Cash Flows And Time Value Of Money For the investment appraisal process as discussed earlier, cash flow estimates are the primary input. Initial outlay is easy to estimate as compared to future cash inflows, and even outflows. This is because current requirements for any project, would be ascertained according to which the required finance, can be obtained. Whereas, in the case of future estimates, all the figures are estimated on the basis of some premise, which is always prone to uncertainty. Once these estimated figures are available, companies calculate these future cash flows, in terms of todays value. This is known as the time value of money, according to which, a pound today is not equivalent to a pound tomorrow. According to the time value of money, the investor needs to be compensated for certain factors. Firstly, the investment made has delayed the current consumption of the investor. Current consumption is preferred over future consumption for which, the investor needs to be compensated. This compensation i s the interest that is expected on the money invested, for that period. The second factor is inflation, the current inflation rate in UK, is 1.8% (for the month of July Bloomberg.com) Thus, what can be bought for one pound today, will be available for 1.018 GBP, the next year. Thus, future estimates must be converted in terms of present value, so as to find out its present worth. In order to compensate the investor for these two factors, the rate of return offered, is called the risk free rate. This is equivalent to the rate offered by reputed government bonds, or bills. Other Inputs There are some other factors which are required to be considered for the calculation of cash flows. The first is depreciation, which does not form a part of cash flows. For the purpose of calculating true cash flows, the precise time when the cash flow has occurred, is needed. However, depreciation does not involve any cash transaction. So, this is not included while calculating the cash flow. The second is working capital. According to Arnold (2008) besides the large and obvious depreciable assets, investment is also made in working capital. It includes the items like cash, debtors, stock which are part of companys assets and creditors which is the part of companys liabilities. Another important factor is interest. Treatment for interest is again, not straight forward. Interest can be viewed from two aspects. Firstly, if the company is employing its own funds. In that case it is losing the interest which it would have earned, by depositing money in the bank. This does not require an y treatment here, because this has been considered as the opportunity cost, and treated accordingly. Secondly, if the organization has borrowed funds from the financial market, then the interest is paid on it, which is a cash expense, and must be included in cash flow calculation. Yet, what is seen in most of the cases is that, organizations use combination of both debt and equity. Now, the same item i.e. interest cannot be treated in two separate ways. As a result, it is considered as an opportunity cost. Besides interest on capital, opportunity cost also includes a number of factors, like a building used in any project, would have earned rent otherwise, which is also the opportunity cost of the project. Other similar factors could be machinery, human resources, and other assets. The last factor is the taxation which also reduces the cash flow, by the amount of tax paid. In this case the notable factor is that debt capital gets the tax shield. However tax is to be paid on equity ca pital, making it costlier. Once all the inputs are gathered there are number of techniques available to evaluate the investment, in order to find out whether it would be profitable or not. Discount Rate Once the cash flow figures are derived for the entire period of the project, there are several methods using which we can perform the task of investment appraisal. There are some methods in which there is no allowance for the time value of money, like payback method, and accounting rate of return (ARR). In such methods, the discount rate is not required. However the more sophisticated and widely used methods use the discounted rate of cash flows like net present value (NPV), and internal rate of return (IRR). What is the discount rate and its components is discussed below. Definition The rate of return used for the purpose of finding the present value of future cash flows, is the discount rate. This rate includes the time value of money. Thus, as discussed above it is the risk free rate, plus risk premium. Risk premium depends upon the risk involved, in any particular project. Risk Free Rate Risk free rate includes the expected inflation rate, and the interest on capital which is treated as the opportunity cost of capital. As Arnold (2008) has mentioned â€Å"The risk free rate (RFR), forms the bedrock for the time value of money. Calculations such as the pure time value, and the expected inflation rate, affect all investments equally†. Risk Premium The discount rate is not the risk free rate. Rather, it is always more that that. The rate which is above the risk free rate is risk premium. Risk is the probability of not receiving the estimated return, owing to the uncertainty in any business. Higher the risk, higher is the return expected, and vice versa. However calculation of risk in itself is a difficult task. There are numerous methodologies available, for evaluating risk. The most famous among these are, sensitivity analysis, scenario analysis, and probability analysis. After getting the cash flows and discount rate, the next step is to evaluate the project. This is to determine whether the project is worth undertaking, or not. For this purpose, there are various methods. Some of the most popular ones, used across the globe, are discussed here. Investment Appraisal Techniques Payback Method This method is used to find out the period in which the future cash inflows would be sufficient, to cover the initial investment. Once this figure is obtained, it is then compared with any arbitrarily chosen time period, set as a threshold by the company. If the payback period is shorter or equal to this chosen time period, then the investment is acceptable else it is rejected. Accounting Rate Of Return It is more popularly known as return on capital employed (ROCE), or return on investment (ROI). The ARR is a ratio of the accounting profit to the investment, in the projects. It is notable that here, accounting profit is used, and not the final cash flow figure. Net Present Value This method uses the discounted cash flows. In this, the present value of outflows is subtracted from the present value of inflows. If the result, known as NPV, comes out to be positive or zero the project is accepted else not. Internal Rate Of Return This method also takes into account, the time value of money. This is used to find out the rate of return, at which net present value of an investment is zero. If this rate is higher or equal than the discount rate, then the project is acceptable else it is rejected. Issues To Be Addressed Research Question How an investment appraisal technique helps companies move in the right direction, regarding investment decisions? Other related questions are: What are the pre-requisites for this? What are the methods applied? What are the challenges faced by an organization? Why The Question Is Important? This holds a lot of importance for the organizations since the sizeable investments made by the companies, have long term consequences. The companys strategic position too, is determined by such large investments made in terms of tangible or intangible assets. It impacts the future cash flows. Thus, in order to ensure that every thing moves efficiently in future with any investment made by the company today, investment appraisal is not only necessary, but also inevitable. Research Objective The main objective of this research is to find out if there is any gap between the theoretical concepts studied and analyzed, and its implementation. In practice, matters are always little different, than what it is taught academically, or found in literature on any subject. However, to what extent there is a level of variance in case of investment appraisal, between theory and practice, is attempted to be determined, in this research. The previous research on investment appraisal discussed in broad terms, about changes in methodologies with time; factors to be considered for appropriate calculation of cash flows; and components of discount rate. Yet, none of these studies have shed much light on its practical application, which is empirically investigated, in this research. In particular, three divisions of investment appraisal – objective, inputs and process, is examined. Introduction In this section research work already done on investment appraisal process and its various other aspects have been studied. It will also reveal some elements which are quite important but still not treated appropriately to achieve effective and unambiguous evaluation of capital investments like inflation and taxation. Companies have limited resources. In order to achieve the best utilization and maximum output from these resources companies require a mechanism to decide or analyze which investments are worth taking and which are not. It is a multifaceted and analytical process and many prior studies on this practice exist. A number of surveys scrutinizing the investment appraisal process have been conducted from time to time. These surveys shed light on the changes in the use of methodologies and other practices, which formed an integral part of investment appraisal. A review of the existing literature reveals that, there have been continuous changes in the techniques used for investment appraisal. Different models and methods have been developed for investment appraisal and risk analysis. Over the period of time these developments have been incorporated into corporate practice. What does this investment appraisal process involve as found in literature analyzed and secondary sources providing quantitative data regarding the same is discussed below. Estimation Of Future Cash Flow Investment appraisal requires detailed cash flow forecasts as inputs for sophisticated evaluation methods which have been discussed above. For an investment decision to be considered as successful, it must add value to the firm. Such a project would surely increase the cash flows of the firm, but how much? At this juncture, the firm confronts the problem of estimating the future cash flow, investment outlay and cash inflows emanating from any new project, and finding out whether it adds value to the firm or not. Considering the case of Alaska pipeline project setup by many oil majors, initially its cost was estimated to be $700 million. The final cost, however, came out to be $7 billion. This shows estimation of project cash flows is one of the most important and critical parts of investment appraisal, because in case these estimates turn out to be unreliable or biased, the project would lead to poor business decisions. There are many variables involved and numerous people participat e in this exercise. Capital outlays are estimated by engineering and product development departments; revenue projections are delivered by the marketing department; and operating costs is aggregate of estimates given by number of departments like production people, cost accountants, purchase managers, personnel executives, tax experts and others (Chandra, 2008: 304). To estimate the possible future values, past events are generally used in order to estimate what possibly could be the future outcome or results for the same, or similar kind of event. Earlier, the most conventional method was to find out the best estimate from the information available. This estimate is generally the single value derived, using the mode or average, or a similar likely outcome. However, evaluations based on the single value estimates, show that the estimated value is certain, with no possible margin of error or variance. As a result, instead of using a single value as the best estimate, a new methodology of using a range of outcomes, is used. These outcomes are based on the probabilities of occurrence or non occurrence of events, which affect the cash flows (Dayananda, 36: 2002). Stages In Cash Flow Estimation According to Dayananda (2002) cash flow estimation comprises of four stages: Forecasting the initial capital outlays and operating cash inflows and outflows. Tax factor, which is an important element to be adjusted against these cash flows. There are certain other variables apart from tax like inflation, opportunity cost and depreciation etc. which need to be checked in order to find out its impact on cash flows. Allocating any further resources in order to improve the accuracy and reliability of the variables which have greatest influence on cash flow estimate. This entire process requires close monitoring and early intervention, when required. Monitoring is required at all stages from data acquisition process to projects implementation (Dayananda, 2002: 37 39 – capital budgeting: financial appraisal of investment projects). Estimating Incremental Cash Flows For Investment Apraisal The fundamental principle for the inclusion of cash flows for the purpose of investment appraisal is to include only the incremental cash flows. This refers to the cash flow incepted after the implementation of the project. The time when the investment is made, is considered as time 0, and the cash flows generated after time 0 constitutes a part of the incremental cash flow. For ascertaining the firms incremental cash flow, it is required to identify the cash flow of the firm in two situations i.e. with the project and without the project. The difference between the two gives the incremental cash flows. In estimating incremental cash flow all incidental effects are also considered. Incidental effects lead to an enhancement in the value of some existing activities, such as a rise in the demand of an existing product. However, incidental effects may also turn out to be negative like product cannibalization i.e. with the introduction of a new product, the sale of some existing products may decline (Arnold, 2008: 99-100; Chandra, 2008: 307-308). Opportunity Costs And Sunk Costs There are also certain aspects which are not apparently detected and need to be treated in the valuation of cost of capital. Opportunity costs and sunk costs are the two types of costs which fall under this category. Opportunity cost is the revenue lost by using the resources forming part of the project, under consideration. These resources might be rented out or sold, or used elsewhere. The sunk cost is the cost which the firm has already incurred, and has no effect on present or future decisions. It is the previous cost which was incurred in the past, and is irrecoverable irrespective of the fact, whether the company accepts the project or not. Furthermore, Rustagi (2005) classified the cash flows associated with a project as original or initial cash outflow, subsequent cash inflows and outflows, and terminal cash flow. Initial Cash Outflows, Subsequent Cash Flows, And Terminal Cash Flows Original or initial cash outflow is the initial investment, occurring at the beginning of the project. This is required to get the project operational. Since the investment cost occurs in the beginning of the project, it is easy to identify the initial cash outflow. It includes the acquisition of assets like machinery, building, technology etc. Along with the cost of assets, other incidental costs must also be considered, like the cost of transportation and installation. Sunk costs and opportunity costs as discussed above are also a part of this. Subsequent cash inflows and outflows are generated after the initial outlay of capital. The investment is expected to generate a series of cash inflows, through the project that has been initiated. These inflows may be the same every year or may vary from one year to another throughout the lifespan of the project. In addition to inflows, capital budgeting decisions also consider the subsequent outflows, that might be required for periodic repairs or maintenance. The third classification is the terminal cash inflows. These are the cash inflows in the last year. Firstly, this would include the scrap value, or the salvage value of the project, which is realizable at the end of the economic life. The second, is the working capital which gets released at the completion of the project. This is again, made available to the firm. Estimation of cash flows as a measure of the cost and benefits of any project, includes these three forms of cash flows, and forms the part of any good technique to evaluate a proposal (Rustagi, 2005: 486 489). In addition to all these factors, cash flows also get affected by the factors which are unlikely to be precisely forecasted, and keeps changing with time, like inflation and taxes. Treatment Of Inflation Inflation has a direct impact on the final outcome of investment appraisals. It affects both the future cash flows, and cost of capital. If inflation is not properly adjusted, the future cash flows are increased, over and above, what they would be. For the adjustment of inflation, cash flows have to be either presented in the real terms or money (nominal) terms. Adjustment Of Future Cash Flows In Real And Money Terms In real terms, future cash flows are adjusted in terms of todays current purchasing power, and in money terms cash flow is adjusted, according to the purchasing power, at the time they occur. For applying the correct treatment, companies are required to discount the real cash flows at the real discount rate, and nominal cash flows at nominal discount rates (Drayery and Tayles, 1997). As per Carsberg and Hope (1976) in Arnold and Hatzopoulos (2000) the companies earlier, adjusted for inflation in a rather inappropriate manner. Companies have been either estimating the future cash flows in nominal terms. For the purpose of discounting, they have used real rate of return. Or, they have been estimating the future cash flows in real price terms, but discounted at the money discount rate. There is a significant change in this practice from the last two decades (Arnold and Hatzopoulos, 2000: 12). However in contrast to this, according to the data collected by Drayery and Tayles, 1997 There are still a majority of firms, treating the problem of inflation, incorrectly. The survey was conducted on 195 firms in UK,out of which only 53 or 27% are doing the correct treatment of inflation, with regard to future cash flows (Data attached in appendix 1). Common Mistakes In The Adjustment Of Inflation Thus, we can see that the adjustment for the treatment of inflation, regarding future cash flows and relative discount rates, is not a very uncommon mistake. The most common mistake is using the money discount rate of return for discounting the cash flow estimates, available in terms of real prices. This leads to the undervaluation of NPV, leading to the rejection of the project in some cases, which are worth undertaking, yet, are not. In case of the converse scenario, the result would be overvaluation of the NPV, leading to the failure of projects in the long run. Long term projects, are more prone to this kind of mismatch, because with a longer time period, the variation in cash flows, due to non inclusion of inflation, gets compounded. The cash flows accrued after many years, are valued in current terms, and that turns out to be highly distorted. In case of short term projects, even if inflation has not been included, the distortion in the values of future cash flows, is not very high (Drayery and Tayles, 1997: 3). Treatment Of Taxes Taxes have a direct and considerable impact, on the project viability. For a complete project appraisal, it is important to consider the complete taxation implications, over the cash flows. It is vital for the purpose of investment appraisal, to consider the cash flows after paying taxes, since only these are available to shareholders. There are many important aspects to be considered, regarding taxation. According to Arnold (2008) if the tax liabilities of the firm gets increased due to the project, then the increased tax effects must be incorporated in the analysis, to reach the actual cash flow figure. Secondly, taxes are not generally paid in the same year in which they occur. Companies pay a part of the current years taxes and part of the accrued taxes, which must be considered accordingly. The time factor must be correctly accounted for, while analyzing the cash outflow of taxes. According to Rohrich (2007), due to the investment, tax would arise and NPV must be calculated only after taxation. The implications of taxation would affect the NPV considerably. Firstly with taxes, cash flow will decline and so will the NPV calculated out of that cash flow. Secondly, the capital structure of the project also results in the decline in discount rate, with an increase in gearing ratio. Since the interest on debt is tax deductible, it reduces the cost of capital, and thus leads to fall in the discount rate. Besides these Lumby (1988) has also thrown light on one more important aspect. This is the system of writing down balances, which also provides tax relief on capital expenditure. Thus, the net effect of the taxation could be seen as a decline in NPV, due to a decrease in cash flows, on one hand. On the other hand there was an increase in NPV, due to a decrease in discount rates. Cost Of Capital â€Å"The cost of capital is the rate of return that a company has to offer finance providers to induce them to buy and hold a financial security. This rate is determined by the returns offered on alternative securities with the same risk† (Arnold, 2008: 717). The definition given shows that the rate of return on the capital, is what determines its cost. This rate of return is the discount rate used by the companies. If it is evaluated higher than what actually it should be, then it constrains the investments. Like Arnold (2008) has quoted Michael Haseltine, one time President of the Board of Trade â€Å"Businesses are not investing enough because of their excessive expectations of investment returns† (Arnold, 2008: 717). High Rate Of Return According to Ashford et al. (1988) companies use considerably high discount rate than required, as per the opportunity cost of capital. The reason for this, is the risk premium which companies apply, especially in case of investments made in the projects using new technology. Such projects are considered to be more uncertain, so the discount rate is higher than in other investments (Ashford et al., 1988: 2). Arnold and Hatzopoulos (2000) have quoted Antle and Appen (1985) and Antle and Fellingham (1990) that managers in order to keep a strict control over corporate resources and to reduce the tendency to over invest, keep high discount rates (Arnold and Hatzopoulos, 2000). Similarly according to Dimson and Marsh (1994) in Drury and Tayles (1996) firms in UK use excessively high discount rates, which in turn, have led to the under-investment in UK firms. In USA too, firms use hurdle rates for project evaluation, which are higher than their estimated cost of capital (Drury and Tayles, 1996: 12). Wacc In order to attract investors, companies have to provide returns, higher than the opportunity cost of capital. Companies use a standard means to express their cost of capital, using weighted average cost of capital (WACC). According to Bruner et al (1998) WACC is the method used by most of the companies, advisors and even textbooks, as a method to derive the discount rate used as the cost of capital. Bierman (1993) conducted survey in which 74 Fortune 100 companies participated. The results obtained showed that all the companies use some form of discounting in their capital budgeting, and 93% use a weighted-average cost of capital (Bruner et al, 1998: 2-3). Arnold and Hatzopoulos (2000) presented information given by Westwick and Shohet (1976) stating that companys bank overdraft rate was the most popular method among UK companies for selecting the rate of return to be used for evaluating capital investment. At the same time WACC was in practice by less than 10% of firms. However, th is trend changed substantially over the period of time and according to the data collected by Arnold and Hatzopoulos (2000) more than half of the firms use WACC to calculate the cost of capital (results attached in appendix 2). In addition to this, it is also notable that still significant minority firms use interest rate payable on debt as a measuring tool to calculate the cost of capital (Arnold and Hatzopoulos, 2000: 17). For calculating the WACC a company needs to acquire information about the cost of various sources of capital and their proportions in the capital structure. Considering that we have two sources of finances i.e. equity and debt, here cost of capital is determined by the formula: WACC = KEWE + KDWD Here, KE = cost of equity KD = cost of debt WE = proportion of equity finance to total finance WD = proportion of debt finance to total finance Cost Of Debt Debt entails to more or less fixed payments, so estimating the cost of debt is relatively easy. Arnold (2008) has covered three factors which determine the cost of debt, these are: 1. Existing rate of interest on debt capital. 2. The risk of default by the debtor and recovery rate or chances in case of default. 3. Benefit derived from debt capital due to the tax shield. Cost Of Equity While the estimation of cost of debt is easy, the cost of equity is rather difficult to estimate. This is due to the fact that companies do not have any commitment towards the shareholders to pay dividends. However, companies have been reaching some reasonably good estimates of the cost of equity using some prevalent methodologies like Capital asset pricing model. Although, some firms mention other models as well like arbitrage pricing theory but these are in small proportion. Another model which was most influential in 1960s was Gordon growth model. However, there was a problem of obtaining a reliable estimate of future growth rate of dividends in this model. This was obtained objectively using past data which was not considered to be a trustworthy estimate (Arnold, 2008: 726). According to Bruner et al. CAPM is the most popularly used model for estimating the cost of equity. In a wide survey conducted by Trahan and Gitman (1995) of 84 fortune 500 large firms and best small Forbes 200 companies it was found that 30% of respondents use the capital asset pricing model. Similarly, in a survey conducted in Australia, CAPM is the most commonly used method in estimating the cost of equity, with 72% of the companies under survey, using this model (Truong et al., 2006: 3). In contrast to this Arnold and Hatzopoulos (2000) has mentioned views from several sources stating that According to Bruner et al there are theoretical, practical and empirical doubts cast on the most heavily promoted method of calculating the equity component of WACC, that is, the CAPM (Lewellen, 1977; Mullins, 1982; Lowenstein, 1989; Tomkins, 1991; Fama and French, 1992; Rosenberg and Rudd, 1992; Mills et al., 1992; Strong and Xu, 1997; and Adedeji, 1997). The difficulty faced under this model is to determine a particular divisional beta and cost of capital. This problem has been discussed in quite an elaborate manner by Bruner et al. using different beta rates and expected market return. The result produced shows substantial variation in the cost of equity and in turn had a great variation on cost of capital (result attached in appendix 3). To conclude, what can be seen is the result drawn out of study on the corporate cost of capital and the return on corporate investment. This shows average corporate investment produced returns that exceed the cost of capital. This is analyzed for the period of 1950-96, the real cost of capital for non-financial firms is high, 5.95 percent. The real return on cost is higher, 7.38 percent as a result on average investment seems to be profitable (Fama and French, 1999). Analysing The Level Of Usage Of Appraisal Techniques Since decades companies have been in continuous search of reliable investment appraisal techniques. These techniques helps to rank the multiple competing projects on the basis of benefits that can be derived out of each one as against the costs incurred over the same. Conventional Methods The first analysis studied here is the survey conducted by Arnold and Hatzopoulos in the year 1997. The survey examines the level of usage of four main conventional appraisal techniques – payback method, accounting rate of return (ARR), internal rate of return (IRR) and net present value (NPV). 300 companies are surveyed which are ranked in the Times 1000 companies according to capital employed (results attached in appendix 4). This survey is also compared with two previous surveys one is by Pike covering the period from 1975 to 1992; and Alkaraan and Northcott for the year 2002. These are chosen for comparison because of similar characteristics in all the three surveys. According to the results, it is quite clear that payback method has been the most widely used technique till early 1990s as compared to discounted cash flow methods – IRR and NPV. However, thereafter rise in the usage of NPV can be seen and as for now it became the most popular appraisal technique. Yet, this was not at the expense of a decline in the usage of the payback method. Even payb