How to write a dissertation? In the coming sections of this writing we will try to find out the answers of this question. The following are the steps for writing a dissertation-
1) Selection of topic- The first step for making a dissertation is to choose a topic. If you have the liberty to choose one topic try to play safe by choosing a topic in which you are familiar and that has some significance in modern world.
2) Making of hypothesis- A proper hypothesis should be made first before starting your research work.
3) Literature review- A lot of reading is needed before you make your hypothesis and plan your research methodology. Try to read all the journals, magazines and mainly previous research papers related to your subject. Reading a lot will help you in planning your research work properly.
4) Sampling techniques- Sampling denotes the selection of a part of the aggregated material with a view to obtaining information about the whole. This aggregate or totality of information on a particular character of all the members covered by an investigation is called population or universe. The selected part which is used to ascertain the characteristics of population is called sample. While taking a sample, the population is assumed to be composed of individual units or members, some of which are included in the sample. The total number of members of the population and the number included in the sample are called population size and sample size respectively. There are many different ways of selecting a sample. Some of the important types of sampling are- (a) simple random sampling (b) purposive sampling (c) stratified sampling (d) systematic sampling (e) multi stage sampling.
5) Data collection- The next step is to collect the data through different methods like observation, interview, questionnaire method etc. Extensive field work is required at this stage of research.
6) Classification and tabulation- Once all the relevant data is at hand, it should be classified and tabulated in accordance with the nature of the subject matter. As a matter of fact the collection of data and the work of classification and tabulation go on simultaneously.
7) Generalization- When we have classified and tabulated our data, it becomes possible to draw general conclusions on its basis. In generalizing, the laws of logic and statistical methods must be kept in mind and the researcher must be competent to use them. In modern times, the trend in research is towards quantification and for this purpose sophisticated statistical techniques are used.
When the work of drawing conclusions is complete, a report on the research project is prepared and committed to writing. The research worker must be very careful and vigilant at every step in research and he should examine every thing most carefully to work at one step before proceeding to the next. Another important thing that a research worker should remember at the time of writing dissertation is to be absolutely unbiased and free from every kind of preconceived notion.
K well i got a newspaper article to write based on title and picture due tomorrow and i don't understand some of the stuff like format...
Im suppose to have headline and subheading first right, what is the sub heading suppose to be?
Next what is a lead?
Your headline is just your basic, attention grabbing line about the article. A subheading is generally used for additional information about the article. Let's say you were writing about Yahoo! answers.
Headline: Yahoo! creates new avenue for finding answers Sub-Head: Users ask about anything from puppies to pregnancy
And the lead is your introduction paragraph. Depending on what style you're following (there are several diff. version for writing an article) it typically includes the who, what, when, where, how and why information to draw the reader in. Keep it short though: that's what the rest of your paragraphs are for (to explain in depth what you covered in the lead)
VA Shiva Ayyadurai on Star News Special Report
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report writing on terrorism"report writing on terrorism"
Tamil Buddhists and Terrorism
Tamil Buddhists and Terrorism
Nagadeepa Purana Vihara or Nainativu is a shining example of inter racial harmony in Srilanka. Nagadeepa situated in Jaffna district in Northern Province of Srilanka. This had been improved at various stages and ever since it has become the most sanctified place of worship by the devotees. Stupa at the temple was constructed by the two warring Naga kings, Chulodara and Mahodara, at the site where Lord Buddha during His second visit to Lanka, five years after attaining Enlightenment intervened and mediated in settling a dispute over the possession of a gem-studded throne. This precious throne was offered to the Buddha, was returned to the Naga Kings and was later enshrined in this stupa. This chaitya the Nagadeepa Seya is supposed to be one of the 16 most sacred places to be worshipped by Buddhists in Sri Lanka. History records that it was developed and reconstructed by pious kings like Devanampiyatissa, Dutugemunu and converted into a fully accomplished sacred place. According to the golden Sannasa Wallipuram, committed to writing during the reign of king Vasabha, it is the present Jaffna Peninsula that was identified as Nagadeepa. Nagadeepa puarana viharaya secured with Tamil Buddhists and also Tamils more than thousands of years which clearly can contrast with the terrorist's activities of last decades.
The Palk Strait which lies between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lankan land masses is seen as a divider, separating two different distinct ethnicities, religions, cultures and political entities. But there was a phase in history, between the early years of the Christian era and the 14th century, when Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka enjoyed very close ties, thanks to a shared interest in Buddhism. In Srilankan history there are number of evidences about Tamil Buddhist, who had been very actively deed in religious works of the society as same as the economical and political affairs. That the association of Buddhist Tamils links with Tamil Nadu goes back a long way. In 637 AD, when Hiuen Tsang landed in Kanchipuram, he recorded more than 100 monasteries and over 10,000 Buddhist monks in Pallava country. It is rich in classical Tamil literature too. Three of the five great epics of ancient Tamil are Buddhist. One of these is Manimekalai. According to it the chief protagonist Manimekalai visits an island called "Manipallavam." She worships at a Buddhist shrine (putha peedikai) there. It is believed that Nagadeepa is Manipallavam. Therefore we can believe that, as a Buddhists and also as an excellent Tamil, many Tamils were in perspective to protect and conserve the Buddhist heritage.
Nagadeepa was named as a protected archaeological site under the antiquity ordinance, No 09 of 1940 and the amendment,No 24 of 1998. There are more than 20 other listed sites around the Nagadeepa viharaya in Jaffna peninsula, according to the report that sent to the UNESCO in 1983, by the president of the Conference of Buddhists association in government cooperation's. From the 1890, all these sites have been managed under the authority of department of Archaeology in Srilanka. However, many archaeological surveys also had been done by the department of archaeology in the University of Jaffna. Recently the Jaffna peninsula is in under the military supervision to prevent the terrorist activities and to keep peace. Still there are minimum transportation facilities to the district and security problems, therefore observation of the department of archaeology not directed for last two decades.
Within last century many Tamil historians define the Srilanka history as completely Tamil, what make Sinhalese instigate to against this writings and to protect Buddhist monuments as a Sinhala heritage. Especially similar to this, Sinhala Buddhist concept was broadly highlighted by many historians. Fear of 'Sinhala-Buddhist expansion' was course to immerge a notorious response among some Tamils. A more extreme act was the destruction of ancient Buddhist sites by the born blind natives and terrorists. The Tamils were worried about Buddhist sites and shrines being discovered in the north-east. This was because that they erroneously believed if proof of a Buddhist presence in the north-east will erode the Tamil rights to habitation in those regions. Particular reason is, in Sri Lankan context some believe that Buddhism was linked only to the Sinhalese. This intention makes worse the political crisis in between the ethnics groups of Srilanka.
These fears and concerns were due to lack of knowledge. The Tamils had at one point of history been Buddhists and the discovery of Buddhist links was something to be resented by some groups.
Therefore, terrorism had got more powerful and since 1950s many violent incidents had been occurred around the Nagadeepa area. In 1958, communal groups converged on Nagadeepa and attacked the vihara in the absence of the priest. The ancient statue of the Buddha was destroyed. In 1986, two Tiger recruits from the Nainatheevu Island laid underwater explosives along the jetty. Again in 1990, LTTE attempt to drive away the small Muslim population at Nainatheevu. In this last two incidents incumbent monk of the Nagadeepa viharaya, Venerable Brahmanawatte Dhammakiththi Tissa Mahanayaka Thera was succeed to protect the people. Now the war have been ended, and like to wish be it forever. This is the period for regaining the lost dignity of Buddhists. Time is for the real patriot Buddhists to do something for one Sri Lanka. Archaeological heritage can use as the path way to freedom and peace. It is glad to say current government now correcting the past unfortunate things which push Buddha's country to turmoil. Specially by create constitutional and administrative structures that reflect the multi-ethnic character of Sri Lanka. Also there is a requirement to take the country away from the myths that Sri Lanka is a Tamil country from the ancient periods and it is a Sinhala- Buddhist country.
Archaeology should use as the pathway to the unity of the nation. One practical method is to organize the free work camps at the Archaeological sites with the participation of Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims, with the assistance of the academic institutes, rural organizations and religious Centers. With the help of the same village level organizations, institutions can organize visits to places of historical importance, ruins etc. for a better understand the culture and civilization of various ethnic religious groups. Re-establish links to the North, East, South and West of Sri Lanka by road, rail and air and also should develop the sea route. Ports in the North and East should be developed in Kankasanturai, Pt. Pedro, and Mannar. One of the main requests voiced by the politicians and residents of Jaffna was the re-opening of the Kandy-Jaffna road or A-9 main supply road which is now on work with strength of Mr. Basil Rajapaksa.
There is some sort of debate about the first dwellers of Jaffna and its surrounding regions. In here I believe we must make these discussions close down. Let such topics limit into the scholarly studies but please not take them in to the politics. Now there are no miner nations in Sri Lanka any more. Our Tamil brothers and sisters are also the care takers of the dignity of Sri Lanka. This is our country. No matter you is a Buddhist, Hindu or Catholic. Let take back Sri Lanka to the prosperity with our heritage and religious unity. Period of terrorism is ended. It is time to Tamil Buddhist.
About the Author
Full name - THilanka Manoj Siriwardana Age - 24 Educational background - archaeology (special) honors, 1st class degree, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, Research areas - Environmental archaeology, Tomb stones of British period, Primitive arts and traditions,
Dear America, Your Taxes Are Going Up 20%, Food and Gas Prices Will Skyrocket, Fed Drops Bomb On Us
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Top 2010 Writing Trends
Top writers and content managers are on a new page - one without margins. This absence of borders is a direct result of the digitalization of content, and the fact that information is more available than ever before. And that means it interacts with the audience, and we can see the results.
Results are becoming real-tangible, present, palpable for writers of all stripes, as well as for their managers. The experts say the world of content creation is indeed creating itself quickly. Yet today's professional writers are, for the most part, sitting out the big game on the sidelines, discussing style guides, grammar and linguistic drift, while touchdowns are scored by those who put function over form.
Writing Trend #1: Gutenberg is so dead, even his bones have rotted.
Writers are married to a system and a process that's extinct in most cases. Writing itself doesn't need to respect old formats-but writers have been taught them, and are now challenged to separate form and function. Thinking about writing's function is a new idea for most writers, who by nature of their art, are traditionalists.
According to Scott Abel, "Writers need to get over it." Scott is a writer among writers-a charismatic and self-proclaimed Content Wrangler who's created the Web's liveliest online writing community. He spends his time jet-setting from conference to conference, discussing how to improve content development today. Scott touches more writers in a week than most editors marketing managers do in a decade.
For Gutenberg and those who used his press to communicate, the reader was invisible and the writer, or author, was lord of the page. Even before Gutenberg, illuminated manuscripts still gave power to the wielder of the pen, which created phrases in our lexicon like, "the power of the pen" or "the pen is mightier than the sword."
Here on the eve of 2010, the page doesn't exist and even its ghost is up for grabs. So what happens to all that latent power?
It's bleeding into form, when it should empower function. Writers are imprisoning themselves in a static, long-form, narrative content that has more to do with the medium that delivered (past tense) content than the message. Writers are swaddled by their own education and ego, wrapped in the grave linens of essay form, report form, and paragraphs with topic sentences and great transitions. That's not how today's audience necessarily reads.
"Back in the day, it was all about the printing press, the play, the novel-things that could be delivered by the quarto," says Scott.
And then, there came the PC-badly named, because it made writers feel it was "theirs," a true, "personal computer." Even worse, Scott goes on, the PC soon sported a "My Documents" folder. "Writers take that nomenclature much too seriously," he says with a smile.
And writers started to horde digital content, while still delivering static long-form work:
The white paper
The article
The essay
The page
Is the page user friendly? Scott dares to ask. Top writers in 2010 go off-page into the wilds of what content consumers want.
"Let's say you go to the doctor," he says. "You like your doctor-she's a great person, and you keep bringing her your troubles. But time after time, your condition just doesn't improve. What do you do?" Scott pauses. "You STOP going to that doctor."
He relates that today's professional writer is no different. Businesses and companies turn to the writer, and ask to be healed of their lack of connection with audiences. And writers think because they went to school, love language, know their grammar and swing around a stellar vocabulary, that they have the answer. They churn out pages, papers and pap that have been done for decades, just like they learned in school.
"Writing is becoming a commodity. High level writers in 2010 won't be known for the writing-they'll be known for the thinking that went into it, and the usefulness that delivered to the reader," he mandates.
For example, he pointed out how marketing firms are known for pegging 1-3% ROI as the typical success of direct mail campaigns. "Ridiculous. Great campaigns have 18-20% ROI. The difference is, smart writers weed out non responsive people using PURLs or other scientific techniques, so the overall ROI of their message is much higher than the traditional benchmarks you're used to seeing."
His advice to writers is straightforward:
Learn a field beyond grammar and vocabulary.
Apply your verbal skills to that field in deep, rich ways that broaden human understanding.
Apply math and science to your results so you know your ROI and the people who pay your bills have every reason to pay you what you're worth.
In 2010, Scott foresees lots of jobs that require writers-but few that mandate English students and grammarians that pay above minimum wage. "Writers want success to be about writing. It's not-it's about the publishing process and the end result-the engagement with the reader. Until writers start focusing on readers, they'll be chained to Gutenberg and suffer the same fate-burial.
Writing itself doesn't need to respect old formats-but writers have been taught them and are now challenged to separate form and function.
Writing Trend #2: Mastering the immediate
Founder of one of the most successful etailers, Amazon, and the passionate inventor of Kindle, Jeff Bezos has spent some serious time thinking about ideas and their distribution. So how does that play out in his every day business strategy?
"We base our strategy on customer needs instead of what our skills are," Bezos told CNET last year, speaking with Dan Farber, Editor of CBS Interactive News. "Customers will eventually need things that you don't have skills for, so (you) need to renew yourself with new skill."
Dan Farber got this from the interview:
Regarding the fate of physical books, Bezos said the vast majority of books will be read electronically. Just as horses haven't gone away, books will be around, he quipped. "We see Kindle as an effort to improve the book, even though it hasn't changed in 500 years," he added.
Content is not hoarded and updated on a strict schedule-it's always on. The sifting and judgment of editors and "the worthy researcher" is removed-allowing the person seeking knowledge to directly interact with all the grit, grist and grind of information in its raw and ugly form.
This is where the great writer will shine in 2010-master of the immediate.
There are still knowledge aggregators you can rely on-if you want to pay for the fine tooth comb, or are in a hurry, or like subscriptions. Gartner, Forrester, and the New York Times all come to mind, but these outlets are under pressure.
Yet for the masses, knowledge is not a luxury as it was in the past-for royalty, scribes, and literati. Now, it's a service industry-and an increasingly public service industry. The content provider that serves it up fast and hot gets the billion burgers served, and with today's channels of information, that superstar is the writer.
Trend #3: Resurgence in research
So what does it take to serve up solid content today? Relevance. It's not enough to repost, retweet, and mash up information-although this can be valuable. Real value for readers comes from taking disparate sources of information and braiding them into a cogent, creative new piece-fast. There's one secret to doing this well: expert research skills.
Consider today's writer-solidly grounded in their career, 28-48, years old, managing 90% of the ideas that flow through and around corporate America, 100% of the creative copy, 80% of the social media mania and... Got that writer solidly in mind? Wait a second. Where did those stats come from?
Exactly. I made them up. Like much of what you read on the internet, material that sounds like research isn't.
In fact, let's look at BLS data from 2008-facts-about writing professionals. The median hourly wage for a writer of any stripe, technical or media, is $25.51. There are about 300,000 employed writers--a number not expected to change as a percentage of the population, and BLS coyly calls the writing job market "competitive." Claire Morgenstern, a student writing in the Carnegie Mellon student newspaper The Tartan, expresses the frustration talented young writers feel:
Unfortunately, there are so many fledgling writers out there (and even non-fledgling writers, as veteran reporters from the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and The Baltimore Sun, to name a few, have been thrust from their offices with floor-to-ceiling windows to cubicles at a temp agency, or more commonly, their own kitchen tables, staring at their laptops, wondering if they have the stamina to make a podcast) who will pitch and write stories to be posted on news sites for free that writers who want their living situation to include walls and a roof can be hard-pressed to find gigs that actually pay. And by pay, I mean not in the form of "experience," "exposure," and "a flexible work schedule and the ability to work from home" - all choice phrases used by publications who solicit this kind of voluntary slave labor.
Writing has no barrier to entry.
In a world where:
Hundreds of thousands of "wanna-be" writers enter the job market annually, like Claire
AND many of them are willing to work without pay,
AND the Internet globalizes the industry (India speaks English as a first language, for example),
writers who want to rise to the top are going to have to look for ways to reinvent writing-new and improved for 2010. One of those ways is by paying attention to "source work."
Source work is such an old fashioned term that when I Googled it just now, it had no links on the first page that were thematically relevant. That even surprised me. Back in the 70s, when I had the joy of hanging around press rooms and breathing in the last exhalations of hot lead type, source work was the kind of thing editors screamed at writers about. That one phrase meant a host of things, including relevancy, accuracy, and immediacy.
In 2010, writers who want to land on the top of the heap need to do their source work. In the content meritocracy writers live in, better content is the only currency. Real research is one way to tilt the topics in your favor, by covering them with more care.
Why will this be a winning 2010 copywriting strategy?
The internet delivers lots of "information," less knowledge.
Much of what is posted is banal, bland and baloney. (Think: white papers written to sell, not teach--and these are often cited.)
There's more posting every day.
Writing Trend #4: Smart writing
Peter Shankman, serial entrepreneur, skydiver, and the founder of HARO is a hero for journalists and public relations professionals, because he updated venerable and outdated database services like Bacon's, ProfNet, and other services in one fell swoop when he invented Help A Reporter Out (HARO). Help A Reporter Out is an email that goes out 3 times a day to over 100,000 would-be experts and public relations firms, with requests from journalists about what they need to make that all-important deadline. It's self-regulated, entirely free, open to anyone, and completely revolutionary. The one caveat? If you break the rules, you're out. We asked Peter a few questions and here are his responses about what it takes to stand out in the wide open world of writing:
Looking forward into 2010, is writing the same career today that it was 10 years ago? 100?
No. Writers have to be smarter-quicker-understanding of the fact that the majority of the writing they'll do will be for the digital realm-where they'll need to be much more aware of trends, breaking information, and sentiment-lest they be looked upon as "slow," or "left behind." And even more-they can't be quicker by sacrificing quality, content, or integrity.
Writing is one of the world's oldest professions. What makes a writer competitive TODAY that wasn't in play 2-3 years ago?
The ability to spot trends before they happen-previously, writers only had to spot trends to write about them-that made their content compelling. Now, they also have to spot the trends that are threatening to put them out of business, and be better/quicker/faster than them.
What does it take to be a profitable professional writer in 2010? Top three ingredients?
Stamina, determination, and the ability to be relevant.
For established writers, what do they need to add to their bailiwick in 2010 to stay competitive?
Rather, work on seeing 12 to 24 months ahead-accept that social media will be come part of the lexicon-Facebook, Google, Twitter, won't be something you "have to do," but rather, a means to an end-your status updates automatically when you enter a location not because it's "cool," but because that in turn updates @foursquare, which updates twitter, and anyone who wants to find you immediately for a quick money-making freelance job can do so based on your coordinates first-and whether you respond to their text second. That's when we'll know "social media" is what "Google" was twelve years ago-and we've finally moved into the new world. And as scary as it may sound, trust me-it's gonna be a hell of a lot of fun.
Trend #5: Agencies ask for more
Let's describe the Average Agency. A group of bright minds working in multiple industries, demanding all sorts of talent on tap, from organic/botanical design to urgent heavy metal inspirations, from insipid to inspired. Average Agency works with a "stable" of writers.
Notice the "work horse" mentality, the implication of drudgery. If you're in the stable...
But I digress. The agency says they have a "stable" that specializes in ad copy, web copy, annual reports-in other words, show horses, draft horses, dressage horses, horses that pace and trot and barrel race. (Yes, that's you, writers.) But agencies aren't getting the same mileage out of that arrangement that they used to.
Take Nona Carson, Vice President of Client Services at Cre8ive, an agency working in the heartland of Huntsville, Alabama. She's worked in creative services for almost 20 years, and when I asked this vivacious aristocrat of attention-getting services what it takes to win the horse race in 2010, she said:
"Here's the word for copy in 2010...shrewd. Copywriters need to think like a fox and blend intelligence and craftiness with creativity and artfulness to create engaging content. Foxy copy is transparent. If you're writing ad copy, remember that today's consumers can smell hype from a mile away. Tell the truth and keep it simple
Foxy copy is intelligent. Consider the medium. Are you writing for a website? Well, bless you if you are, because then you have to worry about SEO and things like keyword density and an SEO guru who believes in functionality over form. (And "form" can mean your creative prose as well as design.)
I'm a musician, so I'll close with a music analogy. The notes (words) are the same. The instruments (channels) are changing. And your audience is not in the concert halls and venues they used to be in. They're increasingly online - on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Plus, they are exposed to so much music (messages) every day that they have almost become desensitized to it. Sometimes all the notes run together and sound the same....like a cacophony. The challenge is to make your music resonate.
"Writing is thinking...
...It is more than living, for it is being conscious of living."- Anne Morrow Lindbergh, 1906-2001
In summary, looking at what it takes to succeed as a writer in 2010, it's simpler and more profound than previous years.
In the far past, writers were philosophers, poets and the companions of kings. In the recent past, they've been the workhorses of the information age. 2010 holds a new promise-a return, for the best writers, to a position of empowerment like never before. The best writers will come from the best thinkers, their work powering the distribution channels they chose to use. Writers have more tools to publish than ever before, when and wherever they want, and also greater access to a greater audience for the work.
Say goodbye to your style guide
Through widespread adoption of applications like Twitter and Facebook, wikis and blogs, ebooks, e-readers, and digital publications, the demand for this sort of always-on content is only growing.
Today's writer will illuminate culture and commerce by applying the right tool, the right approach, and the right message-in a heady, immediate blend that showcases top intelligence as well as insight.
So rather than focus on craft-grammar, style, punctuation, topicality-the top 2010 writer will focus on the actual art and science of writing, perhaps for the first time since monasteries illuminated m
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Writing tips Dynamic Article Writing pt6
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news reporting and writing"news reporting and writing" Looking for a news item reporting some kind of research finding. I need to compare the original source..?
reported by the news and compare it to what was actually found in the research. Im not asking for an answer, just having some trouble find the study and the news article to write my paper on. Any links of the two would be GREATLY APPRECIATED. PS..TEN POINTS FOR ANYONE WHO CAN FIND THIS..IVE LOOKED EVERYWHERE!
I wish I could help, but you didn't say just what you were looking for. I expect you have tried yahoo and google... have you tried other search engines? I have a lot of success with dogpile.com. Otherwise, I'd be glad to help look around if you'd let me know the subject matter. I can be messaged.
I just realized you could be referring to any research/news comparison. I still do not know what type of subject to choose or what class you are taking, so I am just not sure how to help. I hope you are able to find what you need on dogpile.com.
Rutgers Reporter: News Reporting and Writing spring 2010
news reporting and writing news reporting and writing news reporting and writing
newspaper report writing examples"newspaper report writing examples" Major help on haunted houses?
i have to write a newspaper article for english and it has to be about a haunted house. for example a murder, disapearence of a family etc. but i have to put it into newspapper contents. for example like front page of the herald sun : HAUNTING MYSTERY....reported by jake black.... there have been reports about the haunted house on the corner of donvale st. in the 1960 a family of three moved in to this haunted house as then they did not know it was haunted and so on...........one cold december night a neighbour heard a scream and so on...............everyone wondered where the family of three had gone there was no sight of them anywhere... its a mystery what happened in that house..... and so on
can anyone plz help its an emergency any help is thanked xoxo or even if someone could give me a site which contains haunted house stories or something i can use that will help!
I'm not sure exactly what kind of help you are looking for. You're not asking us to write it for you I hope.
EDIT: here's a site that might help! http://www.hauntedhouses.com/
Writing, Publishing & Teaching Children to Write : How to Write a Newspaper Article
There are various different formats for laboratory reports in use. These vary according to the type of work being reported, the purpose of the work or the report and the recipients for which the report is intended. Reports of original research conducted to further scientific knowledge in a specific area require a different format from reports of quality control experiments conducted in a company laboratory and yet other formats may be required for student reports on experiments. A student may be expected to follow one format for recording experiments in a laboratory record book as they are being performed and a different format when writing up the information from the record book for a formal laboratory report later in the term. The format may also vary due to differences in the type of laboratory work which is done for the different subjects. Where the purpose of the experiment is to confirm or reject a hypothesis, the format of the report will differ from that of an investigation of the quality, composition or properties of a product. The purpose of most student laboratory reports is to indicate the students' understanding of aim, theory, laboratory procedures, etc., so would be emphasized in a format prescribed for these reports. Finally, if the report is to be submitted to a lecturer, the format may be substantially different from that of a report submitted for publication in a professional journal, while a different format might be expected in a report to a government, an agency or private company. An obvious way in which laboratory report formats differ is the division of the report into sections. Whereas all laboratory reports can be thought of as consisting of four main parts (introduction, procedure, results and conclusion), there is considerable variation in the headings under which the information in each section of the report is to be written. Some of these headings may have an equivalent meaning: apparatus = materials, procedure = methods, data = results. In other cases, more specific headings are added where there is a need to draw attention to specific information in the report.
1. Titleneeds to emphasise the nature of the work / investigation briefly (in less than 10 words) and accurately. This may also be called the Heading in a laboratory record book. State the date of performing the experiment.
2. Aim or Objective. This may be used in the place of the heading: Introduction. It is used to state clearly and concisely the purpose of the work.
3. Theoryemphasises the need to identify the background theory leading up to the experiment or the theory which the experiment is designed to illustrate or prove. This may also include a brief literature review to provide the status of current knowledge in the field.
4. Hypothesis- The hypothesis should be identified where the work is based on previous findings or involves the application of established theory to new situations. Note, however, that not all laboratory work is necessarily concerned with the testing of hypothesis.
5. Apparatus or Materials emphasises the need of the apparatus to be used and the way it is set up. It states the order of all steps to be taken.
6. Procedure or Methods emphasises the need to provide a step-by-step account of how the work was done, a separate heading may be used. This could be important to assess later a quality of investigation. It may include reference to a specific ISO or internationally accepted laboratory standard procedure.
7. Diagrams. A separate heading in the Proceduresection devoted to diagrams or photographs emphasises the importance of presenting this information in a clear, concise form rather than written form.
8. Measurements or Results emphasises the importance of reporting specific readings or other observations as they were taken and to record results or outcomes with dates and signatures in order to provide evidence for possible future filing of a patent or intellectual property protection. In this step you take measurements, produce tables and give a relevant sample calculation of how you obtained the final results.
9. Graphs emphasises the need to present an overall summary of the results in a visual form. Data would be presented in tables whereas Graphswould show the relationships between the data and possible trends in a clear, easily read form.
10. Discussion or Results- It is one of the most important parts of the report as here you explain, analyse and interpret the results leading to conclusion. It shows the writer's understanding of the concepts behind the data.
11. Conclusion - The purpose of the Conclusionis to discuss questions arising from the report and make suggestions for further work.
12. References- Here you state the information that has been obtained from textbooks, reference books, articles, investigations, etc. and where these sources of information are mentioned in the text. These references are used as a source of information for background theory, previous findings on which this work is based, laboratory procedures, etc. The Referencesare listed numerically at the end of the report to enable a reader to consult these works for further details.
About the Author
Wacek Kijewski: born in Poland, studied electronics, telecommunication, acoustics and pedagogy. He taught science in Poland, Hungary and became Lecturer and Principal Tutor in Nigeria and Botswana. Wacek Kijewski is the author of stimulating and entertaining resource material on experimental science: "SI Units, Conversion and Measurement Skills" (the 2011 edition, ISBN 0620340584, 190pp, USD 139). SI/metric system is presented in a student friendly manner. It contains many amusing facts, problems, anecdotes, puzzles and illustrations. The book is recommended for students and lecturers of science and engineering courses. Visit his website: http://www.wacek.co.za and read Reviews and Scam. Representative of Botswana at World Bridge Championship, Geneva and Bridge Olympiad, Salsomaggiore.
Boston Globe Tailors Print Edition For Three Remaining Subscribers
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stages of research report writing"stages of research report writing"
Students' Research Process
In spite of teachers' misgivings and students' complaints, the research paper remains one of the most common assignments in undergraduate college writing programs across the country. In addition, much of the writing that students are expected to produce in courses across the curriculum requires them to locate and use research material.
Most writing teachers would agree that successful writers must be able to gather, interpret, integrate, and acknowledge material from a variety of sources, but many teachers are disappointed in their students' responses to research paper assignments and disillusioned about their abilities to teach students these critical processes. Surprisingly, in spite of the important role that research plays in academic writing, researchers have only begun to examine how students approach the process of researching a topic for writing (Stotsky, 1990).
In two valuable exploratory studies, Kuhlthau (1983, 1988) used questionnaires, interviews, and journals to examine how advanced high school and college students defined and directed their own searches for information to be used in writing. She found that these students moved through a series of six overlapping stages during the search process, which included developing a personal need for the search, selecting a topic, exploring available sources, developing a focus for the paper, collecting relevant material, and preparing the material for presentation. Most important, students moved through these stages before they actually began writing drafts of their papers. This means that a large portion of the critical work required to produce a research paper often takes place during the search process, rather than during the custom essay writing process.
Research reveals that there is a considerable difference between the way many students view the process of research and the way most college instructors and researchers view it. Schwegler and Shamoon (1982) interviewed college students about why they wrote research papers and why they thought teachers assigned them. They found that generally students believe that research writing assignments are intended to test their ability to locate and reproduce information for a teacher who knows more about their topics than they do and who will base their grades on the quantity of information presented and the correctness of documentation. In contrast, they found that teachers believe that the aim of research is to "test a theory, to follow up on previous research, or to explore a problem posed by other research or by events" (p. 819). Perhaps most significant, Schwegler and Shamoon found that "college instructors view the research paper as a means to accomplish one of the primary goals of college instruction: to get students to think in the same critical, analytical, inquiring mode as instructors do -- like a literary critic, a sociologist, an art historian, or a chemist" (p. 821). The differences between the students' and teachers' views are striking. Students define the research process as an exercise in information-gathering while teachers see it as a way to extend their knowledge through critical inquiry and analysis.
The differences between these contrasting goals for research writing are even more striking when we examine how students and more experienced academic writers actually go about locating and evaluating sources to be used in writing. The majority of the freshmen set out on a fact-finding mission, using "topic-driven" techniques that would allow them to find and assemble information on their topic as quickly as possible. For example, students evaluated possible sources by determining how easily information could be extracted. One student explained her technique for determining this: "Skim the index for your topic; if information is spread out [sprinkled over several distant pages], then reject that book because you would have to read too much . . . you should try to find sources that have pockets or chunks of information that can be read and summarized easily" (Nelson & Hayes, 1988, p. 5). In contrast, the more advanced writers approached their research very differently. They described their initial purpose for conducting research in various ways: "to make a case; to argue for a position; to find a provocative or new approach" (Nelson & Hayes, 1988, p. 3). These goals led to "issue-driven" search strategies that allowed students to zero in on issues and to evaluate the relevance and validity of possible sources. For example, three of the advanced students reported that they skimmed periodical indexes, such as The New York Times index, in order to get an overview of the major issues surrounding their topic, and they used this information to help them find an "angle" or issue to explore. Unlike the "topic-driven" freshmen, these more advanced students evaluated prospective sources rhetorically, asking "Who wrote this, when, and for what purpose?" They chose sources based on their relevance and reliability, not on how easily material could be extracted and reproduced. What emerges from these studies are very different views of the goals and strategies involved in researching a topic for writing. It appears that some students may interpret the goals of research-based writing in very limited terms and that these limited task interpretations may lead them to choose truncated paths when they are searching for material to be used in writing.
But why do students define and approach their research assignments so differently? There are several possible explanations worth considering. First, perhaps the more experienced writers have particular knowledge about using library resources that the less experienced students lack. The "topic-driven" search strategies may be the inevitable outcome when students don't have the knowledge needed to conduct a thorough search of the library's resources. Other studies of students' search processes suggest that this may be part of the problem. An early study of nearly fifty college freshmen at Bucknell University reported that "the conception of research on the part of many [students] appeared to be limited and unsophisticated -- often involving little more than finding a book and checking it out of the library" (Reed, 1974, p. 20). Based on her extensive study of the search processes of advanced English high school seniors, Kuhlthau (1985) has suggested that some students may need to "learn to make a comprehensive search of all sources . . . and to extend their search beyond being satisfied with a few books located through the card catalogue" (p. 39). While college freshmen may need to learn how to take advantage of the range of resources available in university libraries, it seems that unless the limited goals that students bring to the research process in the first place are changed, they may continue to be satisfied with a few easily located sources. If their primary goal is to assemble and reproduce what others have written on a topic as efficiently as possible, then long, involved searches are unnecessary. Perhaps this is why students who have attended library tours and received in-depth library skills instruction continue to disappoint their teachers. Such knowledge is largely useless if students are on a fact-finding mission with the sole goal of locating sources with easily plundered pockets of information.
When teachers merely assigned a topic and a due date for papers, students were more likely to procrastinate until the last minute and to rely on shortcuts and "topic-driven" search strategies. However, when teachers provided real purposes for conducting research -- for example, by asking students to give oral reports before their papers were due in order to share what they had learned with their uninformed classmates -students took a more critical and time-consuming, "high-investment" approach to their research assignments. The range and quality of the writing contexts students are exposed to may be key factors in aiding their development as academic writers (Nelson & Hayes, 1988). If students work in writing situations that actively encourage them to share and interpret research material rather than expecting them to regurgitate it, they may learn to rely on the same "issue-driven" strategies and goals observed in the more experienced academic writers.
interview report writing"interview report writing" Resource about writing a good report?
I am planning to write an information report about the bookstore in my school because we have to choose inside our department. We need to find a person in the bookstore to interview. What will be the best questions to ask them about? Also, if anyone has any ideas about report like what to write and what is easy way to improve and make the report more interesting.
Thank you, people! May you all have a nice weekend.
possible questions to ask:
1) Why do you think so many bookstores are closing? 2) What kind of marketing do you need to keep your business running? 3) What do you think are the advantages of being a small, independent bookseller? 4) How do you feel about electronic books as opposed to paper books? 5) In what ways do you feel the bookselling industry has improved, and in what ways do you feel it should have stayed as it was? 6) How do you get publishers to cooperate with you and give you special deals? 7) What is involved in buying and managing your inventory? 8) What kind of insurance does a bookstore need? 9) Do you think expensive books are worth their price, when they can be accessed for free from a public library? 10) When and where do you think people tend to read books -- at home, at work, on weekends, at night, etc.
Garth Youngberg Interview - What was the most important decision while writing the Organic Report?
writing and reporting the news"writing and reporting the news"
Tips For Writing a Compelling Local News Story
Launching a hyperlocal news site is one thing - writing compelling content that keeps your readers coming back is quite another. This article will give you some tips for understanding how to put together a great news story that will keep your readers informed and eager to read more.
One way to do this is to write "upside down." Many journalists write their content in what is called an inverted pyramid. The most important, meatiest content goes at the top. The reason for this is that editors typically cut from the bottom if a story is too long. If this happens, then the most important stuff stays in the story. (This tradition was originally started back when editors physically cut the bottom of a type-written page, but the principle still applies).
The next tip may sound a bit obvious, but it is critically important: be accurate. Double and triple-check information to be sure it is accurate. If quoting someone makes sure the quotes are correct and attributed to the right individual. Fortunately with the large volume of information available on the web, fact-checking is much easier than it used to be. Be sure to get familiar with some of the main sources of information in your community and check those sites frequently.
Finally, the pet peeve of any news connoisseur is clichs. You've all heard them: "cut to the chase," "shoot from the hip," or "sink or swim." They are those common phrases that people use because they think they are clever, but in reality they are way overused in both speech and writing. The more original and thoughtful your content, the better chance you have of gaining a positive readership and reputation at your site. This is not an easy habit to break, but with enough practice and patience it will be well worth accomplishing.
Once your articles are written and posted, there is yet another step - self-promotion. There is so much noise on the web today that it can be difficult to get heard. The key is to use many of the social networking tools available to do some self-promotion. Send out links to your content via Facebook and Twitter, and interact with visitors on your site. Respond to comments and pose questions to your followers about what kinds of events they may want to see covered or ask if they have any tips to share. Most people enjoy being used as sources and sharing a bit of expertise about something they know quite a bit about.
Finally, write well. Hemmingway level prose isn't necessary, but touching up on some basic grammar rules would be advised. Know the difference between your and you're or there, their, and they're. Get a friend or colleague to review your writing to make sure it sounds good. Make liberal use of dictionary.com and other online tools to help you through the writing process.
And be sure to enjoy the process of crafting local news stories. You are undertaking a service to your community to bring it news that otherwise wouldn't be reported.
About the Author
Darla Blackmon writes about San Diego news for EverythingSanDiego.net, a community website that covers news, music, art and entertainment. Visit the site for information about San Diego events and attractions from a local perspective.
Sally Neiman Demo Reel
writing and reporting the news writing and reporting the news writing and reporting the news
news writing and reporting"news writing and reporting" How do you make a news report? (for students)?
OK, I have a project due. And I'm doing group work. If anyone has read Tangerine by Edward Bloor, I got an assignment to write a news report about how Antoine Thomas confessed his in-eligibility to play football. I need to pretend I'm on the news.
When writing news it is important to get to FIRST hook the reader with a catchy headline SECOND answer all the 'w' questions: who what where and why THIRD organize your story so that it can be trimmed at almost any paragraph point and spik to the conclusions summary without losing the reader... This is an important because it is often necessary when getting all the stories into a newspaper neatly, and has determined the usual presentation of news, and the style we are all used to hearing when the news is reported.
I found this good list of things to be sure of while you write news on a high school journalism workshop site: http://www.highschooljournalism.org/Teachers/Lesson_Plans/Detail.cfm?lessonplanid=167
Writing criteria (rubric criteria or grade for each criteria): Introduction presents the problem as well as providing a staff stance The lead grabs the reader's attention Evidence is provided to support the staff's stance Direct quotes are used properly Active verbs are used as well as tight, precise writing Other viewpoints are presented in addition to the staff's viewpoint A solution and/or solutions are provided when necessary The conclusion recaps the staff's position and contains a call to action if appropriate Tone is fair, balanced and mature Preachiness is avoided Information gathering Relevance to audience Basic grammar and spelling
Studio 21 News - Broadcast Lab March 2011
news writing and reporting news writing and reporting news writing and reporting
As we make our way through life, school is a constant, including those pesky academic book reports. If we are fortunate enough to have all the opportunities of education, then we will be expected to gather our thoughts and express them in a coherent fashion. Teachers have always been fond of assigning those essays, termed "book reports," that make the students groan. For some classes these model paper assignments are the beginning and the ending for the grading system. However, some students struggle with the expression of words, and these essays cause great anxiety.
Academic book reports register emotions within the learning population that range from delight to disdain. Navigating the perils of composing essays is fraught with landmines called verbs, adjectives, split infinitives and the dreaded comma splice. Add main idea, statement of problem, supporting arguments, counterpoints, conclusions and recommendations to the waters, and many students give up before they start. Unfortunately, the "report" part of a book report causes students to generalize their anxiety to the books themselves. These essays can discourage individuals from enjoying one of the greatest pleasures in life – reading! This angst can be lessened or even extinguished with the presentation of model papers.
As with any other subject matter, writing academic book reports can be a learned skill. Often the student only needs direction and clarity through the assistance of a model paper. Many learning objectives throughout life are accomplished with examples. Utilizing well-structured, grammatically correct and cohesive essays can be a great teaching tool. Model papers are a proven way to demonstrate the goal to those students who might need the extra instruction or the added boost of confidence. Individuals spend a large portion of their lives talking, emailing, chatting and texting. Academic book reports are no different in that they are another way of expressing thoughts with words. All that is needed for a response of delight instead of disdain at the teacher's announcement of this assignment are the skills for successfully accomplishing the task!
Jon Ginsburg is a partner with PowerPapers.com, an innovative academic writing company that specializes in providing custom-written, original model papers on all topics and in all formats. PowerPapers firmly believes that a quality model paper can be a key learning tool for almost any student. Check them out at http://www.powerpapers.com.
Lawrence O'Donnell on the buying of democracy by major corporations - The Last Word (May 17th, 2011)
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Writing articles for the school paper can be fun and interesting. You can be the journalist who covers the school’s basketball game or spring concert. Maybe you will go to school board meetings and report back to your fellow students on the decisions the board made. You might interview the principal about the new classrooms being built because the school is expanding. There are all kinds of stories waiting to be told by you. But writing stories for the newspaper is not the same as writing an English paper or poetry. Journalism has its own guidelines. The following will give you the basic guidelines and some ideas on how to make your stories shine.
The first paragraph. The first paragraph is the most important paragraph in a news article for it gives the most critical information about the story. Space is limited in newspapers so news articles present the most important information first. Subsequent paragraphs contain information in order of descending importance. This allows the editor the option of shortening any story to fit the space available by cutting from the bottom.
Who, what, where, when, and, maybe, why, and how. In the first paragraph include all the basic facts of the news story. Who did what? Where did the event occur? When did it happen? Sometimes explaining why and how helps the reader understand more about the importance of the event or helps the reader connect to the story. For example, pretend you were covering your school’s basketball game last Friday night. Here is how the first paragraph of the story might appear. The comments in parentheses show the basic facts.
In a knuckle-bitingly close (how) game (what), the Cassadaga Cougars (who) topped the Independence 76ers (who) by 1 slim point last Friday night (when) on the 76ers’ home court (where). The final score was 68 to 67.Senior Langston Barnard led the scoring with 22 points.
Make the story interesting. There are several techniques you can use to make your story interesting to your reader which will be covered in the next few paragraphs. The first technique is quotes. People want to know what others have to say about the event. You can quote experts, celebrities, or the ordinary Joe. Following up on our example above, you might interview the coach, some of the players, the school principal, or people in the stands. You could also generate interest by explaining the importance of the event in relation to other things. Continuing on with our example, you could talk about where the team now stands in the rankings or how this game’s performance compared to other games this season.
After the game, Coach Humbart said, “I am proud of the way the team fought through to the very end. They just kept coming back each time the 76ers scored.” The team had struggled earlier in the season with consistency and keeping the pressure on through the entire game. The last three games have been narrow victories. The team still stands a chance to play in the county tournament if it can win three more games this season.
As an alternative you could tell the story from the point of view of a player. This alternative creates what is called a “human interest” story. People are interested in how others feel and what they do. Readers enjoy learning how someone overcame adversity to succeed or survive.
Use clean, crisp English. News writing should be short and to the point. News stories deliver the facts quickly. However, readers get bored when they see the same story with just the facts changed. Choose each word carefully and provide not only information but a sense of urgency and impact. Take another look at the first sentence in the example paragraph. In theory each time the school’s team played a game, the newspaper could use the same sentence and just change the essential facts. What if the newspaper ran a sentence like this each time the team played?
The Cassadaga Cougars played the Independence 76ers last Friday night and won 68 to 67.
Boring! Much better to run the original example sentence.
Add pictures. Find out if the school photographer will be covering the event as well. If not, take a camera with you. Take lots of pictures so your editor can choose the perfect one to accompany your story. Action pictures work best, but they need to be in focus and have good contrast between the lights and darks in the picture. If there is too much gray in a photograph, it will not print distinctly enough for your readers to tell what is happening. Get as close as you can to your subject by “zooming” the camera lens in or moving yourself. Make the subject fill the picture frame. Avoid background distractions. Take pictures in landscape format and in portrait format to allow for different layout options in the newspaper.
Be accurate. A news reporter’s responsibility is to accurately report on event. Double check the spelling of names, addresses, scores, dollar figures, and other factual information you collect for your story. If you have a recording device, record interviews. Write down details on a notepad.
Be fair. Remember to cover all sides of any controversial issue. Contact people who are advocating for different solutions to an issue and give them a chance to explain their stand on the issue. When you report the issue, clearly state the differing points of view. Allow readers to come to their own conclusions about how they view the issue. Journalism is about seeking the truth and giving unbiased reports.
Spell Check. Make a diligent search for errors, including using spell check and grammar check, before sending your story to the editor.
Bylines. A byline is the acknowledgement of who wrote the story. In some newspapers, the byline is simply your name. Other newspapers allow a little more space for lauding the author of the article. Bylines give readers some insight into the article writer’s expertise. Examples are “By Kevin Block, Sports Reporter” or “By Lucy Witt, covering education issues in the Piedmont”. Ask your editor about the newspaper’s policy on bylines.
Apply these guidelines to write quality articles that grip, inform, and entertain your readers.
About the Author
Celia Webb, President of Pilinut Press, Inc., publishers of advanced readers for children and ESL students. Check out http://www.pilinutpress.com for more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for the company's entertaining and educational books.
Pioneering 1980s News Story on Routine Infant Circumcision
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Exploring strategy scenarios; play with your KPI model to check feasibility
In times of great uncertainty building strategy scenarios offers a preferred way of crafting a set of strategic options to deal with different but possible versions of the future.
What do we mean by strategy scenarios and options?
A strategic scenario is a set of assumptions about a possible future situation. To develop a useful scenario you need to think about the key question you want answered. A possible staring point could be "What would be the worst (or best) thing that could happen to our business in the next 2 years?"
What is likely to make that happen? Trends, driving forces, stakeholders, key uncertainties, extreme outcomes probably need to be considered before you define the scenarios you want to explore in depth.
Then you write the scenarios.
A well crafted scenario and option set says:
"If this happens, do that, but if that happens do this."
Of course it will only work for you if you have tested the feasibility and the possible range for this and that.
To be confident about this and that, it helps to have tested in advance the range of situations where you can reasonably expect it to work.
Modeling the business consequences of a range of options at a basic level is easy when you use a KPI model. A really sophisticated planning unit will probably use a "Monte Carlo simulation" and programs like @Risk. Even small organizations can do it though with a basic spreadsheet using the KPI modeling techniques described here.
It's all about the thinking process. Get that right and the range of answers is easy to find. You can avoid painful errors if you have checked the feasibility of a strategy by creating a KPI model.
This article will not explore how to create scenarios because there are many excellent resources available on that topic. You could start with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scenario_planning.
"Why bother. It may never happen."
As Colonel Robert Baden Powell said to the fledgling Scout movement in 1908 "Be prepared."
He never said what we should prepare for because he knew how uncertain the future is. He knew that the prepared mind responds to contingencies much better than the unprepared.
We know the truth of disaster response planning. It is no accident that the international teams reported that the management of the recent Christchurch (New Zealand) earthquake disaster was the best they have ever encountered. Everything was organized and they were able to fly in and hit the ground running. The well-organized response saved lives.
No-one said "Why other. It may never happen. Even if it does it won't happen to us."
As the ancient Arab proverb states "A lazy man is never lucky."
Back to the KPI modeling.
Untested scenarios are just dreams in disguise. We cannot rustle up an earthquake to test our strategy. We still need to know what to do, and work out how we can know that it will work.
Any well-crafted scenario will have a set of assumptions about what will change, and will define the logical links between the bits of the jigsaw. It will define which parts of the organization will change and which will be left alone. It will suggest how it will change.
Scenario planning deals with really big changes so it will be pretty obvious which parts of the KPI model will change. Which parts of the present structure will disappear and what will replace them? Which functions will change and how?
Now you can start to change your KPI model in the same way that you built it in the first place; on paper with a pencil. When you have finished your view of the likely form of your KPI model, you can change a spreadsheet copy of your present model.
Now you are ready to play.
Think about the most important input variables and how far they are likely to change. Always think about best, worst, most likely.
Let us examine a hypothetical example to illustrate the approach.
If you are dealing with a major price hike for a vital raw material (say x5 or x10), a need to make radical changes in processes and product designs, then the need to define the new KPIs and explore the feasible limits of input cost ranges will be exposed in stark clarity.
Doing this work is great fun for the strategic planner ort team, and the outcomes are not predictable. In many cases, the process leads to radical new thinking about how the problem can be turned into an opportunity.
You will clarify the interactions between different parts of the organization and the effects on functions like marketing and sales of what may seem at first to be a simple input cost problem.
You can search for opportunities to change the rules of the game. Thisd is a simple as asking "What if …? Questions, again and again and again.
Put Peter Senge's "Five Why's" technique into practice to explore a new set of root causes. (The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook, Senge et al, Nicholas Brealey Publishing, London 1998.)
You will find quite quickly where the potential breakthrough solutions lie and you can chase them down. If you are really lucky, you will find something that you can do right now to change the rules of the game and steal a march on the competition.
I am sure that this is the real Steve Jobs secret; the hard thinking and the ability to find the answers to the hard questions. The real entrepreneurs, the game changers don't stumble over their breakthroughs while taking a random walk. They find them through asking the different questions then thinking through the analysis to find a way to make them work.
You cannot do it without a model. Why not play with your KPI model to get you to the right answer faster?
About the Author
Michael Taplin earned recognition as a KPI modeling specialist and business strategy consultant in Australia 20 years ago. Today he lives in New Zealand and contributes his ideas on better business performance through www.bizlearn.biz, where is newsletter is available as a free subscription, and you can also download whitepapers and tutorials on a range of topics. 14 years as a volunteer business mentor has influenced his approach to small business and helped to adapt big business ideas into useful practical stuff for small business owners. Review KPI models at bizlearn KPI tutorials and get of to a fast start.
Kya Kool Hain Hum(2005)Changing Law Scenario of India!
Cradle to Cradle-summarized book review; a contemplative reflection on environmental imprints
Cradle to Cradle
The Book
I really enjoyed the book. That is, the feel, the texture, even the weight of it. At first I wasn't quite sure about it because the binding seemed stiffer than most books but as I got deeper into it seemed to loosen up. I also enjoyed the fact that I didn't have to worry about eating while I was reading because I could easily wipe any mishaps right off the pages. I know that there has been comment about them trying to work on the weight of these types of books. I don't think for a book of this size it is necessarily an issue, but for larger, thicker books it would definitely pose a problem. Especially for books of the size and weight of my Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language. You would probably need a cherry picker (engine hoist) or a crane to move the book around. I think that more books should be available like this. It's great idea for children's books, as they already usually have thicker pages and are heavier in weight. People also don't typically save children's books, so they have a shorter use life and would be more readily upcycled instead of thrown away. I think it would be a great addition to the transition of the cradle to cradle movement to do such a thing. It would also be a huge market to get into. So industrially it would become very appealing.
I did have a few issues with the way that the book was written. I was under the impression that this was a book to educate and encourage the average person to be more aware and supportive of a revolution. I thought this book was supposed to plant a seed of awareness, and propagate the average consumer to downsize, minimize, and convert to a lifestyle indicative of cradle to cradle production and consumerism. I thought it was supposed to just be a book that would communicate to all.
Instead, I found a book that was written by a chemist and an architect to people of possibly an equal base educational level. I didn't see how at all ‘the average person' would be able to filter through all of the, what would seem like, Harvard mumbo jumbo. I think it would seem intimidating and possibly technical or confusing.
I did, however, also find some very interesting facts in the book. I thought it interesting, and horrifying both that the chromium extraction factory only employed persons over the age of 55 because it was almost guaranteed to get cancer after 20 years of exposure. I have mixed feelings of this. I think it's great that the job opportunity is available for persons of that age group. Most people I know around that age are starting to feel as if their employment opportunities are limited. That is the people I know that aren't enveloped into a career. On the other hand it is horrifying that we actually continue use of products that have such devastating results and have manipulated the workforce just to suit the needs of the market. It is tragic.
The Rooftop
I was really intrigued about the story of the growing matrix rooftop. It's ingenious. I have always loved the rooftops of urbanites that are covered in park like settings. I think that the idea of a ‘light layer of soil, a growing matrix, covered with plants' that maintains a stable temperature, shields from destructive UV rays, and extending the life span of the roof is amazing.
The mention of materials in our children's swim wings that are carcinogenic agents or possibly causing I think it was potential malfunctions of organs such as the liver, is very disheartening. I would've been interested in knowing what the name of this agent was as to avoid it if listed on other items, and make my sister aware of such things. As she is a mother of three. It amazes me that at the level of technological advancement that we have acquired, that we are still dumping money and funding research into things that we essential already know. Study after study on different elements. Instead, as a nation, and global nation we should be uniting to fund studies to reclaim our place as part of this planet instead of merely pests or inhabitants leaching off of its r sources. Sucking the very life out of it like a tick on a dog. It's a graphic and disgusting analogy, but so is the state of our environment.
I really keep going back to the first week of class I think it was when you said that maybe we need to place billboards of drowning polar bears throughout the nation to wake people up. I think that it will come to that. However, there has been a huge push in the media as of late to give small snippets of knowledge to people of things they can do. I picked up a little local magazine called the OC Squeeze today because it had an article in it about ‘green' life. I haven't read it as of yet as I am still dealing with finals. I am hoping that it will include some information about what the average person can do now to make them feel as if they are able to play an active role in protecting the environment and helping to reverse the damage that has been going on for such a long time.
Even though there has been such a push in the media, I have also been increasingly aware of the shortcomings that the average person might experience due to my anthropology class that I took this quarter. It has become abundantly clear to me that the average American is living at basically slave wages and can barely afford to eat. I remember those days, but they were when I was much younger. I am definitely more deficient financially than I was before I went back to school, but I am far from poor as it is truly experienced. I am broke to me, but still reserve the indulgences of going out to dinner when I have time and if I have a good month can go shopping. Just not at the same stores I used to.
That by no means is poor. I do however look at things from a different perspective. I have begun to view all of these requested changes in participating in a movement to reverse global warming from the point of view of someone that must eat at Taco Bell for survival. Possibly even skipping meals to pay rent. I want to see information passed out for people of that social standing. They are often pushed aside, and as they do occupy a higher percentage of housing than the person who will remodel at least three times in their lifecycle, it is important for them to participate.
I think it is here where we can start to change the cycle of what the book calls ‘intergenerational remote tyranny'.
I think it was in the section about the Industrial Revolution where they had the bullet point ad requesting a detailed plan of destruction of the environment. That was very effective. If we could turn back time and show people a film of what were to happen with a copy of that in print, it might change our situation. Unfortunately we can't.
I can't believe that there are actually people that refuse to acknowledge global warming. It is abundantly clear to me that the weather patterns alone have dramatically changed since I was a child. Almost always living in California, it's easy for me to notice.
The cherry tree is very important to the authors. It was mentioned so often throughout the book it actually became distracting to me. I found it a little too repetitive. With the level of education and intellect that the book was written it is confusing to me that they would fixate on the one example. There are many plants that are just as, if not more, beneficial to the sustenance of the environment. Also, to be most productive, cherry trees must be maintained by people.
Being Less Bad
I think that the section on ‘Why Being Less Bad is No Good' is good to an extent. After all, isn't one small act, or one small step for man…… so and so forth? Isn't it better than nothing? Especially if it's only a start. Maybe it takes a series of small steps to build up enough momentum for that giant leap.
As designers we are very lucky. We have the power, the ability, and the education to be able to make a huge difference. The media is a strong tool for us. Since they have taken the initiative to start pushing green design, environmental change, etc. they are opening the door for us. If they educate our clients, it's easier for us to do the job. The more that this is pushed in the media it will become mainstream, and eventually a way of life. As the book states it will take a lot. Especially for Cradle to Cradle, instead of Cradle to Grave.
I think that the breakdown of the eco-effectiveness is really good. I think that in the movie An Inconvenient Truth they spent so much time talking about AL Gore and setting up Global Warming and such little time educating us with ways to change that this book has far surpassed that. This is where the scientific information is helpful. Categories and lists. It is much more informative to me than, ‘go to this website', and buy better light bulbs. I was almost angry that I had sat through all of the personal tragedy stories to find out that the best they could come up with was what seemed like a five minute summation and visit a website. I felt like I should have been given a warning at the beginning of the film that I was going to have to write this down at the end. Maybe they should've passed out the 3rd grade pencil with a small piece of scratch paper to write down the web address. Maybe I'm judging too much.
I do however feel like I should be buying up the lot of these books tough and passing them out at Christmas. I think that every person I know that I would buy a gift for is getting one. It overall very informative, well laid out, and a pretty easy read.
Cradle to Cradle
By William McDonough & Michael Braungart North Point Press, 2002
About the Author
John Cunningham -- Chairperson, Immigrant Council of Ireland.m4v
