Tuesday, November 26, 2019

3 Disagreements About How to Use Either and Neither

3 Disagreements About How to Use Either and Neither 3 Disagreements About How to Use â€Å"Either† and â€Å"Neither† 3 Disagreements About How to Use â€Å"Either† and â€Å"Neither† By Mark Nichol Use of either and neither, and their associated words or and nor, is complicated by disagreements about proper usage. Here’s a discussion of the words and the opinions about their appropriate use. An â€Å"either . . . or† or â€Å"neither . . . nor† construction can include more than two elements, but some grammar guides advise writers to restrict the usage to reference to two choices: â€Å"I’m going to wear either blue or green† but not â€Å"I’m going to wear either blue, green, or red.† If you agree with that restriction (I don’t), delete either from the latter sentence and it’s optional in the first one, for that matter. Omitting neither is not an option in the sentence â€Å"I’m going to wear neither blue nor green,† but the idea can also be rendered â€Å"I’m not going to wear blue or green.† The proscription against using or, rather than nor, with neither (â€Å"I was neither here or there† instead of â€Å"I was neither here nor there†) is likewise not absolute, but nor is most common, and in this case I support the restriction. The third divergence is about agreement with a verb. The more restrictive rule is that when either or neither is the subject, or part of the subject, of a sentence or a clause, it should be accompanied by a singular verb: â€Å"I don’t think either of the candidates is qualified.† When two nouns or pronouns are framed by either and or, use a singular verb if the noun or pronoun closest to the verb is singular (â€Å"Either the boys or the girl is responsible†) and a plural verb if the closest noun or pronoun is plural (â€Å"Either the girl or the boys are responsible†) or both nouns or pronouns are plural (â€Å"Either the girls or the boys are responsible†). However, it is common to see a plural verb with either or neither in reference to a sole plural noun or pronoun, as in â€Å"Neither of the parties are willing to compromise.† The more conservative choice is to write â€Å"Neither of the parties is willing to compromise,† and I adhere to that option. Here are several other considerations: When constructing an â€Å"either . . . or† or a â€Å"neither . . . nor† statement, take care to place verbs appropriately. If one verb applies to both choices, place it before the â€Å"either . . . or† phrase: â€Å"She was going to leave either tomorrow or Saturday.† If a separate verb applies to each choice, either should precede the first verb, and or should come before the second one: â€Å"She was going to either leave tomorrow or wait until Saturday.† Also, avoid using a â€Å"not . . . either† phrase, as in â€Å"They will not vote on either the amended proposal or the original one†; revise to a â€Å"neither . . . nor† construction: â€Å"They will vote on neither the amended proposal nor the original one.† Finally, a statement that two things are not true can also be rendered with a â€Å"never . . . nor† construction: â€Å"Their facility had never completed an evaluation nor ever met anyone representing the contracting agency.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Direct and Indirect Objects26 Feel-Good WordsSentence Adverbs

Saturday, November 23, 2019

4 Tips for Writing Stellar Dartmouth Essays

4 Tips for Writing Stellar Dartmouth Essays SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Dartmouth College, located in Hanover, New Hampshire, is one of the best universities in the world. A member of the Ivy League, Dartmouth has notable graduates, top-of-the-line programs, and a miniscule admissions rate. If you want to be one of the % of students accepted to Dartmouth every year, you’ll need to write some amazing essays as part of your application’s Dartmouth supplement. In this post, I’ll talk about what the Dartmouth essay prompts are, which essays you can choose to write, and how to craft standout responses that’ll help ensure your admission. What Are the Dartmouth Essay Prompts? You can apply to Dartmouth using the Common or Coalition Application. No matter which application you choose, you’ll also have to submit the Dartmouth Supplement. Part of the Dartmouth Supplement involves answering two writing prompts. The first writing prompt is short (100 words or less) and required of all students. For the second essay, you’ll get to choose one of six prompts to write a 250-300 word response. According to Dartmouth’s website, â€Å"the writing supplement includes questions specific to Dartmouth that help the Admissions Committee gain a better sense of how you and Dartmouth might be a good â€Å"fit† for each other.† Basically, that means that the Dartmouth Admissions Committee wants to know who you are†¦ and how you’ll fit in on Dartmouth’s campus. Your Dartmouth supplemental essays give the admissions committee a chance to get to know you beyond your test scores and other credentials. The essays will give Dartmouth a better idea of how you think and act, so they can see if you would be a great addition to the student body. Similarly, the essays also give the admissions committee a chance to assess your passion for Dartmouth - how badly do you really want to go there? The more you can show your passion for Dartmouth, the better. Let’s take a look at the Dartmouth essay prompts. Dartmouth Essay Prompts Here are the 2018-19 Dartmouth Essay Prompts. All students must answer the first prompt of the Dartmouth essays (100 words or less) and must choose one of the second set of Dartmouth essays as well (250-300 words). Please respond in 100 words or less: While arguing a Dartmouth-related case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1818, Daniel Webster, Class of 1801, delivered this memorable line: â€Å"It is, Sir†¦a small college. And yet, there are those who love it!† As you seek admission to the Class of 2023, what aspects of the College’s program, community or campus environment attract your interest? Please choose one of the following prompts and respond in 250-300 words: â€Å"I have no special talent,† Albert Einstein once observed. â€Å"I am only passionately curious.† Celebrate your curiosity. The Hawaiian word mo’olelo is often translated as â€Å"story† but it can also refer to history, legend, genealogy, and tradition. Use one of these translations to introduce yourself. â€Å"You can’t use up creativity,† Maya Angelou mused. â€Å"The more you use, the more you have.† Share a creative moment or impulse- in any form- that inspired creativity in your life. In the aftermath of World War II, Dartmouth President John Sloane Dickey, Class of 1929, proclaimed, â€Å"The world’s troubles are your troubles†¦and there is nothing wrong with the world that better human beings cannot fix.† Which of the world’s â€Å"troubles† inspires you to act? How might your course of study at Dartmouth prepare you to address it? In The Bingo Palace, author Louise Erdrich, Class of 1976, writes, â€Å"†¦no one gets wise enough to really understand the heart of another, though it is the task of our life to try.† Discuss. Emmy and Grammy winner Donald Glover is a 21st century Renaissance man- an actor, comedian, writer, director, producer, singer, songwriter, rapper, and DJ. And yet the versatile storyteller and performer recently told an interviewer, â€Å"The thing I imagine myself being in the future doesn’t exist yet.† Can you relate? Dartmouth Essays Analyzed Let’s take a look at the Dartmouth essay prompts for 2018-19. Dartmouth Essay Prompt 1 Please respond in 100 words or less: While arguing a Dartmouth-related case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1818, Daniel Webster, Class of 1801, delivered this memorable line: â€Å"It is, Sir†¦a small college. And yet, there are those who love it!† As you seek admission to the Class of 2023, what aspects of the College’s program, community or campus environment attract your interest? All Dartmouth students are required to answer this prompt and for good reason - it’s the â€Å"Why Dartmouth† essay! This essay shows the admissions committee why Dartmouth is the right school for you. At only 100 words, this prompt doesn’t give you a lot of room to expand upon your favorite parts of the College, so you should pick one or two aspects of Dartmouth that you really love and focus on those. The prompt encourages you to talk about the program, community, or campus, so don’t feel like you have to limit yourself to academics. You can talk about other things about Dartmouth that interest you, such as the student life or extracurricular activities. Whichever features you choose to highlight, make sure your connection to them is real and personal. In other words, don’t just say you’re a fan of Dartmouth’s sterling academic reputation. Instead, focus on a specific part of that reputation - a professor whose work you admire or a class that you really want to take. Dartmouth Essay Prompt 2 Dartmouth’s longer essay prompts give you plenty of room to think creatively and show off your individuality. All students are required to pick and answer one of the prompts in 250-300 words. Let’s take a look at the prompts and examine how to answer them. â€Å"I have no special talent,† Albert Einstein once observed. â€Å"I am only passionately curious.† Celebrate your curiosity. This prompt is a great opportunity to show off something that may not be your greatest academic strength but still captures your interest. If, for instance, you’re pursuing a degree in engineering, but have an unending passion for Russian literature, this prompt is a great opportunity to highlight that dichotomy. Feel free to discuss the most arcane and seemingly inconsequential of your interests here. If you’ve spent hours researching the genealogy of the Tudor family or can recite the names of all the major constellations in each hemisphere, celebrate that! Don’t worry that your curiosity is uninteresting or unimpressive - whatever it is, enjoy it. The Hawaiian word mo’olelo is often translated as â€Å"story† but it can also refer to history, legend, genealogy, and tradition. Use one of these translations to introduce yourself. How did you become you? Was it the influence of your family? An important moment in your life? A defining experience with a piece of art or literature? Whatever made you, you, this essay is the chance to share it. Don’t feel confined to traditional, linear methods of storytelling in this prompt. You can play around with form and structure, as long as you do it well. Get an advisor or mentor to read your work and offer feedback, especially if you deviate from your typical style. Something to remember - a story that is legendary to you and your history doesn’t have to be monumental to everyone else. What’s important is that the moment you choose is important to you. â€Å"You can’t use up creativity,† Maya Angelou mused. â€Å"The more you use, the more you have.† Share a creative moment or impulse- in any form- that inspired creativity in your life. This prompt is another fun opportunity to explore your interests outside of academia. What have you created? Maybe you learned how to create pop up cards and gift them to your family and friends every holiday. Maybe you learned how to cook a delicious meal while on study abroad. Whatever has sparked your interest, celebrate it! Notice that the prompt asks you to share a creative moment or impulse - you don’t need to think of something huge or earth-shattering here. Focus on something small. It doesn’t even need to have created large reverberations in your life, but it should say something about you and your interests. In the aftermath of World War II, Dartmouth President John Sloane Dickey, Class of 1929, proclaimed, â€Å"The world’s troubles are your troubles†¦and there is nothing wrong with the world that better human beings cannot fix.† Which of the world’s â€Å"troubles† inspires you to act? How might your course of study at Dartmouth prepare you to address it? This prompt is more tangible and concrete than the others available for selection. If you feel intimidated by discussing your creativity or personal history, this prompt is a good one to choose. This prompt asks you to pick a real-world issue (aka, trouble) and discuss how it inspires you to act. The second part of the prompt asks you to talk about how your coursework at Dartmouth will help you solve this problem. It’s important to answer both parts of the prompt - you need to explain why Dartmouth is the correct place to learn how to solve the trouble of your choosing. Speaking of the trouble, don’t feel like you have to pick something grand and far-reaching, like starvation or world peace. You can also pick an issue that affects people locally, in your community, for instance. The key is to pick a topic that you have a personal connection to and reason for wanting to fix. Your passion will come across in your description of the issue. In The Bingo Palace, author Louise Erdrich, Class of 1976, writes, â€Å"†¦no one gets wise enough to really understand the heart of another, though it is the task of our life to try.† Discuss. This prompt offers a lot of room for creativity and interpretation. The basic gist of the prompt is that none of us can really understand each other, no matter how much we try to. There are always barriers that remain. Now, you don’t need to agree with the statement put forth by Erdrich to respond to this prompt. The word â€Å"discuss† indicates that Erdrich’s thesis is open for interpretation - you can agree or disagree with her. The key to this prompt is to bring real-world experience to the table. Perhaps you spent some time living in a different culture and felt that you were really able to understand the people you resided amongst, despite your differences. You can push back against Erdrich and elaborate on that. Or, on the other hand, maybe you spent time living abroad and still felt separate from the people you encountered. In that case, you can agree with Erdrich. You don’t need to land on one side or the other of the argument here - what you need to do is state your opinion and defend it with your experience. Emmy and Grammy winner Donald Glover is a 21st century Renaissance man- an actor, comedian, writer, director, producer, singer, songwriter, rapper, and DJ. And yet the versatile storyteller and performer recently told an interviewer, â€Å"The thing I imagine myself being in the future doesn’t exist yet.† Can you relate? Here we have our final prompt and, surprise, surprise, it leaves a lot of room open for interpretation! You can go in almost any direction for this prompt - as it says, you’re coming up with an idea that doesn’t exist yet. In this prompt, you want to look to the future: where will you be in five years? Ten? To make your answer really stand out, you should include evidence of how Dartmouth will help you achieve your goals. Whatever you imagine, whatever you conceptualize, how will your education at Dartmouth College help bring that into being? How to Write Great Dartmouth Essays In order to write great Dartmouth essays, you need to show the committee two things. First, you need to give them a clear idea of who you are. Second, you need to show them, â€Å"Why Dartmouth†. In other words, why Dartmouth is important to you. Here are some tips to help you accomplish both of those goals. #1: Use Your Own Voice The point of a college essay is for the admissions committee to have the chance to get to know you beyond your test scores, grades, and honors. Your admissions essays are your opportunity to make yourself come alive for the essay readers and to present yourself as a fully fleshed out person. You should, then, make sure that the person you’re presenting in your college essays is yourself. Don’t try to emulate what you think the committee wants to hear or try to act like someone you’re not. If you lie or exaggerate, your essay will come across as insincere, which will diminish its effectiveness. Stick to telling real stories about the person you really are, not who you think Dartmouth wants you to be. #2: Avoid Cliches and Overused Phrases When writing your Dartmouth essays, try to avoid using common quotes or phrases. These include quotations that have been quoted to death and phrases or idioms that are overused in daily life. The college admissions committee has probably seen numerous essays that state, â€Å"Be the change you want to see in the world.† Strive for originality. Similarly, avoid using cliches, which take away from the strength and sincerity of your work. Don’t speak in platitudes about how the struggle for gay and lesbian rights has affected you†¦ unless it actually has! And even then, you don’t want to speak in platitudes. It’s better to be direct and specific about your experience. #3: Check Your Work It should almost go without saying, but you want to make sure your Dartmouth essays are the strongest example of your work possible. Before you turn in your Dartmouth application, make sure to edit and proofread your essays. Your work should be free of spelling and grammar errors. Make sure to run your essays through a spelling and grammar check before you submit. It’s a good idea to have someone else read your Dartmouth essays, too. You can seek a second opinion on your work from a parent, teacher, or friend. Ask them whether your work represents you as a student and person. Have them check and make sure you haven’t missed any small writing errors. Having a second opinion will help your work be the best it possibly can be. That being said, make sure you don’t rely on them for ideas or rewrites. Your essays need to be your work. #4: Play With Form Dartmouth’s essay prompts leave a lot of room open for creative expression - use that! You don’t need to stick to a five paragraph essay structure here. You can play with the length and style of your sentences - you could even dabble in poetry if that makes sense! Whichever form you pick, make sure it fits with the story you’re trying to tell and how you want to express yourself. What's Next? Learn more about the most selective colleges in the US. If you're applying to multiple Ivy Leagues, it's a good idea to know your chances at each! If you're hoping to attend a highly selective school like Cornell, you'll need to have a very strong academic record in high school. Learn more about high school honors classes and societies. Not sure what your GPA means for your chances of college admission? Find out what a good or bad GPA might look like based on your goals. Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Empire Building in Africa Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Empire Building in Africa - Research Paper Example Many of the European Nations developed an interest in Africa due to various reasons. First, in the wake of industrial revolution, these nations realized that they required extra raw materials to use in their newly established industries. In addition, these European nations required new markets for their manufactured goods, which stirred up competition for Africa. Due to this, many European nations or colonial powers confiscated large segments of Africa and established empires (Lakeview.org, 2008). In addition to need for markets and raw materials, the European nations also wanted to acquire power and reputation. In this regard, these nations competed for a larger control of Africa. The nations thought that they would be more powerful and would have more reputation if they control and rule over a large territory. The combination of these factors led for the scramble for Africa and eventually the establishment of colonial rule in the continent (Lloyd, 2009). Before the 19th century, the whole world regarded Africa as the Dark Continent. This is because a part from the inhabitants of Africa, the rest of the world did not know anything concerning this continent. The first contact between the Europeans and Africans was through trade, which gradually begun between the Europeans and African traders in the coast of Africa. Conversely, since this trade occurred at the coast, the Europeans were interested with the interior of Africa, and some started to explore this continent in the early 19th century. The first European explorers in Africa were the missionaries who had the sole purpose of spreading the gospel to Africans as well as to eliminate slave trade. These missionaries deemed that slave trade was poisonous and had negative consequences to most African poor (Nosotro, 2010). As the Europeans endeavored to explore Africa’s interior, they encountered a problem. They could not travel in to the interior in large numbers due to inconveniences

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Home Work Assigment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Home Work Assigment - Assignment Example Therefore, the employers do not look at the ability that the disabled person may offer to their firms. There are several reasons that, usually, prompts employers to disqualify any disabled person as a candidate for a specific job. One of the reason is that the employers, usually, seek for candidates who are attractive and hence will appeal to their customers. Since disabled persons may not be attractive, they automatically get disqualified. The disabled people may not be able to move fast from one location to another. Their lack of mobility is seen as a hindrance to act quickly (Mandel, 1990). The condition is mostly suffered by people who are either lame or have suffered a disease that may resist their mobility. They are, therefore, not considered as appropriate for the job. Another reason that is mostly considered as a major reason for disqualification is that most of the employees are not ready to give some facilities required by the disabled. Some special facilities such as office chair for the disabled and many others see seen as an extra cost to the employees (DeLeire, 2000). T hey, therefore, reject them so as to maintain their profit levels. The fact that some people are disabled does not mean that they have absolutely nothing they can give to the firm. Some of them may be very talented in some jobs that only need mental skills to carry them out. The discrimination towards the disabled has prompted many non-governmental organisations in many countries to push for equal rights of opportunities regardless of their ability. The push have prompted many states to change this attitude and have amended their constitution to involve the rights of the disabled. In the United States of America, the American with Disability Act (ADA), have been implemented to ensure that the disabled or people who have become disabled in their job continues to enjoy their jobs. The act has been amended to ADAAA so that

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Determining the Concentration of Calcium Carbonate in an Unknown Substance through the Methods of Titration Aim Essay Example for Free

Determining the Concentration of Calcium Carbonate in an Unknown Substance through the Methods of Titration Aim Essay Determine the concentration of the unknown ethanoic acid solution by titrating with a known concentration of sodium hydroxide Equipment and Materials * Unknown ethanoic acid * 50cm3 burette * 250cm3 Erlenmeyer flask * 100cm3 beaker (for CH3COOH) * 200cm3 beaker (for NaOH) * 100cm3 beaker (for waste) * Standardized sodium hydroxide solution * Burette clamp * Retort stand * Phenolphthalein indicator * 50cm3 graduated cylinder * Distilled water (to rinse the flask) Procedure: To begin with, obtain approximately 200 cm3 of sodium hydroxide solution. Then, set up the retort stand and burette clamp as indicated in the diagram below. Using two 10 cm3 aliquots of the NaOH solution, rinse the burette twice. Next, fill to above the 0.00cm3 mark and drain down to below the 0.00cm3 mark in order to remove any air bubbles. After that, transfer 50 cm3 of the unknown acid into the 250cm3 flask. Into the same flask, place 2 drops of the phenolphthalein indicator. Finally, add sodium hydroxide from the burette until you reach the endpoint. Procedural Notes To accommodate for the sodium hydroxide that splashes to the sides of the flask, distilled water was used. Using the distilled water on the sides of the flask was rinsed down to bring the sodium hydroxide to the rest of the solution in the flask. Also, when dropping a half-drop into the flask, the following procedure was used: First, a half-drop was made at the tip of the burette. Then, using the flask, the half-drop was collected to the flasks side. Finally, using the distilled water, the half-drop was rinsed down to the rest of the solution. To make it easier to recognize the endpoint of the reaction, a white paper was put under the flask. This way, it was easier to see when the solution changed color. Observation (Data Collection): Quantitative Data Measurements Recorded During the Experiment Trial 1 2 3* 4* Initial Burette Reading (ml?0.02ml) 0.20 0.42 0.10 0.23 Final Burette Reading (ml?0.02ml) 45.70 45.93 45.39 45.30 Volume of Ethanoic Acid Used (ml?0.04ml) 50.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 *To increase the results, trial 3 and 4 was taken from another group to get more data, thereby increasing the accuracy of the data. Qualitative Data Descriptions of the Substances Used and Produced Sodium Hydroxide Clear solution, low viscosity, slippery Ethanoic acid Clear solution, acidic, Phenolphthalein indicator Clear solution, comes in bottle, add as drops Solution Produced (NaCH3COO(aq) + H2O) Clear/pink throughout, trail 4 was the most successful as it was closest to clear than all other trails. Volume of trial 1 was greatest as a lot of water was used in order to wash down the sodium hydroxide stuck to the side of the flask. Data Analysis The neutralization reaction between sodium hydroxide and ethanoic acid is Sodium Hydroxide + Ethanoic acid Sodium Ehthanoate + Water Therefore, the molar ratio is 1 mole of sodium hydroxide to 1 mole of ethanoic acid. Sodium hydroxide is known to have a concentration of 1.003 mol dm-3à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.004 mol dm-3. Consequently, the following represents the calculations to determine the concentration of ethanoic acid in trial 1: Using similar calculations, the concentration of ethanoic acid for trials 2,3, and 4 were calculated as well. The following table represents the results. Results for the calculations of the concentration of ethanoic acid used in each trial Trial Concentration of CH3COOH / mol dm-3 CH3COOH Uncertainties / % 1 0.913 1.3 2 0.913 1.3 3 0.909 1.3 4 0.904 1.3 Average 0.910 1.3 Conclusion: In conclusion, the result of this lab indicates that the concentration of CH3COOH is 0.910 mol dm-3. Using this value, and the actual value of ethnoic acid, 0.9190 mol dm-3 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.0004 mol dm-3, percent error was calculated as follows: With this, we see that the percent of uncertainties is greater than the percent error. The percent of uncertainties represents the random errors, in which the measured value can either be bigger or smaller than the accepted value, due to an imprecise measurement. To improve these random errors, it is necessary to use more precise equipment and/or repeat measurements. One example of this would be to use a pipette instead of a graduated cylinder, especially because ?0.4 cm3 is a relatively large uncertainty. Consequently, the use of such equipment led to the percent of uncertainties being greater than the percent error. This means that the random errors cover for the errors in this lab. However, there are a couple potential systematic errors that should be appointed in this lab. The biggest one would be that it is hard to get to the endpoint, where the solution is barely pink. In all trials, the solution became clear pink. However, it was only in trial 4 that the solution was truly ambiguous to whether it was slightly pink. The difficulty of getting to this ambiguous clear pink is definitely a systematic error as it always leads to a larger volume of sodium hydroxide used to react. One way to improve this may be to perform the lab in a longer time span. When I performed the lab, I felt pressured to get a sufficient amount of trials done within the class period. By stretching the time span of the lab, it may be possible to take more time and get better quality results. A more realistic improvement may be to record measurements more frequently when approaching the endpoint. This would give us two measurements that the endpoint lies within, helping us estimate where the endpoint actually is. However, improving this error would lead to a smaller volume of sodium hydroxide, a smaller value for the concentration of ethanoic acid, which would make the observed value further from the true value. Another systematic error in this lab is the sodium hydroxide splashing to the sides of the flask. Although using water to rinse the sodium hydroxide down was aimed to cover this, another way to improve this may be to use equipment with a wider mouth, such as a beaker, instead of a flask. Once again, improving this error would lead to a greater percent error for the same reasons as the difficulty of getting an ambiguous pink color. Next, although it most likely did not affect the results in this lab, there is a question to whether rinsing the burette two times is sufficient. To improve this, it may be suggested that rinsing the burette 4 times is more sensible, even though it is time consuming. A final systematic error comes when transferring the ethanoic acid from the graduated cylinder. When this happens, some of the ethanoic acid may be retained in the graduated cylinder. This is a systematic error as this always leads to a smaller volume of ethanoic acid than measured. To improve this error, one may pour a tiny bit more than 50 ml of ethanoic acid, and measure that as 50 ml of ethanoic acid. Improving this error leads to a larger volume of ethanoic acid, a lower concentration of ethanoic acid, and once again, an increase in percent error. All in all, it is very interesting how knowing the amount of one substance can help determine the amount of another substance, although it is a topic that appears frequently in chemistry. In this case, knowing the number of moles of sodium hydroxide enabled us to know the concentration of the ethanoic acid. Furthermore, this lab helps one enhance their knowledge on the difficulty of setting up a lab. By reviewing and understanding the errors to a lab, one can relate the improvements to future labs. In a nutshell, this lab exemplified the process of titration, and how useful it can be.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

How to Tell a True War Story Essay -- essays research papers

War can be defined as â€Å"an active struggle between competing entities. It’s truly hard to tell who is right or wrong during a war. Both sides are fighting for what they believe in and what is true to their heart. In the end there is always two things promised – destruction and death. These two objects can explain the result in every facet of war from the physical to emotional.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In â€Å"How to Tell a True War Story† O’Brien explores the relationship between the events during a war and the art of telling those events. O’Brien doesn’t come to a conclusion on what is a true war story. He writes that one can’t generalize the story as well. According to O’Brien, war can be anything from love and beauty to the most horrid thing ever experienced. The story doesn’t even have to have a meaning. Evidence of both descriptions of war leading to death and destruction being used is how O’Brien tells of Curt Lemons death. He tells it as a love story with the scenery being described as being beautiful. In addition to O’Brien referencing it to a love story he also includes the gruesome details of how Curt Lemon died. These stories not only shape the listeners perception and attitude of the war, but it also affects the one telling the story. Some stories are true and others are rather embellis hed. The storyteller, speaking from the point of being in the war, has usually been through the most traumatic events ever in their life. Does the storyteller even know the truths ...

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Catholic Response to Reformation

4. What were the responses of the Catholic authorities in the 16th century to the challenges posed by the Lutheran Reformation? The demand to reform the Roman Catholic Church stretched on for ages. Many people, such as Peter Waldo, John Wycliffe, and Jan Hus criticized the church for its worldliness and believed that one didn’t need direction from the Church, but just needed to read the Bible for guidance. It was from these men that Martin Luther came to the conclusion that faith alone would lead to salvation and you didn’t need to work for it.Martin Luther appealed to Pope Leo X to correct the abuses of the Church. When that didn’t work, he rallied the people to follow him. His beliefs spread through German states and most of Northern Europe. In response, the Catholic Church assembled the Council of Trent, which defined the Catholic religion and reformed the abuses of the Catholic Church. The Church also established the Jesuits, who spread the Catholic teachings during the Lutheran Reformation. Finally, the Church employed many policing tactics against the Lutheran Reformation.These responses kept Catholicism a major religion in Europe. Although the conciliar movement was ended by Pope Pius II around the 1450s, the people during the Lutheran Reformation were calling for a general council of the church. Charles the V, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and King of Spain, tried to persuade the Pope to assemble a council because he hope that the church would fix some of the abuses, thus stop people from converting to Lutheranism. However, Francis I, King of France, actively promoted the Protestants in Germany, even though France is a Catholic country.He did this because Charles V’s land surrounded France. He wanted Germany to be in a state of argument so that it would be too weak to be a threat to France. While Francis II did this, he also used his influence in Rome to call off any assembly of a council because it would expose the flaws of the Roman Catholic Church. In time, the King of France lost and a council was called to reform the abuses of the Church and establish a statement of the Catholic religion. It began deliberations in 1545 in Trent, in the Alpine border between Germany and Italy.The Council of Trent reaffirmed many beliefs of the Catholic religion such as it justified that faith and works led to salvation, transubstantiation, purgatory, and the celibacy of the clergy. The council of Trent also declared reforms in monastic orders. It called to correct the abuses of indulgence while at the same time upholding the principle. It also called for bishops to take more responsibilities in their administrative control over their clergy and to make sure they were properly taking care of their own duties. The Council also wanted competent men running their churches, so they set up seminaries to educate the priests.The decrees of the Council of Trent would have been obsolete if it wasn’t from a new relig ious seriousness within the Catholic Church. There was much hatred toward the Roman clergy, as shown by the sack of Rome in 1527, where German and Spanish soldiers looted Rome, killed thousands, captured the Pope. Moralist began to speak and there words were heard. New popes, starting with Pope Paul III, regarded his office as a religious force to reform the church. New religious orders were founded on the basis of the new Catholic faith. The Jesuits, the most famous of these orders; it was founded by a Spaniard named St.Ignatius Loyola. He had a religious experience in 1521, when he was a child before hearing of Luther, and wanted to become a soldier of the church. On this experience, he founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Authorized by Pope Paul III in 1540, the Jesuits were an order less attached to the clergy and more actively involved in the affairs of the world. They believe the Roman Church was a divine institution, and all members had to take a pledge to obey the Pope. T he Jesuits were some of the most famous educators of the Catholic world, with around 500 schools in the upper and middle classes.They combined the faith and religious teachings of the Catholic Church with the etiquette teachings that a gentleman should have. The Jesuits also brought into their teachings the Renaissance humanism found in the Latin classics. The Jesuits were not only teachers of the Catholic religion, but they also acted as a missionary force. They recruited members from all over Europe, especially in areas that were still disputed over which religion to choose. After the initial burst of Protestantism faded, many people wanted to return to the Catholic religion, especially when the Council of Trent corrected the most obvious abuses of the Church.The Jesuits reconverted most of these people in the areas of Germany, Bohemia, Poland, and Hungary. They also recruited from countries that already turned Protestant, like England, where their goal was to stop Queen Elizabeth I because they believed that the universal church was more important than national independence in religion. The Catholic Church not only reformed and spread its teachings across Europe, but the Church set up laws and police to enforce the Catholic religion. Many books were censored by the Catholic Church. They were trying to suppress the knowledge of â€Å"heretics†, the Protestants, from the people.The Pope had a list published by the Pope called the Papal Index of Prohibited Books. Only individuals with special permission were able to study these books. There were many establishments that enforced the Church’s rules. None was more dreaded than the Spanish and Papal Inquisitions. Although the Spanish Inquisition was originally established to drive out the Jews and the Muslims, it was introduced to all the Spanish-ruled countries in Europe. It was employed against the Protestant movement in the Netherlands. The Papal Inquisition was established in 1514, under the Hol y Office, a permanent committee of cardinals.To Rome, it was a revival of a famous medieval tribunal for the detection and repression of heresy. Both of these Inquisitions employed torture for various tasks. Torture was used for heresy or employed on any person charged with a crime, whether it was in civil and ecclesiastical court. The Spanish Inquisition was harsher than the Papal Inquisition in terms of punishment, people were often burned alive and the Papal Inquisition was all about protecting the faith in all parts of the Catholic world. In 1560, the major powers in Europe were declared Catholic countries, like France, Spain, and Austria.All the countries that turned to Protestantism were very small countries like the German states and the Scandinavian kingdoms in the north. The biggest Protestant nation was England, but England was still small compared to France and Spain. The reason why Protestantism did not spread is because of the tactics the Catholic Church employed agains t the Lutheran Reformation. The Council of Trent, the Jesuits, and the police commissions like the Inquisition all helped halt the teachings of Martin Luther and convinced the people to believe in the newer and better Catholic Church.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Home Depot Case Study Analysis Essay

According to the case study, Home Depot Incorporated: The Specialty Retailer of Building Materials, Home Depot, Inc has been incorporated since 1978. The company functions in the home improvement retail industry, which includes multiple markets as do-it-yourself, professional, and renovation home improvement. At the end of 2000, the company had 1,190 brick and mortar retail stores, mainly located in the United States, but slightly less than 100 retail outlets were distributed between Canada and South America. The retail sales of Home Depot are various, and include building materials, home improvement and renovation, lawn and garden, as well as household appliances, supplies, and tools. Other retail sales at Home Depot include cabinetry, tiles and flooring, lighting fixtures. In services, Home Depot offers installation, design assistance, and even instruction/installation assistance. The case study, Home Depot Incorporated: The Specialty Retailer of Building Materials, further shows how Home Depot segments its products into Fix It, Build It, Grow it, Decorate It, and Install it. These segments are based on the three consumer markets, the do it yourself, buy it yourself, and professional customers. This allows Home Depot to seek competitive advantage in specialized retail outlets by defining the characteristics of consumers by their purchase type and buyer characteristics. Home Depot Incorporated: The Specialty Retailer of Building Materials shows that Home Depot’s long-term debt reached $1. 55 US billion in 2002, and total liabilities were at $6. 37 US billion. Home Depot had $177 US million in cash and short term investments as of January, 2001. Their inventory value was at $6. 56 US billion, and the cost of goods sold was $31. 46 US billion, leaving Home Depot with inventory turnover every 76 days. This means that Home Depot incurred more inventory costs in warehousing and distribution, than retail sales supported. Issues in Strategic Management The case study, Home Depot Incorporated: The Specialty Retailer of Building Materials explains that Home Depot’s management issues have several dimensions. First, the increase in retail stores and implementation of specialty stores in response to customer segmentation led to the speculation that Home Depot was having an ‘identity crisis. ’ The diffusion of the core home improvement domain was extreme and initially occurred over a short time line, thus operating expenses climbed. This was combined with a slowing of the do it yourself industry and markets, as well as competition from Lowe’s. In response to this, the CEO at the time, Robert Nardelli, shifted away from the exponential growth strategy and towards reducing warehousing of low-purchase items and boosting in-store item differentiation and sales. Nardelli’s strategy chain was, according to the case study, envisioned as gaining ground in installation and services growth before the competition cornered these markets. The company’s focus then changed from one of brick and mortar growth to one of service industry growth. Thus, Nardelli moved from the traditions of the home improvement industry and towards innovation. In growth strategy, the senior vice president of Home Depot’s management team felt that increasing operational efficiency and maintaining the strength of brick and mortar growth was more important than implementing new service dimensions. The basis of this argument was that traditional growth strategy had a huge success rate since the company’s inception, and multiple trade areas in the Northwest and Southwest United States were largely ignored by major competitors, specifically Lowe’s. The case study, Home Depot Incorporated: The Specialty Retailer of Building Materials, examines that the second management strategy was also in contention, where the executive vice president believed that instead of focusing on the service strategy, or the retail market strategy, Home Depot should maintain its segmentation of consumers into specialty stores, which would allow Home Depot to gain competitive corners of the market that it had not yet explored. In this strategy, Home Depot would be able to market towards the appeal of specialized services. In closing the management strategy analysis, the case study emphasizes the decision of Nardelli as being difficult, as both strategies presented held risk and benefits. Nardelli’s decision making process, therefore, had to be one that focused on the growth initiative of Home Depot, as overcoming competitors, establishing the domains, and segmenting (or not segmenting) the retail outlets. Based on this, the pertinent issues facing management processes at Home Depot are directly related to the growth initiative, growth strategy, and implementation of the growth strategy. Analysis and Evaluation of Issues The concern of Home Depot is to develop a management strategy that enhances growth. There are two main conclusions, as presented in the above case study. First, Home Depot can rely on its traditional method of retail brick and mortar store development with a focus on the under-marketed North-western and South-western United States. Secondly, Home Depot can focus on the development of specialty stores which are geared towards the segmented consumer markets. Key Concepts Lippert, Schwieger, and Schweiger (p 13 2005) examine that options to help a company achieve strategic growth are highly relative to the ability of the company to take action and rely on financial viability. Thus, a strategic growth initiative has the objective to be consistent with corporate growth and profit objectives through the development of key individuals in the organization (Lippert, Schwieger and Schweiger 3005). The focus of the growth strategy should be in the ability of Home Depot to maximize efforts with respect to investment opportunities, gather valuable and real-time data on existing market opportunities and strive for industry-changing innovations on an ongoing basis (Lippert, Schwieger and Schweiger 2005). The concern of either strategy presented to Home Depot is relative to that of all corporate entities. The basic concern is to maximize growth while reducing the risk of the strategy (O’Leary p 37 2005). The underlying strategy of corporate growth initiatives is largely based on innovation, and the engine for innovation is the creation of an efficient connection between technologists, funding, and scale is its abilities (O’Leary p 37 2005). The growth strategies should therefore include diversity in innovation, rather than relying on the older ideals. Based on these key concepts, Home Depot’s optional growth strategies will be evaluated through a SWOT analysis, with a focus on the financial viability and strategic innovation presented. Strengths Home Depot has a strong market position as one of the largest home improvement retail stores in the United States. The sales volume allows Home Depot to maintain strength in domestic and foreign markets. The strong market position inidicates that the traditional growth initiatives have facilitated consumer support. Furthermore, Home Depot has a diversified and balanced brand mixture. The company stocks major branded appliances and a wide range of its own store-branded products. While there has been some worry regarding financial viability, Home Depot has remained the top domestic retailer in the home improvement market, and has a wide range of resources it can use for supporting corporate growth and new market entry. Weaknesses The weaknesses in Home Depot can be identified as a lack of customer service and support, the store has little initiative towards customer service that is easily visible to customers other than the retail store ‘customer service’ line. This shows that Home Depot has lagged behind its competition in providing high customer service quality, and raises a concern for the ability of Home Depot to maintain specialty service stores. The other identifiable weakness of Home Depot is the multiple brick and mortar extensions, which created a diffusion from the central home improvement retail business, and is exemplified by the management decision to ‘cut back’ on building new retail outlets. For the retail store, this creates a loss of square footage, which is vital to maintaining supplier relationships and meeting consumer demands. Opportunities Home Depot’s opportunities lie in the acquisition of new businesses. The company has the financial stability to acquire multiple businesses to further its growth strategy. This could include the service industries and specialized markets. As an opportunity, acquisitions have the ability to save costs over implementing ‘new’ growth strategies. Threats Home Depot’s business is highly competitive. Home Depot must compete against multiple market segments: other home improvement stores, electricity and construction stores, plumbing and lighting stores; cabinet-makers and lumber yards. In the retail segments such as paint, appliances, and tools, Home Depot also competes with discount stores, local, regional and national hardware stores, mail order firms, warehouse clubs and independent building supply stores.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Ghiberti essays

Ghiberti essays The work of art that I chose to do my research paper on was Ghiberti's 3rd set of Baptistry Doors. These doors are known as The Gates of Paradise. The doors were commissioned in 1427; they were finally completed and installed in 1452 at the eastern entrance of the Baptistry of San Giovanni. The replication of the doors is located in San Francisco, at Grace Cathedral. The doors consist of ten square panels, gilded together. Surrounding the panels are small heads, floral motifs, and niches that contain miniature statues of Prophets. Leonardo Bruni created the iconographic formula, taken from stories of the Old Testament. Ghiberti followed the plans and created 10 scenes ranging from the Creation of Adam and Eve to the reign of King Solomon. The top left panel is the scene of the Creation, Temptation and Expulsion of Adam and Eve. The top right panel is the scene of Cain murdering Abel. The next panel is of Noah and the Flood; then Abraham sacrificing Isaac; Jacob and Esau; Joseph being sold into slavery by his brothers; Moses receiving the Ten Commandments; Joshua and the battle of Jericho; David and Goliath; and finally Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. All the panels were gilded in gold, giving them a uniform and seamless perspective. Ghiberti was a master of using perspective in his works. The attention to detail is apparent when you examine closely the sculpted figures in each panel. They all seem three-dimensional. The way in which Ghiberti sculpted each figure, gives them a shadow against the background which is key to the three-dimensional perspective of each figure. The way in which the panels were positioned on the doors is interesting. Instead of using smaller panels, which would allow for more scenes, Ghiberti chose to use large panels that are easy to see. The miniature figures and heads surrounding the ten panels is another interesting point. The full body figures are Prophets. There are 20 prophets surrounding the panel...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The Holly Tree

The Holly Tree When I built my house almost nine years ago (friggin wow), I planted holly trees on two corners of the structure, one to the left of my study window. Because I love birds, I yearned for the day the tree grew tall and thick enough for me to see its bird visitors from that window. You see, my window is fifteen feet off the ground. I planted a three-foot tree. It would be a while. But I watered the tree, did some serious pruning on it every couple of years to shape it, and made sure it was free of disease. Its a beautiful plant with its shiny, deep green leaves and occasional berries. It grew, but I could only see it when I went outside and stood next to it. Sometime during 2013, I heard a mockingbird outside being particularly loud. On occasion a bird, usually a tiny wren or house finch, or even a rare goldfinch, will perch on my window sill seeking bugs. Since I write late into the night, my window holds the only light in the cove. Being in the country, we dont do streetlights, so dark is DARK out here. The bugs flock to my window, unfortunately for me, but fortunately for the birds that gobble them up the next day. Anyway, the mockingbird song puzzled me. Sliding to my window, I listened hard for the direction. Sure enough, he perched atop the holly tree. I could see him! I could hear him. It had been so long since I tried to see the tree from my window that Id forgotten it was even there . . . except when I went outside and watered it, and pruned it. I hope you can see that the point is obvious. We plant our butts in the chair and we plant words on a page. We keep at it, writing, creating, editing, even submitting. We do it, knowing it might be a long while before its matured. Then one day, and it might be several years from when you started, you look up and there it is. Your work has grown into mature, viable, and gorgeous stories. I hear so many writers talk about waiting for the right moments to write, or getting depressed about rejection, or reading so many ridiculous blog posts that tell them how long their odds are to get published. They write in spurts. They forget writing for the summer, or the winter, or the holidays. They are forgetting to water and prune their holly tree. Even if you cannot imagine success, you keep writing. Just as we love gardening, we love writing, and we tend them religiously, just the same. Because one day, well look up, and there it will be . . . that story we always imagined, sitting there, singing to the world.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

H.W Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

H.W - Essay Example The view incorporating God and man forms the basis of all Lockean theories. John Locke’s major justification of property rights emphasizes effort or labor. In the initial portion of his treatise on property he uses the concept labor to anchor his arguments. However, by the end it is obvious that Locke supports the unrestricted accretion of wealth. The major flaw in Locke’s approach to labor is that in the real world, some people may inherit property, thus being born to ownership and property – the concept of the ‘fruits of labor’ does not arise here. On the other hand, others, often the majority of the population in most societies, may be born into the working class. The inheritor of property often not only owns the property, but also the labor of the worker, as well as the product produced by the worker. Another valid criticism of Locke’s theory concerns his ‘sufficiency’ proviso, wherehe states that individuals can own property only if there is enough to go around. What happens when, as in the world today with its burgeoning population, there are not enough resources to meet even basic needs and there are huge disparities between the haves and have-nots? Next, Locke seems to imply that only those who work can own property – what of people who are physically or mentally handicapped? Finally. Locke also propagates the idea that those who arrive first to make use of unowned land have not just rights over the land, but also the right to bestow ownership of that land to their children. This concept only serves to perpetuate a class structure and emphasize distinctions between those classes. John Lockes theories, and in particular his theory of property rights, must be appreciated in the context of the thinker’s political affiliations. Part of his effort was to justify English colonialist policies as he was