The Fall Of Rome Free Essays

The Book is composed by Bryan Ward-Perkins, with the title The Fall Of Rome: And the End of Civilization and printed by Oxford University Pres in 2005. John Bryan Ward-Perkins was conceived in 1912 in UK. He was a British student of history and prehistorian and chief of British School at Rome. We will compose a custom exposition test on The Fall Of Rome or then again any comparable point just for you Request Now During WWII he served in military, during which he picked up the information on Tripolitania and Roman vestiges which drove him to check out history. In 1946 he acknowledged the situation of Director at British school at Rome and remained on this situation till 1974. â€Å"The Fall of Rome and the End of Civilization†, addresses the general impression of current students of history about the generous change from Roman Empire to Christianity. The creator adjusts this thoroughly considering archeological proof. He makes reference to that it was the happening to German clans and their drawn out impacts that prompted the disintegration of Roman Empire. The fundamental contention which I find unique in relation to the ordinary reading material is the recounting story of fall of domain from the opposite side. For instance, he specifies that the change of Roman Empire was neither nor serene; rather it was Germanic clans (Vandals, Visigoth) and so forth who crossed the waterway Rhine in fifth BC and took anything they desired forcibly as opposed to through arrangements or dealings. He contends that one of the principle explanations behind breakdown of Roman Empire was decrease of Roman economy through numerous hundreds of years. He gives a rude awakening to present day perusers stunning them with reality with regards to a Rome that was trapped in financial breakdown, uprisings from savages and ascent of new universality; all of which turned into the reasons Rome breakdown. The book gives intriguing understanding into the fall of Roman Empire from an alternate view contrasted with mainstream thinking in schools and reading material. I accept this book is basic for any history understudy to take a gander at an incredible occasion of history from an alternate point of view. Reference: Bryan Ward-Perkins,The Fall Of Rome: And the End of Civilization. Oxford University Pres,2005. The most effective method to refer to The Fall Of Rome, Papers

Communication Between Healthcare Professionals and Women

Question: Talk about the Communication Between Healthcare Professionals and Women. Answer: Presentation: Capacity to convey successfully is one of the instruments in correspondence learned in this theme. So as to pass on data, medical caretakers should have compelling relational abilities. Interchanges can be in various classifications, which incorporate composed, non-verbal correspondence, verbal correspondence, and the utilization of perceptions. Correspondence between two people or more ought to be seen as a procedure. Compelling relational abilities are significant in the social insurance division. Great relational abilities help to make a decent connection between the patient and wellbeing experts. The social insurance experts must have great relational abilities so as to have the option to clarify a condition and treatment with a patient, speaking with other medicinal services experts and imparting awful news. In numerous social insurance proficient projects, relational abilities and information are imperative. Great relational abilities by the wellbeing experts are significant in distinguishing patients issues in a progressively exact way (Stead, 2016). Powerful correspondence by social insurance experts is the center for offering quality medicinal services. The patients require and require backing and help from others. Contact between the wellbeing calling and a potential patient requires conscious, accommodating, supportive, and gracious correspondence. Patients as a rule feel great when they get the reactions they need from their wellbeing experts, this experience is significant as the patients become increasingly helpful and can stay in touch with the human services suppliers. On the off chance that the experience between the medicinal services experts and the patient drew out a negative encounter after correspondence, the patient can restrict further contact. Contingent upon the significance to finish their consideration, constrained contact can prompt genuine outcomes. They may wind up maintaining a strategic distance from directions given to them by their medicinal services callings. Reaction to Post As referenced in the post, basic reasoning is basic to a medicinal services understudy. For this situation, through basic reasoning, the understudy will have a superior comprehend of the data figured out how to enable them to disclose the equivalent to other people. What's more, I concur that basic reasoning can empower the understudy to build up a system, which they can use to rehearse sane measures. Its hugeness is in the clinical practice where nursing understudies can make evaluations and surveys to improve the result. Subsequently, basic deduction for nursing understudy is significant in the declaration of strong contentions when making clinical introductions Reference List Moore, P.M., Rivera Mercado, S., GrezArtigues, M. what's more, Lawrie, T.A., 2013. Relational abilities preparing for medicinal services experts working with individuals who have malignant growth. The Cochrane Library. Stead, M.L., Brown, J.M., Fallowfield, L., and Selby, P., 2016.Lack of correspondence between social insurance experts and ladies with ovarian malignant growth about sexual issues.British diary of disease, 88(5), pp.666-671.

20+ Simple Habits That Make You Look More Professional

20+ Simple Habits That Make You Look More Professional Professionalism is of utmost importance at the workplace. It is the key to being entrusted with more and more responsibilities and moving up the corporate ladder. Unfortunately, many people confuse being a professional with having a college degree and dressing in a suit and tie. Being professional is more than that. It entails a set of traits that make you come across as competent, respectful and reliable. It is about how you conduct yourself when interacting with clients and colleagues. It is about being at home in your chosen profession. Most of all, being a professional is about giving others the confidence that they can actually trust you to do what you are supposed to do.  The good thing is that anyone can learn how to look more professional and thus increase their chances of success in the corporate world. In this article, we look at 20+ simple habits that will make you look more professional. Let’s dive in.1. BE ORGANIZEDIt is impossible to look professional without being or ganized. Imagine your boss asking you for an important document, but you can’t seem to remember where you placed it. As you rummage through your drawers searching for the document, your boss will probably be wondering what kind of incompetent idiot he hired. Being organized means you know what you are supposed to be doing at any particular moment. It means you know the tasks that need to be prioritized or delegated. It means you know the emails that need to be acted on and which ones you are yet to read. It means that you can quickly locate any documents you need to do your work. Being organized improves your productivity and makes you more efficient, which in turn makes you look more professional. Employees who are well organized are also more likely to receive promotions.To become more organized, start by decluterring your desk and arranging your files so that you can easily find what you need. Ensure that the documents on your files are well organized and can be easily accessed . Ensure your email is organized. Use a planner or a to-do list to keep track of everything that needs to be done to ensure you don’t miss deadlines. Take notes of important things that are brought to your attention. These little things will make you better at your work, which will in turn make you come across as more professional.2. PUNCTUALITYNothing screams unprofessionalism like someone who does not know how to manage their time. If you want to be look professional, you will need to become better at managing time. This means arriving to work on time, being in time for any meetings you need to attend and notifying the manager in case you think you will be late because of one reason or the other. Being a good time manager means being aware of your deadlines and managing your work to ensure you meet the deadlines. It also means respecting other people’s time and being punctual for your appointments. 3. DRESS THE PARTDressing appropriately is an important part of looking profess ional, and is among one of the major things most people think of when they think about looking professional. The truth is that most people will judge you based on your appearance, which means how you dress is an extension of the company’s brand. Therefore, you need to ensure that you dress professionally. Picture this; if you went to hire a financial manager and found someone dressed in a t-shirt, sweatpants and slippers, would you entrust him with your money? Not likely. However, if the person was well dressed in a suit and tie, you would have no problem giving him the power to make financial decisions for you. Dressing professionally also increases your confidence and makes more comfortable even in new or tough situations. Luckily, many offices have a dress code, so it is unlikely that you will come to the office in your pajamas. Even if your office does not have a dress code, it is best to stick to official clothing. Showing up in a t-shirt and jeans will likely earn you a trip to the boss’s office. 4. BE RELIABLEProfessional people are dependable. Being reliable means clients and colleagues know that they can trust you to do what you said you will do, when you said you will do it. It means being consistent with your work. Being reliable also means that you can step in and save the day when things are not going as they should. Most of all, being reliable means not giving people any unwanted surprises, such as going missing on the day you were supposed to make an important presentation. Showing that you are reliable will help you have better relationships with your colleagues. You are also less likely to be laid off when your boss knows you are dependable. Finally, if you show you can be relied on, you are more likely to get great recommendations once you decide to move. 5. BE A GOOD COMMUNICATORTo be seen as someone who is professional, you need to be a good communicator. The workplace requires you to constantly interact with clients, colleagues and you r superiors. The better you are at communicating with these people, the more professional you will appear. To be a good communicator, you need to be a good listener. You need to learn how to communicate clearly and concisely. Communicating professionally does not mean using complicated words and jargon that will leave everyone confused. Instead, you should use simply language to ensure everyone understands what you are trying to say. Communication at work is not restricted to verbal communication. Being a good communicator also means communicating effectively through written communication/emails and responding promptly to such communication from others. Good communication is so important that a number of studies â€" including this LinkedIn analysis, this university research, this business survey and this employability study â€" have found it to be one of the most importance traits for employability. 6. CONFIDENCEIt is impossible to look professional when you don’t have self-confid ence. Actually, according to this survey, there is a strong link between confidence and occupational success. Confidence is a state of mind where you know what you are doing, what you are good at and what you stand for. Confidence also involves acting in a manner that shows others you know what you are doing. Confidence makes you look professional for a number of reasons. If you are confident, you won’t be afraid to share your ideas and opinions. You won’t be afraid to take up challenges and responsibilities. You won’t be afraid to make decisions or take risks at the workplace. In addition, others are more likely to believe in you when they can see that you believe in yourself.  7. BE ACCOUNTABLEIf you want to look professional, you should be accountable for your actions at all times. This means that you should place responsibility to get things done on yourself. If you are unable to get things done on time or if you make mistakes, own your mistake and find ways to fix it. If you notice things going wrong, don’t be afraid to bring it to your boss’s attention and propose ways to fix it. People who are not accountable will often look for people or things to blame whenever they make mistakes. Looking for scapegoats every time you screw things up will make you look unprofessional and will affect your workplace relationships with your colleagues and superiors. 8. MAINTAIN A POSITIVE ATTITUDEProfessional people are always positive and motivated in whatever they do. Having a positive attitude means that you are willing to keep pushing even when things are not going as they should. It means that you are always upbeat about the work you need to do. Positive people are willing to look for solutions and will motivate others to give their all at work. Positive people are also more receptive to feedback and criticism. Instead of getting angry when they are given negative feedback, positive people use it as an opportunity to learn and improve themselves. Positive people are easier to work with, which in turn makes your colleagues and bosses view you as someone who is professional.9. BE RESPECTFULBeing a professional requires you to treat everyone equally and with respect. Regardless of your position within the company, you should be respectful to everyone, whether they are senior or junior to you. You should remain respectful even in situations where you do not agree with your colleagues. For instance, even if you feel that your boss is an airhead who does not know what she is doing, you should keep your opinion to yourself. Talking bad about your superiors behind their backs will only make you seem jealous, immature and unprofessional â€" the complete opposite of what you are trying to achieve. Similarly, you should avoid being rude to others, belittling their intelligence or giving them sarcastic remarks, even if you think what they are saying makes no sense. Being respectful also means that you should respect company policies, even if you feel they don’t make sense. 10. WILLINGNESS TO TAKE CHARGEIf you want to look like a real professional, you should be willing to step up and take charge, even when the situations is outside your comfort zone. Is there a presentation that needs to be made yet no one is willing to volunteer? Step up and volunteer to make the presentation. Has a mistake been made? Take charge and rectify it, even if you did not make the mistake. Does your team need to do something yet the team leader is not around? Step up and get the team started instead of waiting till the team leader arrives. The willingness to take charge, especially in times of crisis will go a great way in establishing you as a professional. 11. STOP WHININGHave you ever worked next to someone who is always complaining? One minute he is complaining about how he is being overworked, the next minute he is complaining about how useless a certain colleague is, and right after he gets into another monologue about he is being underp aid. How does it feel working with such a colleague? Such a person drains your energy, and if you could, you would have them transferred to another floor or department. Well, if you want to look professional, avoid such behaviors. Stop whining or complaining incessantly. This only makes you look immature. Sure, you might feel that you are being underpaid, but how will complaining to your colleague improve your pay? If you honestly feel that you are being underpaid, go talk to your boss and ask him for a raise. In addition, there is a saying that walls have ears. Your whining about how useless the boss is might reach him, landing you in a lot of trouble.12. BE HONEST AND TRUSTWORTHYBeing honest and trustworthy is another set of traits that will make you look more professional, especially in today’s world where people are so used to lying. According to a study at the University of Massachusetts, more than 60% of people will tell a lie in a ten minute conversation. With so many peopl e being to lying, being honest can really make you stand out. Being honest also makes it easier for people to trust you and to forgive you whenever you make a mistake. For instance, if you make a mistake and own up to it, your supervisor will accept your honesty and will be more likely to let it slide. They are also more likely to trust you with something else in future compared to someone who tried to lie about their mistake. Honesty also means being truthful with what you can do. Don’t promise to do something when you know you won’t do it, thereby inconveniencing other people. 13. AVOID OFFICE GOSSIPEvery office has a gossip mill, and it can be very easy to get sucked into it. However, if you want to remain professional, you should avoid it at all costs. Avoid talking about others behind their backs or spreading rumors around the office. The thing with gossip is that it eventually gets to the person being discussed, thereby ruining workplace relationships. This is not somethin g you want if your aim is to remain professional. Concentrating on your work and performance while ignoring any gossip that might be doing rounds in the office shows you are a mature and focused person. Not engaging in gossip also shows that you are someone who respects his colleagues14. BE ETHICAL IN YOUR WORKProfessionalism goes together with ethics. Being ethical is about how you conduct yourself at work. It is about doing the right thing at all times and being a person of integrity. It is about striving to achieve excellence in whatever you do while holding the interests of your clients at heart. For instance, let’s assume that you are an automotive parts salesman. Your manager pays you a bonus every time you sell parts from a certain brand, but you know that they are inferior compared to another brand. Which brand would you sell to a customer who asks you to recommend to a good brand? As a professional, you should recommend the superior brand, even if it does not come with a fat bonus, instead of getting the bonus and having the customer come for a replacement because you sold them an inferior part.15. KEEP YOURSELF KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT YOUR INDUSTRYAs a professional, you should be aware of the latest trends and practices within your field of work. Knowing the latest news about your industry not only positions you as a professional, but also makes it easier for you to do your work and allows you to stand out to your management by proposing solutions and new methods of doing business during company meetings. To keep abreast of the latest news in your industry, you should make a habit of reading widely about your field. Follow major blogs related to your field, read industry magazines and attend industry events.16. LEARN TO TAKE FEEDBACK AND ACT ON ITIt is normal for your supervisor or boss to give you feedback on your performance at work. How you receive this feedback and what you do with it will determine whether you are seen as a professional or not. If you want to be seen as a professional, you should treat feedback as an opportunity for you to learn and improve. Sure, getting negative feedback is not easy. However, you should resist the temptation to get angry or defensive. Keep in mind that the feedback is not about your personality, but rather about your work and performance. By giving you negative feedback, your superior is actually giving you pointers on how to perform better at work. Remaining objective when you receive negative feedback and working on the areas that need improvement not only makes you appear more professional, it also makes you a better performer, boosting your professionalism even further.  17. ADOPT A PROFESSIONAL BODY LANGUAGEProfessionalism is also conveyed by the kind of body language you portray when interacting with others. With studies showing that more 60% of communication takes place non-verbally, you should adopt body language that shows you are a professional who believes in himself and knows w hat he is doing. Look at some of the people who are considered most successful in their fields and watch their body language. Do you notice anything? Professionals display confident body language. You can also look more professional by adopting confident body language. Below are some tips on how to display professional body language.Sit or stand upright. Avoid slouchingAlways hold your head high.Maintain eye contact when talking to someone.Greet people with a firm handshake.Use hand gestures when talking.18. KEEP YOUR WORK AND PERSONAL LIFE SEPARATEJust because you work at the same place does not mean that your colleagues are your personal friends. Therefore, you should not share too much information about your personal life with your coworkers or bosses. Don’t discuss issues to do with your family or medical issues with colleagues. Keep the party you attended over the weekend to yourself, unless the colleague you are talking to is a personal friend you hang out with even when not at work. You should also watch out what you share on your social media profiles if you have friends from work. For instance, you don’t want to share photos of an inebriated you if your boss is going to see them. Either watch what you post or avoid adding workmates to your social media circles. A good idea is to stick to LinkedIn for professional connections and Facebook or Instagram for personal connections.19. SET UP A PROFESSIONAL EMAIL SIGNATUREEmail is one of the major communication channels at work that everyone uses. However, what some might know is that your email is a reflection of you. If you want to appear more professional in your business communication, you should set up a professional signature for your email. This shows that you take your job seriously and that this email is not one you use casually for everything, from sending memes to business communication. In addition, an email signature acts as a digital business card, providing the other person with the inform ation they need in case they have to contact you in future. A professional email signature should be short and concise. The information you need to include in your email signature include your name, job title, company, and your contact information such as email address and your phone number. 20. HAVE A PROFESSIONAL PHONE GREETINGThe first thing you say when you answer your phone also influences whether you will be seen as a professional or not. You don’t want to answer your phone with a casual greeting like “hello?” or “Yes?” Instead, try following up the greeting with your name. For instance, you could say, “Good morning, Greg speaking” or “Hello, this is Annette.” This will sound more professional and mature and will create a good impression to the person on the other end. 21. GO ABOVE AND BEYONDFinally, if you want to be look like a professional who is capable and can be entrusted with even more responsibilities, you should be willing to go above and beyond in w hatever you do. Don’t just do what is required of you and sit back. Instead, once you have performed your required set of duties, anticipate things that need to be done and do them.   If you have ideas that can improve efficiency or productivity, share them with your boss. If a colleague is overloaded with work, offer to help. Doing more than is expected of you will not only make you look more professional, it will also get you noticed, meaning the boss will have you in mind when it’s time for someone to get promoted. WRAPPING UPLooking professional is good for your career. It helps you to stand out from your colleagues and makes it easier for you to go up the corporate ladder faster. While nobody is born a professional, the good thing is that it is something you can learn. By following and implementing the tips shared in this article, you will be well on your way to looking more professional and impressing your boss, which will bring you closer to the success you want.

Pompeii, By Janet Scott Batchler And Lee Batchler - 929 Words

The film that I selected for this film review is Pompeii, a 2014 historical disaster movie that was directed by Paul W.S. Anderson and written by Janet Scott Batchler and Lee Batchler. The movie was adapted from a 2003 book with the same title that was written by Robert Harris. I chose Pompeii because I heard about the devastating event that took place in the ancient Roman city in various television programs and books. As a result, I wanted to learn more about the event and the daily life of Pompeii before the volcanic eruption occurred. I thought that watching the movie would give me insight about Pompeii and the ancient Roman civilization. In addition, I also chose this film because it features talented actors such as Kit Harington, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Emily Browning. The historical context of Pompeii is the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE that did significant damage to the city of Pompeii and Herculaneum, a town northwest of Pompeii. Before the eruption, Pompeii was an important and lively city filled with thousands of inhabitants. According to Dorothy Hinshaw Patent, the author of Lost City of Pompeii, a book that has detailed information on the city, states, â€Å"Estimates of its population run from 6,400 to 30,000 , but most experts think that between 8,000 and 12,000 people lived there year-round† (Patent 14). The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, an active volcano situated near the Bay of Naples, occurred on August 24, 79 CE. The volcanic eruption

Top Online Research Paper Writer Choices

Top Online Research Paper Writer Choices Keep in mind, if you cannot finish the essay, be sure to contact Paper per Hour for aid. Ahead of submitting your paper you should proofread the exact same. Features of a Superior Term Paper A very good term paper may be the difference between poor and superior grades. Writing term papers isn't always as simple as it sounds. On-line journals and eBooks ought to be combined with library visits. Think about different formats or varieties of papers there are, and the various types you have written. Research papers play a critical function in the academic career. Get the Scoop on Online Research Paper Writer Before You're Too Late You can get in touch with your writer through our support department should you need to specify some essential points to earn your work more customized. You are certain to find immediate assistance from our on-line support. To make your work easier, we've got a few topics and points you will come across helpful. The cause might be anything between being buried in an excessive amount of work to being too lazy, either way, the outcome is the exact same, the work is incomplete, and you wind up getting a poor grade. All you need to do is place an order on our site, and the writers will finish up. Newspapers which are writing can have a fantastic deal of work from a student that's normal. Since our writers are dedicated to working under a minimum wage, we've placed our rates at a fixed price to ensure every student seeking paper help is able to obtain our items. It is possible to hire not simply freelance writers on the net. What kinds of health services are readily available. There are lots of times once the students should compose a top quality academic content for which they will need to perform lots of research activities. As a practicing nurse, you might believe you practice your philosophy daily on the job. Writing a nursing philosophy might seem pointless, but nevertheless, it can help you overcome burnout and also motivate you. Top Online Research Paper Writer Choices Before beginning writing the paper, you should know there are 3 important facets of paper writing. List the information your whole paper should have. It's sometimes a good idea to not write your introduction until you've finished the remainder of your paper because, at that stage, it's possible to truly introduce what the remainder of your paper sets out to do. In the previous paragraph of your academic paper, you should highlight the key points of the copy. After you have gathered enough info, you can proceed to compose the essay. With our custom made essay offer, you can be guaranteed to find any essay help you are searching for. When you purchase essays online at. The way to the perfect essay is by way of WritePaperFor.Me. There are 3 easy steps which you may want to check out to buy a research paper out of us. There are a great number of companies which are out there with the sole objective of creating quick money from students who are eager to buy online research paper. An expert from PaperLeaf corresponding to your field of study will assist with writing a narrative essay whatever the timeframe. Getting Started The very first step towards writing an excellent research paper is to organize what's to be written. When you take a look at the goal of the paper and the audience degree, you can determine the supporting documents you must collect and provide in your writing. Be certain to ask your instructor if you're unclear concerning the sort of term paper you are supposed to write. Every writer we employ has written a good deal of special papers linked to your subject. Therefore, the absence of technical and analytical skills in writing in addition to research skills affects the standard of an assignment negatively.

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Free Essays

Prufrock Paralysis The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, written by T. S. We will write a custom essay sample on The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock or any similar topic only for you Order Now Eliot, is a truly depressing poem. The poem concerns with a character (Prufrock) that can see and understand the values in life – love, joy, companionship, and courageousness – but is unable to act on his longings. The poem shows constant struggles of Prufrock’s uselessness. The worst part about his uselessness is that he is conscious of it. T. S. Eliot uses the theme of Paralysis, the incapacity to act, throughout the whole poem. Eliot uses the theme of paralysis to demonstrate Prufrock’s struggle his social, maybe even sexual, struggles. Prufrock is a middle-aged man, who seems to be going through a mid life crisis, and is afraid to commit to anything. He lives such a depressing life. From the start of the poem, the readers can see a sense of paralysis in Prufrock. â€Å"Like a patient etherized upon a table,†(603). Ether was once used as an anesthetic, which is a drug that puts patients to sleep for surgeries. The use of ether in line three has two different meanings to it. The first being how Prufrock views himself; he feels as if he cannot achieve anything, as if he is in a constant state of being etherized. The second use of â€Å"being etherized,† is that he incapable of relating to the beauty of the world, which is an immensely depressing thought to have. This is a constant struggle with Prufrock because he always feels as if he is not good enough. Beauty plays a crucial role in Prufrock’s paralysis. His constant thoughts of not being beautiful enough, and always feeling as people are judging him, make him feel not strong enough; thus leading to not being able to pursue anything. â€Å"With a bald spot in the middle of my hair – (They will say: ‘how is hair is growing thin! ’),†(604). The readers get a clear image of what Prufrock looks like. He is a somewhat of an old man. The readers can see from this quote how Prufrock has little to no confidence in himself at all. Look at the line â€Å"they will say,† this is a clear image of Prufrock’s fear of being judged. He does not feel good enough, which explains his reason for him to â€Å"Descend the stair,† (604). He descends the stair, because Prufrock is too nervous and does not feel youthful enough or beautiful enough to pursue any social activity. The use of questions throughout the poem shows Prufrock’s indecision. Eliot uses questions as a way to show how Prufrock escapes having to act with courage and decisiveness. â€Å"I grow old†¦I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled. Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach? † (606). Here, the reader see’s that Prufrock knows he is getting old, and by saying he will wear his trousers rolled and part his hair, he wants to appear young. Appearing young to him, means being beautiful, thus being noticed by others. Prufrock has not motivation at all, and no confidence in himself. All of this contributes to his paralysis. Posing questions like â€Å"do I dare eat a peach† and â€Å"shall I part my hair to the side,† shows Prufrock accepting his flaws and in the end, making himself less motivated and somewhat depressed. A perfect example of Prufrock’s depression, lack of confidence, and absolutely no motivation at all, is when Eliot writes about mermaids. â€Å"I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each. I do not think that they will sing to me,† (607). Eliot presents a clear image of Prufrock recalling a time of listening to mermaids sing to each other, but not singing to him. Interesting how he believes that a fictional and mythological creature will not even notice him. Prufrock has zero self-confidence thinking that a mermaid will not bother to sing to him. This leads to his paralysis; If a fictional being will not even take the time to notice him, why waste time with humans? Aside from beauty, the feeling of always being watched, judged, and analyzed plays a monumental role in Prufrock’s paralysis. Eliot uses an insect metaphor to illustrate how Prufrock feels judged by everyone all the time. And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin, when I am pinned and wriggling on the wall,†(605). The quote here shows an image of an insect being pinned up on a wall, ready to be inspected and analyzed. The insect metaphor used here reveals Prufrock’s state of misery. He sees himself as being painfully trapped by the thoughts of others, as if his actions are constantly being watched. Prufrock feels pressured to be accepted, and most of that pre ssure comes from him. Constantly thinking that he is not welcomed and not good enough for anybody. Do I dare disturb the universe,† (605). Eliot uses this question to depict a clear example of how Prufrock feels about himself, by stating that his presence disturbs the universe. This blends two fundamental ideas in the poem where Prufrock is, as usual, constantly being self-conscious of his own actions and what he thinks he is supposed to act in social gatherings. â€Å"Prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet,†(604). Prufrock believes that he must ‘prepare a face’ so that he can be accepted by the people is about to be around. Prufrock thinks being himself when meeting people is unacceptable, and in order to be socially accepted he must prepare himself to become someone he is not. All these factors restrict him, causing him to be in a greater state of paralysis. When one is drowning, they are downright hopeless. The same thing goes with paralysis; when one is in the state of paralysis, they are hopeless and cannot do anything. Eliot does a fantastic job creating an image of Prufrock drowning in a pool of criticism and judgment. â€Å"Till human voices wake us, and we drown,† (607). Here, the use of drowning is not literal, he is not drowning it water, but drowning from stress. The human voices wake up Prufrock to reality, and he cant handle it. One can only handle so much, and by the end of the poem Prufrock hits his limits, and drowns in his pool of uselessness. He convinces himself that he is not good enough, feeling people are judging his every move, and feeling criticized. As a result to all of this, the anxiety hits him hard. This finalizes his state of paralysis, and finally drowns from being overwhelmed. Eliot plays with minor themes like beauty, age, and women, to show Prufrock’s state of paralysis. Although Eliot’s poem about a depressed fictional character, it teaches the audience a lesson. By using themes and metaphors in his poem, Eliot makes a point of telling the audience that there is a Prufrock in everyone. It is not an easy task to live up to everyone’s expectations, let alone your own expectations. This is exactly the struggle we see Eliot’s character go through throughout the poem. He struggles to impress himself, and impress others. Prufrock has the incapacity to act on very simple things. He is too scared to confront women in social gatherings, he is too self-conscious, and he lacks motivation. Similar Prufrock no one is perfect. There will always be a point in time where one feels that they cannot do anything, whether its talking to women or convincing yourself that you are good enough. Everyone suffers a state of paralysis at some point in their lives, the hard part is how they over come it, but with Prufrock we see him â€Å"drown† in his paralysis. Works Cited Eliot, T. S. â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. † Backpack Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. By X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2006. 603-07. Print. How to cite The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, Essay examples

Mc Donald`s Corporation Essays - Fast Food, Types Of Restaurants

Mc Donald`s Corporation McDonald's Corporation is the world's leading food service organization. The corporation started out as a small drive-through in 1948 by two brothers, Dick and Mac McDonald. Raymond Albert Kroc, a salesman, saw a great opportunity in this market and advised Dick and Mac to expand their operation and open new restaurants. In 1961 Kroc bought out the McDonald brothers. By 1967 McDonalds expanded its operations to countries outside the U.S.A. This unyielding expansion led the Corporation to open 23,000 McDonald's restaurants in 110 countries in 1994, producing $3.4 bn in annual revenues. In addition, McDonald's opens a new restaurant every three hours. Also, McDonald's has twice the market share of its closest U.S. competitor, Burger King, representing 7% of total U.S. eating-out sales. Similarly, McDonald's serves about 1% of the world's population on any given day through its 23,000 restaurants internationally. "Big Mac", the world's most sold hamburger was developed by Jim Delligutti in 1967 to feed construction workers. 'Big Mac' is the biggest attraction and backbone of the corporation. Moreover, McDonald's maintains its competitive advantage by constantly creating new items to add onto its menu. This shows us that McDonald's practices an analyzer type of strategy, introducing new items and defending its existing ones. McDONALD'S MISSION AND VISION: "We serve people with good quality food, fast and at low cost." McDonald's vision is to dominate the global food-service industry. Global dominance means setting the performance standard for customer satisfaction and increases market share and profitability through successfully implementing our convenience, value and execution strategies. THESIS STATEMENT: To have a clear picture of McDonald's corporation we need to look at its Task Environment, which includes its: .Customers .Competitors .Strategic Allies .Suppliers .Regulators We shall also explore McDonald's Workforce Diversity and its Total Quality Management. CUSTOMERS: Customers are those who pay money to acquire an organization's goods or services. For many years McDonald's mostly targeted the young people, however this has changed in this decade; McDonald's has turned towards a more general market. By doing this McDonald's concentrates on the family, targeting a diverse market which includes consumers ranging from children to elderly people, using products such as the "happy Meal" for children and "Egg McMuffin" for the elderly. McDonald's also realized the changing world we live in and the need for healthier food, since there is an ever changing demographic group, who demand fast, top quality food that is low in calories. McDonald's responded to this opportunity and introduced a new and innovative product. This new product was a regular hamburger that tasted like the real thing but was made of plant material like Soya beans. This same product also targets another demographic group, vegetarians. McDonald's mostly uses psychographic segmentation targeting the working and middle classes. These are the people that are more susceptible to enter a fast food restaurant, since these are the people that lead a fast moving life and thus require a fast meal. In brief McDonald's customers are of all classes, but largely working and middle classes, and people of all ages. COMPETITORS: A competitor is an organization that competes with other organizations for resources. In our findings, McDonald's has two types of competitors in the Lebanese market: ..Indirect ..Direct Indirect Competitors: Indirect refers to firms producing one or two products that compete with McDonald's products and therefore be a threat to the company. We have identified four indirect competitors: Henry J. Beans, T.G.I. Friday, K. F. C. and Popeye's. Henry J. Beans offers hamburgers and fries on its menu, therefore competing with McDonalds for customers of these products. However, Henry J. Beans also known as Hank's is a more of a bar restaurant and therefore a hang out place, as a result charging more money for its products. Hank's targets middle to upper class customers, so where most of these customers overlap are in the middle class. T.G.I Friday is another indirect competitor reflecting the same characteristics as Henry J. Beans. Other indirect competitors are K. F. C. and Popeye's, both competing for the chicken nuggets and fries customers. In brief, Hank's and T.G.I. Friday's competes with McDonald's by offering hamburgers and fries, whereas K. F. C. and Popeye's compete with McDonald's by offering chicken nuggets and fries. Direct Competitors: Direct competitors refers to firms producing the same products or services as McDonald's does. Here we found that McDonald's has three direct competitors: Burger King, Wendy's and Hardee's. McDonald's closest rival is Burger King, which operates a total of 9644 restaurants in 110 countries. Wendy's is McDonald's second largest rival, which is also in the fast food business, where

Eating Disorder Essays

Eating Disorder Essays Eating Disorder Essay Eating Disorder Essay The Consequences of Eating Disorder among Teenagers Thesis Statement The effects of eating disorder are bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and anorexia nervosa. Content * First effect Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder in which a person binges and purges. The person may eat a lot of food at once and then try to get rid of the food by vomiting, using laxatives, or sometimes over-exercising. Second effect Binge eating disorder is characterized by compulsive overeating in which people consume huge amounts of food while feeling out of control and powerless to stop. The symptoms of binge eating disorder usually begin in late adolescence or early adulthood, often after a major diet. * Third effect Anorexia nervosa, also known as simply Anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by refusal to maintain a healthy body weight and an obsessive fear of gaining weight. It is often coupled with a distorted self image which may be maintained by various cognitive biases that alter how the affected individual evaluates and thinks about her or his body, food and eating. Persons with anorexia nervosa continue to feel hunger, but deny themselves all but very small quantities of food. In Malaysia, anorexia nervosa rarely occurs to those who are diagnosed with eating disorder symptoms. Conclusion In conclusion, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and anorexia nervosa are the three consequences of eating disorder among teenagers. Survey Questionnaire * Some example of questions to be asked to the teenagers and students in UiTM Shah Alam. 1. How many times do you take meals in a day? 2. How many times do you take soft drinks in a week? 3. Do you prefer cooked meals or instant food? 4. Do you consume a large amount of food at one time? 5. Do you eat when depressed or bored? 6. Do you feel fear of gaining weight or becoming overweight? 7. Do you ever vomit deliberately after taking a meal?

Parent-Teacher Communication Strategies for Success

Parent-Teacher Communication Strategies for Success Maintaining parent-teacher communication throughout the school year is the key to student success. Research has shown that students do better in school when their parent or guardian is involved. Here is a list of ways to keep parents informed with their childs education and encourage them to get involved. Keeping Parents Informed To help open the lines of communication, keep parents involved in everything their child is doing in school. Keep them informed about school events, classroom procedures, educational strategies, assignment dates, behavior, academic progress, or anything school related. Utilize Technology - Technology is a great way to keep parents informed because it allows you to get information out quickly. With a class website you can post assignments, project due dates, events, extended learning opportunities, and explain what educational strategies you are using in the classroom. Providing your email is another quick way to communicate any information about your students progress or behavior issues. Parent Conferences - Face-to-face contact is the best way to communicate with parents and a lot of teachers choose this option as their main way to communicate. Its important to be flexible when scheduling conferences because some parents can only attend before or after school. During the conference its important to discuss academic progress and goals, what the student needs work on, and any concerns the parent has with their child or the education that they are being provided with. Open House - Open house or Back to School Night is another way to keep parents informed and make them feel welcome. Provide each parent with a packet of essential information they will need throughout the school year. Within the packet you can include: contact information, school or class website information, educational objectives for the year, classroom rules, etc. This is also a great time to encourage parents to become classroom volunteers, and share information about parent-teacher organizations that they can participate in. Progress Reports - Progress reports can be sent home weekly, monthly or a few times a year. This way of connecting gives parents tangible evidence of their childs academic progress. Its best to include your contact information in the progress report, just in case parents have any questions or comments about their childs progress. Monthly Newsletter - A newsletter is a simple way to keep parents informed with important information. Within in the newsletter you can include: monthly goals, school events, assignment due dates, extension activities, volunteer opportunities, etc. Getting Parents Involved A great way for parents to get involved in their childs education is to give them the opportunity to volunteer and become involved in school organizations. Some parents may say they are too busy, so make it easy and provide them with a variety of ways to get involved. When you give parents a list of choices, they can decide what works for them and their schedules. Create an Open-Door Policy - For working parents it can be hard to find the time to get involved in their childs education. By creating an open-door policy in your classroom it will give parents the opportunity to help out, or observe their child whenever it is convenient for them. Classroom Volunteers - In the beginning of the school year when you send home your welcome letter to students and parents, add a volunteer sign-up sheet to the packet. Also add it to the weekly or monthly newsletter to give parents the option to volunteer anytime throughout the school year. School Volunteers - There can never be enough eyes and ears to watch over the students. Schools would gladly accept any parent or guardian that would like to volunteer. Give parents the option to choose from any of the following: lunchroom monitor, crossing guard, tutor, library aid, concession stand worker for school events. The opportunities are endless. Parent-Teacher Organizations - A great way for parents to interact with the teacher and school outside of the classroom is to become involved in parent-teacher organizations. This is for the more dedicated parent who has the some extra time to spare. The PTA (Parent Teacher Association) is a national organization that is composed of parents and teachers who are dedicated to help maintain and improve student success.

Develop finance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Develop finance - Assignment Example b) On what basis do McKinnon and Shaw argue for financial liberalisation? Answer: McKinnon and Shaw were of the opinion that ceilings in interest rates, requirements of high reserve and restriction on allocation of credit can be accounted for the poor performance of investment mechanism. The work of the researchers is based on the role of the liberalized rates of interest on mobilization of savings as well as distribution of funds to investments that are high in earning. They indicated the role of the financial sector in order to increase the volume of savings. c) What imperfections in financial markets were disregarded by the McKinnon-Shaw style models and with what result? Answer: The hypothesis of Shaw and McKinnon is of the opinion that savings can be chocked by financial repression. They opined that only financial liberalization can lead to higher savings as well as investment which are the step to achieve accelerated growth. The hypothesis has failed to settle the debates on fi nancial liberalization. The process of financial liberalization is not at all smooth and continuous. Exogenous shocks can be held responsible for liberalization reversals in the developing countries. It is difficult to take the costs and benefits of financial liberalization into account. ... The net earnings of a country are recorded in the current account while the net change in the ownership is recorded in the capital account. The former is the sum total of balance of trade, cash transfers as well as factor incomes. The later consists of reserve account as well as the loans and investments between the country and the globe. There are mainly three types of financial capital namely equity capital, debt capital and specialty capital. The debt form of capital is injected into a business knowing that the capital must be returned back at a future date that is predetermined. The equity form of capital is the cash written by the holders of shares as well as the owners of the business into the organization that has no offsetting liabilities. The last from of capital is gold standard. It is among the few sources of capital that have almost zero economic cost. b) What are the dangers associated with international debt flows? Answer: The dangers of international debt flows are dan gers in credit rating, bankruptcy danger, judgments, loans and late payments. The credit rating is negatively affected by debts. Bankruptcy can also be thought of as one of the dangers of debt. When the debt level reaches at such a height that is infeasible to pay, bankruptcy acts as the option. But it will be unfair to think bankruptcy as debt free card. A situation of bankruptcy can also negative effects on the credit report and can also affect the availability of credit in future. A high level of debt can result in multiple late payments if the available resources are not able to cover up the payments. c) Have developing countries benefited from FDI? Answer: FDI plays a more significant role in the developing countries than in the developed countries.

Can Culture Have Rights, and if so, Can They Conflict with Human Research Paper

Can Culture Have Rights, and if so, Can They Conflict with Human Rights - Research Paper Example The supposed 'maltreatment' of women in some Islamic cultures, for instance, especially those that practice 'fundamentalism' and view women as 'unequal' with men, become a predicament for the proponents of liberalism and its underlying dogma as this violates its egalitarian principles with regards gender. Other liberalists contend that human rights are universal and its ideals are evident in the cultures of the minority. Still, cultural relativists have criticized the UN Declaration as too ethnocentric - one which only strives to perpetuate Western democratic ideas of human rights and equality, focusing mainly on individuality. In addition, various cultural norms and practices violate the principles of international human rights while the UN Declaration equally conflicts with some religious and cultural practices of several cultural groups. Hence, a reassertion of these liberal principles is significant in order to clarify if indeed, under the liberalists thought, cultures are afford ed and can be endowed rights and if these rights conflict with the universal ideals of human rights.The most notable assertion with regards this issue was introduced by Will Kymlicka who contends that the fundamental principles of liberalism oblige for the recognition of the rights of a group to protect cultural minorities.1 Kymlicka asserts that these principles do not violate the doctrines of liberalism; rather, he believes that liberals have to come to the defense of the minority cultures within the multicultural state. This does not project a nationalist belief but rather a reassertion of the minority rights within the larger context of the society; yet, Kymlicka also shares the view that cultures must be afforded rights to public expression.  This view partly constitutes a liberal view as he argues that that cultural minority groups require protection from decisions of the prevailing majority culture and adds that the minority has to make decisions on certain issues that affe ct or threaten some aspect of their culture.

The Audit Expectation Gap

The Audit Expectation Gap Introduction The audit expectation gap is critical to the auditing profession because the greater the unfulfilled expectations from the public, the lower is the credibility, earning potential and prestige associated with the work of auditors. The aim of this paper is to uncover the causes of an audit expectation gap. It is revealed that the existence of an audit expectation gap is due to complicated nature of an audit function; conflicting role of auditors; retrospective evaluation of auditors performance; time lag in responding to changing expectation; and self-regulation process of the auditing profession. For decades the auditing profession has been troubled with high levels of litigations and accusations. Such a problem has reached an unprecedented level as a result of the spectacular fall of well-publicized corporations like Enron and WorldCom (Porter Gowthorpe, 2004). Porter (1993) argues that the recent increase in criticism of and litigations against auditors is due to the failure of aud itors to meet societys expectations. The failure of living up to societal expectations have implicated the notion of â€Å"audit expectation gap†. The â€Å"expectations gap† is the difference between what users of financial statements, the general public perceives an audit to be and what the audit profession claim is expected of them in conducting an audit. In this respect, it is important to distinguish between the audit professions expectations of an audit on one hand, and the auditors perception of the audit on the other hand. Apart from users of financial statements and the general public, an auditor may also perceive a somewhat different interpretation or worse still, fail to comply with the standards set by the audit profession. If users of financial statements and the general public were educated to think that the auditors role embraces the detection and prevention of fraud, especially in relation to material items, the fraud and error detection role of an audit could be relatively objective. However, the Auditing Practices Board cannot guarantee absolute objectivity since materiality â€Å"and† material significance are subjective concepts, which require further clarification. A return to the primary role of detection and prevention would also be welcomed since there are at present, not sufficient measures to hold the auditor liable for negative consequences of his actions. Some sources of academic literature assume that the meaning of an audit is not objective/fixed whilst other sources such as contents of audit reports assume that the meaning of an audit is fixed. In relation to the latter assumption, there is the belief that the expectations gap could be significantly reduced if not possible to eliminate. Auditing is increasingly difficult and challenging, with new rules and regulations encouraging, if not requiring, auditors to enhance their efforts to detect fraud during an audit. Unfortunately, these rules and regulations contain terms like â€Å"reasonable,† â€Å"material,† â€Å"professional scepticism,† and â€Å"brainstorming,† whose meanings vary in the minds of different auditors. The â€Å"expectation gap† reflects a perceived difference between what one is expected to accomplish by others and what one personally believes he must accomplish. For example, the airline industry now expects a significant portion of flights to be delayed during the busy summer months. Passengers do not subscribe to this same belief, so when their flights are delayed, this exposes an expectation gap. Auditors face similar challenges when it comes to detecting fraud in an audit. In many instances, they are not sure how much effort must be made to uncover red flags for fraud. More important, they do not always take the appropriate steps to uncover fraud once a red flag surfaces during an audit. Clients, judges, shareholders, and other parties, however, expect auditors to take steps to detect fraud during the audit. They are often displeased when fraud goes undetected and is later uncovered by a tip or accident. The resulting investigation or financial statement restatement creates negative consequences for the company and its employees. The reasons an auditor may fail to identify red flags during an audit include the following: Over reliance on client representations; Lack of awareness or recognition of an observable condition indicating fraud; Lack of experience; Personal relationships with clients; Failure to brainstorm potential fraud schemes and scenarios; and A desire â€Å"not to know.† The expectation gap is driven by two variables: the auditors ability to detect fraud, and the auditors efforts to detect fraud. An auditor may possess the skills to detect fraud, but might choose to take shortcuts or disregard obvious signs of potential fraud. Or, an auditor might use a variety of techniques, but lack the experience to effectively uncover red flags. Both scenarios will broaden the expectation gap. An auditor must develop the requisite skills to detect fraud and obtain sufficient knowledge of the rules and regulations in order to better understand what is required during an audit. Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) 99, Consideration of Fraud in a Financial Statement Audit, requires auditors to obtain â€Å"reasonable† assurance that material fraud is not present. The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) standard 1210.A2 requires auditors to possess â€Å"sufficient knowledge† to identify indicators of fraud. Whatever the words â€Å"reasonable† and â€Å"sufficient† mean to auditors will not matter if they fail to detect fraud. The definitions of â€Å"reasonable† and â€Å"sufficient† will be determined by their manager, client, senior management, or the judge or jury in a lawsuit. Developing Fraud Detection Skills Fraud examiners rely on the following tools: Knowledge of specific fraud schemes and scenarios; Knowledge of applicable laws and regulations; Excellent communication skills; and Strong interviewing skills. While auditors cannot be expected to develop these skills to the level of a fraud examiner, they should try to become more proficient through training, hands-on experience, reading the professional literature, brainstorming, and using fraud detection skills during the audit. Training and awareness: All auditors should possess basic knowledge of fraud schemes in order to better position themselves to detect red flags during an audit. Auditors can start by developing a basic understanding of fraud schemes and scenarios, as well as the reasons why people commit fraud. Organizations such as the IIA, the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts (NACVA), and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) offer training that provides a basic understanding of the various schemes relating to financial statement fraud, asset misappropriation, and bribery and corruption schemes. Auditors who develop significant fraud-detection skills can choose to pursue certifications such as the ACFEs Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and the NACVAs Certified Forensic Financial Analyst (CFFA). In addition, many colleges and universities now offer fraud detection and examination courses as part of their business, accounting, or audit programs. Some schools even offer more advanced degrees in the field of forensic studies. This training typically ranges from a basic one-to-four-hour overview of fraud detection to a three-day comprehensive course, where auditors look for fraud by reviewing case studies, participating in-group sessions, and reviewing actual data. Brainstorming: Brainstorming fraud risks are critical to a successful audit and identifying red flags for fraud. If nothing else, brainstorming will create a mindset for auditors to think like a fraudster, supporting the adage, â€Å"to catch a crook, learn to think like one.† Approximately 50% of all auditors brainstorm fraud risks prior to the start of an audit. Of auditors who use brainstorming as a fraud detection tool, only about half make it a formal process where they document the schemes and identify techniques aimed at uncovering red flags. The other auditors conduct brainstorming on a more informal basis and admit to considering the risk for fraud without formally documenting this consideration. A more formal brainstorming process is necessary to fully benefit from this exercise. For example, auditors could use a spreadsheet and involve a team of at least three auditors. Preferably, the team should consist of a fraud examiner or an auditor experienced in fraud detection. Following these guidelines will make brainstorming more effective: Make it fun and interactive, with everyone participating. Present a fraud case study to stimulate responses. Involve an experienced fraud examiner. Identify previous company frauds in the discussion. Use a facilitator. After the brainstorming session, it is imperative to plan and perform the audit in accordance with the schemes and scenarios identified during the discussion. For example, if procurement fraud was identified as a high-risk area, the audit should include steps to identify red flags. These steps could include the following: Using data analytics to identify suspicious vendors; Reviewing vendor spending for the previous 12 months to identify suspicious patterns, including duplicate payments; Analysing vendors with post office box addresses to find â€Å"ghost vendor† schemes; Comparing employee addresses to vendor addresses for possible matches; Contacting vendors that bid unsuccessfully for contracts, to inquire about the bidding process; and Running a Benfords Law (which predicts the occurrence of digits in data) analysis on vendor invoices to identify suspicious patterns of invoice amounts. Interviewing skills: Auditors should consider effective interviewing as a basic forensic tool to use during an audit. Auditors can benefit from developing a basic awareness of deception and when someone may be lying. Generally, people are cooperative, energetic, receptive, and supportive of an auditors efforts. The auditor should spend the first 15 minutes or so of any discussion with an interviewee building rapport. It is important to watch the persons mannerisms, body language, and overall demeanour. It is also important to listen to an individuals tone of voice, willingness to volunteer information, and style of answering questions. Once an auditor establishes a rapport with the interviewee, she can proceed to the line of questioning associated with the audit. It is at this point that an auditor needs to be aware of any change in verbal or nonverbal behavior. Reducing the Gap The above prescriptions for increasing an auditors ability to detect fraud are undeniably arduous. Fraud detection requires effort and the ability to work hand in hand. Ability is enhanced through experience, training, and effort. Effort is enhanced through solid audit plans, brainstorming, and ability. The challenge to reduce the expectation gap stands before all auditors, internal and external. While the profession has made great strides through legislation, regulation, and audit standards, it must apply this guidance within its own ranks, expending the effort and developing the ability to reduce this gap. Auditors cannot be held responsible for uncovering all types of fraud. Collusive frauds and other intricate schemes are very difficult to uncover. This does not, however, give auditors a blanket excuse to refrain from looking for fraud. Developing the right mindset, embedding forensic procedures, and asking about fraud all increase auditors chances of finding it. Conclusion The auditing profession believes the increase in litigation against, and criticism of auditors can be traced to the audit expectation gap. The audit expectation gap is detrimental to the auditing profession as it has negative influences on the value of auditing and the reputation of auditors in the modern society. It is found that the existence of an audit expectation gap is due to complicated nature of an audit function; conflicting role of auditors; retrospective evaluation of auditors performance; time lag in responding to changing expectation; and self-regulation process of the auditing profession. Given such problematic factors that contribute to the existence of the expectation gap, it is neither the auditors nor users who should be blamed for the â€Å"audit expectation gap† crisis. References Boynton, W., Johnson, R. and Kell, W. (2005). Assurance and the integrity of financial reporting (8th ed.). New York: John Wiley Son, Inc. Chandler RA, Edwards JR and Anderson M, (1993). Changing Perceptions Auditor : 1840 1940, Accounting and Business Research Vol 23 Autumn Davidson, L. (1975). The role and responsibilities of the auditor: Perspective, expectations and analysis. Unpublished background paper for the commission on auditors responsibilities. Gloeck, J.D. and Jager, H. (1993). The audit expectation gap in the republic of South Africa, Working paper, School of Accountancy, University of Pretoria. Lee, T. H and Azham, Md. A. (2008). The evolving role of auditor: Where do we go from here? Accountants Today, (3), 18-22. Leung, P., Coram, P., Cooper, B., Cosserat. G. and Gill. G.. (2004). Modern Auditing Assurance Service (2nd ed.). Australia: John Wiley Sons. Miller, R.D. (1986). Governmental oversight of the role of the auditors. The CPA Journal, (9), 20-26. Porter, B. and Gowthorpe, C. (2004). Audit expectation-performance gap in the United Kingdom in 1999 and comparison with the Gap in New Zealand in 1989 and in 1999. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland Edinburgh. Shaked, A. and Sutton, J. (1982). Imperfect information, perceived quality and the formation of professional groups. Journal of Economic Theory, 27, 170-181.

English Imperialism and Representations Essay

In William Shakespeare’s The Tempest Prospero, an exiled Naples duke, and his daughter, Miranda, are marooned on a remote island with the lone indigenous[1] inhabitant, a beast man named Caliban. Through his sorcery Prospero is able to enslave Caliban, the indigene, who toils for the benefit of Prospero and Miranda, the usurping colonial powers. While it is unclear if Shakespeare intended The Tempest to mirror English imperialism during the late 16th and 17th century, there are many congruencies between events in the play and events around the time of the play’s first performance in 1611. To begin with, in order to analyze these congruencies a brief overview of England’s New World[2] exploration and colonization is necessary. Next, Gonzalo’s interest in the island and his â€Å"plantation† scheme illustrate the English imperial yearning for the New World. In addition, the first exchange between Caliban and Prospero encapsulate the conflicts of indigenous people and the colonizers in an imperial relationship. Finally, the question remains if Caliban represents specifically Native Americans or broadly represents subjugated indigenous people by English colonization. Shakespeare’s The Tempest metaphorically represents English imperialism and encapsulates English sentiments towards the New World during the time of its cultural production. During the life of Shakespeare, especially around the time of the first performance of The Tempest, Europe engaged in imperialistic activities throughout the New World. In addition, during Shakespeare’s lifetime, England’s imperialistic activities would play a larger role in the country’s interests and developments. In Alden T. Vaughan article â€Å"People of Wonder: England Encounters the New World’s Native,† Vaughan describes how English perceptions of the Native Americans developed over the course of the 16th century. The English, while interested in the New World, did not play an active role in its initial exploration: â€Å"English people in the Tudor era lagged noticeably behind other Europeans in learning about the Americas. For nearly a century, English interest in the New World was surprisingly tangential, more a matter of curiosity than of conquest and based primarily on foreign rather than on English observation† (Vaughan, â€Å"People,† 13). For a majority of the 16th century the English received second hand accounts (writings and illustrations) of the New World. However, the English did make limited forays into developing first hand knowledge of the New World. Vaughan states, â€Å"The first document contact between the English and the Indians occurred in about 1502, when Sebastian Cabot†¦brought back [three men taken from Newfoundland]† (â€Å"People,† 14), but he continues, â€Å"Not until 1530, apparently, were other Indians brought to England, and not until 1553 did an English publisher issue a book with appreciable attention to America’s inhabitants† (â€Å"People,† 14). While slow to capitalize on exploring and colonizing the New World, the English â€Å"[became] actively involved in the exploration and conquest of the [Americas] and its peoples. Thereafter, England’s image of American natives reflected uniquely English experiences and expectations† (Vaughan, â€Å"People,† 13). One of the significant imperialist ventures around the time Shakespeare wrote The Tempest was the Jamestown colony. The English founded Jamestown in 1607, four years prior to the first performance of The Tempest. While a contemporary critic can only speculate the extent which the New World tantalized and influenced the English during this time, it must have had some sway on the popular imagination of English society, including Shakespeare’s. In The Tempest, the character Gonzalo demonstrates an interest with the pristine island setting that represents English imperial yearnings. After being shipwrecked on the island, Gonzalo first notices the natural beauty of the island. He exclaims, â€Å"How lush and lusty the grass looks! How green! † (2. 1. 53). From his initial observation of the health of the island, Gonzalo’s interest in the island soon becomes opportunistic: â€Å"Had I plantation of this isle, my lord –† (2. 1. 140). When Gonzalo says â€Å"plantation,† he means colonization. Gonzalo initial admiration for the island transforms into a scheme to start a colony; he envisions his colony as the antithesis of industry, a utopic society of idleness. Gonzalo describes his â€Å"plantation† in the following manner: â€Å"I’ the common wealth I would by contraries Execute all things; for no kind of traffic, Would I admit; no name of magistrate, Letter should not be known; riches, poverty, And use of service, none; contract, succession, Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard, none; No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil; No occupations; all men idle, all, And women too, but innocent and pure; No sovereignty—† (2. 1. 144-52) In Gonzalo’s colony people just lie around with no one telling them what to do; in addition, the women all stay virgins. Gonzalo’s companions quickly point out the impossibility of his Eden-like scenario. Sebastian indicates, â€Å"Yet [Gonzalo] would be king on [the island]† (2. 1. 153) to which Antonio adds, â€Å"The latter end of his commonwealth forgets the beginning† (2. 1. 154). From the comments by Sebastian and Antonio, it is clear Gonzalo’s scheme is not practical, but certainly Gonzalo’s sentiment must have appealed idealistically to English and Europeans tired of the social turmoil in the Old World. Benjamin Bertram notes in The Time is out of Joint: Skepticism in Shakespeare’s England contemporaneous to Shakespeare’s life, London’s mercantile interests, unemployment, overpopulation, and â€Å"[i]mmigrants from the province† all made colonial ventures appealing (58). Gonzalo’s fantasizing might tap into the socioeconomic conditions contemporary to the time of cultural production of The Tempest. For some Europeans the social turmoil of the Old World was a sore spot, yearning like Gonzalo for a fresh start and for a better society in the New World. French courtier Michel De Montaigne in his essay â€Å"Of the Cannibals† (1580) argues the New World inhabitants are no more barbarous or savage than the Old World denizens, suggesting things might be better in the case of the former. De Montaigne establishes, â€Å"I find (as far as I have been informed) there is nothing in that nation [the American Indians], that is either barbarous or savage, unless men call that barbarism which is not common to them† (119). De Montaigne alludes to the social problems of 16th century Europe in pointing out the hypocrisy of the Old World labeling the New World as â€Å"barbarous† or â€Å"savage. † Moreover, De Montaigne sees the New World inhabitants as closer to a natural state and less tainted by â€Å"human wit† when he observes, â€Å"It is a nation†¦that hath no kind of traffic, no knowledge of letters, no intelligence of numbers, no name of magistrates, nor of politic superiority; no use of service, of riches, or of poverty; no contracts, no successions, but common, no apparel but natural, no manuring of lands, no use of wine, corn, or metal† (120). Curiously, both Gonzalo and De Montaigne evoke the idea of unfettered idleness and non-use of wine, corn, and metal as a more natural society. Also, in painting an idyllic picture of the social items supposedly absent from the New World, De Montaigne overlooks that corn is a New World vegetable and that American Indians were familiar with the practice of fertilization, although maybe not â€Å"mannuring. † While a lot of De Montaigne’s generalizations of the New World inhabitants are arguable, he calls the readers attention to a litany of social items as evidence of the Old World tainted by â€Å"human wit. † However, De Montaigne sarcastically concludes that what the American Indians, supposedly, do with their dead is no more barbaric than what the Europeans do with the living by torturing people, stating â€Å"there is more barbarism in eating men alive than to feed upon them being dead; to mangle by tortures and torments a body full of lively sense, to roast him in pieces, to make dogs and swine to gnaw and tear him in mammocks†¦than to roast and eat him after he is dead† (120). De Montaigne’s relativistic view of transatlantic cultural practices demonstrates culture in the Old World was not necessarily better than culture in the New World. Some Europeans might have yearned for a reprieve from the rigid trapping of the Old World; the New World to them might have represented an opportunity for a fresh start, a chance to create a utopic society. The only problem was what to do about the indigenous people already there. The English public had a growing interest in the New World during Shakespeare’s lifetime, and The Tempest almost predicts the course of English imperialism would take. The exchange between Caliban and Prospero in Act 1 Scene 2 metaphorically represents the underlying conflicts plaguing indigenous people and English colonizers. Caliban represents prototypical native Other[3] as he argues against Prospero, the colonial master. Caliban’s articulation that he is the rightful owner of the island sounds like the universal grievance of many colonized people: â€Å"This island’s mine, by Sycorax my mother, / Which thou tak’st from me† (1. 2. 335-6). Caliban’s ownership stems from his mother, a witch, who bore him on the island, and this claim is reminiscent of many indigenous people who trace their social beginnings through a creation myth fixing them to the land. As Caliban goes on, his description of the initial friendly relationship he had with Prospero, parallels the prototypical dealings between indigenous people and colonizers. Often this friendly period includes an exchange of items and information between the two parties. Caliban describes the following: When thou cam’st first, Thou strok’st me and made much of me, wouldst give me Water and berries in’t, and teach me how To name the bigger light, and how the less, That burn by day and night. And then I loved thee And showed thee all the qualities o’ th’ isle, The fresh springs, brine pits, barren place and fertile. (1. 2. 337-43) Caliban attests he â€Å"showed† Prospero â€Å"the qualities† of the island, and in essence, Caliban taught Prospero how to survive on the island. This detail interestingly parallels the situation in Jamestown. B. J. Sokol in A Brave New World of Knowledge points out that â€Å"sojourning Europeans almost entirely depended upon the services of native inhabitants for material survival, and especially for food† (83). This grace period between indigenous people and colonizers, however, does not last forever. Sokol continues, â€Å"In both [The Tempest] and Virginia these services had at first been voluntarily offered [by Native Americans], then they were purchased or extorted, and finally there was refusal, resistance, and rebellion† (83). Soon the colonizer presses for more resources, more control over the land, and more control over the indigenous people: soon the indigenous people become the colonized. Caliban describes himself from the position of the colonized, â€Å"For I am all the subjects that you have, / Which first was mine own kin; and here you sty me / In this hard rock, whiles you do keep from me /The rest o’ th’ island† (1. 2. 345-7). Caliban’s central grievance is how Prospero has stripped Caliban of his autonomy and his control over the island. The central grievance for many colonized people is how the colonizer strips self-direction and control over ancestral lands from the colonized. Richard Hakluyt in his essay â€Å"Reasons for Colonization,† written in 1584 about the Virginia colonial project (125), succinctly describes the intentions of the English imperialism: â€Å"The end of this voyage [to North America] are these: 1. ) To plant Christian religion. 2) To traffic. 3. ) To Conquer. Or, to do all three† (129). As demonstrated earlier, Caliban is unhappy with his conquered status, a status Prospero confirms when he rebuts Caliban’s grievances, â€Å"Thou most lying slave† (my emphasis, 1. 2. 347). Prospero interestingly goes on to indicate his own inherent superiority and Caliban’s inherent inferiority, a privileging central to any colonial situation. Prospero states, â€Å"I have used thee, / Filth as thou are, with humane care† (1. 2. 348-9). Prospero ascribes the quality of â€Å"filth† to Caliban and â€Å"humane†-ness to his own actions. As the Hakluyt states, the first objective of the colonizer is â€Å"to plant Christian religion† or bring morality to the heathen indigenous people. Prospero’s ultimate argument for supplanting Caliban evokes the moral order the colonizer supposedly brings, for Prospero states the reason he has enslaved Caliban is because Caliban sought â€Å"to violate/ The honor of [Prospero’s] child† (1. 2. 350-1). From the perspective of the colonizer Caliban attempted to rape Miranda; however, from the perspective of the lone indigenous person Caliban attempted to propagate his culture: â€Å"O ho! O ho! Would’t had been done! / Thou didst prevent me; I had peopled else / This isle with Calibans† (1. 2. 352-4). While this relativism does not absolve Caliban of attempting to forcefully procreate with Miranda, it does not absolve Prospero of enslaving Caliban either. Unfortunately, Prospero uses one crime to justify another crime: Caliban’s attempted rape leads to his enslavement at the hands of Prospero. Furthermore, when Miranda tries to instill Caliban with a sense of guilt over his attempted rape, she states she â€Å"endowed [Caliban’s] purposes / With words that made them known† (1. 2. 360-1). However, by endowing Caliban with the language of the colonizer, Miranda has merely indoctrinated Caliban in the ideology of the colonizer in which Caliban, the colonized, occupies the margin. The colonizer’s language is a burden upon the colonized, for in order for the two groups to communicate the onus is on the colonized to learn the colonizer’s language. Caliban concurs with this onus when he says, â€Å"You taught me language, and my profit on’t / Is I know how to curse. The red plague rid you / For learning me your language! † (1. 2. 366-8). Another privileging in the imperial situation is the language and culture of the colonizer over the language and culture of colonized. For instance, Thomas Harriot spent time in the Virginia colony and wrote about the Algonquian people in Brief and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia; his English contemporaries criticized him for learning the language of the Algonquians (Bertram 59). Bertram notes, â€Å"the English feared much more than foreign languages, as contact with foreign cultures inspired probing questions about cultural identity†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (59). Miranda’s effacement of Caliban’s language demonstrates her fear of foreign language and culture. Just as Caliban threatens Miranda’s physical sanctity, he also threatens her cultural sanctity by not communicating in the controlled discourse. Clearly, the conflict between Caliban and Prospero in The Tempest metaphorically represents the imperialistic conflicts between the colonized and the colonizer. Lastly, although Caliban can metaphorically represent the colonized Other, did Shakespeare intend Caliban to represent Native Americans specifically? Alden T. Vaughan in his article â€Å"Shakespeare’s Indian: The Americanization of Caliban† examines the history of The Tempest analysis which attempted to see Caliban as representative of Native Americans. Vaughan concludes, â€Å"If an intentionalist reading is insisted upon, and if early interpretations of Caliban are taken into account, his principal prototype was probably the European wild man of Renaissance literature and iconography† (â€Å"Shakespeare’s,† 153). In addition, Ronald Takaki offers in â€Å"The ‘Tempest’ in the Wilderness† the context surrounding the first performance of the play; also, he explains how Shakespeare’s audience might have perceived the character of Caliban. Takaki explains the following: [T]he timing of The Tempest was crucial: it was first performed after the English invasion of Ireland but before the colonization of New England, after John Smith’s arrival in Virginia but before the beginning of the tobacco economy, and after the first contacts with Indians but before full-scale warfare against them. This was an era when the English were encountering â€Å"other† peoples and delineating the boundary between â€Å"civilization† and â€Å"savagery. † The social constructions of both these terms were dynamically developing in three sites—Ireland, Virginia, and New England. (143) If Shakespeare’s audience saw Caliban as more man than monster, they likely conflated all known savage Others in their perception of Caliban. When Prospero says, â€Å"This thing of darkness [Caliban] I / Acknowledge mine† (5. 1. 275-6), Caliban could seem more monster than man, â€Å"darkness† meaning evil, or Caliban could seem more man than monster, â€Å"darkness† referring to skin color. It is unclear what Shakespeare intended; however, how people interpret Shakespeare is entirely another matter. Although Vaughan dismisses the notion Shakespeare intended Caliban to be Native American, he supports the notion that Caliban can metaphorically be seen as Native American, stating, â€Å"metaphoric readings of The Tempest have had equal legitimacy with the older literal approach† (â€Å"Shakespeare’s,† 153). There are scholars who have a stake in seeing Caliban as solely meant to be Native Americans. An immediate thread of their inquiry is Caliban’s name, which might be an anagram from a variant spelling of the word canibal. John F. Moffitt and Santiago Sebastian in their text O Brave New People: The European Invention of The American Indian describe how the lurid European popular perception quickly associated cannibalism with the inhabitants of the New World. Moffit and Sebastian describe the following: Cannibalism was also the specific subcultural attribute of the aborigines of the Other World that, as might be expected, some European illustrators found most noteworthy. In a crude woodcut†¦, a German print of 1505†¦representing the earliest European depiction of American Indians†¦cannibalism becomes the foremost collective characteristic of the newly described peoples†¦. (264-5) While Europeans, according to Vaughan, were familiar with the concept of anthropophagi, or eaters of human flesh, such people were considered mythical (â€Å"People,† 15). Vaughan goes on to note, â€Å"So prominent did some accounts make the eating of human flesh that the word cannibal, from the Carib Indians who presumably practiced the vile custom, gradually replaced the older, more awkward, term for eaters of human flesh† (â€Å"People,† 15). Curiously, if Shakespeare meant to evoke the sensational trait of cannibalism ascribed to Native Americans by Europeans in his character Caliban, he does not develop the trait in the play. Conversely, if Caliban does not represent Native Americans, certainly the European characters within the play perceive his usefulness like Native Americans during the early 17th century. The play mentions dead or alive a Native American is profitable for displaying in England. Additionally, Trinculo notes, â€Å"[the English] will / lay out ten to see a dead Indian. (2. 2. 31-32). Later, Stephano schemes to capture Caliban, or as Vaughan euphemistically refers to Native Americans kidnapped by Europeans, â€Å"coerced American envoys† (â€Å"People,† 12). Stephano states, â€Å"If I can recover him [Caliban] and keep him tame and get / to Naples with him, he’s a present for any emperor that / ever trod on neat’s leather† (2. 2. 65-7). Although Caliban might have the same display value as a Native American in England, this fact does not necessarily make Caliban Native American. Within The Tempest, there is not enough strong evidence to support the reading that Shakespeare meant Caliban to be Native American. If Shakespeare intended Caliban to represent Native American then Leslie Fieldler notes, â€Å"Caliban’s attempt on Miranda’s virtue makes him ‘the first nonwhite rapist in white man’s literature’; his freedom song is ‘the first American poem’; and when he guzzles too much of Stephano’s wine, Caliban is ‘the first drunken Indian in Western literature’ (Vaughan, â€Å"Shakespeare’s,† 148). Native Americans struggle enough with poor representation in American society; there is not a pressing need to demonstrate Shakespeare intended Caliban to be solely Native American if it results in additional derision. In contrast, Jeffrey L. Hantman in â€Å"Caliban’s Own Voice: American Indian Views of the Other in Colonial Virginia† summarizes the 20th century importance of Caliban as a universal indigenous voice, â€Å"He is African, and he is Caribbean. He has been a native of Madagascar, Quebec, Cuba, Nigeria, Kenya, and Zambia. Today, he is sometime enslaved, and psychologically dependent, but he is also a guerilla, a revolutionary, and a hero† (71). Who Shakespeare intended Caliban to be is a non-issue for those who identify with Caliban. If people find an entryway into identifying with Caliban, then certainly Caliban becomes them as much as they become Caliban. Although it would be erroneous to claim Shakespeare meant The Tempest as an allegory for English Imperialism in the New World and Caliban solely represents Native Americans, the play does metaphorically represent English imperialism and encapsulates English sentiments towards the New World during the time of the play’s cultural production. A brief overview of England’s New World exploration and colonization demonstrates how the English perception of the New World and Native Americans transformed during the development of English imperialism. Within the play, Gonzalo’s interests in the island and his â€Å"plantation† scheme illustrate the English imperial yearning for the New World and an opportunity to develop a society closer to a natural state. Furthermore, the first exchange between Caliban and Prospero encapsulate the conflicts that mar imperial relationship between indigenous people and the colonizer. Moreover, although Caliban does not represent specifically Native Americans, he can broadly represent all subjugated indigenous people. There are many congruencies between events in The Tempest and events during the late 16th and 17th century English imperialism. The Tempest is an example where Shakespeare was not necessarily predicting a future outcome but more likely articulating the trajectory of a present English course. Works Cited Bertram, Benjamin. The Time is out of Joint: Skepticism in Shakespeare’s England. Newark, NJ: University of Delaware Press, 2004. De Montaigne, Michel. â€Å"From Of the Cannibals. † William Shakespeare The Tempest: A Case Study in Critical Controversy. Ed. Gerald Graff and James Phelan. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2000. 119-20. Hakluyt, Richard. â€Å"Reasons for Colonization. † William Shakespeare The Tempest: A Case Study in Critical Controversy. Ed. Gerald Graff and James Phelan. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2000. 125-34. Hantman, Jeffrey L. â€Å"Caliban’s Own Voice: American Indian Views of the Other in Colonial Virginia. † New Literary History 23. 1 (1992): 69-81. JSTOR. Winona State University, Darrell W. Krueger Lib., Winona, MN. 3 Mar. 2007 . Moffitt, John F. , and Santiago Sebastian. O Brave New People: The European Invention of the American Indian. Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press, 1996. Shakespeare, William. The Tempest. William Shakespeare The Tempest: A Case Study in Critical Controversy. Ed. Gerald Graff and James Phelan. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2000. 10-88. Sokol, B. J. A Brave New World of Knowledge: Shakespeare’s the Tempest and Early Modern Epistemology. Cranbury, NJ: Associated University Presses, 2003. Takaki, Ronald. â€Å"The ‘Tempest’ in the Wilderness. † William Shakespeare The Tempest: A Case Study in Critical Controversy. Ed. Gerald Graff and James Phelan. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2000. 140-172. Vaughan, Alden T. â€Å"People of Wonder: England Encounters the New World’s Natives. † New World of Wonders: European Images of the Americas, 1492-1700. Ed. Rachel Doggett, et al. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1992. – – -. â€Å"Shakespeare’s Indian: The Americanization of Caliban. † Shakespeare Quarterly 39. 2 (1988): 137-153. JSTOR. Winona State University, Darrell W. Krueger Lib. , Winona, MN. 3 Mar. 2007 . ———————– [1] Throughout the paper instead of simply using the term â€Å"natives,† I use indigenous people because the term â€Å"natives† carries negative imperialistic connotations. [2] I use the term New World provisionally in order to describe the dichotomy between Europe, the supposed Old World, and their realization of the Americas, which they dubbed the New World. [3] While some scholars have argued that Shakespeare intended Caliban to be representative of Native American, this intentionality is problematic. I will examine this later in the paper.

Wave Particle Duality and How It Works

The wave-particle duality principle of quantum physics holds that matter and light exhibit the behaviors of both waves and particles, depending upon the circumstances of the experiment. It is a complex topic but among the most intriguing in physics.   Wave-Particle Duality in Light In the 1600s, Christiaan Huygens and Isaac Newton proposed competing theories for lights behavior. Huygens proposed a wave theory of light while Newtons was a corpuscular (particle) theory of light. Huygenss theory had some issues in matching observation and Newtons prestige helped lend support to his theory so, for over a century, Newtons theory was dominant. In the early nineteenth century, complications arose for the corpuscular theory of light. Diffraction had been observed, for one thing, which it had trouble adequately explaining. Thomas Youngs double slit experiment resulted in obvious wave behavior and seemed to firmly support the wave theory of light over Newtons particle theory. A wave generally has to propagate through a medium of some kind. The medium proposed by Huygens had been luminiferous aether (or in more common modern terminology, ether). When James Clerk Maxwell quantified a set of equations (called Maxwells laws or Maxwells equations) to explain electromagnetic radiation (including visible light) as the propagation of waves, he assumed just such an ether as the medium of propagation, and his predictions were consistent with experimental results. The problem with the wave theory was that no such ether had ever been found. Not only that, but astronomical observations in stellar aberration by James Bradley in 1720 had indicated that ether would have to be stationary relative to a moving Earth. Throughout the 1800s, attempts were made to detect the ether or its movement directly, culminating in the famous Michelson-Morley experiment. They all failed to actually detect the ether, resulting in a huge debate as the twentieth century began. Was light a wave or a particle? In 1905, Albert Einstein published his paper to explain the photoelectric effect, which proposed that light traveled as discrete bundles of energy. The energy contained within a photon was related to the frequency of the light. This theory came to be known as the photon theory of light (although the word photon wasnt coined until years later). With photons, the ether was no longer essential as a means of propagation, although it still left the odd paradox of why wave behavior was observed. Even more peculiar were the quantum variations of the double slit experiment and the Compton effect which seemed to confirm the particle interpretation. As experiments were performed and evidence accumulated, the implications quickly became clear and alarming: Light functions as both a particle and a wave, depending on how the experiment is conducted and when observations are made. Wave-Particle Duality in Matter The question of whether such duality also showed up in matter was tackled by the bold de Broglie hypothesis, which extended Einsteins work to relate the observed wavelength of matter to its momentum. Experiments confirmed the hypothesis in 1927, resulting in a 1929 Nobel Prize for de Broglie. Just like light, it seemed that matter exhibited both wave and particle properties under the right circumstances. Obviously, massive objects exhibit very small wavelengths, so small in fact that its rather pointless to think of them in a wave fashion. But for small objects, the wavelength can be observable and significant, as attested to by the double slit experiment with electrons. Significance of Wave-Particle Duality The major significance of the wave-particle duality is that all behavior of light and matter can be explained through the use of a differential equation which represents a wave function, generally in the form of the Schrodinger equation. This ability to describe reality in the form of waves is at the heart of quantum mechanics. The most common interpretation is that the wave function represents the probability of finding a given particle at a given point. These probability equations can diffract, interfere, and exhibit other wave-like properties, resulting in a final probabilistic wave function that exhibits these properties as well. Particles end up distributed according to the probability laws and therefore exhibit the wave properties. In other words, the probability of a particle being in any location is a wave, but the actual physical appearance of that particle is not. While the mathematics, though complicated, makes accurate predictions, the physical meaning of these equations are much harder to grasp. The attempt to explain what the wave-particle duality actually means is a key point of debate in quantum physics. Many interpretations exist to try to explain this, but they are all bound by the same set of wave equations... and, ultimately, must explain the same experimental observations. Edited by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.