Marketing Mix - 1968 Words

Marketing Mix P-BSBMX4-MKT-421 Robert Deer January 28, 2006 Abstract A Marketing Mix is a combination of product, packaging, price, channels of distribution, advertising, promotion, and personal selling to get the product in the hands of the customer. Throughout this paper we will be discussing the 4 P s of Marketing and provide examples of Marketing Mix. (Kyle, Bobette). Marketing Mix The Marketing Mix is based on the fact that price is not the only factor that decides whether customers will buy from you or not. In fact, in some cases people never buy the cheapest! Do you know anyone who has taken 3 quotes and then decided to employ, or buy, from the middle priced quote. The error many new businesses make is to†¦show more content†¦Researching consumers opinions about pricing is important as it indicates how they value what they are looking for as well as what they want to pay. An organization s pricing policy will vary according to time and circumstances. Crudely speaking, the value of water in the Lake District will be considerably different from the value of water in the desert. (NetMBA.com) Determining a product s price is a critical marketing tactic. A product s price has to be high enough to cover the total cost of producing the product yet not too high so that it discourages potential customers from purchasing the product. Also pricing can help position a product. For example, a high priced gourmet food may suggest a quality product. There are numerous methods of determining a product price. The following are two commonly used price determination methods: Mark-Up Percentage Pricing refers to the percent of total cost that is equal to profit. Markup percentage pricing allows the producer or retailer to specify a desired profit percentage they would like to obtain and then price their products accordingly. For example, if a profit equal to 30% of a product s cost is desired, the total cost of getting the product to market would first need to be determined and then multiplied by 30%. The calculated figure is then added back to the product s total cost. Thus, the product s price would be setShow MoreRelatedHolden Marketing Mix1768 Words   |  8 PagesAssessment 2 Marketing mix Review and Recommendations Report My brand is V6 Holden Commodore Short review about Holden in Australia;- The history of Holden dates back to 1856 when it started as a saddler business in South Australia. Today Holden is one of only seven fully-integrated global General Motors operations that designs, builds and sells vehicles for Australia and the world. Holden has its headquarters in Port Melbourne, with an engine manufacturing plant on-site and vehicle manufacturingRead MoreMarketing Mix1491 Words   |  6 PagesMarketing Mix MKT 421 Marketing Introduction Companies today try their best to continue to keep up with the changes of services, products and technology. Companies rely on their abilities in marketing to keep consumers interested in their products and services. The success of a company may rely on the company’s marketing performance. Marketing planning starts by thinking of the targeted audience needs, strategies, and the development of the products and or service needed. DevelopingRead MoreThe Marketing Mix Hard Rock Cafe1259 Words   |  6 PagesThe Marketing Mix Place The marketing mix consists in total of 4 elements (Product,Price, Place, Promotion) which are often referred to as ‘the four Ps’. One of those four Ps is â€Å"Place†: Place represents the location where a product can be purchased. It is often referred to as the distribution channel through which goods and/or services are moved from the manufacturer/service provider to the user or consumer. It can include any physical store as well as virtual stores on the Internet. In ourRead MoreMarketing Mix For The Evergreen Aquatic Centre2118 Words   |  9 Pages Assessment Task 2: Project-Determine the marketing mix Marketing Mix The marketing mix for the Evergreen Aquatic Centre will engage the four elements of marketing as follows: Product or Facility Recipients of the facility Evergreen Forest is a small community encompassing just under 1010 square miles. The estimated current population is 11010. Evergreen Aquatic Centre offers internationally recognised state of the art aquatic facilities to suit every person’s demands. Going from proficient practiceRead MoreMarketing Mix and Pestle Analysis of Mcdonalds in India3095 Words   |  13 Pagespolicies and rule according to the situation in the respective country of operation have helped in their success and thus making the customers â€Å"LOVING IT† Marketing Mix and Strategic decision making of McDonald    In this section we will discuss the marketing mix of Mc Donald and the strategies adopted by the company to counter the competition.    Marketing can be explained as the process in which a product or service is developed and then the price is calculated after evaluating all the related aspectsRead MoreMkt421 Marketing Mix1094 Words   |  5 Pagesof Phoenix MKT421 - Marketing Mix The marketing mix is comprised of four basic marketing strategies. The four strategies, which include product, place, price, and promotion, involve the decisions that a business must make to succeed. The marketing mix is reliant on how clear and defined the business’ target market is and how well the company directs the strategies towards its targeted market (Glenco McGraw-Hill, 3rd Edition). This paper will further define marketing mix, the four strategiesRead MoreMarketing Mix Essays2988 Words   |  12 PagesThe Channels of Distribution The products and the services are distributed electronically, where the costumers can buy online on the website or in stores located across Australia. 5 – Braaap’s potencial customer base and key pressure Before marketing your products and services it is important to define your customer base or target market. Braaap’s clients are people who love motorcycles whatever if it is professionally or just a sport on free time. There is a huge difference of ages between theRead MoreGeneric Marketing : Determine The Marketing Mix Essay1771 Words   |  8 Pages– 2935 Generic Marketing – Determine the Marketing mix Name – Pritpal Singh ID Number – A8947 SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY: Pritpal Singh A8947 ER - 1.1 (a) The elements of the marketing mix adopted by theRead MoreMarketing Mix Of Gionee Smartphones1204 Words   |  5 Pages Marketing Mix Analysis of Gionee Smartphones Kashyap Pd. Marahatta BUS 510 Marketing Management Professor: Dr. Geraldine Goodstone Mr. Krishna Khanal Westcliff University 25/09/2016 â€Æ' Abstract This paper intends to briefly analyze the marketing mix of Gionee smartphones. Despite the many changes that marketing mix has gone through, from four Ps to four As or from four Ps to four Cs, the marketing mix basically consists of product mix, price mix, promotion mix and place mix. This paper wouldRead MoreMarketing Mix - 4Ps of Marketing Mix1219 Words   |  5 PagesMarketing mix can be describes as the use and specification of the 4 Ps describing the strategic position of a product in the marketplace†¦ A prominent person to take centre stage was E. Jerome McCarthy in 1960; he proposed a four-P classification which was popularized. (wikipedia.com) The marketing mix approach to marketing is a model of creating and implementing market strategies. The marketing mix stresses the mixing of different factors in a way that both organizational and consumer or target

Risky Behavior Risky Behaviors - 1639 Words

Risky Behaviors When asked the question regarding risky behaviors in African-American student peer groups, the Academic Dean had this to say: These teens or young adults have a different temperament that’s responded to their good life with risky living. So, we must introduce equations into their lives. This means, we talk over big decisions ahead of them (or behind them) and define how one choice leads to a specific benefit, but another choice leads to a negative consequence. Then, we must make sure we don’t remove those consequences. This does not mean we throw them to the â€Å"wolves† without any support. It simply means we talk through outcomes, then let life demonstrate it is full of equations. We must follow through and discuss both the perks and price of our choices. It’s hard to be flexible when you have not had true, and difficult consequences for your risky actions. We, in education, have begun to show a pattern of acceptance of these risky behaviors. I believe we need to analyze how we deal with risky behaviors, beyond just punishing and disciplining endlessly. There are other interve ntions that need to be investigated and researched, at a higher level than at a campus. The Head Counselor was very quick to cite current research into African-American students she had just seen at a district counseling pull-out: Black and Latino students across the United States are far more likely to be suspended than white students - and far less likely to have access to rigorousShow MoreRelatedAlcohol And Risky Behavior Essay785 Words   |  4 PagesBetween Alcohol and Risky Behavior Alcohol abuse has been associated with risky behavior not only among youths and teens but also older individuals. Numerous researches have successfully established that intoxicated individuals are likely to engage in risky behavior. The studies focused on various behaviors such as the tendency to have unprotected sex and contemplating suicide among others. Though there are psychiatric disorders that may make individuals engage in risky behaviors such as sexual riskRead MoreDrug Abuse And Adolescent Risky Behavior884 Words   |  4 Pagesan attraction to risky behaviors? According to Broderick (2013), adolescents have a high propensity for sensation seeking (novel experiences) and seem to be willing to put themselves at risk in order to have these novel experiences (p. 392). This essay will attempt to discuss how the brain is developing, being impacted, and, how spiritual development effects adolescent risky behavior. Risky behaviors can include any behavior that is seen by most as deviant social behavior. For example, drugRead MoreRisky Adolescent Sexual Behaviors And Reproductive Health760 Words   |  4 Pages Schelar, E. and Steward-Streng, N. R. (2011), Risky Adolescent Sexual Behaviors and Reproductive Health in Young Adulthood. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 43: 110–118. doi: 10.1363/4311011 Research Question. There were two research questions expressed in the study. One question expressed the concern if engaging in risky sexual behaviors led to a more negative outcomes in adolescence. The second question inquired on which behaviors had a link to certain negative outcomes. The hypothesisRead MoreCorrelation Between Tattoos and Risky Behavior Essay example3158 Words   |  13 Pagestheir participation in risky activities. We also hypothesis that people with tattoos, are more likely to engage in sexual activities with multiple partners. The next hypothesis will be that tattooed individuals are more likely to engage in drugs and alcohol usage. An online survey created by the authors will be used to score the participant’s involvement in risky activities. The question to be addressed is whether or not tattoos have an effect on ones participation in risky activities. The participantsRead MoreYoung Teens And Risky Behaviors That Affect Their Health And Leave Negative O utcomes On Their Bodies Essay1437 Words   |  6 PagesMany young teens engage in risky behaviors that can affect their health and leave negative outcomes on their bodies. There was a survey conducted by The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2015 and researchers found that â€Å"30% of high school teens had had sexual intercourse during the previous 3 months and of these, 43% did not use a condom the last time they had sex. 14% did not use any method to prevent pregnancy and 21% had drunk alcohol or used drugs before their last sexual encounterRead MorePeer Pressure And Its Effects On Adolescents1305 Words   |  6 Pagesone of Juno’s classmates, is protesting outside of the clinic stating that â€Å"babies want to get borned.† So, Juno decides not to go through with the abortion. With this in mind, Juno may have also been influenced by her peers to engage in risky sexual behavior with Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). This can be seen in the followin g instances, when Leah (Olivia Thurlby) briefly mentioned about helping a mutual friend go through an abortion, and when Juno speaks about Steve Rendazo (Daniel Clark), a JockRead MoreJuveniles1358 Words   |  6 PagesQuestion What do we really know from recent, sound empirical studies regarding the attitudes surrounding risky sexual behavior and condom use among juveniles involved in the justice system? Quantity and Quality of the Research Literature There is evidence that juveniles involved in the justice system have an elevated risk for contracting Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Sexually Transmitted Infections STIs) due to higher rates of psychopathology, illicit substance use, and lack of exposureRead MoreThe Prevalence Of Hepatitis C1396 Words   |  6 Pagesprevalence is greater than HIV. According to Macias et.al (2008), it has been observed that non-injection drug users have higher rates of hepatitis C infection in comparison to overall population. They attributed this to following reasons; sexual behaviors, tattoo or piercing materials, nail or hair clippers, and razors. Some studies have established that non-injector drug users do not inject due to fear of overdose, family problem, decline in income and health issues such as collapsed veins, scarsRead MoreSocial Media s Influence On Sexual Behavior1104 Words   |  5 PagesSeveral forms of media and social media are influential factors of risky sexual behavior. Internet facilitates easier access to more sexually explicit material to the youth. Mass media exposure has been shown to predict sexual beliefs and attitudes (Escobar et.al, 2005; Timmerman et.al, 2008). Social media usage demonstrate individuals how to be promiscuous inhibiting them to take part in risky sexual behavior. Researchers Tifferet Vilnai-Yavetz preformed a random international study with a sampleRead MoreTeenage Pregnancy And Its Effect On Children s Decision Making998 Words   |  4 Pagesdiseases, and other negative consequences that follow risky sexual behavior at an early age. Kearney and Levine (as cited by Whalen Loper, 2013) suggest that, â€Å"Despite recent decreases in the rate of teenage pregnancy and increased prevention efforts, the Unites States continues to have the highest rate of teenage births of any industrialized country† (p. 347).Educating teens early may not always prevent them from choosing to engage in sexual behaviors; however, they will be better informed of the risks

How to Build Online Business Trust in the Philippines Free Essays

Trust is probably the single most important factor in running an online business. Although the volume of online transactions are increasing, most customers are hesitant to use their credit cards due to the many scams, frauds and other fly-by-night operations plaguing the Internet. Studies show that nearly 70 percent of online shoppers have terminated an order in the middle of processing because they did not feel â€Å"safe† enough. We will write a custom essay sample on How to Build Online Business Trust in the Philippines or any similar topic only for you Order Now But without the benefit of face-to-face interaction, how can you communicate trust to your online clients? Invest in design. The form, look and feel of your website is the first thing that can make your visitors feel at home. Viewer friendly layouts and customized content will help persuade customers to make that purchase. * Have great customer service. Many developers tend to forget that an offline presence is essential in beefing up your online business. Place telephone numbers and other vital contact information on your homepage. This will assure clients that there are flesh-and-blood people behind every transaction. Use an effective secure payment system. Secure payment gateways like Paypal up your credibility, especially when paired with SSL/PCI scanning seals and other forms of security verification. * Have a Trust Mark Seal on your website. A Trust Mark Seal Certification is probably the easiest and most effective way of building trust in your business. Rampant online fraud h as taught shoppers to value third-party trust marks, resulting in significantly larger conversion rates on websites with these certifications. However, there are different kinds of Trust Mark. SSL and PCI Scanning Certifications protect data encryption, but they will not assure your clients that you are a legitimate legal entity, or help you stand out from the competition. Business Verification Trust Marks, on the other hand, certify your credentials and help showcase your company advantages. Having a Business Verification Trustmark will tell your clients that you are a serious company that cares about ethics, security and reliability. Localized service is key to choosing a Trust Mark. For Philippine firms, Sure Seal is the first service to offer this verification. So invest in design, customer service, payment security and Trust Mark business certifications. It may sound simple, but these four basic steps will go a long way in building trust in your online business. Qartas Corp. , recently launched the first Online Business Verification Service in the country through â€Å"SureSeal. ph†, with JobsDB. com, IslandRose. Net, Pinoydelikasi. com and Load. PH as one of their first featured members. With the SureSeal Trust Mark on your website, your can: * Differentiate your businesses from competitors, imitators and fraudsters. * Convert visitors into consumers. * Be part of a community of Filipino online businesses with the highest legal and ethical standards. Showcase your legitimacy and credentials as veri? ed by a trusted third party specializing in Philippine-based clients. SureSeal? localized service assures thorough investigation of client credentials relevant to customers. Firms certi? ed with the Sure Seal Trust Mark will be included in a searchable online database. This will allow potential customers to identify quality businesses, therefore helping minimize fraud on the Internet. The fees to acquire the seal and undergo the verification process, from what i heard, ranges from Php15k to Php20k.. visit www. sureseal. ph for further details. This service is targetted to Philippine registered companies only. How to cite How to Build Online Business Trust in the Philippines, Papers

Social Networking Essay Example

Social Networking Essay Social Networking Name: Course: Date: We will write a custom essay sample on Social Networking specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Social Networking specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Social Networking specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Social Networking Writers Address: October 17, 2012 Receivers’ Address: Dear Principal, RE: REQUESTING FOR SOCIAL NETWORKING TOOL IN THE CLASSROOM The classroom is in constant need for improvement when it comes to the learning process. This process is effective especially if the motivation of the learner is high. The motivations arise from skills and tools teachers use in the pedagogical process. The social networking capabilities are increasing in all parts of the society. In view of this, I recommend that the learning process in the classroom setting adopt a social networking approach, specifically Facebook, to create a more interesting learning process. Many benefits can accrue from using Facebook in the classroom setting and it would be important to implement it in our classrooms. The potential benefits include creating a more enjoyable learning environment, which will ensure that learner morale is always up. Another benefit is that learners can understand that learning is not restricted to the school (William Chin, 2009). His opens up a new world of learning outside the school environment (Bosch, 2009). Students can engage in on line discussions about ongoing lessons with individuals on Facebook, making discussions in class more engaging and more informative by drawing necessary information from the Facebook friends. The students can also transfer the classroom at home by getting personalized attention during home based consultation. The free usage of social networking in classroom setting creates a friendlier environment since the teacher is no longer viewed as the one who inhibits the use of social networking in the classroom (Chen Bryer, 2012). However, there are risks involved in allowing Facebook in the classroom setting. Top on the list is the concern of teacher and students relationships and the issue of privacy (Bosch, 2009). This in turn may alter the desired outcome from using the social networks as a leaning medium. It is also a concern that a teacher’s private life should remain just that. It is unfortunate that a teacher may lose their jobs just by what has been seen of their Facebook page (Chen Bryer, 2012). While the proposal is noble, Facebook in the classroom is more likely to create more distractions in class and in the end reduce students’ achievement levels. There is also creates the possibility of poor curriculum delivery since the teacher will always be fighting for attention against the social network in use (Chen Bryer, 2012). The teachers who may feel that maintaining societal distance between him and the learner may still need to be upheld. Teachers may therefore want to create separate profiles to detach their personal and professional lives. However, such thought may inhibit the teacher’s ability to deliver the content over the social networking systems (Chen Bryer, 2012). This is because the teacher limits the full social interaction experience and only reveals a nature that has deterred consultation in the past. This in turn disadvantages the student in terms of the content received from the teacher through Facebook. The limitations identified make the proposal seem improbable or unrealistic. However, current trends in the classroom setting suggest that learners may be more resistant to traditional methods of teaching (Bosch, 2009). Facebook offers a new way through which learning is more interesting to the learner. The benefits for Facebook use in class are clear yet the limitations cannot be ignored, therefore, undertaking this proposal would require apt measures that will enable students and teachers to gain maximum advantage from the use of Facebook (Bosch, 2009). It may desire that you may overlook the obvious limitations seek solace in the benefits attached to the proposal. Sincerely, Name: References Bosch, T. E. (January 01, 2009). Using online social networking for teaching and learning: Facebook use at the University of Cape Town. Communicato Pretoria-, 35, 2, 185-200. Chen, B., Bryer, T. (February 20, 2012). Investigating instructional strategies for using social media in formal and informal learning. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 13, 1, 87-104. Williams, J., Chinn, S. J. (January 01, 2009). Using Web 2.0 to Support the Active Learning Experience. Journal of Information Systems Education, 20, 2, 165-174. Social Networking Essay Example Social Networking Essay Attention Getter: Has anyone here ever added someone on a social networking site, whom you did not know? Well Megan Meier did and it was the tragic end of her. II. Reveal the topic: Today I will be discussing with you, social networking sites and the unhealthy effects it has on our society. III. Establish credibility: I myself am associated with social networking sites, and know firsthand the dangers they can cause. And for the past couple of days I have been researching how harmful they can be to a person. IV. Goodwill:I feel like in this day and age our society uses social networking as their way to communicate, and were losing personal contact with each other. V. Main body points: Today I am going to discuss with you the three most common dangers of social networking. A. Addiction B. Cyber bullying C. Sexual harassment Body I. Peoples addiction to social networking sites is fast on the rise, according to a study which said an increasing number of Facebook and Twitter users check t heir accounts first thing in the morning while some look at their social media messages even while having sex.A. 66% of online Americans use social networking sites today, up from just 20% in 2007. However, whats notable is that its an increasingly additive activity 43% of people visit multiple times each day. 1. The Gadgetology study asked consumers how they felt about being interrupted at various times and occasions for an electronic message. While 33% said they did not mind being interrupted by message updates during a meeting, 76% said they can take a break from their meal to check their accounts.Transition: So now that you know a little bit about how addicting social networks can be, let me tell you about the cyber bullying that goes on in social networks and its effects. II. Cyber bullying affects many adolescents and teens on a daily basis. A. It can be very damaging. Cyber bullying could lead to anxiety, depression, and even suicide. Also, once things are circulated on the Internet, they may never disappear, resurfacing at later times to renew the pain of cyber bullying. 1. Cyber bullies think that bullying others online is funny.They may not realize the consequences for themselves of cyber bullying. The things teens post online now may reflect badly on them later when they apply for college or a job. Cyber bullies may face legal charges, and if the bullying was sexual in nature or involved sexting, the results can include being registered as a sex offender. Teens may think that if they use a fake name they wont get caught, but there are many ways to track someone who is cyber bullying. B. Despite the potential damage of cyber bullying, it is alarmingly common among the youth. . According to statistics from the i-SAFE foundation of cyber bullying, Over half of adolescents and teens have been bullied online, and about the same number have engaged in cyber bullying. Transition: I just discussed with you about the dangers of cyber bullying, I’m no w going to talk with you about the sexual harassment on social networking sites. III. 16 percent of teens have considered meeting someone that they have only talked to online and 8 percent have actually met someone they only knew online. A.Currently, there are over six hundred thousand Registered Sex Offenders in the United States; an estimated 10,000 have been lost in the system. 1. The predominant sex crime scenario doesnt involve violence or stranger molesters posing online as children; only 5 percent of offenders concealed the fact they were adults from their victims. Almost 80 percent of offenders were explicit about their intentions with youth. In 73 percent of crimes, youth go to meet the offender on multiple occasions for multiple sexual encounters.B. Four percent of all youth Internet users received aggressive sexual petitions. These requests asked to meet the teens in person, called them on the telephone, or sent offline mail, money, or gifts. Also 4 percent of youth Inter net users had distressing sexual requests that left them feeling upset of extremely afraid. Conclusion As  you can see,  addiction, cyber bullying, and sexual harassment are leading factors in  the unhealthy problem that is  social networking.Our society  is consuming their lives with social networking and all the unproductive things that come along with it. Bullying has reached new heights as a result of social networking leading to depression, anxiety, and even suicide; this is an unexcitable reality we are all living with. More and more  teens are in  danger every day as a result of  sexual harassment on the internet, and  social networking does nothing but aid to sex offenders and their crimes.A girl named Megan Meier hung herself as a result of depression caused by bullying on  social networking. She was all in your places, thinking she was immune to any harms of  social networking and she has now met a tragic end. Let us all take this as a lesson, and sto p and think the next time we use a social network,  hopefully being  more cautious and  wary as this can only benefit you in the long run. I would like to thank you all for your time, and wish you all  the best.Bibliography I. Social Networking and Students: A Bad Mix? — Inside the School. Teaching Strategies and Tips for Secondary Educators — Inside the School. Web. 04 Apr. 2011. lt;http://www. insidetheschool. com/articles/social-networking-and-students-a-bad-mix/gt;. II. Social Networking: An Internet Addiction? The Early Show CBS News. Breaking News Headlines: Business, Entertainment amp; World News CBS News. Web. 04 Apr. 2011. lt;http://www. cbsnews. com/stories/2008/06/24/earlyshow/main4205009. shtmlgt;. III. Peoples Addiction to Networking Sites on Rise: Study Economic Times. Featured Articles From Economic Times. Web. 04 Apr. 2011. ;lt;http://articles. economictimes. indiatimes. com/2010-03-25/news/27615482_1_social-media-social-networking-facebo ok-and-twitter;gt;. IV. List of Cyberbullying Related Suicides. Cyberbullying News | Research, Reviews, Summaries ;amp; Expert Interviews for Educators ;amp; Researchers. Web. 04 Apr. 2011. ;lt;http://www. cyberbullyingnews. com/2010/05/list-of-cyberbullying-relate

Free Essays on Truancy In Schools

Truancy in Schools â€Å"Everyday, hundreds of thousands of students are absent from school without a legitimate excuse.† (Baker, 2000) Every year, cities, states, and school districts across the country announce new initiatives designed to entice, counsel, threaten, or coerce kids to attend school but poor attendance still remains a problem. Good attendance involves not only the student, but also teachers, family, and the community. According to the U.S. Department of Education, truancy is the first sign of trouble in a young person’s life. â€Å"It is also the first indicator that a student is giving up or losing their way.† (U.S.) Student nonattendance is a problem that extends much further then the school. It affects the student, family, and community. â€Å"Police departments across the nation report that many students who are not in school during regular hours are committing crimes including shoplifting, vandalism, and graffiti.† (Baker) Absenteeism is detrimental to students' achievement, promotion, graduation, self-esteem, and employment potential. Clearly, students who miss school fall behind their peers in the classroom. In the four years that I was at Carmel High School, the attendance policies were revised in attempt to reduce student truancy. When I was a freshman, the only consequence to truancy was a detention or an in-school suspension. Now Carmel has a low tolerance for truancy. On a student’s first truancy, an in-school suspension is assigned and parents are notified. On a student’s second truancy, two days of in-school suspension are assigned and the parents are notified again. On a student’s third truancy, two days of out of school suspension are assigned and the parent’s are notified. A student’s 4th truancy is assigned to out of school suspension for a week and a referral to the Carmel court. When I was a sophomore, Carmel High School implemented a program called â€Å"Skip a Final.† At the end of... Free Essays on Truancy In Schools Free Essays on Truancy In Schools Truancy in Schools â€Å"Everyday, hundreds of thousands of students are absent from school without a legitimate excuse.† (Baker, 2000) Every year, cities, states, and school districts across the country announce new initiatives designed to entice, counsel, threaten, or coerce kids to attend school but poor attendance still remains a problem. Good attendance involves not only the student, but also teachers, family, and the community. According to the U.S. Department of Education, truancy is the first sign of trouble in a young person’s life. â€Å"It is also the first indicator that a student is giving up or losing their way.† (U.S.) Student nonattendance is a problem that extends much further then the school. It affects the student, family, and community. â€Å"Police departments across the nation report that many students who are not in school during regular hours are committing crimes including shoplifting, vandalism, and graffiti.† (Baker) Absenteeism is detrimental to students' achievement, promotion, graduation, self-esteem, and employment potential. Clearly, students who miss school fall behind their peers in the classroom. In the four years that I was at Carmel High School, the attendance policies were revised in attempt to reduce student truancy. When I was a freshman, the only consequence to truancy was a detention or an in-school suspension. Now Carmel has a low tolerance for truancy. On a student’s first truancy, an in-school suspension is assigned and parents are notified. On a student’s second truancy, two days of in-school suspension are assigned and the parents are notified again. On a student’s third truancy, two days of out of school suspension are assigned and the parent’s are notified. A student’s 4th truancy is assigned to out of school suspension for a week and a referral to the Carmel court. When I was a sophomore, Carmel High School implemented a program called â€Å"Skip a Final.† At the end of...

What You Ought to Know About Crafting Great Scenes - Freewrite Store

What You Ought to Know About Crafting Great Scenes - Freewrite Store Today’s guest post is by Marsh Cassady. Marsh has Ph.D in theatre and is a former actor, director, and university professor. He is the author of fifty-seven published books and hundreds of shorter pieces. His plays have been performed in Canada, Mexico and the U.S., including Off-Broadway. Two men are collecting their papers and preparing to go home after a writing workshop. One approaches the other, obviously wanting to say something.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Get the hell away from me.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"I just want to help, damn it.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Help? How can you possibly help me? For God’s sake, man, you know even less about constructing a good scene than I do.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Oh, yeah? If that’s what you think, why don’t you let me prove you wrong?†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Yeah, sure, you’re going to prove me wrong. I can’t believe this.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Just listen, for heaven’s sake.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"I guess that’s the only way to end this stupid argument.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"So it’s agreed?†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"You wear me down, man. So just go ahead and say what you want.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"All right then.† He begins to explain†¦ We often think of scenes as plot segments, or to use a theatrical term, motivational units. Yet consider two things. First, a scene can rarely stand alone and make sense by itself. But some jokes and some short stories, particularly flash fiction, are exceptions. For instance:    The Forecast Is Rain   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"For crying out loud! We gotta run...or are you gonna lie in bed all day? I’ll get the car, while you phone and tell them we may be a little late.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sally knew how important it was to get the new apartment. The rent was cheap, but all we could afford.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"When you're ready- and it better be quick- come out to the car.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It was a sad situation. I’d lost my job. No prospects. Sally never would work; too lazy, I suppose. Can’t see any other reason. And if we didn’t get the new apartment, the manager here would kick us out on the street.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dammit, where was she? The forecast was for rain, and the old car leaked around both doors and the windshield. I wanted to get to the new place before we got soaked. Make a good impression.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Sally, where the hell are you?† I screamed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The front door opened; Sally stood there in pajamas and a robe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"What’s wrong with you?† I asked.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Mom sent me money,† she said. â€Å"You can go; I’m staying here.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What! After all this time, nearly four years, together. And to think I’d always treated her so well. Second, not all scenes directly contribute to the plot. What was that? Okay, I said â€Å"directly contribute.† Yet each scene has to contribute in some way to the overall story. Sometimes scenes are largely narrative or descriptive and involve little conflict. At the same time, they have to be interesting; they have to, in some way, contribute to the advancement of the plot- even though indirectly- and they have to hold a reader’s attention. This all means that a scene needs to have a purpose, and everything within it has to relate that purpose. It’s up to you to figure out the purpose of each of your scenes and not deviate from it. There can be many reasons for including a scene. Maybe it’s to establish the world or universe in which the action exists. Maybe it’s to reveal character. There are many types of scenes, a few of which we’ll get to later. But let’s take the type that directly advances the plot. Plot and The Scene First, maybe we need to define plot? What exactly is it? The answer is that it’s the portrayal of conflict between a protagonist- the guy with the white hat- and the antagonist- the guy with the black hat.   Both have a particular goal they want to reach within the context of the story. When plotted fiction is at its highest point, one of the two beings or forces is victorious in defeating the other, thus reaching its goal. â€Å"Beings or forces† instead of men or women? Yes, since first of all there are different sorts antagonists. In other words, the protagonist may struggle against: 1) another person; 2) against self; 3) against society; 4) against nature. To further confuse things, a protagonist or antagonist may be a group of people, rather than an individual. The second sort of conflict may be as simple as a person fighting against an addiction, the third fighting against corruption, the fourth against a severe storm. An example of a group antagonist would be a n evil government. And characters in fiction certainly don’t have to be human beings; they can be animals, extraterrestrials, or even imaginary creatures like Hobbits. A plot generally has four (or sometimes five) parts. It begins when things are at an even keel and something destroys this balance. This may occur near the beginning of the novel but often occurs before the action begins. This â€Å"upset† is the inciting incident, which initiates the struggle between the protagonist and antagonist. The parts are the: 1. Inciting incident- Which leads to the conflict. 2. Rising action- Where the tension and conflict build. 3. Turning point- Where the end of the conflict is determined. 4. Climax- Where the protagonist or antagonist is defeated. 5. Falling action or denouement- Where everything is tied up. The following illustrates a very simple plot, and serves as a diagram for a scene, as well. But if it is one scene of many, of course, there is no turning point. Rather the action falls off a little before it continues to build. In other words, there are minor climaxes.       Look back at the opening of this post, which, in effect, has all the necessary ingredients of a scene- two people arguing over whether one of them actually knows how to construct a scene. The beginning of the argument is the inciting incident, the argument itself the rising action, the one person’s decision to give up is the climax, and the rest of the blog is the denouement- though most denouements are short. (An exception is some mystery novels in which a lot of loose ends need to be tied up.) Each scene in which there is conflict has to contain these elements. Most stories and certainly virtually all novels have more than one scene, each building to a climax and then falling off a little before the next scene begins, like this:       Sometimes, the turning point and the climax are the same, sometimes not. The turning point is where the action can go no further without something irrevocable happening. The climax is where the irrevocable actually occurs. Think of a close basketball game. The teams struggle to score baskets. One scores first and temporarily gains the upper hand. Then the other goes ahead. The struggle continues till the final seconds of the game. The score is tied. One team gets the ball and scores just as time runs out. This is both the turning point and the climax. But suppose two people are enemies, and each wants to defeat the other. They have a sword fight. One knocks the sword out of the opponent’s hand. This is the turning point. The climax comes a few seconds later when the one still holding the sword stabs the other†¦or decides to spare his life. The turning point is when the one with the sword in hand carries out the decision, which brings about the defeat of the other. Fiction often contains scenes in which there appears to be no direct conflict. Yet if the piece is well‑written, the conflict is inherent; it relates to what already has been shown. For example, one character may be describing what is bothering her, what has caused the central problem and conflict. In so doing, she may begin to glimpse a possible solution, foreshadowing more direct conflict while building tension and anticipation about whether she will succeed. But remember that everything that occurs in fiction with a plot has to be relevant to the advancement of the plot. Everything must be relevant to the protagonist’s attempt to reach his or her goal. Dialogue and The Scene Most scenes contain conversations. Writing dialogue involves many considerations. First, does it sound natural? I say â€Å"sound natural† because dialogue is rarely an exact replication of everyday speech. It’s more direct, more honed. It doesn’t change direction as often as regular conversation. Each line has to contribute in some way to the advancement of the scene. It cannot be extraneous, except if going off on tangents is an important part of the character’s personality. Other things to consider are if the dialogue fits the â€Å"universe† or the â€Å"given circumstances† of the story. Dialogue from Elizabethan times would be vastly different from that of today. And a Bostonian would speak much differently than a Canadian. You need to consider if the dialogue in any scene fits the characters. Are they highly educated or do they have little formal education? What are their economic backgrounds? You need to figure out any part of a character’s background, experience, and personality to have them speak â€Å"naturally.† What is natural for one character could be vastly different from what is natural for another. Further, the mood of the scene helps determine the type of dialogue. A scene in which a mother is trying to save a child from an attack by a rabid dog would certainly be different from that mother talking to her neighbor about an upcoming vacation. Character, Dialogue and The Scene More than all this, you need to keep in mind everything you already known about the   character and build on that. You also need to be sure that during any scene, particularly one of intense conflict, you need to reveal more and more about what the characters are like. This is true for the protagonist and the antagonist, but usually not so important for other characters, many of whom are there simply as â€Å"devices† to further the action. The less important the characters, the less the reader needs to know about them. If you spend too much time with these minor characters, you take away from the plot and lead the reader astray. The central characters have to be well-developed enough so that what they are willing to do to reach their goal is a logical outgrowth of the type of people they are. There also has to be a reason for other characters to be present in any scene. You need to ask yourself why they are necessary to the advancement of the plot. Each character in a plotted story, like the protagonist and the antagonist, has a goal. Maybe a husband’s goal is just to support to his wife in her struggles. Maybe it’s as simple as a mailman delivering a letter- his goal- that is important to the plot. Exposition, Dialogue and The Scene There’s also the matter of exposition. You need to determine everything the reader or audience member needs to know in order to understand the scene. Exposition establishes the time period, the location, the situation, and anything else the reader needs to know. At the same time it shouldn’t call undue attention to itself. The first of the two following examples is ludicrous; it’s intrusive and unnatural:      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   John: Well, here we are, the first day of our vacation in Paris, and we forgot to ask the Thompsons to water our plants while we're gone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marsha: Yes, and, like we discussed, we should have canceled the newspaper.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   John: Oh, well, since this is the first vacation we've taken in the last eight years, we should just try to forget such things and enjoy our two weeks together.    Such a scene can come across as humorous or boring. Besides that, the characters are telling each other things they already know. Some of the information may be necessary for a reader to know, but presenting it this way doesn’t work. You could rewrite the same material to give it tension and conflict:      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"For heaven’s sake, Marsha, how could you forget to ask the Thompson’s to water the plants?†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"I suppose, John, the same damn way you forgot to cancel the paper. I mean we did agree on who was responsible for what!†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"I take you to Paris- for a nice vacation, one I thought you’d appreciate- and you act like this.†    Or take the following scene from Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. The scene is pure exposition, yet Wilde makes it humorous, reveals lot of information about the two characters, and sets up what is to follow:    ALGERNON: How are you, my dear Earnest? What brings you up to town? JACK: Oh, pleasure, pleasure! What else should bring one anywhere? Eating as usual, I see Algy. ALGERNON: (Stiffly) I believe it is customary in good society to take some slight refreshment at five o’clock. Where have you been since last Thursday? JACK: (Sitting down on the sofa) In the country. ALGERNON: What on earth do you do there? JACK: (pulling off his gloves) When one is in town one amuses oneself. When one is in the country one amuses other people. It is excessively boring. ALGERNON: And who are the people you amuse? JACK: (airily) Oh, neighbours, neighbours. ALGERNON: Got nice neighbours in your part of Shropshire? JACK: Perfectly horrid! Never speak to them. ALGERNON: How immensely you must amuse them! (Goes over and takes a sandwich) By the way, Shropshire is your county, is it not? JACK: Eh? Shropshire? Yes, of course. Hallo! Why all these cups? Why cucumber sandwiches? Why such reckless extravagance in one so young? Who is coming to tea? ALGERNON: Oh! merely Aunt Augusta and Gwendolen. JACK: How perfectly delightful! ALGERNON: Yes, that is all very well; but I am afraid Aunt Augusta won't quite approve of your being here. JACK: May I ask why? ALGERNON: My dear fellow, the way you flirt with Gwendolen is perfectly disgraceful. It is almost as bad as the way Gwendolen flirts with you. JACK: I am in love with Gwendolen. I have come up to town expressly to propose to her. ALGERNON: I thought you had come up for pleasure?...I call that business. JACK: How utterly unromantic you are! ALGERNON: I really don’t see anything romantic in proposing. It is very romantic to be in love. But there is nothing romantic about a definite proposal. Why, one may be accepted. One usually is, I believe. Then the excitement is all over. The very essence of romance is uncertainty. If ever I get married, I’ll certainly try to forget the fact.    Some of the things we learn in this scene are that Jack and Algernon are good friends since Jack has felt comfortable enough to drop in unexpectedly. We learn that Jack will be serving tea to Gwendolen, whom he obviously intends to marry. We find that Jack and Gwendolen obviously love each other. Wilde also begins to reveal what the two men are like and hints at what is to follow. Furthermore, Wilde sets up a series of small conflicts. Many of the lines are humorous because we don’t expect them. In the following, the two characters had been hovering over their bodies in an emergency room. Suddenly, they swooped down†¦into the same body:      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Frank opened his eyes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "Well, Brad, I see we're awake," a female voice said.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Brad! What the hell was going on!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "What...what happened?" His voice sounded funny; he felt strange.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Brad woke up, his head filled with random images, alien thoughts. What's going on?He screamed inside his brain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stop the damned screaming!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What! Who are you?he asked.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Frank Willard. Who are you?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bradley Booth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What are you doing in my head?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   You're in my body,Brad said. Get the hell out!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Your body? What happened to my...oh, my God!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What?Brad asked.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I was in this smash-up. A guy wasn't looking. An asshole in a semi. He pulled in front of me; I couldn’t even swerve.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   You!Brad said. You were hovering. I thought how awful your body looked. A pile of rubbish!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hey!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Yeah?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   My body isn't... Oh, Jesus, I was up there, and floating beside me- You! Nothing seemed to be wrong with you.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nothing wrong, you stupid shit! I'd been stung by a bee!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A bee? You were stung by a bee. What kind of person-   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I'm allergic to bee stings, all right! I could die.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What kind of sissy are you, man?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Look, creep, you're the one who's dead.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dead! Oh, Jesus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   You ...Brad sensed that part of his brain had gone to sleep. Oh, fuck. How could this be? He really was crazy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Then he remembered. Somebody saying he was going to make it. At the instant he merged with his body, he felt another-   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "Mr. Booth!"   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "Yes," he said. "It's just me."    The second scene, presented humorously, is filled with conflict, though with elements of personality and some exposition involving the situation. But the scene sets up what is going to be a series of conflicts in which the two men have to solve the major problem of sharing the same body. Obviously, this is going to affect everything they try to do in that each is stubborn and refuses to give in to what the other wants. Some scenes are strictly narration, as in the following excerpt from a longer scene in which a man with serious mental problems has been trying repeatedly to kill a young actress. Though the scene consists only of his thoughts, we certainly get a glimpse into the sort of person he is and how he feels.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I said I loved Mary. I was going to kill her†¦ I love Mary. I love Ruthie. She'll have to have me. We're going to be married. If she doesn't marry me, I'll ki...   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   No, I love her. Damn it, I love her. I love Mary too; no, I don't, the little bitch.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Some scenes are strictly narrative. They may show a character jogging or traveling in a train or any one of dozens of other scenarios. Or they may be entirely descriptive. But they set up what is to follow; they anticipate and so build interest and suspense. __________   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is important to remember that each scene in a story is different and therefore has its own purpose and its own requirements. What you need to do is to determine that purpose and how you can do your best to achieve it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Examine each element of your scene and figure out if it accomplishes what you want it to, and that it is consistent with the other scenes in the story or novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Does the dialogue fit the character, the situation, the mood, the time period? What is jarring about the conversation? What doesn’t fit?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Do the same with the important characters. Are they believable and consistent within the framework of the story? Is there anything out of place? If so, what, and how can it be fixed?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Is the scene interesting? Will it hold a reader’s attention? Is there tension and suspense? Have you written the scene so that it holds the reader’s attention and make him or her look forward to the next scene? Are the characters themselves interesting? Will the reader care about the protagonist and those close to him or her? If not, you need to make the character more appealing in whatever way you can. What can you do to make the reader care?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Writing a good scene is a matter of figuring out its purpose and following through in an interesting manner. If you do that, you should have no problems.       Marsh Cassady has Ph.D in theatre and is a former actor, director, and university professor. He is the author of fifty-seven published books and hundreds of shorter pieces. His plays have been performed in Canada, Mexico and the U.S., including Off-Broadway. For about eight years he was co-publisher of a small press and a literary journal. He has also taught creative writing at the University of California, San Diego, and for thirty-five years led all-genre writing workshops.

Political Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Political Science - Essay Example When Barak Obama was elected the President of the United States it reflected the need for change. It showed how desperately the people of America wanted to change the political situation in the world and within the country. I too was very optimistic when Barak Obama was elected the new President of the country because he expressed his desire to bring a change. It was clear from his speeches that Obama was keen to solve the economic, ethnic, and war issues that the country is facing through peace talks. Soon after the election, President Obama ordered the closure of Guantanamo Bay prison (BBC News), which I personally appreciated as the prison was a clear violation of human rights. But soon after the President took the office it became clear that not much has really changed. The economy of the country is getting worse every day. In March 2009, the national debt of United States was 11 trillion dollars, which was the highest recorded in the history of the country (Knoller). Currently, the debt of the country is increasing which is having a severe attack on the economy. Moreover, Obama’s policies on terrorism are quite similar to the policies of Bush administration. Even though some promising speeches were made by the President before the elections, no implementation is seen. The President has been in the office for almost two years now and still no significant improvement can be seen in any sector. The country is still spending billions of dollars annually on the Israel which is a clear violation of human Rights, no end can be seen to the war in Iraq, no significant measures are being taken to improve the political situation of the world, and the economy of United States seem to be getting worse. I have not seen any notable â€Å"change† in the politics of the country or any improvement in any area. Even though I was initially optimistic about the World Politics in the beginning, I cannot help but be a little sceptical after two years. However, when