Biological Transformation Of Bacteria And Pglo Plasmid Dna

Abstract: Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering are highly involved with the genetic transformation of bacteria with the help of plasmid DNA. Genetic engineering ultimately alters genetic information using genetic material from another organism. The objective of the experiment was to accomplish genetic transformation using E.coli bacteria and pGLO plasmid DNA. PGLO carries an enzyme named ÃŽ ²-lactamase that offers resistance to the ampicillin antibiotic. Therefore, bacterial cells can grow and reproduce using pGLO. Four transformation plates containing E.coli were segregated into 2 groups of experimental and control groups. Two experimental plates comprised pGLO, but the control plates did not. One experimental plate contained ampicillin and pGLO. The second experimental plate consisted of ampicillin and arabinose along with pGLO. Contrarily, one control plate simply had ampicillin. The second control plate only stored E.coli cells. The results accepted the hypothesis sin ce only the experimental plate with pGLO, ampillin and arabinose emitted green fluorescent light under UV light. This confirms that bacteria emit green flourescent light under UV light only when paired with pGLO and arabinose. However, other experiments have proven how modifying and using other plasmid DNA material can alter results substantially. Therefore, bacteria are certainly sensitive to the DNA material that is transforming them. It is undoubtedly beneficial to use the most advantageousShow MoreRelatedThe Transformation Of : Gfp And E. Coli As A Result Of Pglo1117 Words   |  5 PagesTHE TRANSFORMATION OF GFP AND E. COLI AS A RESULT OF pGLO INTRODUCTION One of the most imperative functions in maintaining the development of evolution is the frequency of genetic transformation: the injection of foreign DNA into another organism’s DNA. This term is defined by the actions of a vector, but more specifically by the actions of plasmids and phages. However, in this experiment we are primarily focused on the effect of the pGLO plasmid transformation of GFP on the E. coli bacteria byRead MoreIf Genetic Transformation Has The Meaning Of Change Caused By Genes3093 Words   |  13 PagesIf Genetic transformation has the meaning of â€Å"change caused by genes† and involves the placing of a gene into an life form in order to modify the organisms characteristic; the progression of placing genes from one life form to a different is used to assist of a plasmid and the pGLO plasmid codes the gene used for GFP as well as the gene for resistance to ampicillin. It is used to manage the expression of the fluorescent protein; hence, the GF P gene is able to be switched on by adding the sugar arabinoseRead MoreGenetic Transformation by Heat Shock2755 Words   |  12 PagesVector in Genetic Transformation Introduction: In this experiment we are testing what is required for E. coli to successfully grow on LB (Luria Broth) plates with ampicillin and determining if any genetic transformation has occurred. By combining +pGLO LB and ampicillin we should get an ampicillin resistant gene and by using –pGLO we should create a non-genetic resistant bacteria. The pGLO plasmid has the GFP (green fluorescent protein) gene and the gene that allows the plasmid to be resistantRead MoreBacterial Transformation ( Escherichia Coli )1050 Words   |  5 Pages Bacterial Transformation (Escherichia coli) Kadian Jones Dr. F. Redway BIO 104- Lab 3 November 11, 2014 Introduction According to Medicine.net (2012), genetic transformation is a process by which the genetic material carried by an individual cell is altered by the incorporation of foreign/exogenous DNA into its genome. Competent cells are able to accept DNA presented by experimental influence or manipulation, and the application of genetic engineering with bacteria can aid in theRead MoreAnalysis : A Glowing, Gone ! : Bacteria Transformation And Who Dunnit?1890 Words   |  8 PagesAustin, Mariya, Kaitlin Curran AP Bio 11 December 2014 Glowing, Glowing, Gone!: Bacteria Transformation and Who Dunnit?: Electrophoresis Analysis with DNA Purposes:  · Describe the process of transformation in bacteria  · Understand how to prepare viable E. coli cells  · Describe the components of gene transfer using plasmid vectors  · Be able to describe how antibiotic resistant genes are able to transfer, and identify the transformed cells that areRead MoreIf Genetic Transformation Has The Meaning Of Change Caused By Genes3093 Words   |  13 PagesIf Genetic transformation has the meaning of â€Å"change caused by genes† and involves the placing of a gene into an life form in order to modify the organisms characteristic; the progression of placing genes from one life form to a different is used to assist of a plasmid and the pGLO plasmid codes the gene used for GFP as well as the gene for resistance to ampicillin. It is used to manage the expression of the fluorescent protein; hence, the GFP gene is able to be switched on by adding the sugar arabinoseRead MoreThe Evolution Of The Green Fluorescent Protein ( GFP )728 Words   |  3 Pagesdramatically improve the fluorescent (both intensity and photostability) and spectral characteristics of GFP. As part of his work, he succeeded in varying the color of the light emitted by GFP so that different proteins and multiple, simultaneous biological processes could be tracked using GFP. His work that provided a better understanding of the fluorescence properties of GFP and its’ application as a marker. (Ehrenberg, 2008) In 2008, Osamu Shimomura, Martin Chalfie, and Roger Tsien were awardedRead MoreGenetic Engineering And The Human Genome Project2436 Words   |  10 Pagesvigorous new exploration of human DNA- the Human Genome Project. The goal of this project was to map out all the human genes (An Overview of, 2015), which ultimately led to a deeper understanding of all genes, not just a human’s. This deeper understanding also helped scientists to progress further in the technology of recombinant DNA. Recombinant DNA is when DNA from different cells is spliced together, creating a new strand (Kuure-Kinsey, 2000). Recombinant DNA is often used to genetically change

Difference in the Philosophy of Plato and Aristotle and...

The word Philosophy comes from the Greek words of ‘philo’ meaning love and ‘sophos’ meaning wisdom (Philosophy). It is the pursuit for wisdom, to comprehend human behavior, nature and ultimately the meaning of life. Plato was the student of Socrates, influenced by his work, Plato aged to become a great philosopher himself; establishing his philosophy from that of his teacher. Aristotle was the student of Plato, and like his teacher, grew up to ground his philosophy from that of Plato. Although, both Plato and Aristotle criticized their teacher’s works, they were also influenced by them. Both Plato and Aristotle developed their own modes of knowledge acquisition; Plato’s Platonic Idealism and Aristotle’s Analytic Empiricism. In this paper,†¦show more content†¦So the realm of forms is the ‘real’ world and the realm of senses is just an ‘imitation’ of what is real, perceived through our senses (Russo). P lato describes that the realm of forms contains perfect and complete, real ‘things’ which are eternal and unchanging. Whereas, the realm of senses only looks to be real, but isn’t. It’s only an imperfect imitation of the real forms which are constantly changing. Plato also goes on to say that the way in which we perceive these two realms is different. The realm of forms is equitable; it’s independent of the perceiver’s mind and doesn’t change. Whereas the realm of senses is nonobjective; it’s dependent of the perceivers mind and changes depending the persons expectation and perception. This Theory of Forms is best interpreted by Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. In The Republic of Plato, he describes a dark cavern in which a group of people have been raised from birth. They have been constrained down in such a way that they are only able to stare at a back wall (screen) of the cave in front of them. Behind them is a bonfire on the furthest side of the cave. Between the bonfire and the group of people is a platform of statues, operated by other people. The statues cast shadows on the screen, distorted by the small amount of sunlight entering through a small opening underneath the bonfire platform. The prisoners perceive these shadows to be ‘real’ because ever since birthShow MoreRelatedWhat Makes A Good Life?1274 Words   |  6 Pagesmight influence people in different ways due to, its history, religion, philosophy, tradition, and customs. Someone living in Asia will have a different opinion of a good life then someone living in Canada. Good life can also affect a group of people. Since people is influenced by the environment, a good environment could lead to happier people. A complete ruling system is also the key to good environment for people to live in. Plato and Aristotle are two philosopher that had great influence of theRead MoreAristotle s Contributions Of Aristotle931 Words   |  4 PagesBiography of Aristotle Aristotle Headshot Aristotle was born in 384 BC, in Stagira, near Macedonia at the northern end of the Aegean Sea. His father, Nicomachus, was the family physician of King Amyntas of Macedonia. It is believed that Aristotle s ancestors had been the physicians of the Macedonian royal family for several generations. Having come from a long line of physicians, Aristotle received training and education that inclined his mind toward the study of natural phenomena. This educationRead MorePlato and Aristotle: a Comparison Essay1641 Words   |  7 Pagestwo great philosophers is a complex task. Plato and Aristotle are two such philosophers who had ideas of how to improve existing societies during their individual lifetimes. While both Plato and Aristotle were great thinkers, perhaps it is necessary first to examine the ideas of each before showing how one has laid the groundwork and developed certain themes for the other. Plato is regarded by many experts as the first writer of political philosophy. He fashioned a distinctive view of humanRead MoreHistorical Events That Took Place During The Classical Period1458 Words   |  6 Pages27, 2015 World Literature I Historically Significant Influences of Aristotle During the Classical Period, 500-232 BCE, Greece was at the peak of its political and cultural achievement. This was also a time of war, most noteworthy being the vast empire created by Alexander the Great. In a period containing such an immense amount of historical significance there is no doubting that it had influenced the people born. Notorious philosopher Aristotle is no exception, contributing a great deal to the fieldsRead More Alfarabi And Aristotle: The Four Causes And The Four Stages Of The Doc1405 Words   |  6 Pages Alfarabi and Aristotle: The Four Causes and The Four Stages of The Doctrine of The Intelligence nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Alfarabi was raised as a young boy in Baghdad. His early life was spent studying the art of linguistics, philosophy, and logic. His teachers were Syrian Christians experts in Greek philosophy. He studied Aristotle and Plato in detail, and it became evident in his later writings that they were a strong influence on him. He became quite a prolific writer, and he wrote moreRead MorePersonal Philosophy : Al Farabi1684 Words   |  7 PagesAl Farabi’s philosophy was heavily influenced by Greek philosophy just like how western philosophy was influenced by Greek philosophy. Specifically, Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates were the main Greek influencers of Al Farabi. Al Farabi as well as Ibn Sina have been recognized as Peripatetics or rationalists. The best known Arabic source for Al Farabi s political philosophy is his work titled The Virtuous City. In many of Al Farabi’s philosophical works the practical use of philosophy is a majorRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The First Ones 1562 Words   |  7 PagesThey have meaning. Words are defined as ways feelings are express and influence is spread. Throughout history, questions like, â€Å"What is justice?† and â€Å"How do we justify what is just or good?† have popped up in human minds and Plato and Aristotle were the first philosophers to answer these questions. 2. Plato 2.1. His Life To many people, Plato was known as the first writer of philosophy. Plato was born in Athens in 429 BC (Plato-Biography, egs.edu). His birth name was Aristocles and gained the nicknameRead MorePlatos Influence on the Western Civilization950 Words   |  4 Pages Plato and His Relation to Western Civilization Plato is one of the succinct psychologists, analyst, and scholar the world has ever had. He is a lucrative figure in the birth, generation, and early development of the western civilization. His contributions through ethics, politics, religion, symposiums, and dialogues with Socrates exemplify a myriad of his works since he was a young scholar. He participated in a number of events, theoretical appearances, and analysis, and posting of theoriesRead MoreEssay about Ancient Athens1399 Words   |  6 Pageshad numerous accomplishments of its own. Athens â€Å"prosperity †¦ was due in large part to its stable and effective government† (SOURCE 1). When analyzing the history of ancient Athens, is easy to see how the accomplishments of a democracy, Greek philosophy, and Greek literature all shape Athens. Athens is the home of democracy. It is the first known example of where people began to govern themselves. The democracy of Athens slowly developed around 500 BC, during the Classical Age. In early timesRead MoreEssay on Philosophy1146 Words   |  5 PagesPhilosophy Philosophy started when human beings started to ask questions, about how and what things are actually, due to curiosity. The things that caused these questions to come about were the people started to realize that everything isn’t exactly what it appears to be. Philosophy started in the town of Miletus, many early philosophers came from here. The philosophers started their work around 585 B.C. Thales, one of the early Miletus philosophers, left no writings behind, all we know

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology

Question: Discuss about the Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. Answer: Introduction: Nosocomial infections are the infections acquired by the patients during their stay in the health care facility, and are the major reason behind the majority of the complications that are prevalent in the health care facility. Centre for disease control and prevention have estimated that more than roughly 1.7 million incidences of hospital acquired infections occur that leads to more than 99000 deaths every year (Allegranzi et al., 2013). This ghastly scenario has undoubtedly captured the attention of the health care authorities worldwide and has become one of the public health care priorities in the last few years. Apart from the fatality rates, hospital acquired infections also are found to increase the health care costs to a sweeping 2 to 2.5 folds more and also significantly increases the stay in the hospital of the patients (Al-Tawfiq et al., 2013). A health care complexity so prevalent and nasty could not have been neglected by the health acre authorities and governments, and it has not been. In the last 10 years there have been various infection control strategies that have been introduced in the health care industry that have seen better results with adequate effort and dedicated compliance. One such strategy that is easy, inexpensive and tremendously effective in decreasing the incidence rate of hospital acquired infection is hand hygiene policy. However studies suggest that there is a vast lack of enthusiasm and compliance to this policy which delimits the chance of the patients attaining faster and easier recovery and increases their chance of succumbing to various infections (Al-Tawfiq et al., 2013). This report will attempt to discuss the two strategies to ensure compliance of the health care staff to hand hygiene policies and discuss in details all the factors associated with the implications of these strategies. Significance of hand hygiene compliance: Studies suggest that more than 1000 different species of microorganisms inhabit the human epidermis, or our skin surface. Our hands are the most favourable breeding ground or bacteria and are home to 1500 bacteria for every square centimetre. Apart from that, it should not be overlooked that the microbiota are ubiquitous, they are everywhere, and every possible surface that our hands touch every single day are a source for thousands and thousands of different microbes, a vast majority of them can be infectious (Costers et al., 2012). As hands are the source for thousands of infectious microbes, hand hygiene inevitably is the best and most effective method to keep infection at bay, this is even more effective in the health care facility where both the patients and the health care professionals are exposed to a myriad of microbiota on a daily basis in the health care facility. Hence importance of hand hygiene in health care professionals in the field of medicine is paramount (Ellingson et al., 2014). CDC or centre for disease control and prevention has a predetermined set of hand hygiene policies in place for all health care facilities to follow. The policy statements dictates that antimicrobial washes are to be used to clean hands that appear visibly dirty and soiled, routine hand washing should also be practiced as a daily decontamination strategy and when encountering a contaminated patient of ward (Fisher et al., 2013). The statement further specifies that in instances where the hands are not visibly dirty or soiled alcohol rubs can be opted to perform routine hygienic cleaning of the hands. This technique is to be followed when coming into direct or indirect contact with patients that pose no risk of contamination. Adhering to this hand hygiene policy can ensure decreasing the risk to infection in the patients significantly however there is a significant lack of compliance to the hand hygiene policies (Pan et al., 2013). Considering the Australian health care legislation, the hand hygiene policy is considered to be the fifth most essential health care regimen. According to the guidelines of National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, hand hygiene is recommended five times for the health care workers all throughout the day (Fuller et al., 2012). On a more elaborative note, the health care workers are supposed to perform hand hygiene before getting in touch with a patient, after getting in touch with patient, before an aseptic duty, after associating with body fluids and before and after entering contaminated area. The clinical risk assessment authority of Australia has recommended that each and every health care organization must practice the guidelines set forth by the National Safety and Quality Health Service in order to minimize the risk to patient due to hospital acquired infection. Moreover is has been also advised to ensure that the staff is encouraged and motivated to comply with the hand hygiene protocol, however litte efforts had been witnessed to achieve this goal (Hagel et al., 2015). Studies suggest that the most of the infection that are acquired by the patients in the health care facility is due to the lack of compliance in the staff about hand hygiene at large. However, there is no significant initiative from the health care authorities to determine the causes behind the non compliance and act upon those reasons (Higgins Hannan, 2013). In a exploratory study it was found that there can be more than reasons why health care profession do not comply to the hand hygiene protocol but the most vital contributing factors can be the lack of awareness and the lack of education in the health care workers that lead them to neglect the hand hygiene protocol leading to putting the health and welfare of the patients at risk (Huis et al., 2012). Such a situation will only continue to escalate if there are no strategies in place to ensure that the health care is compelled and motivated to comply to the policy. Strategise to ensure compliance in health care facilities: One of the contributing factors behind the lack for compliance that takes up the majority of blame is the lack of education and awareness in the health care about the hand hygiene and its importance. Exploratory research studies and surveys suggest that the majority of care support staff do not understand the importance of hand hygiene n clinical practice and often they neglect adhering to this protocol mostly due to lack of time, heavy workload, patient priorities, unfavourable working conditions and lack of sincerity (Ling How, 2012). Hence it is of much importance to educate all the support staff the importance of hand hygiene and how noncompliance to it can lead to harmful consequences for both the patients and the workers themselves. Studies suggest that in most cases the health care staffs is not aware of the risks they put themselves on with neglecting proper hand hygiene and it can be expected that the staff is properly educated about the repercussions of not adhering to a s tandard hand hygiene program they will be more motivated to comply (Momen et al., 2012). These education and training programs can be set up every three months or so to ensure that all the staff get the opportunity to avail this programs. Furthermore these educational programs should be free of cost for the health care professional to attend and should include bonus points in the recognition and appraisal program in place in the health care facility in the health care program to ensure that the staffs is lured to attend this seminars. Lastly the training and employee managements of the health care facility should ensure that the newly recruited staff are made aware of the educational and training programs to attend them (Morgan et al., 2012). Usage of animated and interactive graphics in the educational presentation of the hand hygiene compliance program will also intrigue the employees to attend and understand the policy, its importance and the repercussions of not adhering to it. It has also been observed that most cases the staffs forget in their heavy and exhaustive workload to adhere to the hand hygiene policies, the posters will help the staff to be reminded multiple times (Pincock et al., 2012). On a similar note, another contributing factor that has been identified that propel the staff to not adhere to the hand hygiene guidelines is the difficult access of the sanitation agents and the irritation it causes in the hands of the health care workers. Many health acre surveys have described that a vast majority of the health care workers that refuse the usage of hand sanitation procedures, refuse it because of the lack of availability and difficult access of the sanitation products and the irritation it causes in their hands (Pan et al., 2013). The antimicrobial hand washes are generally made of harsh chemicals that strip the skin off of moisture and cause irritation reaction in the skin for the sensitive skinned population of the health care workers. In case of alcoholic rubs as well, the high concentration of alcohol present rips the natural moisture of the hands on repetitive usage and cause drying and flakiness in skin. Hence, most of the health care workers avoid coming in contact with the hand washes if they can help. The lack of strict regulations and threat to penalties adds fuel to their rebellion further (Pincock et al, 2012). In order to combat this issue the hospital authority needs to undertake the actions to ensure that the hand sanitation products are placed at easily accessible areas all throughout the health care facility and they re replenished regularly to ensure that the inaccessibility of the products do not cause the health care staff to not comply to the hand hygiene policies (Scheithauer et al., 2012). Moreover the health care facility needs to invest in the hand hygiene strategy, so that they can purchase mild antimicrobial hand washing agents that are gentle on the hands and are more natural or organic. If the hand washing agents does not irritate the hands of the health care staff it will not cause them to abandon the policy. Lastly this strategy to ensure every healthcare worker complies to the hand hygiene policies, the staff will have to enforce stricter regulations to ensure that the staff are compelled to adhere to the rules. One way to ensure it can be heavy penalization of the staff that does not adhere to the hand hygiene policy, like monetary penalties and temporary suspension (Song et al., 2013). Applying these well articulated and curated strategies can help in urging the staff to comply with the hand hygiene policies. Implementation challenges: Both the strategies that have been devised in the assignment above will be effective in urging the staff to comply with the hand hygiene policy. However there are some challenges to the implementation of these strategies. First and foremost, a comprehensive educational program with interactive graphics in regular intervals will cost the health care facility a pretty penny. It has to be considered that a health care facility that is large enough recruits a large number of staff regularly ensuring that the entire staffs are privy to the educational programs will cause the health care facility to conduct such interactive and comprehensive trainings very frequently, and that will be detrimental to the financial backbone of the health care facility. Moreover encouraging the staff to attend these educational programs will require the management to provide some attraction, like monetary rewards or employee recognition and appraisals, and this also will be a significant blow to the financial standing of the health care facility. An expenditure of this magnitude will be difficult for the management to overcome and will can compromise the care standards (Squires et al., 2013). The challenges present for the implementation of the second strategy will include investing a large chunk to buying enough hand sanitation supplies that can be evenly distributed all throughout the health care facility. Moreover investing on skin friendly mild anti-microbial washes and soaps will be an expensive effort as well. However, even if we ignore the financial threat to the facility management due to storing up enough supplies of standard quality, there is more (Srigley et al., 2014). Without a set of strict rules and regulations these strategies will not bear any fruit what so ever hence, there is need for a good screening program to ensure that all the staff are complying. This represents a need for the recruiting of a screening team that will monitor and control the compliance to hand hygiene and infection control program in the facility, which will also be a financial drawback to the facility. Lastly, enforcing strict penalties like suspension and fine can initiate job di ssatisfaction and irritation in the staff which can result in decreased staff retention and can hamper the care delivery in turn (Tromp et al., 2012). All these limitations can make the implementation and success of these strategies very difficult to attain. Conclusion: The rates at which the incidence of hospital acquired infection is increasing are ghastly and frightening. Every day the statistics of complication and morbidity related to these infections elevate and decrease the standard of care and the sour the experience of the patients in the health care facility. Studies suggest that the level of dissatisfaction and in the patients and their families are due to the suffering they had to go through for the infections caused under the care and surveillance of the health care facility, it is not only detrimental for the reputation of the health care facility concerned but is also morally distressing as well (Costers et al., 2012). This is the reason why the regulatory authorities in the field of heath care have invested time, resources and effort to improve the rates of hospital acquired infections by enforcing different guidelines and policies. Hand hygiene policy is the one of the most effective policies in avoiding hospital acquired infections in the health care facility; unfortunately this policy is also the most neglected one in the health care facility. The noncompliance of the staff to this policy is due to a number o reasons as discussed above, and there are strategies that improve the level of compliance in the staff. However, these strategies like educational programs and stricter inclusion with easy access come coupled with a horde of challenges that limit the efficacy and success of these strategies. However with a little empathy and effort from both the hospital facility management and the staff, the safety and wellbeing of the patients can be prioritized above all. References: Allegranzi, B., Gayet-Ageron, A., Damani, N., Bengaly, L., McLaws, M. L., Moro, M. L., ... Donaldson, L. (2013). Global implementation of WHO's multimodal strategy for improvement of hand hygiene: a quasi-experimental study.The Lancet Infectious Diseases,13(10), 843-851. Al-Tawfiq, J. A., Abed, M. S., Al-Yami, N., Birrer, R. B. (2013). Promoting and sustaining a hospital-wide, multifaceted hand hygiene program resulted in significant reduction in health care-associated infections.American journal of infection control,41(6), 482-486. Costers, M., Viseur, N., Catry, B., Simon, A. (2012). Four multifaceted countrywide campaigns to promote hand hygiene in Belgian hospitals between 2005 and 2011: impact on compliance to hand hygiene.Euro Surveill,17(18), 20161. Ellingson, K., Haas, J. P., Aiello, A. E., Kusek, L., Maragakis, L. L., Olmsted, R. N., ... VanAmringe, M. (2014). Strategies to prevent healthcare-associated infections through hand hygiene.Infection Control Hospital Epidemiology,35(08), 937-960. Fisher, D. A., Seetoh, T., May-Lin, H. O., Viswanathan, S., Toh, Y., Yin, W. C., ... Peh, R. F. (2013). Automated measures of hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers using ultrasound: validation and a randomized controlled trial.Infection Control Hospital Epidemiology,34(09), 919-928. Fuller, C., Michie, S., Savage, J., McAteer, J., Besser, S., Charlett, A., ... Jeanes, A. (2012). The Feedback Intervention Trial (FIT)improving hand-hygiene compliance in UK healthcare workers: a stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial.PLoS One,7(10), e41617. Hagel, S., Reischke, J., Kesselmeier, M., Winning, J., Gastmeier, P., Brunkhorst, F. M., ... Pletz, M. W. (2015). Quantifying the Hawthorne effect in hand hygiene compliance through comparing direct observation with automated hand hygiene monitoring.infection control hospital epidemiology,36(08), 957-962. Higgins, A., Hannan, M. M. (2013). Improved hand hygiene technique and compliance in healthcare workers using gaming technology.Journal of Hospital Infection,84(1), 32-37. Huis, A., van Achterberg, T., de Bruin, M., Grol, R., Schoonhoven, L., Hulscher, M. (2012). A systematic review of hand hygiene improvement strategies: a behavioural approach.Implementation Science,7(1), 92. Ling, M. L., How, K. B. (2012). Impact of a hospital-wide hand hygiene promotion strategy on healthcare-associated infections.Antimicrobial resistance and infection control,1(1), 13. Momen, K. S., Fernie, G. R., Levchenko, O. I., Hufton, G. C. (2012).U.S. Patent No. 8,237,558. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Morgan, D. J., Pineles, L., Shardell, M., Young, A., Ellingson, K., Jernigan, J. A., ... Perencevich, E. N. (2012). Automated hand hygiene count devices may better measure compliance than human observation.American journal of infection control,40(10), 955-959. Pan, S. C., Tien, K. L., Hung, I. C., Lin, Y. J., Sheng, W. H., Wang, M. J., ... Chen, Y. C. (2013). Compliance of health care workers with hand hygiene practices: independent advantages of overt and covert observers.PLoS One,8(1), e53746. Pincock, T., Bernstein, P., Warthman, S., Holst, E. (2012). Bundling hand hygiene interventions and measurement to decrease health careassociated infections.American journal of infection control,40(4), S18-S27. Scheithauer, S., Eitner, F., Mankartz, J., Haefner, H., Nowicki, K., Floege, J., Lemmen, S. W. (2012). Improving hand hygiene compliance rates in the haemodialysis setting: more than just more hand rubs.Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation,27(2), 766-770. Song, X., Stockwell, D. C., Floyd, T., Short, B. L., Singh, N. (2013). Improving hand hygiene compliance in health care workers: strategies and impact on patient outcomes.American journal of infection control,41(10), e101-e105. Squires, J. E., Suh, K. N., Linklater, S., Bruce, N., Gartke, K., Graham, I. D., ... Tibbo, E. (2013). Improving physician hand hygiene compliance using behavioural theories: a study protocol.Implementation Science,8(1), 16. Srigley, J. A., Furness, C. D., Baker, G. R., Gardam, M. (2014). Quantification of the Hawthorne effect in hand hygiene compliance monitoring using an electronic monitoring system: a retrospective cohort study.BMJ quality safety,23(12), 974-980. Tromp, M., Huis, A., de Guchteneire, I., van der Meer, J., van Achterberg, T., Hulscher, M., Bleeker-Rovers, C. (2012). The short-term and long-term effectiveness of a multidisciplinary hand hygiene improvement program.American journal of infection control,40(8), 732-736.

Investigatory Project Essay Example

Investigatory Project Essay Natural Mosquito Repellant A Science Research Project In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement in Science And Technology I Melvin T. Magsayo March 2012 ABSTRACT This research entitled NATURAL MOSQUITO REPELLANT conducted by KAYE ANGELLIE C. NAPIGKIT of Lanao Chung Hua School. One problem of today especially with regards to health is the disease caused by mosquito. Mosquitoes are a family of small, midge-like flies, the Culicidae. It is said to be the most dangerous species on earth. It carries virus that can cause malaria and dengue. Dengue is transmitted by everal species of mosquito within the genus Aedes. And to get rid of this species, Splash Corporation invented of a mosquito repellent (Off Lotion) to drive away mosquito. The researcher would like to come up with an alternative repellent that is as effective as off lotion or better in a natural way. Moreover, the researcher also with this, the researcher investigated which between off lotion and the researchers experiment is better in driving away mosquitoes. THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE Background of the Study Mosquitoes have complex methods of detecting hosts and different types of osquitoes react to different stimuli. Most mosquitoes are active at down and dusk, but there are also mosquitoes that seek hosts during the day. To avoid being bitten, make sure that you arent attracting mosquitoes, using attractants to lure mosquitoes elsewhere, using repellent and avoiding act, ions that diminish the effectiveness of the repellent. Garlic is an important medicinal herb that is readily available everywhere, unlike some of the other herbs. Garlic does indeed have scientifically- proven medicinal properties. It contains a substance called Allicin, which has anti- acterial properties that are equivalent to weak penicillin. We will write a custom essay sample on Investigatory Project specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Investigatory Project specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Investigatory Project specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It appears that cooked garlic weakens the anti-bacterial effects considerably. Garlic is sometimes used for athletes Foot, ear infections, HIV support, vaginitis and yeast infection, with less supportive data. Garlic is considered a topical antibiotic, but it is unclear if garlic possesses any antibiotic activity when taken internally. Scope and Limitation This study will be conducted in the residence of the researcher. The subject of this study is to test the effectiveness of garlic as a natural mosquito repellant. The garlic hat will be used for this study will be taken from the researchers residence. Objective of the Study This study seeks the effectiveness of Garlic as a natural mosquito repellant. Specially this intends to: 1. Know how effective is the garlic as a mosquito repellant 2. Suggest to people a garlic as a mosquito repellant Culicidae a family of slender, Orthorrhaphous dipteran insects in the series having long legs and piercing mouthparts. Stimuli a detectable Nematocera change in the internal or external environment. Foliage an ornamental presentation of leaves, stems, and flowers, especially in architecture. Lactic Acid is a chemical compound that plays a role in various biochemical processes. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Gathering of Materials These are the things needed in making the Natural Mosquito Repellant, First is the Garlic that can be found in the market. Second is the oil that can be found also in the market. Third is the small bowl that can be found in the researchers residence. Fourth is the Pyrex Ware that can be found also in the researchers residence. Preparing the Materials and Equipment Smashing the Garlic, Washing the small bowl and Pyrex Ware, Boiling the water. Making the Garlic Oil First smashed the garlic. Second put the smashed garlic into a small bowl with oil. Third pour some hot water in the Pyrex ware and place the small bowl. Fourth wait RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Results Mosquito Repellents Implications Off Lotion The mosquito repellent was effective. There were mosquitoes but less than mosquitoes without Off lotion. Garlic Oil There were still mosquitoes but fewer than those with off lotion. Discussion The first row shows that using off lotion is effective mosquito repellent rather than not applying off lotion. But compared to Garlic oil mosquito repellent, there were still mosquitoes but fewer compared to those with off lotion. Between the two repellents, garlic oil mosquito repellent is much effective than off lotion. SUMMARY had many mosquitoes, while the water with Garlic Oil had fewer mosquitoes. RECOMMENDATION The Garlic Oil is recommended because it protects us from malaria and dengue. This mosquito repellent is effective because there would be less mosquito bites. It is not expensive because the materials that can be used in making the mosquito repellent can be found at home.

The Art Essay example

The Art Essay example The Art Essay example 16 MARKETING AN INTRODUCTION Armstrong/Kotler Sustainable Marketing Social Responsibility and Ethics Copyright  © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall Chapter Outline Sustainable Marketing Social Criticisms of Marketing Consumer Actions to Promote Sustainable Marketing Business Actions Toward Sustainable Marketing Marketing Ethics The Sustainable Company 16 - 2 Copyright  © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 1. Sustainable Marketing Sustainable marketing is socially and environmentally responsible marketing that meets the present needs of consumers and businesses while also preserving or enhancing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. 16 - 3 Copyright  © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 1. Sustainable Marketing 14 - 4 Copyright  © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 2. Social Criticisms of Marketing - Marketing’s Impact on Individual Consumers High prices Deceptive practices High-pressure selling Shoddy, harmful, or unsafe products Planned obsolescence Poor service to disadvantaged consumers 14- 5 Copyright  © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 2. Social Criticisms of Marketing False wants and too much materialism Too few social goods Cultural pollution Acquisitions Creating barriers to entry Unfair competitive marketing practices Marketing’s Impact on society Copyright  © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall Marketing’s Impact on other businesses 14- 6 3. Consumer Actions to Promote Sustainable Marketing Consumerism is an organized movement of citizens and government agencies to improve the rights and power of buyers in relation to sellers. 14 - 7 Copyright  © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 3. Consumer Actions to Promote Sustainable Marketing – Seller’s Rights The right to introduce any product provided it is not hazardous, or if it is, to include warnings The right to charge any price for the product, provided no discrimination exists The right to spend any amount to promote the product, provided it is not defined as unfair competition The right to use any product message, provided it is not misleading or dishonest The right to use any buying incentive programs, provided they are not unfair or misleading 14- 8 Copyright  © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 3. Consumer Actions to Promote Sustainable Marketing – Buyer’s Rights Traditional Buyer’s Rights The right not to buy a product that is offered for sale Additional Consumer Rights The right to be well informed about important aspects of the product. The right to be protected against questionable products and marketing practices The right to influence products and marketing practices in ways that will improve the â€Å"quality of life† The right to consume now in a way that will preserve the world for future generations of consumers 14- 9 The right to expect the product to be safe The right to expect the product to perform as claimed 3. Consumer Actions to Promote Sustainable Marketing Environmentalism is an organized movement of concerned citizens and government agencies to protect and improve people’s current and future living environment. 14 - 10 Copyright  © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall The Environmental Sustainability Portfolio 14 - 11 Copyright  © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall 4. Business Actions Toward Sustainable Marketing - Sustainable Marketing Principles Consumeroriented marketing Customervalue marketing Innovative marketing Sense-ofmission marketing Societal marketing 14- 12 Copyright  © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall - Sustainable Marketing Principles a) Consumer-oriented marketing is the philosophy of sustainable marketing that

Practice Speaking French Every Day

Practice Speaking French Every Day Daily French practice is a must since its only by practicing and using your French that youll be able to develop fluency, which occurs slowly over time. Aside from talking in French class and reading French books, there are a number of other ways you can incorporate French into your daily life. The basic premise is to use French whenever and wherever you can. Some of these ideas might sound silly, but the point is to demonstrate how you can easily introduce French into everyday situations. Thinking about French every day will help you learn how to think in French, which is a key element of fluency. You want your brain to go straight from seeing something to a French image, instead of going from object to English thought to French thought. Your brain will eventually process French faster, which facilitates fluency.   Fill your home and office with French Things Surround yourself with French things.  Make French labels for your furniture, appliances, and walls; buy or create French posters, and use a French calendar. French first Make French the first thing you see when you connect to the Internet. Set a high-quality French entity, such as  easy French news on Radio France Internationale, as your browsers default  homepage. Practice Your French If you know other people who speak French, practice with them whenever you can. Dont let speaking anxiety hold you back. For example, you and your roommate can declare Mondays and Fridays French day and communicate only in French all day. When you go out to a restaurant with your spouse, pretend youre in Paris and speak French to each other.   French Lists Need to make a shopping list or a to-do list? Do them in French. If the other people you live with speak French, write notes to them in French. Shopping in French When you go shopping, practice French with yourself.  For instance, count out your apples or your cans of tuna fish in French, look at prices and imagine how to say them in French. Routine French Think in French while performing routine actions. When walking to the refrigerator, think Jai soif or Quest-ce que je vais manger  ? Consider the conjugations of se brosser while brushing your teeth and hair. State the French name of each item of clothing as you put it on or take it off. Vocabulary Building Keep a notebook handy so that you can write down new words and keep track of ones you need to look up. This can also be part of a French journal or language scrapbook. French Internet If you use Windows, you can set your computer to display menus and dialogs in French. Mots flchs (Crosswords) Print out free mots flà ©chà ©s  and see how well you do. How Students Themselves Practice Speaking French Lets look at some of the great ideas students themselves have  for practicing spoken French. The following comments were taken from a French learning forum:   I challenge myself by picking a few objects around me and playing I spy with myself or others around me who also speak French. For example, I see an umbrella. Using circumlocution, I describe the item without using any of the words, such as pluie (rain), to give it away.  Because Im so self-conscious about speaking French, I find myself speaking it to my mother, who speaks no French. A live person allows me to put myself out there and I can practice my pronunciation without feeling so uncomfortable. Speaking to someone live forces me to form the word order in my mind along with the pronunciation. Ill say it out loud in her presence, then switch over to English so that she can understand me.I make sure to find things in French that really interest me so that it doesnt feel like school. The Internet is a great source because there are so many avenues to explore. I read reviews of things Im interested in, like books and movies. I go to French language message boards that deal with sub jects Im interested in. Ive also started a journal which is slow going but fun because I get to write about whatever Im interested in. I have books on tape in French and I listen to them while driving. I also have a teddy bear that a French friend gave me. When you press his jaws, paws or stomach he says things like Je mendors...Bonne nuit, or Aà ¯e  ! Ça fait mal; his left paw says Bonjour. Every morning, I touch his paw, he says Bonjour and I proceed to tell him, in French, my plans for the day. It gets me in the mood for French for the remainder of the day.  I try to skim the French newspaper Le Monde on the Web several times a week. If I have time, Ill read one of the articles out loud, which is difficult because the stories are written in fairly sophisticated written French, not in the style of a newscast. Occasionally, I play their aural stories. And I get daily and weekly horoscopes in French from Yahoo. They usually have a lot current French expressions in them.I listen to a series of Hachette pronunciation tapes, Phonà ©tique, in the background. I try to do the exercises, but they sometimes are ve ry difficult even when I can give them my full attention, and its easy to get frustrated. If the International Film Channel or the Sundance Channel is showing a movie Ive already seen, Ill try to keep that on in the background to see if I can pick up the French.  I often try to think of the French equivalent of something and articulate it, but Im often worried about speaking in phony French and  making mistakes, which would be easy to do since I havent studied French in quite some time. Were these ideas promising? If any seemed useful, try them yourself. The more you practice, the more youll train your brain to think in French. And over time, that leads to fluency.  Bonne chance.

The General characteristics of Angels in Supernatural Research Paper

The General characteristics of Angels in Supernatural - Research Paper Example The paper discusses the angels in the TV series appear to show commonalities with the Bible, but the divergences are profound. I have stated the proof and the verses to show the conclusion of what I found in the research. The research has been somewhat more expansive than what is provided here. What was really found was that post modern and humanistic thinking is behind the portrayal of the TV series? â€Å"Humanism is naturalistic and rejects the super naturalistic stance with its postulated Creator – God and cosmic Ruler†. The most recent trend is to make the super natural a fad but still reject the creator at the center and replace one’s own ideas there. The TV series supernatural has done that successfully. The Biblical angels too are extremely powerful. However unlike the beings in the TV Series there power is focused and driven by a purpose. As ministering spirits, angels carry out the commands of God pertaining to the heirs of salvation. This involves warning, guiding, protecting, comforting, providing, and delivering the children of God according to His perfect will. This is exemplified in the verse â€Å"The angel of the LORD encamped round about them that fear him, and delivered them†. The power of the Angles in the Bible is derived from them being the army of God. Again central is God and his purposes to all this. They are so under the command of God that the meaning Gabriel is man of God. A relevant question is ‘What Is the Army of God?’.

Reflections of Nature-Nurture and the Issue of Cloning Essay

Reflections of Nature-Nurture and the Issue of Cloning - Essay Example As the discussion explores nature versus nurture is a shorthand expression for debates about the relative importance of an individual's innate qualities versus personal experiences in determining or causing physical and behavioral traits. In many instances, it has been found that genes do have a contribution to the intelligence and personality of an individual. This paper declares that the definition of ‘nurture’ would include not merely the care given by the parents but also one’s experience in the womb. In case of cloning, the experience in the womb is not possible and this challenges the ‘nature’ itself. Current studies in biology indicate that genes alone cannot determine the trait because the genes are never sufficient in isolation. A particular environment can influence a trait just as particular genes can influence the trait. The media too portrays clones as exact carbon copies with no unique traits but the environment that influences people’s behavior and personality. Genes merely dictate the shape and the number of neurons in the brain. The arrangement and the connection between these neurons determine the personality of the individual. According to the way the neurons function, a synapse is activated or triggered by a certain event or its corresponding action. The events and experience influ ence these connections, which ultimately influence the personality traits and determine a person’s behavior.

Short Guide to Answering Exam Questions Essay Example for Free

Short Guide to Answering Exam Questions Essay Such questions are usually very straightforward. You would usually be asked to â€Å"discuss†, â€Å"explain† or â€Å"write short notes†. However, the examiner may sometimes ask you to â€Å"compare†, â€Å"identify the difference: or â€Å"explain the difference†. This type of question would expect you to list out what the respective characteristics of the terms are and then identify the differences. Just be careful of overconfidence. Hypothetical questions Look first at the question the examiner wants you to answer. It is usually found in the last sentence(s) of the question. This will influence the way you look at the hypothetical facts given. If you look at the facts before you look at the question, you may form your own question and this may result in the inappropriate answer. 1. 1. 2. Identifying applicable law (applicable to all questions) Once you have identified the question, this also narrows down the principles you have to use to answer. The applicable principles can be very wide or very narrow. A contract question is obviously about the law of contract. But the law of contract covers many different sub-topics. Even these can be very general. For example, you have misrepresentation, mistake, lack of capacity etc. Under mistake, you have unilateral or bilateral mistakes. And the list goes on. Once you identify the appropriate legal principle, you should quickly write down the key points. Being able to narrow down the specific law being asked also means that you can elaborate more on the specific point. This will mean less time wasted on unnecessary points. 1. 1. 3. Identifying the key factors for liability (applicable to all questions) As you study, you would realize that the law is very much like a mathematical formula. To establish liability under a principle, you would usually have to establish certain factors exist. The hypothetical usually requires you to discuss one or more of these factors. Before you are able to proceed further, you should therefore identify the key factors. Example is that for a contract to be formed, you must have the factors of offer, acceptance of the offer, an intention to create legal relationship and consideration. Once you identify the appropriate key principle, you should quickly jot down the key words as well as the key case to be used. Identifying the key facts (not applicable to pure theoretical questions) Once the key points have been identified, you are now ready to look at the facts of the case. As you read the facts, you will be now looking to see how many of the factors actually exist in the problem. You have to carefully identify the â€Å"missing† or â€Å"contentious† facts. For other questions, you have to identify what the examiner wants from you. If it is similarity or difference, then you look for the similarities or differences in the principles you are expected to compare. For one thing, a lot of students think they if they cover everything, they are bound to hit something. The problem often is that you do not discuss enough about the relevant issues and much about the irrelevant ones. The student also runs out of time and this is often the reason why students find that they have not enough time. †¢ Criticizing the law. Students sometimes feel it necessary to criticize a legal principle. The mistake is that you spend all the time criticizing the principle without solving the problem. Focus on solving the problem first before criticizing the law. Ignoring the law. Sometimes the legal answer seems wrong from a practice point of view. The student then decides to give â€Å"practical† advice instead of focusing on the legal aspects of the case. Again, give your legal solution first before embarking on the â€Å"practical† solution. †¢ Confusing the solution. Students try very hard to solve the entire problem at the same time. This o ften leads to convoluted and incomprehensible answers. In short, no one (including the student) understands the answer. Solve one problem at a time and then give the overall view at the end.

The Story of An Hour Theme :: Kate Chopin

Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour† Kate Chopin wrote a short piece called â€Å"The Story of an Hour† about a woman’s dynamic emotional shift who believes she has just learned her husband has died. The theme of Chopin’s piece is essentially a longing for more freedom for women. Chopin reflects her rejection of the â€Å"postures of femininity† through her character’s descriptions. She describes her as â€Å"young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression.† Describing her as young and calm are what men looked for in a wife in the 19th century. They wanted a submissive woman to tend to their needs as Chopin’s description suggests. Furthermore, Chopin says of her character Mrs. Mallard, â€Å"she would live for herself.† Her character believes she will now be free of her marriage, and won’t be â€Å"repressed† as aforementioned any longer by her husband. Wives had a natural servitude towards their husbands as husbands worked and went about their lives. All in all, Chopin displays her character as having a joyous moment after the death of her husband because she is let go of being forced into her â€Å"femininity.† Chopin displays a need for more independent women in this piece, suggesting that wronged womanhood is the simple fact that society didn’t allow them to be on the same level with men. Mrs. Mallard realizes a â€Å"possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being.† This suggests a dying will for independence. Mrs. Mallard realizes that she can now rely upon her self for everything and it will become her number one driving factor in life. After she realizes this, Chopin says Mrs. Mallard thinks â€Å"spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own.† When she has days to herself, she will have no one to tell her what to do, as this line suggests her husband used to.

Plastic Money Essay

The study assesses the impact of outsourcing on organisational performance and it is done in Century Bottling Company Limited. It focuses on the benefits and challenges companies face in outsourcing their non-core activities. The study uses the objective of assessing the impact of outsourcing on organisational performance to get data presented in the findings. These show that companies benefit from outsourcing though they face some challenges in their bid to outsource their non-core activities to outside providers. Organisations always prefer letting specialists in different fields accomplish certain tasks in their companies and this means that organisations can benefit from outsourcing as shown in the Literature Review The Data was collected and then analysed to fit the purpose of the study though with several limitations ranging from financial constraints to time constraints. see more:types of plastic money The findings show that companies outsource to access special expertise, speed up delivery of services, reduce costs and get  enough time to concentrate on their core activities. In the long run companies have benefited from outsourcing in several ways like reduction in costs and company staff getting enough time to concentrate on their core activities to promote the company`s competitiveness in the market. In conclusion, companies should outsource some of their services so as to reduce costs and concentrate on core activities. This therefore shows how important outsourcing is and other companies should adopt it just like Century Bottling Company has done and get good quality services from experts as well as more time for core activities. CHAPTER ONE 1.0 INRODUCTION. This chapter looks at the background, problem statement, objective, research questions and significance of the study. 1.1Background The rationale to outsource was rooted in the cost constraints facing asset managers as they struggled to survive the bear market. Traditionally, the outsourcing market focused on infrastructure, data operation and cost takeout as primary drivers but in addition enterprises are looking at outsourcing business areas to achieve greater flexibility and gain greater ability to respond easily as outsourcing is evolving into a strategic tool for change. Lysons 2000, says outsourcing developed as a reaction to the over diversification that took place in the 1970’s and early 1980’s and has led many enterprises to review their core and concentrate on them. In Uganda, business processes that were kept inside the firm such as cleaning and transport are increasingly being outsourced to places where costs are cheaper and back-off operations can be provided like in Century Bottling Company Limited, cleaning, security and part of transport have been outsourced to outside providers. Century Bottling Company Limited located at Namanve and it deals in production of soft drinks like sodas in different brand names say, Sprite, Coke, Fanta, Novida, Stoney, Datsan and Minute maid among others. It has a range of activities some of which are core 1  and not outsourced. Those that are considered non-core are outsourced to different service providers. It gets a list of service providers, looks at their terms, kind and quality of services provided and the costs involved. It is from this list that it selects the most favourable to outsource to. For instance, Century Bottling Company outsources activities like part of its transport is given private vendors who have trucks in good mechanical conditions, negotiate the price and terms of service. These pick the products from the company premises and deliver them to the agreed destinations like depots and various customers. Cleaning is also done by A&A for all departments in the company and this gives the employees a good working environment and more time to perform their duties. However, despite outsourcing these activities are still having weaknesses like late deliveries due car mechanical breakdowns and unsatisfactory cleaning which is at times due to personal character of the cleaners and poor supervision. Looking at outsourcing as a way of reducing on the work load of the company staff and giving core activities more time for companies to perform to their best, Century Bottling Company also outsources its non-core activities so as to concentrate on the core activities to improve its performance in important areas like the production department since the quality of a company’s products is very crucial for its performance in the market. In its bid to outsource, Century Bottling Company has not forgotten what outsourcing is all about. This gives a relationship between what outsourcing is and what Century Bottling Company is doing. 1.2 Problem statement Outsourcing is a very crucial function in an organisation because it directly affects the firm’s operational activities. Following the identified problems such as late delivery, poor cleaning, high transportation costs in Century Bottling Company, steps have been taken to solve the problem by bringing trusted and better qualified people to provide the services. Despite the steps taken, the contribution of outsourcing to organisational performance is still low. Therefore, the study is to establish the impact of outsourcing on organisational performance with a  case study of Century Bottling Company. 1.3 Objective of the study. The study aims at assessing the impact of outsourcing on organisational performance. 1.4 Research questions (i) Which activities are out sourced and which are not? (ii) How is outsourcing beneficial to an organisation? (iii)What are the challenges encountered in carrying out outsourcing? 1.5 Scope of the study The study focuses on the procurement department of Century Bottling Company Limited. It establishes the impact of outsourcing on organisational performance and the study covers the procurement staff, user department and providers of different services. The study looks at the outsourced activities, benefits of outsourcing and the challenges in connection with the organisational performance. 1.6 Significance of the study (i) The study will help business managers to minimise losses through minimising costs and creating value for money. (ii) The research CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW. 2.0 Introduction This chapter looks at a review of issues and factors that have been explored and studied in the existing literature on outsourcing and examine the existing gaps. 2.1 The concept of outsourcing. Baily, 1998, many organisations today are turning to external procurement, where we even find that functions such as transport, accounts, computer services, even purchasing can be outsourced. This gives the company employees time to perform their duties to the company’s satisfaction and this improves the organisational performance which is every company’s objective to achieve competitive advantage. Eyaa, 2006, defined outsourcing as a decision by firms to have an external supplier to take over an activity that would have otherwise been performed in-house by organisation employees. Usually organisations look for the best service providers to whom to outsource their  work, this gives them a chance to get their work done by experts which means good quality work leading to a good company name. Lysons and Gillingham, 2003, states that outsourcing is the strategic use of resources to perform activities traditionally handled by internal staff and their resources. It is a management strategy by which an organisation outsources major non-core functions to specialised and efficient service providers to help the organisations perform best where it is best capable. Axelsson and Wynstra, 2000 defines outsourcing as a decision and subsequent transfer process by which activities that constitute a function that earlier have been carried out by a company are instead purchased from an external supplier. Usually companies that provide outsourced services choose what they can do better, this means training their workers to perform to the best of the clients expectations. This means specialisation with all its benefits to organisations. Different Authors like, Bendor, Bona and Lysons suggest that the following activities should not be outsourced or if done it should be done with great management consideration; management of strategic planning, management of finance, management of consultancy, control of supplies Quality and environmental management. The ranges of services that are outsourced are timeless and these include; Waste disposal, research and development, transmission service, estate management, customer brokage, catering, Asset repair and control library and cleaning. Although various organisations have tried to look at what the different Authors have written and put it in consideration in their bid to outsource, they have not fully met their intentions like cost reduction, efficient and effective service provision from the service providers to whom they outsource their activities. This is partly due to the ever increasing prices of products which also mean increase in prices of services being outsourced. 2.2 Cost reductions. Sabiti, 2003, says that, the organisation that outsources is cutting administration cost of maintaining or doing the activity in house, the overriding factor in outsourcing decision is cost cutting, but where as this may make business sense in the beginning, in some cases it 6  could bring complications and put the whole exercise at a high risk if all concerns are not adequately assessed. This means that the outsourcing organisation should not only look at the costs being low but also consider the outcomes of process of outsourcing at the end of everything to the organisation. Manzi, 2004, states that the most common economic factor that influences the decision is the need to reduce costs. Where the benefits analysis has been carried out and has been established that it is most economic to outsource rather than continue to operate a given function looks forward to making profits in business. Kulumba, 2005, states that, outsourcing is a popular phenomenon with managers because they believe that outsourcing vendors are inherently more efficient due to economies of scale. The outsourcing organisation benefits from getting the services from the provider at a reduced cost since it is provided on a large scale and usually for a reasonable time if it is good work. Antonuccci 1998, advised that, if the vendor is efficient than the prospective client, organisations could reduce its own costs through function consideration and resource optimization. Due to experience in the field and knowledgeable experts, it leads to proper and efficient use of resources yet with good quality work. 2.3 Key factors necessary for outsourcing 2.3.1Competence Bourassa 1988, says that organisations should focus on core activities and leave the noncore activities to outside providers who have the skills to do them better. The providers who have all the required competence, skills, and service providers should be of desired level to be able to meet the company requirement. K Farrington, 2006, also shows how important competence is, it is the core activities of the company that tell or manifest the performance of the organisation. These activities need much more time so as to come out at their best and give the company competitive advantage over others. This can be achieved through outsourcing non-core activities and concentrate on its core competence. 2.3.2 Management support Peter Jeans 2008, suggests that when it comes to outsourcing, it should be supported by all departments of the organisation so as to get the best of the benefits of outsourcing in the  organisation. To achieve success, we always have to stand together to share ideas for better organisational performance. Garry Petty, says that any activity in the company done without management consent and support is a manifestation of failure in that activity. This shows how much important management support and involvement is in all company activities outsourcing inclusive. 2.4 Drivers of outsourcing 2.4.1 Quality actual capacity Lysons and Gillingham 2006, state that, it is temporarily insufficient to comply with demand; the quality motive can be subdivided into three aspects, that is to say; Increased quality demand, shortage of qualified personnel and outsourcing as a transitional period. Therefore companies have various reasons for outsourcing their non-core activitie s. 2.4.2 Finance Frankwood and Sangster, according to them, the company has a limited investment budget. The funds must be used for investments in the core activities which are long term decisions and leave non-core activities to outside providers to do them on behalf of the organisation. 2.4.3 Core business Erick Bartz, shows that, Core business is a primary activity that enables an organisation to generate revenues to concentrate on core business activities. All subsequent activities are supportive and should be outsourced to give enough time to the core activities. 2.4.4 Benefits of outsourcing Outsourcing is beneficial in the following ways; 2.6.1 Cost saving This is the lowering of the overall cost of the service to the business. This involves the score defining quality levels, repulsing, renegotiations, cost restructuring, access to lower cost economies through off showing cold labour arbitrage 2.6.2 Specialisation Lysons and Gillingham, say that, Outsourcing allows an organisation to concentrate on areas of business that derive competitive advantage and outsource non core activities to specialist with better skills and expertise. 2.6.3 Access to innovation There are opportunities to have access to capabilities of suppliers into the products and services of the customer organisation rather than attempt to replicate the capabilities of a supply network (www.pwc.com) 9 2.6 Challenges of outsourcing Like any restructuring exercise and management decision making in business, there are risks associated with outsourcing that procurement managers or top management need to consider carefully (Procurement News December,17th,23rd 2003) and these may be; The possibility of over depending on or leveraged by suppliers which make switching costs to other suppliers in future prohibitively expensive. Over a long time, a supplier of outsourced service may become complacent or change ownership and also a risk of a fall in employ morale for fear of being made redundant, confidentiality links of company matters and in some instances loss of intellectual property rights. Eyaa, 2006, says that, high prices being imposed on suppliers due to increasing trends in outsourcing, the demand for suppliers is so high and has pushed the rates being charged by the suppliers to be high. This later increases the costs yet outsourcing is all about helping firms cut costs. Too much expectancy from suppliers as Company employees tend to expect too much from supplier firms as far as service provision is concerned because they are specialists yet things can go wrong once in awhile. Such issues should not be ignored. Manzi, 2005, according to him, there is a possibility that vital company information may be at a risk of being linked to the company’s competitors which is dangerous since some suppliers may be spies to the company. Conclusion. Organisations always want to let specialists in a particular area accomplish a certain task for them. This implies that business can benefit from the practice of outsourcing. 10 Outsourcing is growing at an exponential rate and could deliver desired benefits if proper choices are made at the inception of the arrangement. When companies choose to outsource, they should give themselves room to monitor performance, renegotiation, or terminate the arrangement with the service providers. The outsourcing client must also ensure that their employees are informed about the progress of discussions regarding outsourcing their department and properly treated when the arrangements come into effect. CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY 3.0 Introduction This chapter provides an over view of the methods used to collect and process data. It gives the research design the sample selection methods, size, and data processing. 3.1 Research Design The study uses both qualitative and descriptive study designs. Both methods are used to help carry out self report data collection from the interested sample and allowing a thorough and easy analysis of the respondents’ opinion. Both survey designs adequately lead to collection of reliable information by description of the impact of outsourcing on organisational performance in the study area. 3.2 Data Collection Methods Data is collected from interviews conducted in Century Bottling Company as well as responses from the questionnaires. Some of it is from secondary sources such as magazines, text books, internet and Newspapers and this is quoted where necessary and used to draw deductions as per the study. 3.3 Data processing and analysis The information is assessed, edited to eliminate the errors, the data is then coded and grouped according to the study to ease analysis, it is then analysed using SPSS. The findings are interpreted in light of the research objective and reviewed in order to attach meaning to the Data collected. 3.4 Limitations of the study i. Financial constraints Relatively a lot of money is required in this study. This involves photocopying of articles, making phone calls, word processing, binding, transport. These increase the cost of the study. ii. Language barrier Questionnaires written in English are only limited to respondents who only know English. This is quite a problem while extracting information from the illiterate respondents. iii. Lack of adequate cooperation Some respondents are busy and others suspicious of the study thereby not willing to fully cooperate. Officials in the procurement department are busy attending to their normal schedules and meetings and had no time to answer some of the questions. This affected the quality and quantity of data collection. iv. There is a threat of time limit and deadlines that need attention considering the fact that the study is carried out alongside other activities like course works, lectures and tests as well. CHAPTER FOUR PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSION OF THE FINDINGS 4.0 Introduction. This chapter presents findings from literature review, primary data from the interview and questionnaires filled by Century Bottling Company staff. The study is guided by the objective of assessing the impact of outsourcing on organisational performance. 4.1 Relevance of outsourcing. To Century Bottling Company, outsourcing is relevant in different ways, say, it easies the working process, it is cost saving and provides more time to the employees to concentrate on the core activities. This helps the company to keep in business with competitors in the industry as lack of concentration may have a very big impact on the company’s performance and customers may be taken. Century Bottling Company outsources its non core activities leaving the core activities to their staff. In Century Bottling Company, all core activities such as the, production of all their products, the cooler department, the ware house, managerial staff recruitment, among others have not been outsourced for reasons like protecting the quality of the company’s product, protect company secrets and records. However, non core activities have been outsourced to outside providers who have more expertise and these include the following; Medical services to staff are provided by International Medical Centre which renders medical services to the staff whenever they need it. Cleaning services in all departments of the company is done by A&A cleaning services Motor vehicle repair and servicing is done by City Tyres Company Limited to the company cars. Security services are provided by Saraceen security services limited. Part of the transport of the company’s products is done by individuals with trucks that are in conditions good enough to deliver company products to the various destinations. Catering services are  provided by Sunset Hotel where staff is able to get their meals in time and get back to their duties in time. The other findings indicate that outsourcing is a manifestation of hurdles that are associated with the functionality of internal departments. This is because some senior organisation executives have a feeling that there is no return on expenditure, in sourcing does not meet the needs of the business and forecasted games in productivity that are used to justify that never materializes. As a result of this perception, top executives find outsourcing more relevant as a means of cost saving and focusing on their core business activities. 4.2 Nature of organisational performance Century Bottling Company considers outsourcing of non core activities as the best option. It looks at identifying potential providers, establishing both short term and long term relationship with the service providers without compromising the objectives of the organisation as a way of having good organisational performance through outsourcing. 15 This is because the services that have been outsourced are also important to the organisation as well as its performance in the long run. 4.3 Whether outsourcing improves organisational performance It is seen that the impact of outsourcing on the performance of an organization depends on which stake holder is making the analysis. In Century Bottling Company, many of the non core activities are outsourced in order to give the organisation ample time to concentrate on core activities such as production and the cooler department. Looking at the way activities were done before outsourcing, for instance, in the transport department, it was at times hard to deliver company products to the customers in time more especially the ones in the remote areas, but with the idea of outsourcing part of transportation to capable individuals, such customers have been catered for as they are now able to get what they need in time. This promotes customer loyalty and creates a good company image leading to competitive advantage. This indicates an improvement in organisational performance through the transport department. Source: primary data. Table 1 above indicates that, majority of the people are degree holders. This implies that the company is in position of making good decisions about outsourcing. 4.4 Conclusion Century Bottling Company carries out outsourcing to gain access to special expertise, to speed up delivery of services, reduce costs, focus on core activities and improve technology among others. Since the inception of the concept of outsourcing, organisations find outsourcing as the preferred method of procuring non core services and enjoy benefits of outsourcing by concentrating on core activities thus improved management performance CHAPTER FIVE SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 5.0 Introduction. This chapter looks at the summary of the findings, conclusions and recommendations drawn from the study. 5.1 Summary Basing on the case study of Century Bottling Company and other literature by various authors, it is believed that organisations outsource services that are noncore to the organisation. It is established that outsourcing has a long term as well as short term bearing on the organisation. The study establishes why organizations outsource many of their non core activities. This is seen by analyzing and discussing the literature review and the interview conducted in Century Bottling Company 5.2 Conclusions Basing on the study above, it is clear that outsourcing positively increases on the performance of organisations, that is to say, it reduces on costs, increase access to new technology, new expertise, core competence concentration, speed up delivery and increase revenue / profits. Therefore, the rate of organisational performance as a result of outsourcing is high in both short and long- term and many business executives are committed to attach their success to the outsourcing process. In the previous chapter, we find that to a greater extent, outsourcing is very relevant Century Bottling Company, however, it is not in order to judge outsourcing as trouble free since it is associated with some calamitous results and firms need time to apply clear outsourcing methodolo gies in order to realize its full usefulness. 5.3 Recommendations Organisations should outsource their noncore business to outside providers that can bring great competitiveness. This is because outsourcing gives company staff more time to concentrate on core competences to produce better quality products and outcompete their competitors in the market hence a competitive advantage. Organisations should establish a partnership with the service providers to establish tools to measure the performance where organisational requirements should be matched with the implementation process through identifying new skills, abilities and knowledge for each project, thus, encourage organisations to obtain front-edge outsourcing. The choices are many for service outsourcing as well as their providers, therefore, this puts organisation on attention to strategically assess their partners. Organisations should not only consider cost reduction and base on low prices and big players to fill their requirements, but should also emphasize the type of relationship and the trend of behaviour between the outsourcing organization and the service providers. Organisations should come up with clear acknowledgement on whether the provider will be able to respond reasonably to the expectations and frequent changes in business and technology requirements to ensure continuity in service provision. For organisations to measure outsourcing effectiveness as regards performance, they should put in place a standard format of measuring performance such as performance evaluation, performance ratios and performance appraisal such that the success from outsourcing g management point of view is the same as what clients deem to be success. 5.4 Areas for further research Opportunities for further research still exist in this area. The study examines outsourcing and its impact on the performance of

Active & Passive Voice Skill and Drill Quiz

Univ. of Phoenix: Center for Writing Excellence, Active and Passive Voice Skill-and-Drill Quiz Note: Every time you take the quiz the questions are in a different order and some questions will be different. 1. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? †¢The hotel was left by the blackout with 250 pounds of spoiled food. ?The blackout left the hotel with 250 pounds of spoiled food. 1. Which of the following sentences should be rewritten in the active voice? †¢The director’s left had was left with about 75% mobility after he suffered injuries in a car accident. A gap was left in the auditing team by the capable director when he left. 2. Identify the correct active equivalent of this passive sentence: Enron might still exist had auditors been granted full access to company records by the executives. ?Auditors might have saved Enron had authorities granted them full access to company records. †¢Auditors might have been able to save Enron had they been granted full access to company records. †¢Enron might still exist had the executives granted the auditors full access to company records. 3. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? The ingredients will have to be added to the boiling water. ?You will have to add the ingredients to the boiling water. 4. Identify the correct active equivalent of this passive sentence: The books will be taken from the library by the movers on January 16. ?The movers will take the books from the library on January 16. †¢The movers are taking the books from the library on January 16. †¢The movers took the books from the library on January 16. 5. Identify the correct active equivalent of this passive sentence: Intellectuals were relocated by Pol Pot to the Indonesian countryside. Pol Pot has relocated intellectuals to the Indonesian countryside †¢Pol Pot wanted to relocate intellectuals to the Indonesian countryside. ?Pol Pot relocated intellectuals to the Indonesian co untryside. 6. Pick the best active equivalent of the following sentence: The brochures and the radio spots were written by the tireless marketing team. †¢The brochures and radio spots had been written by the tireless marketing team. ?The tireless marketing team wrote the brochures and radio spots. †¢The brochures and radio spots were written by the tireless marketing team. 7.Which of the following sentences should be rewritten in the active voice? ?PepsiCo’s production of diet soda was exceeded by Coca-Cola in 2006. †¢The coast of Maine wa buffeted by strong winds early this morning. 8. Pick the best active equivalent of the following sentence: The layout of the new rooms at headquarters was considered â€Å"old-fashioned† by the designers, and new flooring and wall coverings were recommended. †¢The layout of the new rooms at headquarters was considered â€Å"old-fashioned† by the designers, and they recommended new flooring and wall covering s. The designer considered the layout of the new rooms at headquarters to be â€Å"old-fashioned,† and new flooring and wall coverings were recommended. ?The designers considered the layout of the new rooms at headquarters to be â€Å"old-fashioned† and recommended new flooring and wall coverings. 9. Identify the correct active equivalent of this passive sentence: The notebook computers were produced by Toshiba Corporation. ?Toshiba Corporation produced the notebook computers. †¢Toshiba Corporation had produced the notebook computers. †¢Toshiba Corporation will produce the notebook computers. 10.Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? †¢The jury was instructed not to discuss the case with anyone. ?The judge instructed the jury not to discuss the case with anyone. 11. Which of the following sentences should be rewritten in the active voice? †¢The rare book was found several miles from the library on a park bench. ?The dissertation was worked on 14 hours a day for seven days by the talented and soon-to-be Doctor Jana Hartwood. 12. Change this verb form active voice to passive voice: â€Å"†¦were watching their stock. † ? †¦ stock was being watched †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ stock had been watched †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ stock had been watching 3. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? ?The eccentric millionaire will purchase the artwork for about $100,000. †¢The artwork will be purchased by the eccentric millionaire for about $100,000. 14. Pick the best active equivalent of the following sentence: The show was stolen by Sue Preston, when an imitation of CEO Richard Blake was performed by her. ?Sue Preston stole the show when she imitated CEO Richard Blake †¢Sue Preston stole the show when an imitation of CEO Richard Blake was performed by her. †¢The show was stolen by Sue Preston, when she performed an imitation of CEO Richard Blake. 15.Pick the best active equivalent of the following sentence: After the colors were presented by the color guard, the commencement address was given by Hans Goldman, a lively if elderly survivor of the holocaust. †¢After the colors were presented by the color guard, Hans Goldman, a lively if elderly survivor of the holocaust, gave the commencement address. ?After the color guard presented the colors, Hans Goldman, a lively if elderly survivor of the holocaust, gave the commencement address. †¢After the color guard presented the colors, the commencement address was given by the Hans Goldman, a lively if elderly survivor of the holocaust. 6. Which of the following sentences should be rewritten in the active voice? †¢The experiment was first conducted at Yale University in the 1970s. ?The gold medal was won by gymnast Peter Vidmar in Los Angeles. 17. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? ?The government cannot foresee the potential damage of a severe hurricane season. †¢The potential damage of a sev ere hurricane season cannot be foreseen by the government. 18. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? ?Workers burn the sugar cane before hauling it to the refinery. †¢The sugar cane is burned before it is hauled to the refinery. 19.Pick the best active equivalent of the following sentence: A thickening was found by the doctor in the patient’s right bicep, and the patient was told by the doctor that it would need to be removed by the surgeon. †¢The doctor found a thickening in the patient’s right bicep, and the patient was told by the doctor that it would need to be removed by the surgeon. †¢A thickening was found by the doctor in the patient’s right bicep, and the doctor told the patient the surgeon would need to remove it. ?The doctor found a thickening in the patient’s right bicep, and the doctor told the patient the surgeon would need to remove it. 0. Change this verb from active voice to passive voice: â€Å"†¦wi ll perform Chopin’s etudes. † ? Chopin’s etudes will be performed†¦ †¢Chopin’s etudes were performed†¦ †¢Chopin’s etudes may be performed†¦ 21. Identify the correct active equivalent of this passive sentence: The organization had originally been established by the Quakers in 1848. †¢The Quakers originally established the organization in 1848 ? The Quakers had originally established the organization in 1848. †¢The Quakers were originally establishing the organization in 1848. 22. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? By whom can Mt. Everest be climbed? ?Who will be able to climb Mt. Everest? 23. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice? ?The executive team sought ways to help the training department recover. †¢Ways were sought by the executive team to help the training department recover. 24. Which of the following sentences should be rewritten in the active voice? ?Sweaters were knitted by the 75-year-old great grandmother of seven, who sold them to supplement her social security. †¢The relic of inestimable value was found in an antique store in West Virginia.

Informative and Descriptive Details in Writing

Informative and Descriptive Details in Writing In composition, a detail is a particular item of information (including descriptive, illustrative, and statistical information) that supports an idea or contributes to an overall impression in an essay, report, or other kind of text. Details that are carefully chosen and well organized can help make a piece of writing or an oral report more precise, vivid, convincing, and interesting. See Examples and Observations below. Also see: Supporting DetailAnalysisComposing My First College Essay, by Sandy KlemDescriptive Details in Stegners Town DumpHow to Write a Descriptive ParagraphParenthetical Details in Capotes Place DescriptionPractice in Revising a Place DescriptionPractice in Supporting a Topic Sentence with Specific DetailsProcess AnalysisSpatial OrderSpecificityStatus Details in Tom Wolfes DescriptionsWriters Notebook EtymologyFrom the Old French, a cut-off piece Examples and Observations The charm, one might say the genius, of memory is that it is choosy, chancy and temperamental; it rejects the edifying cathedral and indelibly photographs the small boy outside, chewing a hunk of melon in the dust.(Elizabeth Bowen in an interview in Vogue, September 15, 1955)Bad writers never examine anything. Their inattentiveness to the detail of their prose is part and parcel of their inattentiveness to the detail of the outside world.(Clive James, Georg Christoph Lichtenberg: Lessons on How to Write. Cultural Amnesia, 2007) Reading for DetailsIn reading, one should notice and fondle details. There is nothing wrong about the moonshine of generalization when it comes after the sunny trifles of the book have been lovingly collected.(Vladimir Nabokov, quoted by  Brian Boyd in  Vladimir Nabokov: The American Years.  Princeton University Press, 1991 John Updikes Detailed Description of the Running MateShe wears Adidas jogging shoes, and a dove-gray sweat suit with canary-yellow p iping down the sleeves and legs. In winter, she adds a cable-knit Norwegian sweater; in summer, she strips down to crimson track shorts, with slits in the sides for greater freedom of motion, and a grape-colored tank top, stained to dark wine where she sweats. When it rains, she produces from somewhere a transparent polyethylene bandanna.(John Updike, The Running Mate. Hugging the Shore: Essays and Criticism. Knopf, 1983 Details and Character TraitsSometimes it takes only one or two details to light up a character for your readers. . . . The old mans carefully parted hair suggests that he has not totally given up. The tinny clatter of cheap crockery implies that the restaurateur has fallen on hard times. The sullen teenagers one-shouldered shrug connotes indifference tinged with contempt.(Monica Wood, Description. Writers Digest Books, 1995 Natalie Goldberg on Original DetailsLife is so rich, if you can write down the real details of the way things were and are, you hardly need anything else. Even if you transplant the beveled windows, slow-rotating Rheingold sign, Wise potato chip rack, and tall red stools from the Aero Tavern that you drank in in New York into a bar in another state and time, the story will have authenticity and groundedness. . . . You dont have to be rigid about original detail. The imagination is capable of detail transplants, but using the details you actually know and have see n will give your writing believability and truthfulness. It creates a good solid foundation from which you can build.(Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, 2nd ed. Shambhala, 2005 Significant DetailsDetails are never simply embellishments. They serve the narrative in terms of dramatization, characterization, structure, and style. . . .Over and over again were told that good, active writing is concrete rather than abstract. Its specific rather than general. And its in these notions of active writing that details make all the difference. A detail must be both significant and specific.(Joanne Meschery, Details! Details! Details! Writers Workshop in a Book, ed. by Alan Cheuse and Lisa Alvarez. Chronicle Books, 2007 Sensory Details- The night air rushed in about us through the tilted wind portals at the front of the front windows and the smaller ones in back (we were in the zippy Terraplane that Tex and I had brought from Detroit), and with it the hot, flat scent of tall corn; a sudden tang of skunk come and gone; the smell of tar when the dirt roads stopped, fainter now with the hot sun gone; and, over a rare pond or creek as the tire noise went deeper, something rich and dank, with cowflop and dead fish mixing with the sweet-water weeds.(Roger Angell, Romance. The New Yorker, May 26, 2003)- I remember the air whistling around me as I ran, the panicky thud of my bones in my sneakers, and then the slabs rising in the light from the street lamps as I sped past the little candy store and crept under the fence.(Alfred Kazin, A Walker in the City, 1969 Persuasive DetailsDetails are what persuade us that someone is telling the truth- a fact that every liar knows instinctively and too well. Bad liars pile on facts and figures, the corroborating evidence, the improbable digressions ending in blind alleys, while good or (at least better) liars know that it’s the single priceless detail that jumps out of the story and tells us to take it easy, we can quit our dreary adult jobs of playing judge and jury and again become as trusting children, hearing the gospel of grown-up knowledge without a single care or doubt. . . .We think in generalities, wrote Alfred North Whitehead. But we live in detail. To which I would add: We remember in detail, we recognize in detail, we identify, we re-create . . ..(Francine Prose, Reading Like a Writer. Harper, 2006 Tom Wolfe on the Power of Symbolic Details[T]he recording of everyday gestures, habits, manners, customs, styles of furniture, clothing, decoration, styles of traveling, eating, keeping house, modes of behaving toward children, servants, superiors, inferiors, peers, plus the various looks, glances, poses, styles of walking and other symbolic details that might exist within a scene. Symbolic of what? Symbolic, generally, of peoples status life, using that term in the broad sense of the entire pattern of behavior and possessions through which people express their position in the world or what they think it is or what they hope it to be. . . .Here is the sort of thing Balzac does over and over. Before introducing you to Monsieur and Madame Marneffe personally (in Cousin Bette) he brings you into their drawing room and conducts a social autopsy: The furniture covered in faded cotton velvet, the plaster statuettes masquerading as Florentine bronzes, the clumsily carved painted chandelier with its candle rings of molded glass, the carpet, a bargain whose low price was explained too late by the quantity of cotton in it, which was now visible to the naked eyeeverything in the room, to the very curtains (which would have taught you that the handsome appearance of wool damask lasts for only three years)everything in the room begins to absorb one into the lives of a pair of down-at-the-heel social climbers, Monsieur and Madame Marneffe. Balzac piles up these details so relentlessly and at the same time so meticulously . . . that he triggers the reader’s memories of his own status life, his own ambitions, insecurities, delights, disasters, plus the thousands and one small humiliations and the status coups of everyday life . . ..(Tom Wolfe, The New Journalism. The New Journalism, ed. by Tom Wolfe and E.W. Johnson. Harper Row, 1973) The Lighter Side of DetailsSergeant Heppelfinger: I tell you itll all blow over. Everything is perfect- except for a couple of details.Woodrow Lafayette Pershing Truesmith: They hang people for a couple of details!(William Demarest and Eddie Bracken in Hail the Conquering Hero, 1944)