Monday, August 24, 2020

What is coaching? learning specific skills

What is instructing? learning explicit aptitudes Instructing is tied in with learning explicit aptitudes, to improve execution or to plan for headway. To a pariah, instructing circumstances may appear to be comparative. All depend on a progressing, private, one-on-one connection among mentor and student. However each instructing circumstance can be very differing and a portion of these qualifications are critical to perceive, if just to encourage educated decision by everybody included. Accordingly this paper characterizes and investigates key distinctive highlights among instructing. Besides assessing these variables, this article will examine and proposes distinctive training jobs. Any instructional technique ought to be founded on learning hypothesis in light of the fact that without a comprehension of how competitors learn, one can't hope to accomplish planned learning objectives (Griffin et al, 2005). The utilization of understudy and competitor has been utilized tradable all through this article to mirror its significance. So concentrating on this I will look from a behaviorist point of view on how individuals learn best and what certain impacts can encourage learning, by quickly talking about the spot of input will distinguish persuasive elements this can make to a students training and by and large learning experience. Watkins and Mortimer characterize teaching method as ‘any cognizant action by one individual intended to upgrade learning in another (1999; 3). With instructing being as of late reconceptualised as an instructional method (Cassidy et al., 2004), it is basic for a mentor/instructors to guarantee students are encouraging in their learning, so instead of simply showing a specific expertise, they additionally train when this ability ought to be utilized. By being a mentor, at the end of the day, infers being a ‘certain sort of educator (Hacking, 1986; Gee, 2001), however precisely what such being involves stays shrouded in vulnerability (Richardson, 2002). The job for the mentor or educator has been extremely order, instructional or prescriptive (Cassidy et al. 2004, Kidman, 2001). For example, the mentor or instructor choosing when and how competitors/understudies ought to perform determined aptitudes or developments. This has prompted the mentor being viewed as the sole wel lspring of information, transmitting this in a unidirectional path with students having a detached job in the learning procedure (Potrac and Cassidy 2006). Moreover, this involves a place of centrality and impact in the donning condition (Cushion et al. 2006, Smith and Smoll 2007). Accordingly, Lyles (2002) look into proposes there is a solid conviction that the nature of training is one of the most significant ecological factors in deciding execution improvement with progress. Connoting not just the conduct of the mentor being a powerful mingling operator however may likewise affect on execution, learning, and a scope of numerous other psycho-social results. Mentors and educators can be certainly or unequivocally, by their convictions about learning. By rehearsing and acting as indicated by their own convictions, legitimately affecting on how the coachs job is seen and authorized inside the training procedure, for example, convention of the game educated, socialization encounters and so on. Research recommends information and practice, remains generally dependent on encounters and the translation of those encounters (Cushion, Armor, and Jones 2003; Cushion 2006; Gilbert and Trudel 2006). This be that as it may, is paying little heed to the usage and accessibility of training projects and courses. Moreover, Douge and Hastie (1993) accept that the aggregating long stretches of association doesnt fundamentally ensure that an operator will turn into a powerful mentor. Chelladurai likewise grows recommends that â€Å"future research could concentrate on creating things dependent on the encounters and bits of knowledge of the two mentors and athletes† (1990; 340). Demonstrating that there is no single conduct, job or approach that is either a characterizing or basic segment to a competitors/understudies centeredness (Popkewitz, 1998; Cain, 1989). Truth be told, the sum that a mentor feels constrained to act in a solitary manner; the almost certain they are as far as possible on their competitors in light of the fact that their own conduct is compelled (Daniels 2001, Cain 1989) actualizing mediations as well as could meddle with training arrangements. There are various ‘building squares which help mentors in the viability of their training and improve their instructing practice, despite the fact that there are various intelligent cycles to help mentors, Gibbs (1988) offers a model of instructing adequacy perfect for the apprentice mentor including the accompanying six components: 1) Description Describe in actuality exactly what occurred during your basic occurrence or picked scene for reflection. 2) Feelings What were you thinking and feeling at that point? 3) Evaluation List focuses or recount to the anecdote about what was GOOD and what was BAD about the experience. 4) Analysis What sense would you be able to make out of the circumstance. I'm not catching it's meaning? 5) Conclusion What else might you be able to have done? What would it be a good idea for you to maybe not have done? 6) Action Plan If it emerged once more, what might you do any other way? By what means will you adjust your training in the light of this new understanding? This system is a perfect fantastic beginning stage for mentors/educators in their examinations of the training procedure itself, this as well as Bandura states People not just increase understanding through reflection, they assess and change their own reasoning (1986; 62) alluring mentors to un-earth their hypothesis being used, definitely broadening learning in both mentor and competitors. Incomprehensibly concentrating on this, mentors and educators have changed jobs to consider, whereby they can help the requirement for the accompanying explicit information and aptitudes: Relational abilities. Conveying and building up believing associations with whom they are attempting to change their practices. Mentors must have the option to watch precisely and give suitable criticism. Content information. Having a comprehension of their topic, this incorporates how information on an order is created through educational programs and learning materials. Involvement in others mentors at the diverse level demonstrates that a specific degree of substance territory mastery is important to be a branch of knowledge mentor. Nonetheless, mastery additionally may make pressure when mentors are named specialists. Most significant is for a mentor to set up a cooperative, intelligent relationship. Educational information. To lead, mentors need to see how understudies and competitors pick up, including information on the assignments, addressing systems, and structures that can support understudies/competitors build up their own thoughts. Information on the educational plan. Nature with the structures and encounters offered by an educational plan is significant, including understanding the essential thoughts behind an educational plan and how those thoughts interface across various capacity levels. Familiarity with instructing assets. Mindful of explicit information on proficient advancement materials, writing, and assets that can be utilized to help improvement of subject or instructive information and better seeing how to educate. Information on the act of instructing. Instructing procedures and structures, for example, how to utilize pre and post perceptions or on-the-spot training; the job of addressing and successful techniques; how to utilize assets of showing practice (educational plan materials, understudy work, contents of study hall discourse, and so on.); and the advantages and disadvantages of exhibition exercises and training meetings. All indicate a prerequisite of the mentor/instructor, in any case, competitors have been appeared to have changed inclinations and various reactions to mentor conduct (Reiman, 2007) and in complex social and relational settings, singular contrasts make certain to assume a significant job (Smith and Smoll, 2007). Be that as it may, not all individuals are the equivalent, nor are conditions and settings, and subsequently a one size fits all methodology won't work for all students and in all circumstances (Amorose, 2007). Also, Jonassen (1999; 235) proposes potential thoughts â€Å"by beginning the students with the assignments they realize how to perform and step by step include task trouble until they can perform† accordingly encourages learning in both mentor and student empowering dynamic jobs. There are four parts which impact: the mentor, the competitor, information and the learning condition. Concentrating on these announcements further and the writing looked into demonstr ate numerous persuasive variables one specifically being input which the accompanying area talks about. Without a doubt, all training depends on some hypothesis about how we learn with behaviorism emphatically advises training, bringing about an instructional methodology that underscores the utilization of input and remunerating conduct. Input from mentors is a basic part of learning. Whereby mentors use criticism to urge students to react to their own learning by finding where they are presently comparable to where they might want to be, and to decide how to improve next time (Hargreaves, 2005). On a very basic level input can be utilized as an instrument to help and improve learning (Ofsted, 2008) in both instruction and training practice. All the more as of late, it has become the wellspring of warmed discussions and has seen a sensational increment in the measure of writing identifying with criticism and specifically operant molding approach (Skinner, 1958) which depends on the entrenched standards of individual discovering that conduct is an element of its outcomes. Albeit a few references are dated in this area be that as it may; today is as yet important as there are numerous desires and suggestions which are put on mentors and educators to offer significant help and criticism to improve learning. Its accepted by Smoll and Smith (1989) that mentors must have broad assignment information with the goal that they can give legitimate guidance about wanted practices and fortify people when they progress admirably. Be that as it may, discoveries by Ko

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Topics For A Persuasive Essay

Topics For A Persuasive EssayTopics for a persuasive essay are the meat and potatoes of the whole thing. What you should write is not necessarily the most memorable or 'charming' sentence, but it should speak to your reader on a deeply emotional level. You want your readers to be pulled into your topic and feel like they've heard it all before. In order to achieve this, it is important that you actually understand the topic you're writing about.Jane Austen is one author that seems to pull this off the best. Her works appeal to many people with a deep feeling, while remaining very easy to read. Her characters are very real and relatable, despite their slightly awkward appearances and social skills. So if you're considering writing an essay on your favorite author, here are some topics for a persuasive essay to consider.One thing that Jane Austen excels at is describing the big things. She tends to describe the 'big picture' so that her readers can see how great everything is. One thin g you can do with her to 'hook' your readers on your topic is to show how everything turns out for her character. This can be done through a series of pictures. She'll illustrate how her family looks and what the family eats by providing pictures of each member.Another great way to show the big picture for Jane Austen is to show the lives of her characters from different angles. The point is to show how life is lived for these people and what they feel in every single moment. They'll get a better grasp of how these people deal with life and appreciate them because of it.Jane Austen's work is also very exciting. If you're trying to make your essay more interesting, do something she doesn't. Give some examples of her witty, clever pieces. Instead of simply talking about the big life, go on to illustrate how life is 'funny' for her characters.Jane Austen uses humor throughout her novels. This can be used to illustrate how every character feels in every situation. By doing this, it will help readers to visualize the emotions they have while reading about these characters.As you can see, there are several themes that are common themes for Jane Austen. These themes include how everyone deals with life, how her characters deal with life, and how everyone's emotions are portrayed in the text. When you use these themes, you can make your essay more memorable and stir up emotions in your readers. This can be done easily by using her personal style and providing examples of all of her skills.It is a good idea to also talk about how others in your life may relate to the subject. This can add more depth to your essay and make it more interesting. Remember, the best essays will be the ones that you share with your readers and have them think about it as well.

Saturday, July 18, 2020

The History of Narcissistic Personality Disorder

The History of Narcissistic Personality Disorder Theories Personality Psychology Print Narcissistic Personality Disorder Symptoms and History By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on June 05, 2017 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on February 14, 2020 Hero Images / Getty Images More in Theories Personality Psychology Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Behavioral Psychology Cognitive Psychology Developmental Psychology Social Psychology Biological Psychology Psychosocial Psychology Although the current DSM-5 no longer separates personality disorders along a separate axis, narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is still recognized as an important condition. It is characterized by symptoms that include grandiosity, an exaggerated sense of self-importance, and a lack of empathy for others. Like other types of personality disorders, narcissistic personality disorder involves a longer-term pattern of behaviors and thoughts that cause problems in multiple life areas, including work, family, and friendships. An estimated one percent of adults are thought to have NPD,??? although many romantic partners, parents, children, family members, co-workers, and friends are thought to be directly affected by this disorder as well. Uncovering the Origins of Narcissistic Personality Disorder While the concept of narcissism dates back thousands of years, narcissistic personality disorder only became a recognized illness within the last 50 years. In order to better understand how psychologists and researchers view NPD, it is essential to take a closer look at how this personality disorder came to be. Freud and Psychoanalytic View of Narcissism Narcissistic personality disorder has its earliest roots in ancient Greek mythology. According to the myth, Narcissus was a handsome and proud young man. Upon seeing his reflection on the water for the first time, he became so enamored that he could not stop gazing at his own image. He remained at the waters edge until he eventually wasted to death. The concept of excessive self-admiration has also been explored by various philosophers and thinkers throughout history. In the past, the idea was known as hubris, a state of extreme arrogance and haughtiness that often involves being out of touch with reality. It wasnt until fairly recently that the notion of narcissism as a disorder became a subject of scientific interest in the field of psychology. During the early 1900s, the topic of narcissism started to attract interest in the growing school of thought known as psychoanalysis. Austrian psychoanalyst Otto Rank published one of the earliest descriptions of narcissism in 1911, in which he connected it to self-admiration and vanity. In 1914, the famous Sigmund Freud published a paper  titled,  On Narcissism: An Introduction. Freud proposed a rather complicated set of ideas in which he suggested that narcissism is connected to whether ones libido (energy that lies behind each persons survival instincts) is directed inward toward ones self, or outward toward others. He felt that infants directed all of the libido inward, a state he referred to as primary narcissism. In Freuds model, there was a fixed amount of this energy, and to the degree this libido was directed outward toward attachment to others, it would diminish the amount available to ones self. By giving away this love, Freud suggested that people experienced diminished primary narcissism, and in order to replenish this capacity, he believed that receiving love and affection in the world in return was vital to maintaining a sense of satisfaction.   In addition, in Freuds theory of personality, a persons sense of himself develops as a child interacts with the outside world and begins to learn social norms and cultural expectations leading to the development of an ego ideal, or a perfect image of oneself that the ego strives to attain. Another important part of Freuds theory is the idea that this love of ones self could be transferred to another person or object. By giving away love, Freud suggested that people experienced diminished primary narcissism, leaving them less able to nurture, protect, and defend themselves. In order to replenish this capacity, he believed that receiving love and affection in return was vital. The Recognition of Narcissism as a Disorder During the 1950s and 1960s, psychoanalysts Otto Kernberg and Heinz Kohut helped spark more interest in narcissism. In 1967, Kernberg described narcissistic personality structure. He developed a theory of narcissism that suggested three major types: normal adult narcissism, normal infantile narcissism, and pathological narcissism that can be of different types.   In 1968, Kohut came to a different understanding of  narcissistic personality disorder and went on to take some of Freuds earlier ideas about narcissism and expand upon them. Narcissism played an important role in Kohuts theory of self-psychology, which suggested that narcissism was a normal and essential aspect of development and that difficulties with early self-object relationships could lead to challenges in maintaining an adequate sense of self-esteem later in life, contributing to narcissistic disorders.     In 1980, narcissistic personality disorder was officially recognized in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder and criteria were established for its diagnosis. There was some debate about how to deal with personality disorders in the recent DSM-5, but narcissistic and other personality disorders remain relatively unchanged in their diagnostic criteria from the previous edition.     What to Know About Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Taking a Look at the Syrian Crisis - 723 Words

In Syria, the relatively conservative, patriarchal and politically repressive pre-war society posed limitations on women’s rights movements and for advocacy of greater political freedoms, social justice, non-discrimination and gender equality. Although, Syria arguably grants greater rights to women than most other countries in the middle east, discrimination against women is clearly found in its laws relating to women’s personal status and role in the family, including issues related to marriage, inheritance, custody, divorce, and gender-based violence. Conservative interpretations of Sharia law largely influence these laws and has entrenched cultural and religious norms with regards to female behavior and the concept of ‘family honor.’ Since the beginning of 2011, the intensifying conflict and associated stress has had a growing impact on women and girls, forcing large numbers of them to flee to neighboring countries for fear of rape and sexual violence. Moreover, the situation in the country has deteriorated significantly with active hostilities raging between the Government forces and Shabbiha (militia pro government forces) on one hand and anti-Government armed groups on the other. Furthermore, there is aggressive violence and unrest between the Syrian opposition, Free Syrian Army, and foreign-armed militias, Jabat Al-Nusra and Islamic State of the Iraqi and the Levant (ISIL). The perpetuation of violence by both government forces and Al-Qaeda linked groups againstShow MoreRelatedThe War Is Tearing The Country Of Syria Apart1074 Words   |  5 Pagespopulation than the government was designed to provide for. The crisis of the refugees is also beginning to spread to the United States. Michigan is willing to open its doors to more than 10,000 Syrian refugees. 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To really understand what should happen and what is happening you must know all things that are beyond that. First you should know that this is all a result of the Syrian Civil War started by the refusal of the Assad regime to step down during the Peaceful Arab Spring demonstration. During this protest in Syria, protesters were fired upon, some were killed, and many were injured. After this act, Syrian civilians started opening fireRead MoreUsing The Library Search Tools And 1-2 Multimedia Resources1373 Words   |  6 Pages E. Post the Individual Summaries Citations as a document to the Assignment link above (just click on the underlined title of the assignment) Topic and questions 1. What is the response from communities in the U.S. to the Syrian refugee crisis, and how can this response be improved? 2. The cohesion and peace within communities, along with the economic and social stability; the lives of the refugees. 3. Definitions: a. Cultural relativism is looking at beliefs and values of a cultureRead MoreThe Conflict Of The Syrian Government Is Immoral1719 Words   |  7 PagesStates backed Syrian rebels against the Russian-backed Assad regime to stop human atrocities. This raises the ethical dilemma of in what situations is the backing of rebels against a legitimate government the moral decision and when it is not. I will show in this paper that the United States supporting the Syrian rebels fight against the Syrian government is immoral using Utilitarianism. Starting in 2011 political protests turned into a national uprising that resulted in the Syrian government usingRead MoreThe Syrian Crisis Essay903 Words   |  4 PagesThe current state of the Syrian crisis may not be as volatile as before, but there is indeed a great deal of tension that remains. Civilian targeted warfare not only violates UN law, it violates human law. Real humans today are experiencing damage to their communities, both structural and population wise, while also living through a dilapidated and corrupt government. Because of the poor nature of these societies, rebuilding has gone very slowly, leaving people in the cold and alone. Many thingsRead MoreThe Syrian Conflict Of Syria1586 Words   |  7 PagesThe Syrian Conflict The conflict in Syria began in March 2011 in Deraa after multiple teenagers who painted revolution slogans on a school wall were apprehended and later tortured by the Syrian government. Pro-democracy protests broke out and security forces began shooting at protestors and multiple were killed, which truly sparked the beginning of the conflict. More protests went on throughout the nation calling for President Assad to step down and after he did not, by July 2011, there were hundreds

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Drilling Sites Will Be Located Near The Ogallala Aquifer

One of the things that the commission need to keep in mind while deciding will be that the drilling sites will be located near the Ogallala Aquifer. This is one of the biggest aquifers in the world which means polluting the aquifer could have a large impact on hundreds of people’s drinking water. The commission has assured the community that they have used better equipment to protect the pipes so they do not leak. However, the members of the community have little to no faith after seeing how filthy the water still is that’s in the ground. However, with the new equipment the oil company has promised to use the Nebraska residents might feel safer (Hayden). Along with dirty water, community members all over the country have concerns that†¦show more content†¦One of the key factors in solving the problem would be to put in place much stricter regulations for companies to follow. If the government made companies work in a more responsible they would have to pay mor e attention to where they are drilling, leading to less drilling sites in neighborhoods or close to people’s homes. The regulations on zoning could cause a chain reaction of problem solvers, if the fracking wells start to be farther away from homes the water that people are drinking will less likely be contaminated. For Oklahoma there are not yet regulations on where to frack like other states. Drilling is taking place on what is called â€Å"basement† rock, this is believed to be the cause of the tremblors. This is just one place where a little change in law can be a big change for a community. Another easy solution would be regulating the chemicals companies are allowed to use, the chemical cocktails used are commonly filled with acids, detergents and poisons that are not regulated by federal laws. Natalie Starkey, a writer for The Guardian, writes to explain that even areas that are not prone to earthquakes may still experience them due to drilling. Companies have d enied having any ties to the rising number of quakes. The earthquakes that will appear will be very dangerous in most cases. The lack of regulation can be tied back into this issue since there are no laws on where companies can

The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Three Free Essays

Five miles away, in a small posting inn, a man sat in his room, alone, with a bottle of expensive French brandy, an empty glass, a very small case of clothing, and a woman’s ring. His name was Jack Audley; formerly Captain John Audley of His Majesty’s army; formerly Jack Audley of Butlersbridge, County Cavan, Ireland; formerly Jack Cavendish-Audley of the same place; and formerly – as formerly as one could get, as it was at the time of his christening – John Augustus Cavendish. The miniature had meant nothing to him. We will write a custom essay sample on The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Three or any similar topic only for you Order Now He could barely see it in the night, and he’d yet to find a portraitist who could capture a man’s essence on a miniature painting, anyway. But the ring†¦ With an unsteady hand, he poured himself another drink. He hadn’t looked closely at the ring when he took it from the old lady’s hands. But now, in the privacy of his rented room, he’d looked. And what he’d seen had shaken him to his bones. He’d seen that ring before. On his own finger. His was a masculine version, but the design was identical. A twisted flower, a tiny swirled D. He’d never known what it meant, as he’d been told that his father’s name was John Augustus Cavendish, no capital D’s to be found anywhere. He still didn’t know what the D stood for, but he knew that the old lady did. And no matter how many times he tried to convince himself that this was just a coincidence, he knew that this evening, on a deserted Lincolnshire road, he’d met his grandmother. Good Lord. He looked down at the ring again. He’d propped it up on the table, its face winking up at him in the candlelight. Abruptly, he twisted his own ring and yanked it off. He couldn’t remember the last time his finger had been bare. His aunt had always insisted that he keep it close; it was the only keepsake they had of his father. His mother, they told him, had been clutching it in her shivering fingers when she was pulled from the frigid waters of the Irish Sea. Slowly, Jack held the ring out, carefully setting it down next to its sister. His lips flattened slightly as he regarded the pair. What had he been thinking? That when he got the two side by side he’d see that they were actually quite different? He’d known little of his father. His name, of course, and that he was the younger son of a well-to-do English family. His aunt had met him but twice; her impression had been that he was somewhat estranged from his relations. He spoke of them only laughingly, in that manner people used when they did not wish to say anything of substance. He hadn’t much money, or so his aunt assumed. His clothes were fine, but well-worn, and as far as anyone could tell, he’d been wandering the Irish countryside for months. He’d said he had come to witness the wedding of a school friend and liked it so much that he stayed. His aunt saw no reason to doubt this. In the end, all Jack knew was this: John Augustus Cavendish was a well-born English gentleman who’d traveled to Ireland, fallen in love with Louise Galbraith, married her, and then died when the ship carrying them to England had sunk off the coast of Ireland. Louise had washed ashore, her body bruised and shivering, but alive. It was over a month before anyone realized she was pregnant. But she was weak, and she was devastated by grief, and her sister – the woman who had raised Jack as her own – said it was more of a surprise that Louise survived the pregnancy than it was that she finally succumbed at his birth. And that fairly well summed up Jack’s knowledge of his paternal heritage. He thought about his parents from time to time, wondering who they’d been and which had gifted him with his ready smile, but in truth, he’d never yearned for anything more. At the age of two days he’d been given to William and Mary Audley, and if they had ever loved their own children more, they never allowed him to know it. Jack had grown up the de facto son of a country squire, with two brothers, a sister, and twenty acres of rolling pasture, perfect for riding, running, jumping – anything a young boy could fancy. It had been a marvelous childhood. Damn near perfect. If he was not leading the life he’d anticipated, if he sometimes lay in bed and wondered what the hell he was doing robbing coaches in the dead of night – at least he knew that the road to this point had been paved with his own choices, his own flaws. And most of the time, he was happy. He was reasonably cheerful by nature, and really, one could do worse than playing Robin Hood along rural British roads. At least he felt as if he had some sort of purpose. After he and the army had parted ways, he’d not known what to do with himself. He was not willing to return to his life as a soldier, and yet, what else was he qualified to do? He had two skills in life, it seemed: He could sit a horse as if he’d been born in the position, and he could turn a conversation with enough wit and flair to charm even the crustiest of individuals. Put together, robbing coaches had seemed the most logical choice. Jack had made his first theft in Liverpool, when he’d seen a young toff kick a one-handed former soldier who’d had the temerity to beg for a penny. Somewhat buoyed by a rather potent pint of ale, Jack had followed the fellow into a dark corner, pointed a gun a his heart, and walked off with his wallet. The contents of which he had then dispersed among the beggars on Queens Way, most of whom had fought for – and then been forgotten by – the good people of England. Well, ninety per cent of the contents had been dispersed. Jack had to eat, too. After that, it had been an easy step to move to highway robbery. It was so much more elegant than the life of footpad. And it could not be denied that it was much easier to get away on horseback. And so that was his life. It was what he did. If he’d gone back to Ireland, he would probably be married by now, sleeping with one woman, in one bed, in one house. His life would be County Cavan, and his world a far, far smaller place than it was today. His was a roaming soul. That was why he did not go back to Ireland. He splashed a bit more brandy into his glass. There were a hundred reasons why he did not go back to Ireland. Fifty, at least. He took a sip, then another, then drank deeply until he was too sotted to continue his dishonesty. There was one reason he did not go back to Ireland. One reason, and four people he did not think he could face. Rising from his seat, he walked to the window and looked out. There wasn’t much to see – a small barn for horses, a thickly leaved tree across the road. The moonlight had turned the air translucent – shimmery and thick, as if a man could step outside and lose himself. He smiled grimly. It was tempting. It was always tempting. He knew where Belgrave Castle was. He’d been in the county for a week; one could not remain in Lincolnshire that long without learning the locations of the grand houses, even if one wasn’t a thief out to rob their inhabitants. He could take a look, he supposed. He probably should take a look. He owed it to someone. Hell, maybe he owed it to himself. He hadn’t been interested in his father much†¦but he’d always been interested a little. And he was here. Who knew when he’d be in Lincolnshire again? He was far too fond of his head to ever stay in one place for long. He didn’t want to talk to the old lady. He didn’t want to introduce himself and make explanations or pretend that he was anything other than what he was – A veteran of the war. A highwayman. A rogue. An idiot. An occasionally sentimental fool who knew that the softhearted ladies who’d tended the wounded had it all wrong – sometimes you couldn’t go home again. But dear Lord, what he wouldn’t give just to take a peek. He closed his eyes. His family would welcome him back. That was the worst of it. His aunt would put her arms around him. She would tell him it wasn’t his fault. She would be so understanding. But she would not understand. That was his final thought before he fell asleep. And dreamed of Ireland. The following day dawned bright and mockingly clear. Had it rained, Jack wouldn’t have bothered to go. He was on horseback, and he’d spent enough of his life pretending he didn’t mind that he was soaked to the skin. He did not ride in the rain if he did not have to. He’d earned that much, at least. But he was not meant to meet up with his cohorts until nightfall, so he did not have an excuse for not going. Besides, he was just going to look. Maybe see if there was some way he could leave the ring for the old lady. He suspected it meant a great deal to her, and even though he could have probably got a hefty sum for it, he knew he would not be able to bring himself to sell it. And so he ate a hearty breakfast – accompanied by a noxious beverage the innkeeper swore would clear his head, not that Jack had said anything other than, â€Å"Eggs,† before the fellow said, â€Å"I’ll get what you need.† Amazingly, the concoction worked (hence the ability to digest the hearty breakfast), and Jack mounted his horse and took off toward Belgrave Castle at an unhurried pace. He’d ridden about the area frequently over the last few days, but this was the first time he found himself curious at his surroundings. The trees seemed more interesting to him for some reason – the shape of the leaves, the way they showed their backs when the wind blew. The blossoms, too. Some were familiar to him, identical to the ones that bloomed in Ireland. But others were new, perhaps native to the dales and fens of the region. It was odd. He wasn’t sure what he was meant to be thinking about. Perhaps that this vista was what his father had seen every time he’d ridden along the same road. Or maybe that, but for a freak storm in the Irish Sea, these might be the flowers and trees of his own childhood. Jack did not know whether his parents would have made their home in England or Ireland. They were apparently going over to introduce his mother to the Cavendish family when their ship had gone down. Aunt Mary had said that they were planning to decide where to live after Louise had a chance to see a bit of England. Jack paused and plucked a leaf off a tree, for no reason other than whimsy. It wasn’t as green as the ones at home, he decided. Not that it mattered, of course, except that in a strange way, it did. He tossed the leaf to the ground and with a snort of impatience, took off at a greater speed. It was ludicrous that he felt even a niggle of guilt at going over to see the castle. Good God, it wasn’t as if he was going to introduce himself. He did not want to find a new family. He owed the Audleys far more than that. He just wanted to see it. From afar. To see what might have been, what he was glad hadn’t been. But maybe should have been. Jack took off at a gallop, letting the wind blow the memories away. The speed was cleansing, almost forgiving, and before he knew it he was at the end of the drive. And all he could think was – Good Lord. Grace was exhausted. She’d slept the night before, but not much, and not well. And even though the dowager had chosen to spend the morning in bed, Grace had not been afforded that luxury. The dowager was powerfully demanding, whether vertical, horizontal, or, should she ever figure out how to hold the position, at a slant. And so even though she tossed and turned, and refused to lift her head from the pillow, she still managed to summon Grace six times. The first hour. Finally, she had become engrossed in a batch of letters Grace had dug up for her at the bottom of her late husband’s old desk, tucked in a box labeled: JOHN, ETON. Saved by school papers. Who would have thought? Grace’s moment of rest was interrupted not twenty minutes later, however, by the arrival of the Ladies Elizabeth and Amelia Willoughby, the pretty, blond daughters of the Earl of Crowland, longtime neighbors and, Grace was always delighted to note, friends. Elizabeth especially. They were of an age, and before Grace’s position in the world had plummeted with the death of her parents, had been considered proper companions. Oh, everyone knew that Grace would not make a match like the Willoughby girls – she would never have a London season, after all. But when they were all in Lincolnshire, they were, if not equals, then at least on something of the same level. People weren’t so fussy at the Dance and Assembly. And when the girls were alone, rank was never something they noticed. Amelia was Elizabeth’s younger sister. Just by a year, but when they were all younger, it had seemed a massive gulf, so Grace did not know her nearly so well. That would change soon, though, she supposed. Amelia was betrothed to Thomas, and had been from the cradle. It would have been Elizabeth, except she was promised to another young lord (also in infancy; Lord Crowland was not one to leave matters to chance). Elizabeth’s fellow, however, had died quite young. Lady Crowland (who was not one for tact) had declared it all very inconvenient, but the papers binding Amelia to Thomas had already been signed, and it was deemed best to leave matters as they were. Grace had never discussed the engagement with Thomas – they were friends, but he would never talk about something so personal with her. Still, she had long suspected that he found the entire situation rather convenient. A fiancee did keep marriage-minded misses (and their mamas) at bay. Somewhat. It was quite obvious that the ladies of England believed in hedging their bets, and poor Thomas could not go anywhere without the women attempting to put themselves in the best possible light, just in case Amelia should, oh, disappear. Die. Decide she didn’t wish to be a duchess. Really, Grace thought wryly, as if Amelia had any choice in the matter. But even though a wife would be a far more effective deterrent than a fiancee, Thomas continued to drag his feet, which Grace thought dreadfully insensitive of him. Amelia was one-and-twenty, for heaven’s sake. And according to Lady Crowland, at least four men would have offered for her in London if she had not been marked as the future Duchess of Wyndham. (Elizabeth, sister that she was, said it was closer to three, but still, the poor girl had been dangling like a string for years.) â€Å"Books!† Elizabeth announced as they entered the hall. â€Å"As promised.† At her behest, Elizabeth’s mother had borrowed several books from the dowager. Not that Lady Crowland actually read the books. Lady Crowland read very little outside the gossip pages, but returning them was a fine pretext to visit Belgrave, and she was always in favor of anything that placed Amelia in the vicinity of Thomas. No one had the heart to tell her that Amelia rarely even saw Thomas when she was at Belgrave. Most of the time, she was forced to endure the dowager’s company – company, however, being perhaps too generous a word to describe Augusta Cavendish whilst standing before the young lady who was meant to carry on the Wyndham line. The dowager was very good at finding fault. One might even call it her greatest talent. And Amelia was her favorite subject. But today she had been spared. The dowager was still upstairs, reading her dead son’s Latin conjugations, and so Amelia had ended up sipping tea while Grace and Elizabeth chatted. Or rather, Elizabeth chatted. It was all Grace could do to nod and murmur in the appropriate moments. One would think her tired mind would go utterly blank, but the opposite was true. She could not stop thinking about the highwayman. And his kiss. And his identity. And his kiss. And if she would meet him again. And that he’d kissed her. And – And she had to stop thinking about him. It was madness. She looked over at the tea tray, wondering if it would be rude to eat the last biscuit. † – certain you are well, Grace?† Elizabeth said, reaching forward to clasp her hand. â€Å"You look very tired.† Grace blinked, trying to focus on her dear friend’s face. â€Å"I’m sorry,† she said reflexively. â€Å"I am quite tired, although that is not an excuse for my inattention.† Elizabeth grimaced. She knew the dowager. They all did. â€Å"Did she keep you up late last night?† Grace nodded. â€Å"Yes, although, truthfully, it was not her fault.† Elizabeth glanced to the doorway to make sure no one was listening before she replied, â€Å"It is always her fault.† Grace smiled wryly. â€Å"No, this time it really wasn’t. We were†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Well, really, was there any reason not to tell Elizabeth? Thomas already knew, and surely it would be all over the district by nightfall. â€Å"We were accosted by highwaymen, actually.† â€Å"Oh, my heavens! Grace!† Elizabeth hastily set down her teacup. â€Å"No wonder you appear so distracted!† â€Å"Hmmm?† Amelia had been staring off into space, as she frequently did while Grace and Elizabeth were nattering on, but this had clearly got her attention. â€Å"I am quite recovered,† Grace assured her. â€Å"Just a bit tired, I’m afraid. I did not sleep well.† â€Å"What happened?† Amelia asked. Elizabeth actually shoved her. â€Å"Grace and the dowager were accosted by highwaymen!† â€Å"Really?† Grace nodded. â€Å"Last night. On the way home from the assembly.† And then she thought – Good Lord, if the highwayman is really the dowager’s grandson, and he is legitimate, what happens to Amelia? But he wasn’t legitimate. He couldn’t be. He might very well be a Cavendish by blood, but surely not by birth. Sons of dukes did not leave legitimate offspring littering the countryside. It simply did not happen. â€Å"Did they take anything?† Amelia asked. â€Å"How can you be so dispassionate?† Elizabeth demanded. â€Å"They pointed a gun at her!† She turned to Grace. â€Å"Did they?† Grace saw it again in her mind – the cold round end of the pistol, the slow, seductive gaze of the highwayman. He wouldn’t have shot her. She knew that now. But still, she murmured, â€Å"They did, actually.† â€Å"Were you terrified?† Elizabeth asked breathlessly. â€Å"I would have been. I would have swooned.† â€Å"I wouldn’t have swooned,† Amelia remarked. â€Å"Well, of course you wouldn’t,† Elizabeth said irritably. â€Å"You didn’t even gasp when Grace told you about it.† â€Å"It sounds rather exciting, actually.† Amelia looked at Grace with great interest. â€Å"Was it?† And Grace – Good heavens, she felt herself blush. Amelia leaned forward, her eyes lighting up. â€Å"Was he handsome, then?† Elizabeth looked at her sister as if she were mad. â€Å"Who?† â€Å"The highwayman, of course.† Grace stammered something and pretended to drink her tea. â€Å"He was,† Amelia said triumphantly. â€Å"He was wearing a mask,† Grace felt compelled to point out. â€Å"But you could still tell that he was handsome.† â€Å"No!† â€Å"Then his accent was terribly romantic. French? Italian?† Amelia’s eyes grew even wider. â€Å"Spanish.† â€Å"You’ve gone mad,† Elizabeth said. â€Å"He didn’t have an accent,† Grace retorted. Then she thought of that lilt, that devilish little lift in his voice that she couldn’t quite place. â€Å"Well, not much of one. Scottish, perhaps? Irish? I couldn’t tell, precisely.† Amelia sat back with a happy sigh. â€Å"A highwayman. How romantic.† â€Å"Amelia Willoughby!† Elizabeth scolded. â€Å"Grace was just attacked at gunpoint, and you are calling it romantic?† Amelia opened her mouth to reply, but just then they heard footsteps in the hall. â€Å"The dowager?† Elizabeth whispered to Grace, looking very much as if she’d like to be wrong. â€Å"I don’t think so,† Grace replied. â€Å"She was still abed when I came down. She was rather†¦ehrm†¦distraught.† â€Å"I should think so,† Elizabeth remarked. Then she gasped. â€Å"Did they make away with her emeralds?† Grace shook her head. â€Å"We hid them. Under the seat cushions.† â€Å"Oh, how clever!† Elizabeth said approvingly. â€Å"Amelia, wouldn’t you agree?† Without waiting for an answer, she turned back to Grace. â€Å"It was your idea, wasn’t it?† Grace opened her mouth to retort that she would have happily handed them over, but just then Thomas walked past the open doorway to the sitting room. Conversation stopped. Elizabeth looked at Grace, and Grace looked at Amelia, and Amelia just kept looking at the now empty doorway. After a moment of held breath, Elizabeth turned to Amelia and said, â€Å"I think he does not realize we are here.† â€Å"I don’t care,† Amelia declared, and Grace believed her. â€Å"I wonder where he went,† Grace murmured, although she did not think anyone heard her. They were all still watching the doorway, waiting to see if he’d return. There was a grunt, and then a crash. Grace stood, wondering if she ought to go investigate. â€Å"Bloody hell,† she heard Thomas snap. Grace winced, glancing over at the others. They had risen to their feet as well. â€Å"Careful with that,† she heard Thomas say. And then, as the three ladies watched in silence, the painting of John Cavendish moved past the open doorway, two footmen struggling to keep it upright and balanced. â€Å"Who was that?† Amelia asked once the portrait had gone by. â€Å"The dowager’s middle son,† Grace murmured. â€Å"He died twenty-nine years ago.† â€Å"Why are they moving the portrait?† â€Å"The dowager wants it upstairs,† Grace replied, thinking that ought to be answer enough. Who knew why the dowager did anything? Amelia was apparently satisfied with this explanation, because she did not question her further. Or it could have been that Thomas chose that moment to reappear in the doorway. â€Å"Ladies,† he said. They all three bobbed curtsies. He nodded in that way of his, when he was clearly being nothing but polite. â€Å"Pardon.† And then he left. â€Å"Well,† Elizabeth said, and Grace wasn’t certain whether she was trying to express outrage at his rudeness or simply fill the silence. If it was the latter, it didn’t work, because no one said anything more until Elizabeth finally added, â€Å"Perhaps we should leave.† â€Å"No, you can’t,† Grace replied, feeling dreadful for having to be the bearer of such bad news. â€Å"Not yet. The dowager wants to see Amelia.† Amelia groaned. â€Å"I’m sorry,† Grace said. And meant it. Amelia sat down, looked at the tea tray and announced, â€Å"I’m eating the last biscuit.† Grace nodded. Amelia would need sustenance for the ordeal ahead. â€Å"Perhaps I should order more?† But then Thomas returned again. â€Å"We nearly lost it on the stairs,† he said to Grace, shaking his head. â€Å"The whole thing swung to the right and nearly impaled itself on the railing.† â€Å"Oh, my.† â€Å"It would have been a stake through the heart,† he said with grim humor. â€Å"It would have been worth it just to see her face.† Grace prepared to rise and make her way upstairs. If the dowager was awake, that meant her visit with the Willoughby sisters was over. â€Å"Your grandmother rose from bed, then?† â€Å"Only to oversee the transfer. You’re safe for now.† He shook his head, rolling his eyes as he did so. â€Å"I cannot believe she had the temerity to demand that you fetch it for her last night. Or,† he added quite pointedly, â€Å"that you actually thought you could do it.† Grace thought she ought to explain. â€Å"The dowager requested that I bring her the painting last night,† she told Elizabeth and Amelia. â€Å"But it was huge!† Elizabeth exclaimed. â€Å"My grandmother always favored her middle son,† Thomas said, with a twist of his lips that Grace would not have called a smile. He glanced across the room, and then, as if suddenly realizing his future bride was present, said, â€Å"Lady Amelia.† â€Å"Your grace,† she responded. But he couldn’t possibly have heard her. He was already back to Grace, saying, â€Å"You will of course support me if I lock her up?† â€Å"Thom – † Grace began, cutting herself off at the last moment. She supposed that Elizabeth and Amelia knew that he had given her leave to use his given name while at Belgrave, but still, it seemed disrespectful to do so when others were present. â€Å"Your grace,† she said, enunciating each word with careful resolve. â€Å"You must grant her extra patience this day. She is distraught.† Grace sent up a prayer for forgiveness as she let everyone think the dowager had been upset by nothing more than an ordinary robbery. She wasn’t precisely lying to Thomas, but she suspected that in this case the sin of omission could prove equally dangerous. She made herself smile. It felt forced. â€Å"Amelia? Are you unwell?† Grace turned. Elizabeth was watching her sister with concern. â€Å"I’m perfectly fine,† Amelia snapped, which was enough, of course, to show that she was not. The pair bickered for a moment, their voices low enough so Grace could not make out their exact words, and then Amelia rose, saying something about needing some air. Thomas stood, of course, and Grace rose to her feet as well. Amelia passed by and even reached the doorway before Grace realized that Thomas did not intend to follow. Good heavens, for a duke, his manners were abominable. Grace elbowed him in the ribs. Someone had to, she told herself. No one ever stood up to the man. Thomas shot her a dirty look, but he obviously realized that she was in the right, because he turned to Amelia, nodded his head the barest of inches, and said, â€Å"Allow me to escort you.† They departed, and Grace and Elizabeth sat silently for at least a minute before Elizabeth said resignedly, â€Å"They are not a good match, are they?† Grace glanced at the door, even though they had long since departed. She shook her head. It was huge. It was a castle, of course, and meant to be imposing, but really. Jack stood, open-mouthed. This was huge. Funny how no one had mentioned that his father was from a ducal family. Had anyone even known? He had always assumed his father had been the son of some jolly old country squire, maybe a baronet or possibly a baron. He had always been told that he was sired by John Cavendish, not Lord John Cavendish, as he must have been styled. And as for the old lady†¦Jack had realized that morning that she had never given her name, but surely she was the duchess. She was far too imperious to be a maiden aunt or widowed relation. Good Lord. He was the grandson of a duke. How was that possible? Jack stared at the structure before him. He was not a complete provincial. He’d traveled widely whilst in the army and had gone to school with the sons of Ireland’s most notable families. The aristocracy was not unknown to him. He did not consider himself uncomfortable in their midst. But this†¦ This was huge. How many rooms in the place? There had to be over a hundred. And what was the provenance? It didn’t look quite medieval, despite the crenellations at the top, but it was certainly pre-Tudor. Something important must have happened there. Houses did not get this big without stumbling into the occasional historic event. A treaty, maybe? Perhaps a royal visit? It sounded like the sort of thing that would have been mentioned in school, which was probably why he didn’t know it. A scholar he was not. The view of the castle as he’d approached had been deceptive. The area was heavy with trees, and the turrets and towers seemed to twinkle in and out of sight as he moved through the foliage. It was only when he reached the end of the drive that it had come completely into view – massive and amazing. The stone was gray in color, with a hint of a yellow undertone, and although its angles were mostly squared off, there was nothing boring about the facade. It dipped and rose, jutted out and swept back in. No long Georgian wall of windows was this. Jack couldn’t even imagine how long it would take a newcomer to find his way around inside. Or how long it would take to find the poor fellow once he got himself lost. And so he stood and stared, trying to take it in. What would it have been like to grow up there? His father had done so, and by all accounts he’d been a nice enough fellow. Well, by one account, he supposed – his Aunt Mary was the only person he knew who’d known his father well enough to pass along a story or two. Still, it was difficult to imagine a family living there. His own home in Ireland had not been small by any standards, but still, with four children it often felt as if they were constantly crashing into one another. You couldn’t go ten minutes or even ten steps without being swept into a conversation with a cousin or a brother or an aunt or even a dog. (He’d been a good dog, God rest his furry little soul. Better than most people.) They had known each other, the Audleys. It was, Jack had long since decided, a very good – and very uncommon – thing. After a few minutes there was a small flurry of movement at the front door, then three women emerged. Two were blond. It was too far away to see their faces, but he could tell by the way they moved that they were young, and probably quite pretty. Pretty girls, he’d long since learned, moved differently than the plain ones. It did not matter if they were aware of their beauty or not. What they weren’t was aware of their plainness. Which the plain ones always were. Jack quirked a half smile. He supposed he was a bit of a scholar of women. Which, he’d often tried to convince himself, was as noble a subject as any. But it was the third girl – the last to emerge from the castle – who captured his breath and held him motionless, unable to look away. It was the girl from the carriage the night before. He was sure of it. The hair was the right color – shiny and dark, but it wasn’t such a unique shade that it couldn’t be found elsewhere. He knew it was her because†¦because†¦ Because he did. He remembered her. He remembered the way she moved, the way she felt pressed up against him. He remembered the soft breath of the air between their bodies when she’d moved away. He’d liked her. He didn’t often get the chance to like or dislike the people he waylaid, but he’d been thinking to himself that there was something rather appealing about the flash of intelligence in her eyes when the old lady had shoved her at him, giving him permission to hold a gun to her head. He’d not approved of that. But he’d appreciated it all the same, because touching her, holding her – it had been an unexpected pleasure. And when the old lady returned with the miniature, his only thought had been that it was a pity he didn’t have time to kiss her properly. Jack held himself quietly as he watched her move in the drive, glancing over her shoulder, then leaning forward to say something to the other girls. One of the blondes linked arms with her and led her off to the side. They were friends, he realized with surprise, and he wondered if the girl – his girl, as he was now thinking of her – was something more than a companion. A poor relation, maybe? She was certainly not a daughter of the house, but it seemed she was not quite a servant. She adjusted the straps of her bonnet, and then she (What was her name? He wanted to know her name) pointed to something in the distance. Jack found himself glancing the same way, but there were too many trees framing the drive for him to see whatever had captured her interest. And then she turned. Faced him. Saw him. She did not cry out, nor did she flinch, but he knew that she saw him in the way she†¦ In the way she simply was, he supposed, because he could not see her face from such a distance. But he knew. His skin began to prickle with awareness, and it occurred to him that she’d recognized him, too. It was preposterous, because he was all the way down the drive, and not wearing his highwayman’s garb, but he knew that she knew she was staring at the man who had kissed her. The moment – it could only have lasted seconds – stretched into eternity. And then somewhere behind him a bird cawed, snapping him from his trance, and one thought pounded through his head. Time to go. He never stayed in one spot for long, but here – this place – it was surely the most dangerous of all. He gave it one last look. Not of longing; he did not long for this. And as for the girl from the carriage – he fought down something strange and acrid, burning in his throat – he would not long for her, either. Some things were simply untenable. â€Å"Who was that man?† Grace heard Elizabeth speak, but she pretended not to. They were sitting in the Willoughbys’ comfortable carriage, but their happy threesome now numbered four. The dowager had, upon rising from her bed, taken one look at Amelia’s sun-kissed cheeks (Grace did think that she and Thomas had taken quite a long walk together, all things considered), and gone into a barely intelligible tirade about the proper decorum of a future duchess. It was not every day one heard a speech containing dynasty, procreation, and sunspots – all in one sentence. But the dowager had managed it, and now they were all miserable, Amelia most of all. The dowager had got it into her head that she needed to speak with Lady Crowland – most probably about the supposed blemishes on Amelia’s skin – and so she invited herself along for the ride, giving instructions to the Wyndham stables to ready a carriage and send it after them for the return journey. Grace had come along, too. Because, quite frankly, she didn’t have any choice. â€Å"Grace?† It was Elizabeth again. Grace sucked in her lips and positively glued her eyes to a spot on the seat cushion just to the left of the dowager’s head. â€Å"Who was it?† Elizabeth persisted. â€Å"No one,† Grace said quickly. â€Å"Are we ready to depart?† She looked out the window, pretending to wonder why they were delayed on the drive. Any moment now they would leave for Burges Park, where the Willoughbys lived. She had been dreading the journey, short though it was. And then she’d seen him. The highwayman. Whose name wasn’t Cavendish. But once was. He had left before the dowager emerged from the castle, turning his mount in a display of horsemanship so expert that even she, who was no equestrienne, recognized his skill. But he had seen her. And he had recognized her. She was certain of it. She’d felt it. Grace tapped her fingers impatiently against the side of her thigh. She thought of Thomas, and of the enormous portrait that had passed by the doorway of the sitting room. She thought of Amelia, who had been raised since birth to be the bride of a duke. And she thought of herself. Her world might not be quite what she wanted, but it was hers, and it was safe. One man had the power to send it all crashing down. Which was why, even though she would have traded a corner of her soul for just one more kiss from a man whose name she did not know, when Elizabeth remarked that it looked as if she knew him, she said, sharply, â€Å"I do not.† The dowager looked up, her face pinched with irritation. â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"There was a man at the end of the drive,† Elizabeth said, before Grace could deny anything. The dowager’s head snapped back in Grace’s direction. â€Å"Who was it?† she demanded. â€Å"I don’t know. I could not see his face.† Which wasn’t a lie. Not the second part, at least. â€Å"Who was it?† the dowager thundered, her voice rising over the sound of the wheels beginning their rumble down the drive. â€Å"I don’t know,† Grace repeated, but even she could hear the cracks in her voice. â€Å"Did you see him?† the dowager asked Amelia. Grace’s eyes caught Amelia’s. Something passed between them. â€Å"I saw no one, ma’am,† said Amelia. The dowager dismissed her with a snort, turning the full weight of her fury on Grace. â€Å"Was it he?† Grace shook her head. â€Å"I don’t know,† she stammered. â€Å"I couldn’t say.† â€Å"Stop the carriage,† the dowager yelled, lurching forward and shoving Grace aside so she could bang on the wall separating the cabin and the driver. â€Å"Stop, I tell you!† The carriage came to a sudden stop, and Amelia, who had been sitting face front beside the dowager, tumbled forward, landing at Grace’s feet. She tried to get up but was blocked by the dowager, who had reached across the carriage to grab Grace’s chin, her long, ancient fingers digging cruelly into her skin. â€Å"I will give you one more chance, Miss Eversleigh,† she hissed. â€Å"Was it he?† Forgive me, Grace thought. She nodded. How to cite The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Three, Essay examples

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Wentworth Medical Center Essay Example

Wentworth Medical Center Paper In this case we looked at data from a long-term study of individuals 65 years of age or older, sociologists and physicians at the Wentworth Medical Center in upstate New York investigated the relationship between geographic location and depression. A sample of 60 individuals, all in reasonably good health, was selected; 20 were residents of Florida, 20 were residents of New York, and 20 were residents of North Carolina. From the data collected we could know that the higher test scores indicate higher levels of depression. The descriptive statistics of the data collected are as following: GROUPSSIZESUMMEANSAMPLE VARIANCE FLORIDA2088.504.423.81 NEW YORK20131.536.583.95 NORTH CAROLINA20137.096.852.31 For the second part of this study, we considered the relationship between geographic location and depression for individuals 65 years of age or older who had a chronic health condition such as arthritis, hypertension, or heart ailment. A sample of 60 individuals with such conditions was identified. 20 were residents of Florida, 20 were residents of New York, and 20 were residents of North Carolina. The descriptive statistics of the data are as following: GROUPSSIZESUMMEANSAMPLE VARIANCE We will write a custom essay sample on Wentworth Medical Center specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Wentworth Medical Center specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Wentworth Medical Center specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer FLORIDA20284.7114.2415.88 NEW YORK20313.1515.669.82 NORTH CAROLINA20321.0116.0512.79 In both of the two tables above, we found that the residents in Florida shows the lowest mean scores than either of the other states, implying that the level of depression is lowest than others. Compare these two tables, we found that the depression mean scores and variance of health individual is far lower than the individuals with chronic health problem. First, we determine if there is any difference in depression means for the three states within the health individuals, we have conducted the following hypothesis test, with the level of significance 0.05: H0:  µ1 =  µ2 =  µ3 Ha: Not all are equal where:  µ1= population mean of depression scores in Florida  µ2= population mean of depression scores in New York  µ3= population mean of depression scores in North Carolina We use Analysis of Variance to determine whether the observed differences in the three sample means are large enough to reject H0. SSDFMSFF CRITP-VALUE TREATMENT70.75235.3710.543.160.00 ERROR191.38573.36 TOTAL262.1359 The sampling distribution of MSTR/MSE is an F distribution with numerator degrees of freedom equal to 2 and denominator degrees of freedom equal to 57. From the ANOVA table above, we found that the p-value for this test is equals to 0 which is less than the level of significance of ÃŽ ±=0.05. As a result, we reject H0 and conclude that the means of the three depression levels between difference states are not equal. For further test, we need to determine where the differences occur. We use Fisher’s LSD procedure to make three pairwise comparisons: Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 H0:  µ1 =  µ2H0:  µ1 =  µ3H0:  µ2 =  µ3 Ha:  µ1 ≠   µ2Ha:  µ1 ≠   µ3Ha:  µ2 ≠   µ3 where:  µ1=population mean of depression scores in Florida  µ2= population mean of depression scores in New York  µ3= population mean of depression scores in North Carolina We use the level of significance of ÃŽ ±=0.05. The value of LSD in this case is equals to 1.16. We only reject null hypothesis when test statistic |xÌ„i xÌ„j| LSD. The calculated results are as following: Test StatisticLSD Test 12.151.16 Test 22.431.16 Test 30.281.16 The difference between the mean for population 1 and population 2 are greater than LSD, which means we can reject null hypothesis and conclude that the mean for population 1 is not equals to population 2. Similarly, with the difference between the sample means for population 1 and 3 is 2.431.16, we can also reject null hypothesis. But in test 3, the difference between the sample means for population 2 and 3 is 0.280.05). As a result, we could not reject null hypothesis, and conclude that there is no difference between the mean of depression levels of the individuals who had a

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

A Quick Biography of Founding Father Thomas Jefferson

A Quick Biography of Founding Father Thomas Jefferson Jefferson grew up in Virginia and was raised with the orphaned children of his fathers friend, William Randolph. He was educated from ages 9-14 by a clergyman named William Douglas from whom he learned Greek, Latin, and French. He then attended Reverend James Maurys School before attending the College of William and Mary. He studied law with George Wythe, the first American law professor. He was admitted to the bar in 1767. Family Ties: Jefferson was the son of  Colonel Peter Jefferson, a planter and public official, and Jane Randolph. His father died when Thomas was 14.  Together they had six sisters and one brother. On  January 1, 1772 he married  Martha Wayles Skelton. However, she  died after ten years of marriage.  Together they had two daughters: Martha Patsy and Mary Polly. There is also speculation about the progeny of several children by the slave Sally Hemings. Early Career: Jefferson served in the House of Burgesses (1769-74). He argued against Britains actions and was part of the Committee of Correspondence. He was a member of the Continental Congress (1775-6) and then became a member of the Virginia House of Delegates (1776-9). He was the Governor of Va. during part of the Revolutionary War (1779-81).  He was sent to France as a minister after the war (1785-89). Events Leading to the Presidency: President Washington appointed Jefferson to be the first Secretary of State. He clashed with Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, on how the US should deal with France and Britain. Hamilton also desired a stronger federal government than Jefferson. Jefferson eventually resigned because he saw that Washington was more strongly influenced by Hamilton than him. Jefferson later served as Vice President under John Adams from 1797-1801. Nomination and Election of 1800: In 1800, Jefferson was the Republican candidate with Aaron Burr as his Vice President. He ran in a very contentious campaign against John Adams under whom he had served as Vice President. The Federalists used the Alien and Sedition Acts to their benefit. These had been vigorously opposed by Jefferson and Madison who had argued they were unconstitutional (Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions). Jefferson and Burr tied in the electoral vote which set up an electoral controversy described below. Electoral Controversy: Even though it was known that Jefferson was running for President and Burr for Vice President, in the election of 1800, whoever received the most votes would be elected as president. There was no provision that made it clear who was running for which office. Burr refused to concede, and the vote went to the House of Representatives. Each state cast one vote; it took 36 ballots to decide. Jefferson won carrying 10 out of 14 states. This led directly to the passage of the 12th Amendment which corrected this problem. Reelection - 1804: Jefferson was renominated by caucus in 1804 with George Clinton as his Vice President. He ran against Charles Pinckney from South Carolina. During the campaign, Jefferson easily won. The federalists were divided with radical elements leading to the partys downfall. Jefferson received 162 electoral votes vs. Pinckneys 14. Events and Accomplishments of Thomas Jeffersons Presidency: The uneventful transfer of power between Federalist John Adams and Republican Thomas Jefferson was a significant event in American History. Jefferson spent time dealing with the federalist agenda with which he did not agree. He allowed the Alien and Sedition Acts to end without renewal. He had the tax on liquor that caused the Whiskey Rebellion repealed. This reduced government revenue leading Jefferson to cut costs by reducing the military, relying instead on state militias. An important early event during Jeffersons administration was the court case, Marbury v. Madison, which set up the Supreme Courts power to rule federal acts unconstitutional. America engaged in a war with the Barbary States during his time in office (1801-05). The US had been paying tribute to pirates from this area to stop attacks on American ships. When the pirates asked for more money, Jefferson refused leading Tripoli to declare war. This ended in success for the US who was no longer required to pay tribute to Tripoli. However, America did continue to pay to the rest of the Barbary States. In 1803, Jefferson purchased the Louisiana territory from France for $15 million. This is considered the most important act of his administration. He sent Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition to explore the new territory. In 1807, Jefferson ended the foreign slave trade beginning January 1, 1808. He also established the precedent of Executive Privilege as explained above. At the end of his second term, France and Britain were at war, and American trade ships were often targeted. When the British boarded the American frigate, Chesapeake, they forced (impressed) three soldiers to work on their vessel and killed one for treason. Jefferson signed the Embargo Act of 1807 in response. This stopped America from exporting and importing foreign goods. Jefferson thought this would have the effect of hurting the trade in France and Great Britain. However, it had the opposite effect, hurting American trade. Post Presidential Period: Jefferson retired after his second term as president and did not reenter public life again. He spent time at Monticello. He was deeply in debt and in 1815 sold his library to form the Library of Congress and to help get him out of debt. He spent a lot of his time in retirement designing the University of Virginia. He died on the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1826. Ironically, this was the same day as John Adams. Historical Significance: Jeffersons election began the fall of federalism and the Federalist Party. When Jefferson took over the office from Federalist John Adams, the transfer of power occurred in an orderly manner which was an extremely rare event. Jefferson took his role as party leader very seriously. His greatest achievement was the Louisiana Purchase which more than doubled the size of the US. He also established the principle of executive privilege by refusing to testify during the Aaron Burr treason trial.

Monday, March 2, 2020

Sortir Conjugation in French, Translation, and Examples

Sortir Conjugation in French, Translation, and Examples In French,  sortir  means to exit, to leave, or to go out and it is a frequently used irregular  -ir  verb. When you want to use it in conversational French, its important to know how to conjugate it. This article will show you a few different meanings of sortir and its most frequently used conjugations: the present, present progressive, compound past, imperfect, simple future, near future indicative, the conditional, the present subjunctive, as well as the imperative and the gerund. Sortir  Is Conjugated Like Partir and Dormir Within irregular  -ir  verbs, there are some patterns. Two groups exhibit similar characteristics and conjugation patterns. There is also a large category of extremely irregular  -ir  verbs that follow no pattern. Sortir  lies in the first group and it does follow a particular pattern. Besides sortir, this group includes dormir  (to sleep), mentir  (to lie), partir  (to leave), sentir  (to feel), servir  (to serve)  and all of their derivatives, such as repartir  (to divide). All of these verbs drop the last letter of the radical (root) in the singular conjugations. For instance, in first person singular of sortir is je sors (no t) while the first person plural is nous sortons (retains the t from the root). The more you can recognize these patterns, the easier it will be to remember conjugations. Generally speaking, most French verbs ending in  -mir,  -tir, or  -vir  are conjugated this way.   Using Sortir  in French Sortir  essentially means the opposite of  entrer  (to enter)  and the meaning changes slightly depending on what follows it. But the most common meaning is to go out and to exit or leave as in Je veux sortir ce soir (I want to go out tonight) or Nous ne sommes pas sortis depuis deux mois (We havent gone out for two months). When followed by a preposition or a direct object,  sortir  takes on a slightly different and more specific meaning. sortir de means  to get out of or to leave: As in,  Tu dois sortir de leau (You need to get out of the water) and Sortez de chez moi ! (Get out of my house!). It can also be used for something like, Doà ¹ sort-il  ? (Where has he been?).sortir de (informal) means  to have just done something: As in, On sort de manger (We just ate) and  Il sortait de finir  (He had just finished).sortir en / means  to go out in / on: As in, Nous allons sortir en voiture (Were going to go out in the car / go for a drive) and Je veux sortir bicyclette (I want to go out on my bike / go for a bike ride).sortir en   present participle  means to ___ out: As in,  Pourquoi est-il sorti en courant ? (Why did he run out?) and  Elle sort en boitant (She is limping out).sortir par  means  to get out by means of: As in, Tu ne peux pas sortir par la porte (You cant get out through the door) and Loiseau est sorti par la fenà ªtre (The bird went out the window).sortir direct object  m eans to take out: As in,  Tu dois sortir le chien ce soir. (You need to take the dog out tonight) and Jai sorti la voiture du garage  (I took the car out of the garage). Sortir  as a Pronominal Verb As a pronominal verb,  se sortir de  can take on even more meanings. For instance,  se sortir de  means to get out of or to extricate oneself. For example, Jespà ¨re quil va pouvoir se sortir de cette situation  (I hope hell be able to get out of that situation), or Je me suis sorti dun mauvais pas  (I got out of a tight spot). Sen sortir  means to survive/get through a dangerous or difficult situation, as in Je ne sais pas sil va sen sortir  (I dont know if hes going to make it / pull through) or Tu ten es bien sorti  ! (Youve done really well!). Common French Expressions With Sortir   There are plenty of idiomatic expressions using  sortir.  Keep in mind that you will need to conjugate  sortir  in many of these. sortir indemne dun choc -  to exit unscathedsortir de limagination -  being the result of creativity, inspirationsortir de sa cachette -  get out of hidingsen sortir -  to extract oneself from a difficult situationsortir de lordinaire -  to stand out from the ordinaryle petit oiseau va sortir. -  The photo is about to be taken. Present Indicative Je sors Je sors de la maison 8 heures du matin. I leave the house at 8 am. Tu sors Tu sors le chien. You take the dog out. Il/Elle/On sort Elle sort au cinà ©ma avec Jean. She goes out to the movies with Jean. Nous sortons Nous sortons du travail trà ¨s tard. We leave work very late. Vous sortez Vous sortez les poubelles aprà ¨s manger. You take the trash out after eating. Ils/Elles sortent Ils sortent par la fenà ªtre. They go out through the window. Present Progressive Indicative To speak about ongoing actions in the present in French you can use the regular present tense or the present progressive, which is formed with the present tense conjugation of the verb à ªtre (to be) en train de the infinitive verb (sortir). Je suis en train de sortir Je suisen train de sortir de la maison 8 heures du matin. I am leaving the house at 8 am. Tu esen train de sortir Tu esen train de sortir le chien. You are taking the dog out. Il/Elle/On esten train de sortir Elle esten train de sortir au cinà ©ma avec Jean. She is going out to the movies with Jean. Nous sommesen train de sortir Nous sommesen train de sortir du travail trà ¨s tard. We are leaving work very late. Vous à ªtesen train de sortir Vous à ªtesen train de sortir les poubelles aprà ¨s manger. You are taking the trash out after eating. Ils/Elles sonten train de sortir Ils sonten train de sortir par la fenà ªtre. They are going out through the window. Compound Past Indicative The  passà © composà ©Ã‚  is translated to English as the simple past. It is formed using either the auxiliary verb  Ãƒ ªtre  or the auxiliary verb avoir and the past participle  sorti. Sortir is a special verb because in the compound tenses, it  may be conjugated with both  Ãƒ ªtre or  avoir, depending on whether  sortir  is used intransitively or transitively. When  sortir  is used  intransitively, the auxiliary verb is  Ãƒ ªtre, and in that case the past participle must agree in gender and number with the subject: Es-tu sorti hier soir  ? (Did you go out last night?). When  sortir  is used  transitively, the auxiliary verb is  avoir: Jai sorti la voiture du garage (I took the car out of the garage). Je suis sorti(e)/ai sorti Je suis sorti de la maison 8 heures du matin. I left the house at 8 am. Tu es sorti(e)/as sorti Tu as sorti le chien. You took the dog out. Il/Elle/On est sorti(e)/a sorti Elle est sortie au cinà ©ma avec Jean. She went out to the movies with Jean. Nous sommes sortis(ies)/avons sorti Nous sommes sortis du travail trà ¨s tard. We left work very late. Vous à ªtes sorti(s/ies)/avez sorti Vous avez sorti les poubelles aprà ¨s manger. You took the trash out after eating. Ils/Elles sont sortis(ies)/ont sorti Ils sont sortis par la fenà ªtre. They went out through the window. Imperfect Indicative The imperfect tense can be translated to English as was going out or used to go out. It is used to talk about ongoing events or repeated actions in the past. Je sortais Je sortais de la maison 8 heures du matin. I used to leave the house at 8 am. Tu sortais Tu sortais le chien. You used to take the dog out. Il/Elle/On sortait Elle sortaitau cinà ©ma avec Jean. She used to go out to the movies with Jean. Nous sortions Nous sortions du travail trà ¨s tard. We used to leave work very late. Vous sortiez Vous sortiez les poubelles aprà ¨s manger. You used to take the trash out after eating. Ils/Elles sortaient Ils sortaient par la fenà ªtre. They used to go out through the window. Simple Future Indicative Je sortirai Je sortirai de la maison 8 heures du matin. I will leave the house at 8 am. Tu sortiras Tu sortiras le chien. You will take the dog out. Il/Elle/On sortira Elle sortiraau cinà ©ma avec Jean. She will go out to the movies with Jean. Nous sortirons Nous sortirons du travail trà ¨s tard. We willleave work very late. Vous sortirez Vous sortirez les poubelles aprà ¨s manger. You will take the trash out after eating. Ils/Elles sortiront Ils sortiront par la fenà ªtre. They will go out through the window. Near Future Indicative The near future in French is formed with the present tense conjugation of the verb aller (to go) the infinitive (sortir). It is translated to English as going to verb. Je vais sortir Je vaissortir de la maison 8 heures du matin. I am going to leave the house at 8 am. Tu vas sortir Tu vasortir le chien. You are going to take the dog out. Il/Elle/On vasortir Elle vasortir au cinà ©ma avec Jean. She isgoing to go out to the movies with Jean. Nous allonssortir Nous allonssortir du travail trà ¨s tard. We aregoing toleave work very late. Vous allezsortir Vous allezsortir les poubelles aprà ¨s manger. You aregoing to take the trash out after eating. Ils/Elles vontsortir Ils vontsortir par la fenà ªtre. They aregoing to go out through the window. Conditional To talk about possibilities or hypothetical events, you can use the conditional mood. Je sortirais Je sortirais de la maison 8 heures du matin si je me levais plus tà ´t. I would leave the house at 8 am if I got up earlier. Tu sortirais Tu sortirais le chien si je le demandais. You would take the dog out if I asked for it. Il/Elle/On sortirait Elle sortiraitau cinà ©ma avec Jean si elle voulait. She would go out to the movies with Jean if she wanted to. Nous sortirions Nous sortirionsdu travail trà ¨s tard si c'à ©tait nà ©cessaire. We wouldleave work very late if it were necessary. Vous sortiriez Vous sortiriez les poubelles aprà ¨s manger si vous vouliez. You wouldtake the trash out after eating if you wanted to. Ils/Elles sortiraient Ils sortiraient par la fenà ªtre s'ils pouvaient. They would go out through the window if they could. Present Subjunctive The subjunctive mood is used in cases where the action is uncertain. Que je sortes Il est important que je sortes de la maison 8 heures du matin. It's important that I leave the house at 8 am. Que tu sortes Maurice est content que tu sortes le chien. Maurice is happy that you take the dog out. Qu'il/Elle/On sorte Il est possible qu'elle sorte au cinà ©ma avec Jean. It is possible that she go out to the movies with Jean. Que nous sortions Le patron suggà ¨re que nous sortons du travail trà ¨s tard. The boss suggests that we leave work very late. Que vous sortiez Votre pà ¨re exige que vous sortiez les poubelles aprà ¨s manger. Your father demands that you take the trash out after eating. Qu'ils/Elles sortent Carl conseille qu'ils sortent par la fenà ªtre. Carl advises that they go out through the window. Imperative There are times when you simply want to tell someone to Get out! On these occasions, you can turn to the imperative verb mood which does not require a subject pronoun. Instead, you can just tell them Sors ! To form the negative commands, simply place ne...pas around the positive command. Positive commands Tu sors ! Sors le chien ! Take the dog out! Nous sortons! Sortons du travail trà ¨s tard ! Let's leave work very late! Vous sortez! Sortez les poubelles ! Take out the trash! Negative commands Tu ne sors pas ! Ne sors pas le chien ! Don't take the dog out! Nous ne sortons pas! Ne sortons pas du travail trà ¨s tard ! Let's not leave work very late! Vous ne sortez pas! Ne sortez pas les poubelles ! Don't take out the trash! Present Participle/Gerund The  present participle  of  sortir  is  sortant. This was formed by simply adding  -ant  to the verb stem. The present participle can be used to form the gerund (usually preceded by the preposition en), which can be used to talk about simultaneous actions. Present participle/gerund ofSortir sortant Il est tombà © en sortant le chien. He fell down while taking the dog out.

Friday, February 14, 2020

Cross Cultural Communications-Managers Role Essay - 1

Cross Cultural Communications-Managers Role - Essay Example Managing techniques looks good on paper but difficult to implement in work station. A work station consists of employees from different cultures, people from different regions and with different languages. The organization is a conglomerate of different individuals and it is necessary to coordinate with these individuals to fulfill the organization mission. Cross cultural awareness help organizations and their employees to become internationally focused and fluent with the ability to understand the needs of their local markets, clients and employees. Cross cultural awareness will help to develop an in-depth understanding of the underlying attitudes, values and behaviors’ of different cultures and provide us the chance to tune up the employee attitude according to their nature. Cross cultural awareness will make the employees feel comfort with their peers and increases the intimacy between the employees. The cross cultural misunderstandings can be avoided by educating the emplo yees about the culture aspects of the other employees working in the same work environment The understanding of the cross cultural skills will allow the organization to develop strategies to cope up the employees from varied cultural background.

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Is Randle McMurphy a hero in the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Essay

Is Randle McMurphy a hero in the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Essay Example He does not debate medical decision since he finds being in the hospital better than being in the farm. This creates an opportunity for him to be the hero of the movie. Bromden is the first character to be presented to the viewer, and one expects that he might be a star in the book due to him noticeable height. He has been a patient for over ten years at the Oregon Psychiatric, and he experiences frequent hallucinations and delusions. He however pretends to be deaf and dumb and tries to go un-noticed. At the hospital, the patients are divided into two groups; Chronic and those who can be cured. McMurphy arrives into the hospital and is taken into acute of the non-chronic. Bromden finds McMurphy quite different and it sets the start of their relationship. The patients are under the care of Ratched, and she constantly encourages them to fight one another. McMurphy is not pleased with the situation of the patients at the hospital. His introduction as a gamble and a man of women and cards is eminent, and everyone gets to know him. At this point, the attention of the reader is on Mainly on McMurphy since his character is comical and attractive. McMurphy is not pleased with the actions of the nurse, and he makes a decision to insight the patents against the actions of nurse Ratched. In his first meeting with the other patients, he says, â€Å"Ratched is a ball-cutter.†(Kesey 98) The patients have developed an attitude that nurse Ratched is all powerful, and hence they do not support McMurphy. McMurphy vows to confront Ratchet since he considers her actions as inhuman. Murphy says that â€Å"Except the sun, on these three strangers, is all of a sudden way the hell brighter than usual and I can see the...† (Kesey 108). This statement shows that he is determined to bring change to the place McMurphy finally confronts Nurse Ratched and at first the other patients

Friday, January 24, 2020

Lord of the flies essay - excellent :: essays research papers

Lord of the Flies: Final Essay Exam Are the defects of society traced back to the defects of human nature? The defects of society, and how it relates to the defects of human nature can be explained with the savagery that drives the defects of society and the same savagery that drives the defects of human nature. In this story, Lord of the flies, Golding shows the id, ego, and superego within the characters in the book. Golding represents the id with Jack, whereas the id says â€Å"I want, and I want it now,† and Jack constantly wants and needs power, and wants his way in every situation. He represents the ego with Ralph, whereas the ego says â€Å"Well, maybe you can have some of it - later,† and Ralph tries to be or is the remediator by always trying to make everything go right, and trying to enforce rules. Golding also represents the superego with Piggy, whereas the superego says â€Å"You can’t have it; it’s bad for you,† and Piggy yells at the people disobeying the rules, and dema nds that the others can not do the things that they do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A theme within this novel is the loss of innocence. The existence of civilization allows man to remain innocent, therefore when the characters lost their innocence, the civilization was gone or corrupt. One example of the loss of innocence would be when Jack was unable to stab the pig during the hunt. At that moment, he lost his innocence which enabled him to kill without a recollection of civilization. Another example of the loss of innocence was when Roger was throwing stones and rocks at the other children below him. Roger was unable to actually hit them purposely because he still had his innocence, but this moment was the beginning of his inability of understanding human nature.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next theme in Lord of the Flies is the loss of identity. Civilization separates man from animals and makes them think, and when civilization disintegrates, man’s identity slips away, and he resorts to a more primitive nature. An example of this is shown when the boys paint their faces which hides their identity and allows them to kill and murder. The loss of a personal name personifies the loss of identity. The twins, Sam and Eric, cite a case of the loss of personal name when the others on the Coral Island begin to refer to the twins as one, samneric.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Coca Cola Market Plan and Market Research Essay

In the role of marketing consultant, I am presenting a marketing plan and a marketing research brief for Coca-Cola, a leader in the soft-drinks industry. Introduction Marketing is definitely one of the major factors that contribute towards the success of any business. Especially in today’s growing competitive economy it is essential that correct marketing is executed so as to survive and grow in the globalized world. This academic report is intended to provide a detailed analysis of the marketing plan of Coca-Cola Company. The external environment is analyzed to demonstrate the threats that it imposes. It will also help to understand the monitoring system to be able to deter these threats. The analysis is made on the internal capabilities of the company as well. Within these analyses, the objectives of the company have been discussed. A reflection has been done on the marketing strategies undertaken by the company. Amidst all these, possible implementation, control and monitoring system have been highlighted. The marketing plan is followed by a marketing research to identify the area of opportunities. Several resources have been studied to put together the plan and the research. These resources are mentioned at the end of the report. Coca-Cola Coca-Cola was invented way back in the year 1886 by Dr. John Pemberton. He was a pharmacist in Atlanta in Georgia. The formula of Coca-Cola was fabricated by him in the backyard of his house in a three legged pot made up of brass (History of Coca-Cola). The intention at this point was to make a tonic for headache which turned out to be so tasty and refreshing that it gained orders due to this reason. The name Coca-Cola was pronounced by Frank Robinson, who was partner of Pemberton as well as a bookkeeper. He penned the words â€Å"Coca-Cola† in a script which is represented as a flow. This is how the name appears today on the brand and is famous overall. At that time, the average sale in a day was nine drinks. In the entire year, the sale was 25 gallons of the syrup. With the passage of time, when Pemberton started to lose health, he decided and sold off the company to Asa Candler for a consolidated price of $2,300 in 1891. The first time that Coca-Cola was bottled was in 1894, by the owner of the Biedenharn Candy Company, Joseph Biedenharn. With the increased fame of the brand, there were fake imitators that entered in the market. To avoid confusion, the currently famous contour bottle was designed by the Root Glass Company of Terre Haute, Indiana. By the year 1919, the product of the company was spread to all the states and the territories. In the same year, the company was bought by a group including Ernest Woodruff for $25 million. Robert Woodruff’s (eldest son of Ernest Woodruff) leadership for more than six decades made Coca-Cola a big success all over the world. On May 15, 1950, Coca-Cola was the foremost consumer product to appear on the issue of Time magazine. Robert Goizueta became President of the company in 1981. Soon, he was recognized as one of the most successful leaders worldwide.   The Company introduced â€Å"New Coke† in 1985 and later brought up Coke II. This was unable to get the public’s favor and the people demanded their own previous coke back.   Visualizing and passing through all ups and downs, today, Coca-Cola is available in 200 countries over the world and the trademark â€Å"Coca-Cola† is represented in about eighty languages (The History of Coca-Cola). Objectives of the Company The objective of the company is to utilize its assets— its brand, the financial strength of the company, excellent distribution system, worldwide reach, and last but not the least a strong sense of commitment by the team that manages and executes work all across the world—to attain long-term growth that persists and is maintained (Coca-Cola Company, 2010). The vision that the company has for sustainable growth are explained as under: Profit – It works towards being able to provide maximum return to the shareholders of the company. The strategies are framed keeping this objective in mind. People – The workplace should be where people are motivated to work better. Coca-Cola provides a good work environment for the workers to be happy while working. Portfolio – The Company aims to provide the beverage portfolio to the people that are able to satisfy the desires of the people. The marketing research done by the company before the final product, this factor is kept to be checked in the initial phase. Partners – Coca-Cola aims at maintaining a loyal relation with the partners and till date there is demonstrated a good relationship with all. Planet – The Company has an objective to do something different. This is represented by the fact that new types of beverages are introduced by the company to be different from the competitors and provide variety to the people. Productivity – It aims at maintaining to be effective and fast paced company (Coca Cola’s mission, vision and values, 2010). This has been at the core of every action by Coca-Cola as it has an effective space today in the global market. Marketing Plan While a marketing plan is drafted or studied, it required thorough examination and in depth research. Market Segmentation Coca Cola is one of the successful companies in the context of market segmentation as well. Demographic Segmentation – This segmentation is on the basis of age, gender, income and family size of the consumers. It has introduced various flavors for small children group. After a research when the company discovered that the Light Cola was considered as feminine drink by many, it introduced Coke Zero that aims at male consumer group who are health conscious. Different packing has different cost and targets to meet all the income groups. There is economy packs introduced which targets consumers as per the family size. Geographical Segmentation – Due to different climatic conditions and regional differences, Coca Cola varies the taste of the product as per the people of that particular country.   Psychographic Segmentation – The advertisements done by Coca Cola are the best examples to express how the company segments the market as per the interests, attitudes and values of the consumers. Whenever a famous event takes place, the company introduces an ad in context of the event so that it touches the heart of the people. Still, the primary market segmentation that is measurable, accessible and whose response can be noticed and worked upon is the segmentation on the basis of Demographic Segmentation. Coca Cola focuses most on youngsters between the ages of 13 to 25 Marketing Strategies Current Market Strategy Coca – Cola undertakes the segmented marketing strategy by marketing its products to different segments by separate offerings to them. This is called the differentiated marketing strategy.   Coca-Cola is quite popular in the younger group and hence most of its advertisements and campaigns are undertaken keeping in view the younger generation. An appropriate example for this will be that it has put vending machines in the schools and they have announced officially that they will be continuing to target the market. Another example is the â€Å"diet coke† that caters to the need of specific people. The basic product, Coca Cola Soda is targeted to the entire market as a whole. The market strategy thus put to effect by the company is targeting all the possible domains and providing them with soda that meets their demand. This differentiated marketing strategy has provided Coca-Cola with a stand in all the possible markets. Life Cycle of the Product It has been a number of years that Coca Cola has introduced the drink in the market. As we can understand from the history, Coke has attained a stupendous response from the people and their likeness, which has contributed towards the growth of the product. Once the product has been introduces and placed well in the market, comes the maturity stage. And as per the in-depth analysis, Coca-Cola stands at this stage in the product life cycle. At this stage there is a rapid growth in the sales of the product and later starts settling down. To be able to survive at such a phase, it is important to differentiate the product from the competitor’s product. This has been persistently followed by Coca-Cola and as can be seen, has been done very well. Since the sales begin to settle at a particular point, it is essential to give a differentiation to your product. Branding Strategy Coca-Cola is a famous international brand. The company has been working effectively and actively on maintaining its brand equity for quite some time now and has been able to achieve a well know brand equity and attained brand loyalty. Coca-Cola provides a lot of varieties to the people in the range of soda. These varieties cater to the needs of all the market segments. The brand is excellently symbolized in the packaging. This makes it easy for the people to recognize the product. The red color that is implemented is quite eye-catchy and attracts the entire market domain including the primary market of youngsters in the age group of 13 to 25. The contour bottles as well as cans are designed in such a way that the product from Coca-Cola can be easily ascertained. The brand equity by Coca – Cola has been created through rigorous campaigns undertaken and extraordinary advertisements designed for promotional purposes. It is after a lot of effort that Coca-Cola soda has attained this brand equity. The branding strategy implemented by Coca-Cola Company has been quite effective in being able to gain a major market share. There are several kinds of brand strategy that can be implemented for the creation of brand equity. Some of these are – Private brand strategy, Family brand strategy, Manufacturer’s brand strategy and Hybrid brand strategy. Coca Cola has made the use of the Individual brand strategy. This can be explained as major products of Coca Cola are provided with their own brand names. For example, Sprite, Fanta, etc. may be represented and publicized as separate lines; the domain remains the same – Coca Cola. Coca-Cola has introduced new products from time to time. Here is a marketing research brief to demonstrate how Coca-Cola expanded with large range of products. Marketing Research Brief Marketing research is as important as the marketing itself. It is essential that we are aware of the current market and the actions and plans of our competitors so that the framing and implementation of the marketing strategies move in the correct direction. The development of the marketing strategy depends a lot on the marketing research. The plan can only be drafted after there is sufficient information regarding the market.   The implementation of the strategy is dependent on the market research again as before the implementation it is important to know how the draft has to be implemented well to achieve the desired results. Evaluation is a comparison of the achieved result and the expected result. Since, it has to be done on the marketing strategy this has its dependence on market research. There are many opportunities identified for Coca-Cola in the marketing research. These are all derived from the major one is the partnership of Coca-Cola with International Olympic Committee (IOC). Coca-Cola has been a known name so far. Analyzing the responses and current situation, the major challenge faced by the company’s soda pertains to the health issues and concerns. I believe that it is required to revisit the entire make of the soda and check it for any harmful products that can be taken off from the making. Also, there can be some additional nutritional or healthy attributes added to the drink. But all this will be required to be done with the taste of the soda not changing or changing negligibly. A subsidiary of Coca Cola in Britain took a decision of expanding without acquisition of new companies but by itself. This time, the company chose on implementing an internal strategy of marketing to develop new product (A., 2012). Five stages of marketing research will be required to be implemented to develop the new product and float it successfully in the market. Identification of the Opportunity – Understand the concept behind the need of the change and pen down the ideal product Exploring the Solution – Surveys, focus groups and interviews can be conducted to understand the expectations from the upcoming product by the public. Measuring the Effectiveness – It needs to be gauged that if the new product will be effective enough so as to gain the targeted share in the market. Testing the Market – It is quits a costly affair to launch a new product. The internal and external capabilities of the company assist in being able to do so effectively. Track Market performance – After the launch of the new product, the performance needs to be checked and evaluated against the target. External Environment of Coca-Cola We shall conduct PESTLE analysis to understand the external environment of Coca-Cola. This is important because all of the factors are inter-related. If there is a political decision that is taken, it would impact the economic situation of the country and thus the environment (Monitoring system of coca-cola) The first factor is the Political analysis. It inspects the present and prospective political influences. These include the influence of the tax laws, reforms by the government, tariffs and restrictions in trade. Guardian report of August 7, 2006, advises that there was a ban laid on the sale of coke, in some states of India, in the government offices and the institutes pertaining to education. This led to the company being destitute of prospective market of around 30 million. The next is the economic analysis. This analyzes the impact by local, countywide and worldwide. If we look at this side, outside the United States, there is increased sale of beverage without alcohol. This means that all these countries will ensure stability and growth for the company. In the sociological analysis, the analysis catered to the affects to the company with the changes in the attitude and lifestyle of people. This will mean that the target market of the young crowd will keep influencing the strategies of the company. Technology is another significant analysis where it is evaluated that how the company is affected and influenced by the changing technology. Cherry coke was introduced in 1985; this was a result of the technological advancement. The impact that the legislation has on the company is examined through the legal analysis. All the inventions and the developments of the product have to go through proper patent procedure. This is done by the company and like any other sector; it is required to meet the legal requirements. Lastly, the environmental analysis is conducted which ascertains the issues. All the facilities of the company are consistently monitored and checked so as to meet the guidelines set by the government (tabishnehal) It is discovered that the company takes due care in keeping a check and monitoring the external environment so as to keep up with the standards and avoid any prospective threats. Internal Capabilities The analysis of internal capabilities assists in formulating better strategies. Once the internal analysis is done, the company is aware of the resources that are available and are under its control (PremiumWritingService.com) The increase in the revenue of the company as compared with that in 2009 was $6.48 billion in 2010. The total of the capital of Coca-Cola at that time was announced to be $72.929 billion. The company possesses various resources for it to sustain and grow as a leader in the production of soft drinks. We shall review these capabilities in terms of tangible and intangible resources (PremiumWritingService.com). While analyzing the tangible resources, we shall cover the financial, human and physical resources of the company that contributes towards its success. The physical resources comprise of the equipments, infrastructure and the land and buildings. It has the set up units in all the states and regions. Because these are self-owned, it keeps the cost of production low. The financial position of Coca-Cola is not hidden from anyone. It is amongst the largest companies and has a strong financial set up. It is thus easy for it to execute new ventures and innovations because the cost, if productive, is not a restriction. There is highly motivational work environment and thus the staff of the company. The company has worked towards the improvement of its workers through lot of trainings. The workers are therefore able to deliver quality and timely work. The other aspect to look at the internal capabilities is the intangible resources of the company. These comprise of the goodwill, intellectual property and the technology advancement. The company has always had an edge over others through the technological expertise that it holds. It has helped the company to be able to introduce new products in the market which today are quite successful such as flavored drinks. Once these products are discovered, they are patented by Coca-Cola and hence the company enjoys full right over the production of these drinks. The goodwill of the company is stupendous and gives an upper edge to it over any other company. Differentiation There have been lots of changes demonstrated by marketing mix of Coca – Cola.   Product – The Company has almost 3300 products with a range of variety.   Price – The price of the products vary as per the geographical location and the market. Due to variety of products, most of the products have different pricing strategy. Place – It is supplied in most of the parts of the world and is liked by all. It has a planned and effective network of distribution. Promotion – There are many strategies pertaining to promotion and advertisement by Coca-Cola. The marketing mix is floated keeping in view the differentiation as per the product, service, channel, people and image. For the primary target market, the product differentiation is done by keeping in mind the kind of soda that will be liked by this sector. The Service differentiation is as per the needs and requirements of the young crowd which has to be prompt. The images used in the products that are most used by the youngsters are meant to be attractive and eye-catching Positioning By positioning it is meant the process of forming and embedding the image that the product has made in the mind of the customers as compared to the products of the competitors. Many companies make soft drinks these days. Although other companies may try to compete at the level of Coca-Cola, they will be unable to match the level of Coca Cola. Positioning assists in making the customers understand the unique value and image of the product, as compared with the products of the competitors. Coca Cola has plans in place to form such positions that will provide it with a lot of advantage pertaining to its different target markets. The positioning of Coca Cola has been based on the procedure of positioning through direct comparison and it has been able to position its products to be able to place towards benefit of its target market. Most of the people in general, form an image of a product through putting a comparison with some another product. This is quite evident in the well known professional was between Coca-Cola and Pepsi in all the product domains. Supply Chain The supply chain of Coca-Cola Company includes the company itself and nearly 300 bottling partners over the world. These bottling partners are not under direct control and supervision of the company. The entire supply system of Coca-Cola runs through mode of various local and national channels. The company is responsible for manufacturing and selling the concentrates of Coca-Cola, the beverage base of the drink and also the syrup to the bottling operators. It still is the owner of the brand and has the responsibility and accountability for brand marketing initiatives for the consumers. These bottling partners then are involved in manufacturing, packaging, merchandising and distributing the ultimate beverages to the wholesale and retail customers and also to the other vending partners. All of these further sell the products to final consumers. All of the bottling partners of Coca-Cola work in direct contact with the customers. These customers here refer to the amusement parks, convenience stores, grocery stores, street vendors, restaurants and movie theaters. These also help the Company to be able to execute many of the localized strategies which are planned and prepared in partnership with the bottling partners. Market Share In the year 2011, Coca Cola possessed a market share of around 42% as against the 30% of Pepsi’s market share. With the launch of Diet Coke, Coca Cola was able to expand more and augment its earning and profit levels. Monitoring and Controls Monitoring and controlling mechanism permits the companies to be able to check if there exists a variance when the actual budget is compared with the projected budget. This is essential to be executed because it helps in advising and suggesting important and necessary actions to meet the set marketing objectives. There are three tools that have been implemented to assess the performance of the market plan put in place: * Sales Analysis In this sales analysis, the total sales affected is broken down to precisely explain the sales in each segment. This will help in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the plan in the small sections. The sellers of products of Coca Cola range from chief retail supermarkets to quite small stores at the corner of the street. * Market Share Analysis In this Market share analysis, the business sales of Coca Cola will be compared with the sales affected by its major competitors. Currently, Coca Cola is going through lot of changes and hence aims to regain the similar control and old of the market as it used to have previously. * Marketing Profitability Analysis The Marketing Profitability Analysis checks the cost involved and expended in marketing. Majorly, three ratios are put to use to be able to monitor and control the marketing profitability; they include market research to sales ratio, the advertising to sales ratio and the last one being sales representatives to sales ratio. From the result of these ratios, Coca Cola can determine and gauge any of the emerging trends which may not be welcomed. These can be any variation such as the requirement of a different product altogether. When we compare these ratio results with the actual results it provides the company with an idea on when change should be brought. Recommendation After the research, there are a few recommendations proposed. These include: Coca-Cola has been a known name so far. Analyzing the responses and current situation, the major challenge faced by the company’s soda pertains to the health issues and concerns. I believe that it is required to revisit the entire make of the soda and check it for any harmful products that can be taken off from the making. Also, there can be some additional nutritional or healthy attributes added to the drink. But all this will be required to be done with the taste of the soda not changing or changing negligibly.   Coca Cola needs to consider a number of issues relating to the physical distribution of its soft drink products. A distinctive promotion and communication strategy can be incorporated. Since the value proposition of the company is â€Å"uniqueness† of soda, there should be communication done to demonstrate the distinct features. I believe this will give a sense of confidence to the consumers that they are able to attain what has been promised to them. Conclusion After conducting research and framing the academic report, we have been able to understand the various strategies implemented and the areas of improvement for Coca-Cola. There are some opportunities as well identified which can be worked upon to gain a wider market. The entire research assisted in gaining knowledge and understanding the concept of marketing better. Also, it helped to understand the overall soft-drinks industry – its strengths and weaknesses as well. References A., E. (2012, 09 04). 5 Tips for Developing Product Ranges Through Smart Market Research. Retrieved 01 31, 2013, from www.instant.ly: http://www.instant.ly/blog/2012/09/5-tips-for-developing-product-ranges-through-smart-market-research/ Coca Cola’s mission, vision and values. (2010). Retrieved 01 31, 2013, from ww.coca-cola.co.uk: http://www.coca-cola.co.uk/about-us/coca-cola-mission-vision-statement.html Coca-Cola Company. (2010, 02 26). Retrieved 01 31, 2013, from www.wikinvest.com: http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Coca-Cola_Company_(KO)/Objective History of Coca-Cola. (n.d.). Retrieved 01 31, 2013, from www.coca-cola.co.uk: http://www.coca-cola.co.uk/about-us/history-of-coca-cola-company.html Monitoring system of coca-cola. (n.d.). Retrieved 01 31, 2013, from