Virtual Personal Assistants - 2430 Words

With more resources being poured into the development and advancement of Artificial Intelligence (A.I), the debut of Virtual Personal Assistants (VPAs) redefines the tech industry for revolutionising the interaction paradigms between users and the internet. The result opens up new possibilities for the users of next generation to gather data and communicate via new portals of the web. Keyword based inputs into search engines providing lists of potential sources would no longer be relevant, instead the future consists of individuals simply interacting via the channels of VPA. Similar to how two people have a normal conversation, users can tell their assistants what they want to find using natural languages, the VPA then proceeds to gather and analyses multiple relevant sources of information and provides the corresponding services to aid in accomplishing a wide range of tasks. Mirroring the functions and actions of a real assistant, a VPA is tailored towards each individual user, wher e they utilise stored information via daily interactions to analyse an individual’s preferences and draw upon their past interaction records in order to determine the next step. In addition to bringing about self-learning mechanism, further improvements to their functionalities can accumulate experiences via daily usage and interactions. The features of VPA , its implementation and the benefits it delivers is crucial in judging between success failure. This essay will aim to further develop theShow MoreRelatedVirtual Administrative Assistant And An Office Assistant1338 Words   |  6 PagesA Virtual Administrative Assistant is someone who is â€Å"a self-employed administrative or personal assistant who works remotely (usually at home) for various clients† (Barnett, 2013). A virtual administrative assistant is someone who does basically the same thing as an office assistant does but from the comforts of their home. There are many things that a virtual administrativ e assistant is in charge of doing for clients. Some of the things that a virtual assistant does includes answering the phonesRead MoreThe Digital Assistant, Or Pda2247 Words   |  9 PagesThe personal digital assistant, or PDA, was a small hand-held electronic device that was intended for use as a simple organizer, including features like a calendar and tasks list. Today, the PDA has fallen into disuse, replaced by its more popular and powerful successor: the smart phone. Voice recognition technology is giving rebirth to the spirit of the PDA in the form of new intelligent digital systems designed to help you manage your affairs. These reborn personal assistants are gaining popularityRead MoreThe First Personal Digital Assistant1347 Words   |  6 Pages The first Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) was introduced to the American market by Apple in 1993. It was called the Apple Newton MessagePad. John Sculley, Apple’s then CEO coined the term â€Å"Personal Digital Assist ant† specifically for this device. It was created to be just that – an â€Å"assistant† to the user. The Newton boasted handwriting recognition, plug-in memory cards, IR communications, and with the purchase of an additional modem Newton could also fax and send email (Zeldes 2005). It couldRead MoreMobile Computing Is A Human Computer Interaction1477 Words   |  6 Pageswe can listen to music and make a video call, text to a friend, watch movies online, play games from app store, use GPS and can do lot other things at the same time. What standard/protocol/device it is in? Mobile computing Devices: Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) In 1984 the first PDA was released by Psion, the Organizer. Resembling this Psion s Series 3 was followed, in 1991, which is more familiar to PDA style. It also had a full keyboard. The term PDA was first used on January 7, 1992Read MoreMobile Device Security Threats1184 Words   |  5 PagesMobile device security Threats: Over the past two decades, we have witnessed significant technology advances in mobile devices, from the personal data assistants (PDAs) of the late 1990s and early 2000s to the ubiquitous and multifunctional smartphones of today. These advances have extended the virtual boundaries of the enterprise, blurring the lines between home and office and coworker and competitor by providing constant access to email, enabling new mobile business applications and allowing theRead MoreEffectiveness of Portable Devices in Communication 528 Words   |  2 PagesA portable system is generally a personal, small and lightweight hardware product, Designed to be used when one is â€Å"on the move†, and it is temporarily independent of an External electric power supply. They are usually characterized by their Portability, Easy to pack and move and they are wearable. They may include; Personal digital assistant, Enterprise digital assistant, Wearable computer, Smartphone, Laptops, Calculators and eBook readers. Portable systems support computing and communication activitiesRead MoreMobile commerce or m commerce is a solution to make things nice and simpler. More as a ubiquitous600 Words   |  3 Pagesubiquitous computing, business and services, be it making payments, transfer money, shopping, can be easily accessed anywhere, anytime. Business done via wireless or portable devices can be called m commerce. Our mobile phones, smart phones or personal digital assistants acts as a wallet not just for pocket money, but as credit card, coupons and anything to make our finances extremely mobile. M commerce came to the people’s mind in 1997 when Kevin Duffey named it first. It was introduced first in HelsinkiRead MoreThe Field Communication1027 Words   |  5 PagesJournals. All rights reserved. INTRODUCTION Mobile banking services Mobile banking is a system that allows customers of a financial institution to conduct a number of financial transactions through a mobile device such as a mobile phone or personal digital assistant. You can transfer your funds, verify your balance, pay your bills to provision of banking and commercial services associated with mobile device you can access your account and pay when ever where ever you are [1]. How NFC works Near FieldRead MoreMobile Technology1614 Words   |  7 PagesDefinition In today’s digital landscape, the transformation to a world of wireless Internet access has shifted our mobile phones into virtual pocket computers. Mobile technology is exactly what the name implies - technology that is portable. Examples of mobile IT devices include: * laptop and netbook computers * palmtop computers or personal digital assistants * mobile phones and smart phones * global positioning system (GPS) devices * wireless debit/credit card payment terminals Read MoreEnergy Efficient Offloading With Flow Control3612 Words   |  15 PagesENERGY EFFICIENT OFFLOADING WITH FLOW CONTROL IN WIRELESS NETWORKS S.Hariprasath M.E.,/Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, Bharathiyar Institute of Engineering for Women, Salem,India. hariprasath1989@gmail.com Abstract - Network developing and Virtualization rising more and more in indoor Environment (POIs) can provide plenty of bandwidth and computing resources. At the same time people are suffering from the mobile device with limited resources. This leads to a novel local

Wrongful Conviction The American Judicial Process ...

Wrongful Conviction in the American Judicial Process: History, Scope, and Analysis Abstract This paper addresses the historical, current, and anticipated extent of wrongful convictions in the legal procedure of the United States. Thus, various examination studies are checked on with a specific end goal to distinguish the pattern of this issue, focus its inception, and propose arrangements. In particular, the paper addresses the implications of the growing American custodial system and the decrease in crime clearance rates important for the adequacy of the current equity process. It further inspects wrongful convictions as a social issue from an interactionist point of view concerning racial and monetary imbalance and considers the relevance of naming hypothesis in that. Lastly, it distinguishes the most unmistakable reasons for wrongful conviction from a functionalist view and offers suggestions toward tending to it later on. Most Americans harbor the assumption that their criminal equity framework is reasonable and blind. Inside that from the earlier daydream, a presumption is made that no individual should ever be sentenced for a wrongdoing that he or she didn t confer (Huff, 2002; Marquis, 2005). The thought that a free citizen could be unreasonably sentenced to jail or executed by the State is oppositely contradicted to the idea of sensible treatment expected in the United States. In fact, crowds sympathize with characters, for example, John Coffey (Michael ClarkeShow MoreRelatedWrongful Conviction And Wrongful Convictions1956 Words   |  8 PagesThe topic of wrongful convictions will be discussed in this research paper. Wrongful conviction is defined as the conviction of a person who is accused of a crime in which, in the result of subsequent investigation, proves erroneous. These persons who are in fact innocent, will be wrongly convicted by a jury or a court of law. Background and Justification Since 1923, when Judge Learned Hand said that the American judicial system â€Å"has always been haunted by the ghost of the innocent man convictedRead MoreCommercial Liens - a Potent Weapon Essay32374 Words   |  130 Pages | Table of Contents Chapter 1 †¢ Introduction †¢ Scope and Purpose of Manual †¢ Some Notes on the Sample Briefs †¢ The Commercial Lien Strategy - Background †¢ Some Examples of the Strategy †¢ The Power Of Commercial Liens Chapter 2 †¢ Theory of Commercial Lien Strategy †¢ Introduction †¢ The Commercial Affidavit Process †¢ Constitutions as Enforceable Contracts †¢ Bonding of Government Officials ChapterRead MoreCorporation (Fisch) Outline Penn Law Essay62808 Words   |  252 Pagesâ€Å"undisclosed.† o Hanson v. Kynast (S.C. Ohio 1986) scope of the agency relationship ââ€" ª Facts: Hanson sustained a paralyzing injury from Kynast during a lacrosse game. Ashland (the university) will be liable if an agency relationship is established (secondary liability- RS) ââ€" ª Issue: Whether Kynast was acting as the agent of Ashland such that the university could be held liable for Kynast’s wrongful acts? ââ€" ª Holding: No, Kynast was not acting asRead MoreLaw Enforcement in the 21st Century15936 Words   |  64 PagesPearson Education, Inc. st Chapter Out line INTRODUCTION The Themes of the Book The Police Function: Social Control and the Use of Force Policing Within the Rule of Law: The Challenges of Discretion The Delicate Balance: Crime Control versus Due Process The Levels of Law Enforcement Municipal Agencies County Agencies State Agencies Federal Agencies Department of Justice Department of Homeland Security Department of the Treasury U.S. Postal Service Tribal Agencies Chapter Objectives ââ€"  Describe theRead MoreEssay Paper84499 Words   |  338 Pages(SHARP) Implementation Guidance will be incorporated in the next major revision. *Army Regulation 600–20 Headquarters Department of the Army Washington, DC 18 March 2008 Effective 18 April 2008 Personnel–General Army Command Policy History. This publication is a rapid action revision (RAR). This RAR is effective 20 September 2012. The portions affected by this RAR are listed in the summary of change. Summary. This regulation implements DODI 1332.14 and DODI 1332.30. It prescribesRead MoreOverview of Hrm93778 Words   |  376 Pagestogether Individual vs. Group behavior and Teams History of HRM New trends at workplace with changing environment Workforce diversity, pros and cons Functions of HRM Relationship between HR specialist and line managers Legal and ethical issues in HRM Human resource planning (HRP)Human resource information system (HRIS) Job analysis Job analysis continued Job analysis outcomes. Recruitment Source of recruitment Selection Selection Tests Selection process, continued Socialization Training developmentRead MoreHuman Resources Management150900 Words   |  604 Pagesmost of the fastest-growing occupations percentagewise are related to information technology or health care. The increase in the technology jobs is due to the rapid increase in the use of information technology, such as databases, system design and analysis, and desktop publishing. The health care jobs are growing as a result of the aging of the U.S. population and workforce, a factor discussed later. Chapter 1 Changing Nature of Human Resource Management 5 FIGURE 1—1 The 10 Occupations withRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 PagesHRM 28 PART 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 THE LEGAL AND ETHICAL CONTEXT OF HRM Equal Employment Opportunity 56 Employee Rights and Discipline 84 PART 3 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 STAFFING THE ORGANIZATION Human Resource Planning and Job Analysis 110 Recruiting 132 Foundations of Selection 154 PART 4 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT Socializing, Orienting, and Developing Employees 182 Managing Careers 208 PART 5 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 MAINTAININGRead MoreInternal Revenue Code 1939278050 Words   |  1113 Pagesarrangement of the same, and, therefore, no inference, implication or presumption of legislative construction shall be drawn or made by reason of the location or grouping of any particular section or provision or portion thereof, nor shall any outline, analysis, cross reference, or descriptive matter relating to the contents of said Title be given any legal effect. SEC. 7. EFFECT UPON SUBSEQUENT LEGISLATION.—The enactment of this act shall not repeal nor affect any act of Congress passed since the 2d dayRead MoreMedicare Policy Analysis447966 Words   |  1792 PagesI 111TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 3962 To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OCTOBER 29, 2009 Mr. DINGELL (for himself, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. STARK, Mr. PALLONE, and Mr. ANDREWS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Education

Starting a Business vs Franchise Free Essays

Explain the differences of establishing a business from scratch and setting up a franchise. Evaluate the success of franchises in Australia (refer to examples). There are significant differences between establishing a new business and setting up a franchise. We will write a custom essay sample on Starting a Business vs Franchise or any similar topic only for you Order Now Starting a business from scratch often takes a long time and a large amount of capital to accomplish, but the rewards can be substantial. A franchise is a business that is licensed to trade under a recognised brand name for payment of a fee (e. g. McDonalds, 7-11, etc). A franchisee purchases the franchise from the franchisor and operates under their name while paying fees. The factors involved in choosing one of these two options differ considerably and include the amount of risk, cost, operations and reputation. Establishing a new business involves the highest amount of risk due to the entrepreneur being solely responsible for everything that occurs in the business. In addition, there is a significant threat of failure for any new business which can result in huge losses for the business owner. Without a previous business reputation, it may prove difficult for entrepreneurs to secure finance which in effect significantly limits their access to funds to pay for establishment costs. Starting a new business gives the owner greater control over all key decisions and operations, as a result allowing the owner to set up the business exactly how they wish. Establishing a reputation for a new business is a slow process since a customer base and marketing campaign needs to be developed to generate sufficient sales for the firm. As a result, a new business will experience a slow growth in profits and may not be able to achieve a high level of profits at the start. Setting up a franchise presents the lowest risk due to already being established and generally selling widely recognised products. The costs associated in purchasing a franchise vary significantly depending on a number of factors such as type and size. Due to the general success of a franchise, it is much easier for a franchisee to obtain finance. However, franchisees must pay ongoing costs such as royalties to the franchisor which may lead to a reduction in overall profits. Setting up a franchise heavily restricts the owners control over business operations which prevents them from making their own decisions. This is due to the fact that the franchisor has total control over the business operations and ultimately determines how the owner runs the franchise. It is also much easier for a franchisee to generate sales due to the widely established reputation of the franchise and the products sold may already be advertised and marketed by the franchisor. Most franchises have been extremely successful in Australia and have become the fastest growing area of small business – in 2004 there were approximately 850 franchise operations in Australia. Franchises such as Gloria Jeans and Jims Mowing have grown tremendously in the past few years – between 1999 and 2004, the number of franchises grew by 25%. This is due to the effective business formula, well-recognised name and established trademarks of franchises which have attracted numerous investors in Australia. Another reason regarding the enormous of franchises in Australia is the fact that most of them offer comprehensive training and support to franchisees. For example, McDonald’s provide franchisees with uniforms, staff training packages, the ingredients and equipment for production and conducts extensive advertising on their behalf. As the success of franchises continues to grow in Australia, it is becoming an attractive option for many potential entrepreneurs in starting a business. How to cite Starting a Business vs Franchise, Papers

The Strengths and Weaknesses of the U.S. Constitution Essay Example

The Strengths and Weaknesses of the U.S. Constitution Essay The founders and framers of the United States Constitution have apparently felt and thought that there is a significant need for the country or their government to have a ratified fundamental law. Hence, in order for the American people to never go back or once again be subjected to tyrannical control which they have previously rejected and eluded, the U.S. Constitution was established, which identifies, sets, and explains the nature, extent, and implementation of the laws. Generally, the U.S. Constitution is a subject area where law is treated as comprehensive and complicated. By principle, it adheres and responds to a lot of topics concerning the relationship of the national government to the state governments, the specific and innate rights of individuals, and other important characteristics of the implementation of the U.S. government authority.There are other constitutional scholarly people who noted that its authors purposely wrote the Constitution in such a way that it is obsc ure that needs to be submitted to a deeper explanation. It was also created in such a way that it can accommodate the demands of the ever-changing nation. However, some assert that its provisions need to be rigorously interpreted and implemented in the most exact way.To better comprehend and appreciate the laws binding the U.S. Constitution, as well as their impacts to the nation and the people, it is essential, therefore, to analyze it in a manner wherein both their strengths and weaknesses are identified and assessed. Through an analysis of strengths and weaknesses of the U.S. Constitution, it can pave the way for a rightful and logical amendment of provisions that are already obsolete or inapplicable to modern America, as well as the retention of those that are beneficial to and promote the nations development and protect a citizens rights.Strengths of the ConstitutionThe Constitution of the United States brags about its many powers or strengths that boost both the welfare and de velopment of the country and its people. Its superior strengths include the â€Å"separation of power† clause where no one from the three branches of the government, namely the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary, is presumed to have the lawful authority to take over the other. Thus, acquiring ultimate power is prevented (â€Å"The United States Constitution, 1787, cited in Mount, 2008). It is through this clause that the three branches are able to work their way accordingly as well as complement rather than work against each other. This is because each of the three branches has its own specific power and function that, when applied, collectively advance the development and protection of the country and the American people.A relative strength of the United States Constitution is the provision restricting the power and authority of the said three branches through what is called the condition of â€Å"checks and balances† (â€Å"The United States Constitution, 1787 c ited in Mount, 2008). By means of this system, the streamline limitations of the Executive (President), Legislative (U.S. Senate and House of Representatives), and Judiciary (Supreme Court) are clearly defined or identified. The Constitution specifically states the boundaries of the Presidents and Congress power. While the President is perceived to have the ultimate power in a democratic government which is manifested in his or her sole authority of veto power, Senators and Congressmen are likewise equipped with strong powers. These include their authority to create and enact law, to engage in foreign or external relations, to declare war, to confirm or not the appointment of Presidential appointees, and to act as a special prosecutor or judge such as in impeachment cases. The Supreme Court, on the other hand, boasts of its sole power to implement laws. This set-up depicts a strength of the Constitution wherein the separate authorities of the three pillars of the government have pro ven to be advantageous and not detrimental to the welfare of the nation and its citizens (â€Å"The United States Constitution, 1787 cited in Mount, 2008).In turn, the â€Å"checks and balances† clause brought about by the provision of â€Å"separation of powers† of the three branches of the government has paved the way for another strength of the Constitution. It is through the separation of powers that a significant and strong political style of the American government emerged—the sharing of sovereignty between the federal (national) and states (province) governments. The power and rights of these two governing bodies, as affirmed in the said sharing condition, are then reviewed and balanced by the Judiciary branch (â€Å"The United States Constitution, 1787 cited in Mount, 2008). This system of self-rule or self-government was an offshoot of an earlier condition when majority of the powers of the American government lay only with the states government, leav ing the federal government with almost no power or limited authority—with no means to execute such power. This defect was eventually realized. Thus, the provision of sharing of sovereignty was included with the purpose of balancing the governing arena. This has also led to a federal government that does not destroy the states government’s own authority; rather, it gave the former definite powers in order to be a real entity. In effect, the Constitution was instrumental in unifying and strengthening more the nation with the cooperation and services being provided to the citizens by both the federal and states governments.Above all the strengths of the U.S. Constitution is its most powerful provision—the â€Å"Bill of Rights,† which particularly lists and explicitly explains the logic behind the inclusion of such provision. This is for the reason that the basic and innate rights and privileges of the Americans must always be protected and upheld. In fact, t he Americans have long been worried with violations of their rights. Hence, their â€Å"right to exercise religious beliefs, right of representation and personal decision, freedom rights,† as well as other identified privileges, are the essential grounds of several significant events in U.S. history (Mount, 2008).Aside from what was written in the Constitution, Mount (2008) added that the American history is actually full of bill of rights. He said that there are also important rights that were identified in the Declaration of Rights which were caused by the Stamp Act, George Masons Virginia Declaration of Rights, and the current Patients Bill of Rights (Mount, 2008). Therefore, aside from being powered by its effectiveness and applicability, the U.S. Constitution is foremost strong because of its recognition and protection of the Americans rights.Weakness of the ConstitutionIt is a given fact that, for every strength, there is an equivalent weakness. Although the strengths t ry hard to overcome the weaknesses, it is better to address the loop-holes of the U.S. Constitution rather than hide them. In contrast to its power of promoting the rights of the people, the weakness of the Constitution manifests when political leaders are persuaded or influenced by leading business corporations in the country and even abroad. In a democratic kind of government such as the United States, it is ideal that foreign-based industries should never perform a financial function or any kind of influence in the results of the countrys elections or in the way political leaders govern the nation. It is disturbing to note that foreign businesses are allowed to sway government officials and political candidates. This is because, in effect, they also influence the external policies being carried out by the country by leaning on their favor. Although the Congress, under Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, can â€Å"regulate Commerce with foreign Nations,† this clause i s one example of weakness where the country is prone to go beyond dealing with external or foreign businesses (â€Å"The United States Constitution, 1787 cited in Mount, 2008). This is because engaging in all forms of transaction with other countries tends to show that the countrys trading partner may, in one way or the other, influence the way the leaders run the government.The above weakness, when applied to the current administration, seems to be evident in the way President Bush is reportedly perceived to be in control of some powerful or influential foreign faction of capitalists. Bush critics have openly aired that these external finance magnate have strategically planned for the past years on how to get rid of the U.S. Constitution in order to establish a dictatorship through financial means. It is now obvious how influential and affluent families have controlled the American lives through their total banking control. The administrations critics added that every time America ns transact to these foreign banks and businesses, they are in cahoots with some federal and state agencies.Things to be Deleted and KeptIf the Constitution is to be established today, there are things that need to be changed and kept in order for it to be more flexible and relevant, if not to be free of flaws. Solid amendments should be done on provisions relating to external relations and foreign borrowing of the country. By doing so, the financial burden brought about by the powerful foreign money is removed from the citizens. Instead of the Article 1 Section 8 provision that states â€Å"Congress can borrow money on the credit of the United States,† the country must instead cut down borrowing from external interests (â€Å"The United States Constitution, 1787 cited in Mount, 2008).   The Americans and the whole nation and will continue to a have hard time in absolutely showing their financial or economic potentials if they are run by foreign-based policies and investor s. Continued borrowing only maintains exploitation of the countrys leaders and officials by the foreign corporations. Thus, this is not correcting the Constitutions weaknesses.Meanwhile, the promotion and upholding of the rights of the people should indeed be retained. This does not an elaborate explanation and basis because a democratic country is ruled by the people whose innate privileges should never be violated. Furthermore, all the other provisions of the Constitution which encourage freedom, equality, and improvement of the quality of American lives should always be in the nations priority.

What Makes a Good Villain Heres Your 15-Item Checklist

What Makes a Good Villain Heres Your 15-Item Checklist What Makes a Great Villain? Your Checklist for Writing a Good Bad Guy Nothing makes your hero more heroic than a worthy opponent. So don’t shortchange your villain. Spend every bit as much time crafting him as you do your lead character, if you want your story to work. (Though I will use male pronouns throughout, this applies equally if your main character is a heroine or your villain is female.) Too many novelists give plenty of care to every other element of their story, then create what they consider a deliciously evil villain and wonder why the package seems to fall flat. Often it’s because the bad guy is only that: bad. He’s from Central Casting and might as well be starring in a melodrama, complete with black top hat, cape, and handlebar moustache so we readers can boo and hiss his every entrance. Every other character is real and nuanced and believable, but the second-most important lead spoils the reader’s whole experience. Need help writing your novel?Click here to download my ultimate 12-step guide. Motivation: The Secret Sauce for Creating a Great Villain Don’t let the word scare you. Motivation doesn’t have to be some nebulous theatrical concept tossed about by method actors trying to get into character. It simply means your bad guy needs a reason for being the person he has become. If he isn’t working, it’s because you’ve made him the villain only because he’s a bad person. He does evil things because he’s evil. That’s too easy. Change your thinking. Try something revolutionary. If you just can’t understand truly villainous people, try this: Put yourself in their place. â€Å"Wait!† you say. â€Å"I’d rather see myself as the hero, doing the right thing because it’s the right thing, rising to the challenge, saving the day.† Wouldn’t we all? Well, don’t knock this till you’ve tried it. You’re writing along, and you’ve come to the place where your villain needs to act in some evil way. Your virtual online writing coach has urged you to be sure he has proper motivation. What does this mean? He can’t be bad, do bad, cause trouble just because he’s the bad guy, so what’s made him this way? What’s behind it? You have to know before you have him do whatever it is he’s about to do. Take His Place â€Å"But I’m not a villain!† you say. â€Å"I’m no Dr. Moriarty or Dracula or Simon Legree.† Yes, you are. You have your days. You’ve learned to control yourself, or maybe you’re a person of faith and have found control outside yourself. But you know your true nature, your old nature. We novelists need to become our characters, from young to old, male to female, blue-collar worker to executive, and illiterate to educated. That’s part of the fun of it. Now take that further. When a friend takes credit for something you accomplished, what’s your first private thought? You get over it, I know. You probably say nothing and let it pass for the sake of the relationship, and that’s great. But dwell on that initial visceral reaction a moment. Someone you know well and love and trust lies to you, and there’s no question about it. You’re offended, hurt- crushed really. In fact, you’re infuriated. You bite your tongue because you’re a mature adult. Maybe when you cool down you’ll rationally confront the lie and get to the bottom of it. But for now, entertain that immediate first reaction. Where was your heart and mind then? I’m not telling you to become mean, rotten, and nasty when we’re all supposed to have grown out of that kind of thing by now. But I am telling you to tap into your dark side long enough to know what makes a good villain tick. What Makes a Good Villain? Villains are real people to whom terrible things have happened. Maybe in childhood, maybe in adolescence, maybe later. At some point, rather than learning and growing, their maturation process stunted and stalled. Roots of bitterness and anger sprang up in them. On the surface they may have many, if not most, of the same attractive qualities of your hero. But just beneath the surface fester the qualities you can access in yourself if you allow yourself to. While this may explain the reasons for your villain’s actions, it doesn’t excuse or forgive them. He’s still evil, and he must still be brought to justice. But giving him motivation will make him more than a cardboard cutout. So conjure a backstory for your villain. Make him real and believable and credible- even attractive in many ways. And while you’re writing your story, see how many boxes you can check off on this list of characteristics that pertain to your villain. The more that apply, the more successful your novel is likely to be. Because the more worthy his opponent, the more heroic your hero will appear. Villain Characteristics Checklist: He’s convinced he’s the good guy He has many likeable qualities He’s a worthy enough opponent to make your hero look good You (and your reader) like when he’s on stage He’s clever and accomplished enough that people must lend him begrudging respect He can’t be a fool or a bumbler He has many of the same characteristics of the hero, but they’re misdirected He should occasionally be kind, and not just for show He can be merciless, even to the innocent He’s persuasive He’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants He’s proud He’s deceitful He’s jealous, especially of the hero He’s vengeful Need help writing your novel?Click here to download my ultimate 12-step guide. What would you add to this list of what makes a good villain? Tell me in Comments below.

How to Edit Quotes in an Essay

How to Edit Quotes in an Essay How to Edit Quotes in an Essay Quoting sources is vital when writing an essay. But what if the quote doesn’t fit the surrounding text? Or what if it’s too long? The good news is you can change a quote if you need to. But you also need to highlight your edits clearly in the text. Check out our guide below, then, to find out how to edit quotes in academic writing. Omitting Text from Quotations with Ellipses If a quote is too long, it may interrupt the flow of your writing. For instance: Smith (2007, p. 24) describes blancmange as â€Å"a sweet dessert that is generally made with milk or cream and sugar, although I also once had one that contained none of these ingredients, that has been thickened with gelatin, corn starch or Irish moss.† The middle part of this quote isn’t necessary for describing blancmange, so we might want to leave it out. To do this, we would use an ellipsis to show where we had cut something from the original source: Smith (2007, p. 24) describes blancmange as â€Å"a sweet dessert that is generally made with milk or cream and sugar†¦that has been thickened with gelatin, corn starch or Irish moss.† We now have the text we wanted to quote, but we haven’t had to include the middle bit. This makes it clearer and more succinct. Keep in mind, too, that you can write an ellipsis in several ways, including: In square brackets [†¦] Spaced (. . .) or unspaced (†¦) With a space before and after the ellipsis or without spaces As such, always check your style guide for advice on how to write ellipses. If you do not have a style guide, simply apply one type of ellipsis consistently. Changing or Adding Words in Quotations You can edit quotes by changing or adding words in order to: Integrate quoted text into your own writing Clarify the meaning of something Correct an error in the original text If you do any of these, use square brackets to show where you have changed the original text. For example, imagine we found the following in a book: Blancmange is delicious. The first time I ate it, I was in love. We might then want to quote the second sentence. But without the first sentence, it wouldn’t be clear what the â€Å"it† refers to. As such, we could edit the second sentence so that it works by itself: Smith (2007, p. 31) says, â€Å"The first time I ate [blancmange], I was in love.† It is now clear what Smith is saying without having to include the first sentence, but the reader can also see where we have changed the quote. Marking Errors in Quotations Finally, what if you don’t want to change an error in a quote? Or what if it contains something that looks like an error, such as an old-fashioned spelling? In cases like these, you can use the Latin term â€Å"sic† to show that you’ve kept something non-standard from the original text. This is short for sic erat scriptum, which translates to â€Å"thus was it written.† Usually, to use â€Å"sic† like this, you would place it in square brackets: His writings were riddled with errors due to his addiction, which he described as â€Å"a terrible but delishus [sic] shame† (Smith 2017, p. 2). The reader will then know that the spelling â€Å"delishus† comes from the quoted text, so it is not a transcription error. Unless you have a good reason for preserving an error, though, it is usually better to fix it and put the correction in square brackets instead. Summary: How to Edit Quotes in an Essay If you need to edit quotes in your writing, keep the following in mind: Use an ellipsis to indicate omissions in the text. Check your style guide for how to format ellipses (e.g., in brackets or not, spaced or unspaced). Mark additions or changes by placing the edited text in square brackets. Use the term â€Å"[Sic]† to show that you’ve duplicated an error from a source. This will ensure the reader doesn’t think you’ve made a mistake yourself. Different style guides may vary on these rules, so make sure to check yours if you have one. And don’t forget to have your work proofread.

Research Methods in HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Research Methods in HRM - Essay Example It is an intended objective of HRM practices, undertaken under the paraphernalia of HRM, that organizational objectives are met. The most sharply defined organizational objective is performance. Performance in turn is expected to improve everything for the organization right from sales to profits. Therefore, in order to fine tune HRM practices frequent research is carried out not only to find out how past HRM practices and policies yielded but also to suggest newly improved HRM practices and policies for implementation. Often a case has been made that HRM research, say directly addressing the issue of employee performance, was conducted at great expense of time, funds and resources however the resultant improvement in employee performance after implementation of the findings of the research was not only not commensurate but grossly inadequate. While it may be possible that implementation schemata may have had serious errors and limitations however primary concern here is to explore i f the HRM research undertaken was able to truly address the HRM issues at hand; whether it oversimplified the research scenario with overbearing and sweeping assumptions; whether it focused on appropriate subjects; if it did collected sufficient data from a sufficiently representative sample(s); if the data analysis was done using correct techniques; if it missed some of the important explanatory variables or even if it was able to formulate and test a contextual research question(s) or hypotheses. These issues are called methodological issues and if ignored can lead to fatally misleading research findings. In the following paragraphs methodological issues connected with HRM research in organizational performance will be examined and discussed. Relationship between HRM and performance A lot of research has been conducted in exploring the relationship between organizational performance and HRM practices. Two broad methodological approaches can be delineated exploring this relationship. One approach is entirely within the domain of strategic HRM and tries to explain this relationship through strategic considerations ranged from external environment to internal strategies of the organization. These approaches explain the link between performance and HRM practices by weaving HRM policies within the overall strategic thrust of the organization (Wright and Snell, 1998).Another approach focuses on universal HR practices which are commonly practiced in most organizations and are such practices are slated to lead to better performance (Delery and Doty, 1996).The strategy woven contingency approach considers human factor as a means in the hand of overall organizational strategy(ies) ,sub serving the purposes of such organizational strategies, and considers HRM practices as an adjunct tool for achievement of strategic objectives. The universalistic school approaches focus on high performance work practices and considers human factor development as an organizational goal by itself. Universalistic approach