7th Grade ACT Prep How to Ace the Exam

7th Grade ACT Prep How to Ace the Exam SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Even though there are plenty of other standardized tests for younger students like ACT Aspire or the PSAT, there are still many middle schoolers every year who take the ACT. 7th grade is definitely a bit earlier than most people take a college entrance exam, but it's possible you might have to take it as part of an academic talent search or want to take it to see what it's like. Just as good 7th grade ACT scores are different from what good scores would be for juniors or seniors, though, 7th grade ACT prep is very different from high school ACT prep. Find out the best way to A-C-E the ACT in 7th grade in this article. Why Take the 7th Grade ACT? There are two main reasons why you'd want to take the ACT as a middle schooler. The biggest reason is that 7th grade ACT scores are an integral part of several talent search programs, like Duke TIP and Johns Hopkins' CTY. These programs provide academic enrichment and summer programs for advanced students, which can be a great way to discover a subject you're passionate about that you can then pursue in more depth in high school or college. The only other real reason to take the ACT so early is if you want to start laying the groundwork for when you take the ACT in high school to apply to colleges. Because you won't have learned a significant chunk of the content on the test yet in school (particularly on the math section), you're probably not going to want to use your 7th grade ACT score to apply to colleges. But if you live in an ACT-mandatory state and will end up taking the ACT before you graduate from high school for free anyway, it's not the worst idea in the world to get an early preview of what the test is like. 7th Grade ACT Prep for Summer Programs If you’re taking the ACT to take part in a talent search or summer program of some sort, you have a relatively tight timeline to work with. Enrollment begins August of each year for Duke TIP and other similar programs, and to do the 7th grade talent search for most programs, you must take the ACT during your 7th grade year. This means that the latest you can take the ACT and still qualify for a talent search is by June of the end of your 7th grade school year. Plus, to get a spot in the highly competitive summer programs for the summer after 7th grade, it’s usually recommended you take the ACT by Feb 1st during 7th grade at the latest (so you don’t get waitlisted for the programs). With a short amount of time to study for the ACT, you'll need to use strategies similar to those used by juniors and seniors prepping for the test. This means studying for the test with official ACT practice tests and questions to get the most accurate picture of what will be covered on the real test. While you by no means need a perfect or even close to perfect score on the ACT in order to qualify for summer programs, you also don't want to stroll into the room on test day and be completely surprised by the format and question style of the test. Jon Bunting/Flickr There are non-multiple choice Math questions You're also going to want to take at least a couple of realistic timed practice tests (rather than just answering questions or doing the test a section at a time). This exercise is particularly valuable for 7th graders because as a younger student, you'll likely have less test-taking stamina, simply because you won't have had as many years of lengthy test-taking in school yet as a high school student. The ACT is a little over three hours long with breaks (or almost four hours if you take ACT with Writing), so you'll need to work up to being able to sit down and concentrate on the test for that long a period of time without losing focus. Other ACT prep strategies used by high school students can be modified and used by younger students as well. Before you start studying for the test, you should figure out what specific score you need to aim for in order to meet your goals. Rather than averaging the average scores of the colleges you want to get into, you should set your target ACT score based on the average scores of the summer programs you want to apply to. You can then adjust your test-taking strategy accordingly. The most important adjustment to make to your test-taking strategy as a 7th grader is to not be afraid to skip questions. If you only need to aim for a 25 on each section, you can afford to skip the harder questions or topics you haven't learned about yet and maximize the time you spend on questions you actually can answer. For more strategies like these, including precisely how many questions you can skip to get to your target score, read our articles on how to improve low ACT English, Math, Reading, and Science scores, which focus on getting students up to a 26 score (rather than a perfect ACT score). Early Training for College Applications Starting to prepare for college applications early is a much weaker reason to study for and take the ACT in 7th grade. Prepping so early for the ACT means you don't have the content knowledge you need to do your best on the test. While it is possible to teach yourself some of the content, you may find that there's ultimately a limit to what you can achieve on your own without first learning the subject (like trig) in school first. It's also unlikely that casual 7th grade ACT prep will have any benefit for you when you get to the middle of high school and take it again for colleges. Sure, you might be slightly more familiar with the format of the test, but that's something you could achieve much more easily and effectively by starting to prep for the ACT in a focused way in 9th grade. And as a sidenote, although colleges probably won't care about your 7th grade ACT score, any time you take the ACT it does technically remain on your permanent ACT record. The good news is that if you want to take the ACT early as part of preparing to apply to college or pass the ACT later on in high school, you have a much looser timeframe to work with than if you needed to take it for a talent search. Since you don't have program deadlines, you can take the ACT at any point during middle school, whether during the 7th grade school year or not. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to take the test again before college applications, so it's not like your score now is final. Your 7th grade ACT score is about as final as this rabbit drawn in the sand. Unlike the juniors taking the test, you won't have learned all of the content yet in school, and as I said above, some of it you might not be able to teach yourself. Instead of banging your head against the wall of radians and matrices, you should focus your studying on areas like Reading and English, which don't necessarily require the same kind of knowledge base that ACT Math does, particularly if you're a native English speaker. For ACT Reading, you can practice reading at a higher level by reading short stories and nonfiction writing. Our article on the best way to practice ACT Reading has some great tips for free online sources you can use for both of these types of literature. You can also use vocabulary lists to bolster your knowledge of more advanced vocab and how to use them in context. By reading more advanced writing, you'll internalize some stylistic and grammatical rules that are important for both ACT English and ACT Writing, but if you want an explicit list of what you need to know for ACT English, we have a complete guide to all the grammar rules covered on that portion of the test. We also have some great articles ACT Writing, including how to write the essay, step by step, what the format of the essay is, and how the ACT essay is scored. The ACT Science test doesn't require a lot of specific science knowledge. Instead, you'll need to be skilled at reading charts, graphs, and tables and being able to combine information from them and the text to answer questions. For this reason, even students who aren't "science" people can do perfectly well on ACT Science. And when it comes to ACT Math, you can at least start to get familiar with the math you haven't covered yet in school with our great guides to subjects like algebra and trigonometry. For the most part, though, while you can start to prep for the ACT in 7th grade, if the only reason you're studying for it is as prep for college applications, we don't recommend taking it that early. Richard-G/Flickr The ACT for 7th Graders: The Bottom Line Depending on why you’re studying for or taking the ACT in 7th grade, you’ll need to adjust how you study. If you're taking it in order to qualify for summer programs, you’ll have less time to study before taking the test, so you should focus on practicing with real ACTs and studying strategies like skipping questions you can't answer. On the other hand, if your 7th grade ACT prep isearly training for college or high school, you’ll have more time to study before taking the test, so you should focus more on learning content you don’t know and getting familiar with the test structure before moving on to testing strategies and full-length practice tests. For more on the content-to-strategy ratio in studying, read about how to start early on preparing for the SAT- many of the tips in it are applicable to students taking the ACT as well. Above all, don’t be discouraged by a low 7th grade ACT score. Remember, you’re competing against high school juniors and seniors who are taking this test to get into college or graduate high school. These students might approach the ACT more seriously because it’s more important to their future college prospects, spend more time prepping or have prepped in school, and generally know more of the content because of having covered it in school repeatedly. A Silly Person/Flickr What’s Next? Now you know how to get a great 7th grade ACT score, but is it really worth taking the test so early? Learn more about the pros and cons of taking the ACT in 7th grade here. How are you doing on practice tests compared to other middle-school ACT test-takers? Find out with our articles about the average ACT score for 7th graders and good ACT scores for 8th graders. Want to learn more about summer programs for academically gifted middle schoolers? Read our articles on the Duke TIP 7th grade Talent Search, CTY at Johns Hopkins, NUMATS, Stanford EPGY, and Summer Institute for the Gifted. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

How to Make Easy, DIY Rochelle Salt

How to Make Easy, DIY Rochelle Salt Rochelle salt or potassium sodium tartrate is an interesting chemical that is used to grow large single crystals, which are attractive and interesting, but also may be used as transducers in microphones and gramophone pickups. The chemical is used as a food additive to contribute a salty, cooling taste. It is an ingredient in useful chemistry reagents, such  as Fehlings solution and Biuret reagent. Unless you work in a lab, you probably dont have this chemical lying around, but you can make it yourself in your own kitchen. Rochelle Salt Ingredients Cream of TartarWashing Soda or Sodium Carbonate (which you can get by heating baking soda or sodium bicarbonate in a 275 °F oven for an hour) Instructions Heat a mixture of about 80 grams cream of tartar in 100 milliliters of water to a boil in a saucepan.Slowly stir in sodium carbonate. The solution will bubble after each addition. Continue adding sodium carbonate until no more bubbles form.Chill this solution in the refrigerator. Crystalline Rochelle salt will form on the bottom of the pan.Remove the Rochelle salt. If you redissolve it in a small amount of clean water, you can use this material to grow single crystals. The key to growing Rochelle salt crystals is to use the minimum amount of water needed to dissolve the solid. Use boiling water to increase the solubility of the salt. You may wish to use a seed crystal to stimulate growth on a single crystal rather than throughout the container. Commercial Preparation of Rochelle Salt Commercial preparation of Rochelle salt is similar to how its made at home or in a small lab, but pH is carefully controlled and impurities are removed to ensure product purity. The process starts with potassium hydrogen tartrate (cream of tartar) that has a tartaric acid content of at least 68 percent. The solid is either dissolved in liquid from a previous batch or in water. Hot caustic soda is introduced to attain a pH value of 8, which also causes a saponification reaction. The resulting solution is decolorized using activated charcoal. Purification involves mechanical filtration and centrifugation. The salt is heated in a furnace to drive off any water before being packaged. Persons interested in preparing their own Rochelle salt and using it for crystal growth may wish to adopt some of the purification methods used in commercial production. This is because cream of tartar sold as a kitchen ingredient may contain other compounds (e.g., to prevent caking). Passing the liquid through a filter medium, such as filter paper or even a coffee filter, should remove most of the impurities and allow for good crystal growth. Rochelle Salt Chemical Data IUPAC Name: Sodium potassium L()-tartrate tetrahydrateAlso Known As: Rochelle salt, Seignettes salt, E337CAS Number: 304-59-6Chemical Formula: KNaC4H4O6 ·4H2OMolar Mass: 282.1 g/molAppearance: Colorless, odorless monoclinic needlesDensity: 1.79 g/cm ³Melting Point: 75  Ã‚ °C (167  Ã‚ °F; 348  K)Boiling Point: 220  Ã‚ °C (428  Ã‚ °F; 493  K)  Solubility: 26 g / 100 mL (0 â„Æ'); 66 g / 100 mL (26 â„Æ')Crystal Structure: Orthorhombic Rochelle Salt and Piezoelectricity Sir David Brewster demonstrated piezoelectricity using Rochelle salt in 1824. He named the effect pyroelectricity. Pyroelectricity is a property of some crystals characterized by natural electrical polarization. In other words, a pyroelectric material can generate a temporary voltage when heated or cooled. While Brewster named the effect, it was first referenced by the Greek philosopher Theophrastus (c. 314 BC) in reference to the ability of tourmaline to attract straw or sawdust when heated. Sources Brewster, David (1824). Observations of the pyro-electricity of minerals. The Edinburgh Journal of Science. 1: 208–215.Fieser, L. F.; Fieser, M. (1967). Reagents for Organic Synthesis, Vol.1. Wiley: New York. p. 983.Kassaian, Jean-Maurice (2007). Tartaric Acid. Ullmanns Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry (7th ed.). Wiley. doi:10.1002/14356007.a26_163Lide, David R., ed. (2010). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (90th ed.). CRC Press, pp. 4–83.Newnham, R.E.; Cross, L. Eric (November 2005). Ferroelectricity: The Foundation of a Field from Form to Function. MRS Bulletin. 30: 845–846. doi:10.1557/mrs2005.272

Justification and future work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Justification and future work - Essay Example In spite of the recent advances in treatment including chemotherapy, the survival rate of advanced colon cancer is rather poor. Hence, several institutions worldwide are funding high quality research on colorectal cancer every year to address some basic questions about the causes and ways to better prevent and treat this malignant disease in the future. One of the main reasons for taking up the present project was the grant received from a Saudi Arabian university, and the reason for choosing to study colorectal cancer (CRC) under this project is that CRC is a frequently diagnosed malignancy in Saudi Arabia (Mansoor et al., 2002), constituting 5.5% of all cancers reported (Yassin et al., 2010). Furthermore, the incidence of CRC is increasing in Saudi Arabia, and is ranked fourth among all cancers in the Saudi population (Aljebreen, 2007). Studies have revealed that the incidence of colonic and rectal cancers in Saudi Arabia has almost doubled between 1994 and 2003, with a four-fold i ncrease in these numbers being predicted in the next thirty years (Colorectal Cancer Awareness Campaign, http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=310957583707&topic=13732). Recent statistics reveal CRC to be the second most common cancer among Saudi males and the third most common among Saudi females (Al-Eid, 2004; Bavi et al., 2010). In the analysis presented by Aljebreen (2007), it is shown that Saudi patients present with CRC at a more advanced stage of the disease and at younger ages compared to Western populations. The excessive changes that have occurred in CRC incidence in recent times in Saudi Arabia suggest environmental factors, including obesity as important aetiological factors for the noted change (Uddin et al., 2009). Age-standardised death rate from colon and rectum cancers in Saudi Arabia according to WHO statistics for 2004 was 8.3 per 100,000 population [Centre for Arab Genomic Studies (CAGS), UAE, http://www.cags.org.ae/gme2cancersencolon.pdf]. Also, according to CAG S, the incidence of colon cancer among Arab populations is lower compared to other world populations. Yet in several Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, CRC incidence in people under 40 years of age has been found to be relatively high. Considering that colorectal cancer tops the list of causes of cancer-related death among Saudi population, it was deemed important to conduct research on CRC. Hence, this project chose to study the chemotherapeutic aspects of CRC, in particular the activity of platinum-based compounds as cytotoxic agents for treatment of CRC. Future work Platinum compounds are the usual first option against colorectal cancer. Oxaliplatin, a diaminocyclohexane-containing platinum analogue, shows significant cytotoxic effect in a wide range of cell lines. Clinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of oxaliplatin monotherapy in several cancers, including colon cancer (Cvitkovic and Bekradda, 1999). Some desirable factors that are specific to oxaliplatin are its high potency even in sensitive cell lines (Woynarowski et al., 2000), and the absence of resistance due to mismatch repair deficiency (Sergent et al., 2002). Oxaliplatin activity and mechanisms of action and resistance are quite different from those of other platinum-containing compounds such as cisplatin. Peripheral neuropathy is the main side effect of oxaliplatin treatment. Satraplatin

Obama and the Historical Left Wing Attacks on 2nd Amendment Rights Research Paper

Obama and the Historical Left Wing Attacks on 2nd Amendment Rights - Research Paper Example In addition, the paper also has details on the role of the Supreme Court and effects of Obama reelection on the status of the Second Amendment1. The individualism of the Second Amendment has what has brought the modern debate on the issue of owning arms and guns. The State is recognized as supreme and individuals that exist are there to serve the State. Therefore, these freedoms are granted by the State, which act as a protector and provider for individuals and groups. The Democratic Party from the Clinton administration up to the current Obama’s administration has had several attacks on the second amendment. The Clinton administration officials and Obama Attorney General co signed an amicus succinct in the District of Columbia v. Heller. The brief signed was in support of DC’s ban on all hand guns. In addition, the ban was on any use of firearm for self defense at the homes. In the brief, it was argued that the second amendment was a united right, instead of, an indivi dual right. However, the modern day freedom patriots and founders of America saw it differently. The amendment was not put to protect hunters and sportsmen2. The amendment was to protect the individual right of freedom, and further, it was to protect an individual from a dictatorial State. More guns are needed in the communities since citizens ought to be armed and taught how to use the weapons for the nation to be free. However, the obstacle to this objective is the Constitutional right of the American people to bear and keep arms. The keeping of the arms can prevent the government from oppressing the citizens. This is because people will have the guns at their disposal any time the government tries to oppress them. The solution to the gun problem lies in the implementation of the constitution. The ownership of the arms is to be restricted with legislation. The government is trying to replace the 20,000 federal, local, and state gun laws. This is done by prohibiting or controlling of arms with laws3. The second amendment proponents for gun control are trying to strip the constitutional rights of the Americans to bear and own arms. This is being done by advocating for piece-by-piece and step-by-step dismantling of the amendment. This call to dismantle the Constitution is to transfer power from the people to the hands of the minority ruling elite. The gun control laws started way back in 1934 when a Federal Gun Control Act was passed. This law restricted the sale of automatic weapons like machine guns to the citizens. In 1938, another act followed that prohibited the people convicted of felony from possessing weapons. In addition, all the dealers and sellers were to be licensed. These laws induced gun control and restricted availability of guns to the people of America. Another act of 1968, on gun control, regulated the use of imported weapons. In addition, those who were mentally stable, minors, those convicted of a felony, and the people who used illegal guns were forbidden from possessing weapons. The Brandy Handgun Violence Prevention act was put in place in 1994. This act placed a five day waiting period for those who wanted to purchase weapons. There are State laws that have been put in place regarding the second amendment. Most states consider it a crime to leave weapons in a place that can be accessed by

Different Aspects Of The Speech Presentation English Language Essay

Different Aspects Of The Speech Presentation English Language Essay Speech analysis is an evaluation of different aspects of the speech presentation. It is a critical skill to study a speech and how to deliver an effective speech. It is one of the twenty-five essential for a public speaker. It includes whether you attend the speech presentation, or view a video or read the speech text. Speech analysis is very important because the ability to analyze a speech will accelerate the growth of any speaker. It also will maximise the impact of the next speech presentation of a speaker. A common thing that happens after a speech is that you will start evaluating yourself right from the moment you leave the stage. Did everything go as planned? What did the audience think? Frequently, you will get so caught up in presenting your speech that you lose track of how the audience is reacting and responding. Thats why getting feedback after the speech is important, so you know what you did well and what you did poor. Thus, you can identify things that could make your speech even better. Body Incorrect method of the speech On the speech organization, first thing the speaker started with his introduction which is not organized at all, because he suddenly said, My speech isà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. without satisfying the audience and without revealing the topic. Moreover, he didnt explain what he is going to talk about in his speech. Thus, his introduction is poor while he didnt preview his general and its points. For the body organization, he didnt really show what is the major point of his speech. He used to explain some photos and using some examples with it. There is no clear idea about the way he organized his speech, he kept talking about some things which are not belong to the speech. Like changing from a topic to another without knowing where the beginning of it, he just said whatever came on his mind. The way he organized his speech is very direct and without any introductions of his ideas that he is going to talk about. In the end of the speech, he gave his personal opinion about the topic and how to go beyond your occupation, there is no specific purpose in his speech. There is no clear summary for his topic and he was like giving his personal idea only. On the language, in the first place, the speaker having trouble in saying what he wants to say. This might be the weakness of the speech muscles. For example, like the muscles of the face, tongue, and lips. The speaker also may have different speech characteristics. One of them is the speaker difficult to put sounds and syllables together in the correct order to form words. Longer words are usually harder to say than shorter words. Besides, he also made mistakes when speaking. The speaker may try saying a word several times before he said it correctly. Additionally, the speaker may not be able to communicate effectively with speech, and may need the help of additional communication methods. On the speech delivery, the speaker supposes speaking extemporaneously by uses only a set of brief notes or a speaking outline to jog the memory. However, besides using a set of brief notes, the speaker has relied on the presentation slide of the power point from the laptop to read to his audience for his speech presentation. On the other hand, on the speakers voice, although the speakers voice volume is loud enough for a small size of audience in a classroom, he gradually speak softly and not loudly when the time he read the script from the presentation slide of the power point from the laptop, the audience cannot hear clearly. The speaker also fall into repetitions pitch patterns that are just as hypnotic as a monotone. Although overall the speaker is not speaking too fast, he did mistakes again when the time he read the script from the presentation slide of the power point from the laptop. He is speaking so quickly that the audience lose track of his ideas. In addition, the speaker does too many pauses especially when every time he is forgot the script. Furthermore, when he does pause, he also pauses at the middle of thought units. This may distract audience from his ideas. Most important, one of the major mistakes that he made is he fill the silence with vocalized pauses such as uh, er, and um. This annoying the audience and they create negative perceptions about the speakers intelligence. Moreover, the speaker spoke extemporaneously with poor vocal variety. He did not develop a lively and expressive voice throughout the speech. On the speakers body, his physical actions affect much the outcome of his speech. Based on the personal appearance, the speaker wore a simple casual clothes and a hat during his speech. Its not a suitable attire clothes while you give a formal speech to audience. He also wear a cap during a speech, it shows disrespect to the audience. Besides, the speaker did a big mistake in his movement. He shakes his body here and there while talking. Sometimes, his body faces back or side to the audience. Next, is the gestures mistake that he had made. He moved too much of his hand throughout the speech. Sometimes he put his two hands inside his pocket; sometimes he let them hang at the sides; even sometimes he wring his finger and gently pat the table to retrieval his memory. These gestures that the speaker makes draw attention to themselves and distract from his message. The last mistake which he had made is his eye contact. He has almost no eye contact throughout the speech. He kept looking up and down from the laptop then back to audience again. It is the biggest mistake and the obvious part that he had made in this overall speech. Even sometimes, he closes his eyes to recall his memory. Suggestion of the correct method to improve the speech On the speech organization, the right organization that the speaker has to do is to gather his ideas and support the ideas with the right materials to send the clear idea of his speech, and as we said before, the writer didnt announce his specific purpose he announced only the general idea of his speech. He has to work on his speech by choosing the right methods of organizing the ideas and the points to be clear to the audience. Moreover, he has to support the ideas with statistics, examples or testimony, but he only used one method with is the examples but it was not on its right place, because he kept on giving examples about his opinion. The speaker should have organized his speech under the topical order because his general idea is about the host club so it is about a topical speech. On the language, basically there are some language techniques that the speaker can use for an effective speech. First, adjectives. Adjectives are the simple persuasive language. Second, repetition. It can be used for emphasis. By the way, it ensures the audiences are listening because repetition catches the ear. Third, asking question. Of course, the list of the speech is not complete without the question. This is an effective speech because it requires an audience response. It is also important for the speaker to remember that the language used in a presentation. Use only professional language to the audience. The speaker has to make sure that correct grammar and word choices are used through the presentation. On the speech delivery, because of the speaker supposes speaking extemporaneously, he should well-prepare and rehearse for several times for the speech which is just presented from a brief set of notes and no other materials. On the other hand, on the speakers voice, the speaker need to maintain his loudness throughout his speech and need to talk louder when the audience look puzzled, are leaning forward in their seats, or are otherwise straining to hear. The speaker also has to work on varying pitch patterns either upward or downward to fit the meaning of his words of the speech. Again the speaker has to maintain the rate he speaks throughout his speech, not too fast especially a slower tempo is needed when he is explaining complex information that is not familiar to the audience. In addition, when the speaker does pauses, he should make sure his pause at the end of thought units. Most important, to ensure the speaker do not filled with vocalizations such as uh, er, and um when every time he is forgot the script, he has to practice the speech several times using only the speaking outline as practice makes perfect. Moreover, when giving the speech, the speaker should modulate his voice to communicate his ideas and feelings. On the speakers body, posture, facial expression, gestures, and eye contact will affect the way audience respond to him. Based on the personal appearance, he should wear an at least formal suit and formal trousers. He has to take off his cap while giving the speech as it shows disrespect to the audience. Besides, on the movement, what he has to do is to stand straight and sometimes just move a little is possible. He body should also just face front to the audience. Next, on the gestures, he should only move his hand when he emphasizes any keywords. Eventually, on the eye contact, he should direct visual contact with the eyes of audience to help gauge his truthfulness, intelligence, attitudes, and feelings. He should also prepare a speaking outline before his speech and practice or memorize some parts of the speech to avoid mistakes happened by looking on the laptop by the audience. Conclusion In summary, weve covered three ways to give feedback from watching a video recording of a speakers speech. For the first viewing, we recommended listening to audio only for the speech organization and writing down word for word what the speaker actually said. Next, for the second viewing, we recommended listening closely to language that has been speaking by the speaker. Finally, for the third viewing, we recommended looking for speech delivery. Speech delivery includes methods of delivery, the speakers voice, and the speakers body. Particularly, we recommended looking deeply for any distractive or repetitive mannerisms to polish and refine the speakers speech delivery. When you implement these tips, you will not only look more professional, but you will feel more confident in your speech presentation as you make a greater your impact on your audience.

Tactical Transparency In The Public Relations Commerce Essay

In the post-Enron, blog-ridden universe we live in, transparence is a construct push on public dealingss practicians. Our stakeholders accept genuineness as the edifice block of organization-public relationships. As the first line of defence for any organisation, it is the occupation of these professionals to construct an appropriate transparence scheme. If communications professionals are portion of council chamber discourse, the tools of transparence will match to the company ‘s doctrine. Some choose to encompass transparence as the most ethical scheme while others remain opaque to retain competitory advantage. The purpose of this survey is to specify what transparence means in the new media millenary, address the execution of transparence at all degrees and types of organisations, and contribute to the on-going scholarly argument. The information provided will show the power and efficaciousness of tactical transparence when embedded into a company ‘s civilization. Transparency can non better corporate repute when practiced by merely a few representatives. It will non bolster public sentiment if adopted merely during crises.Specifying â€Å" Tactical Transparency †Tactical transparence is non every bit ethic-centric as it is based in practicality. The changing grade to which a company portions its leaders, employees, values, civilization, concern patterns, and concern schemes determines its degree of transparence.[ 1 ]Specifying transparence is frequently a contested point for practicians during the strategic planning procedure and among public dealingss bookmans, because none of the elements listed supra is sensible in every concern state of affairs. Accessibility is of import to consumers but some sensitive topics are non appropriate to portion with stakeholders. Sharing merchandise safety information is indispensable to making ethical concern, but let go ofing merchandise development information could turn out dearly-won. Scholars tend to place two types of transparence: fiscal and administration. Fiscal transparence is frequently associated with public companies and includes net incomes and net incomes describing. Governance transparence involves sharing regulations, procedures, and executive construction with populaces. Although these categorizations are so applicable to the concern environment, public dealingss professional are more concerned with openness as it applies to corporate repute. Scholars tend to hold on what transparence is non ; it is non full revelation. Holtz and Havens defined the four features of transparence as objectiveness, intent, esteem, and pilotage.[ 2 ]To stay unfastened, employers should ideally utilize changing grades of each in times of crisis or an attempt to avoid such crises by showing a willingness to portion and unwrap information. Honesty and unity are cardinal to objectiveness. Using multiple channels, informal and formal tactics, and advanced schemes will gain good will from populaces, but genuineness and objectiveness will ever win out. Transparency must ever hold a intent ; it should be accompanied by an action or follow-through. Recovering consumer trust is of class vital to the bottom line, but reconstructing a trade name requires consistence and length of service. Former JetBlue Airways laminitis and CEO, David Neeleman offered a YouTube apology for his air hose ‘s cancellation of multiple flights on Valentine ‘s Day 2007.[ 3 ]But in add-on to the apology, Neeleman helped his direction squad development and implement a Customer Bill of Rights, authorising stakeholders to go more involved. Proposing that intent is the key to transparency attempts, Neeleman subsequently wrote, â€Å" Talk is cheap-action is the lone thing that truly builds your repute, non merely as a individual, but as a com pany. †[ 4 ]Regardless of the communications attempts a company employs before and after crises, its past path record will most likely find the regard in which the company is held. Esteem is based on corporate duty ( charitable activites, employee intervention ) and corporate values. Finally, the manner a company navigates crises will assist find future state of affairss necessitating transparence. Methods that have worked in the yesteryear can be applied rapidly and honestly and better duologue with populaces.Transparency in the Internet AgeThe challenges confronting public dealingss professionals in today ‘s market place involve what Holtz and Havens ( 2009 ) define as a â€Å" convergence of two separate and distinguishable tendencies: worsening trust in concern and increased public examination † both are a consequence in portion of societal media tendencies and the handiness of real-time duologue.[ 5 ]Worsening consumer trust is both a Post-industrialist world and a current legitimate public fright ensuing from closed-door concern patterns that were exposed in recent headlines. New statute law now forces unfastened trades and consumer outlooks have risen to run into new ethical criterions. What is good and ethical nevertheless will ever be a contested point ; the fuel behind much of this argument. Organizations can do usage of public coaction to research stakeholder outlooks and ethical demands while reacting to unfavorable judgment with hastiness. If we view transparence from purely the consumer position, it is evident that corporate duty, which encompasses transparence, has become far more of import in a tough economic system. Harmonizing to a study completed by Landor Associates, Penn Schoen Berland and Burson-Marsteller, 75 % of consumers felt societal duty was of import and 55 % reported taking cause-related merchandises over those that do n't.[ 6 ]A 2008 Harris survey of authorities repute and transparence found â€Å" deep dissatisfaction among the American populace with both the handiness of authorities fiscal information and the manner it is delivered to the people. †[ 7 ]CBS ‘s hit telecasting show, Undercover Boss thrives on transparence, giving viewing audiences the unadulterated interior scoop through CEO lens as he/she discovers the existent inner-workings.[ 8 ]Consumers have reacted to the slightly hazardous exposure ; some companies featured have reported stock additions and record gross revenues.[ 9 ]This suggests that transparence is an effectual public dealingss scheme. The easiness and handiness of online webcasts has created an ambiance of â€Å" de facto real-time openness, † in which companies ‘ crises attempts are expected to be acknowledged outright.[ 10 ]BP ‘s 2010 oil spill proved that with greater visibleness, comes greater answerability. Following the calamity, it is likely that market forces will enforce transparence ordinance for other energy companies working in sensitive ecological environments. Assorted stakeholders will demand supervising abilities similar to that BP posted on its web site. The mile-deep unrecorded video-feed satisfied stakeholder wonders but it besides set a new criterion for â€Å" strategic transparence. † If we can watch oil spiting from a busted wellspring ( the crisis itself ) and the submerged vehicles trying to seal the leak ( the crisis response ) , so what else is possible? Could we watch the car mechanic naming a broken vehicle, the preschool instructor administrating medical specialty to a kid, or the kitchen staff fixing nutrient? Michael Schrage of the Harvard Business Review identifies revelation as the â€Å" twentieth Century mistiming of a paper-based age. †[ 11 ]From this incident, Schrage speculates that tactical transparence will go on to â€Å" have an tremendous proficient and conceptual encouragement. †[ 12 ] Supporters of transparence in the workplace place many elements that could profit from greater public transparence. Analyzing organisational procedures, meeting schemes, office locations, and concern maps may uncover net streaming handinesss or more accessible avenues. In some instances, making so may even back up the organisation ‘s selling schemes. In this sense greater visibleness and transparence is another chance to earn media attending and develop a trade name. If positive public dealingss are a consequence of tactical transparence, so its perceived absence could bring forth negative promotion. A referee mistake in a recent World Cup game between the US and Slovenia caused a firestorm of public reaction. FIFA ordinances prevented the referee from explicating the questionable call, but FIFA ‘s president offered a tweet following the game directing witnesss to a old statement he ‘d made sing video rematch. A Time.com observer wrote, â€Å" [ C ] ould n't he hold offered more transparence about this specific incident than a tweet? Particularly a tweet that links a boiler home base web page from March? †[ 13 ]Literature ReviewCrisiss such as the FIFA opinion and the BP oil spill, by definition threaten to damage the repute of an organisation.[ 14 ]Benoit explored organisational efforts to reconstruct reputes after crisis-damaging events and developed the image Restoration theory. Benoit ‘s image Restoration schemes incl uded denial, equivocation of duty, cut downing offensive of the act, disciplinary action, and chagrin ( an artless apology ) .[ 15 ]Denial is the most defensive of the Acts of the Apostless and involves a complete refusal to accept duty while equivocation of duty badly limits engagement but does acknowledge some sum. Reducing odiousness is a specific signifier of strategic equivocation that focuses on minimising the consequence of the act on public sentiment. Corrective action has deductions in the immediate and future responses of the organisation ; chagrin is an immediate and sincere apology for incorrect making, the most crystalline attack. Image Restoration schemes and the appropriate discourse are chosen, altered, and arranged for the specific crisis or stakeholders.[ 16 ]Benoit ‘s research finds that a corporation best serves itself when it takes full duty, apologizes, and Acts of the Apostless with hastiness consequently.[ 17 ] Transparency can happen in many state of affairss and contexts. Hood refers to four separate applications of openness including event transparence ( unfastened information in response to crises ) , process transparence ( unfastened information about concern maps and operations that affect crises ) , and real-time transparence ( information released instantly ) , and retrospective transparence ( information released a considerable sum of clip after an issue arises ) .[ 18 ]Drew and Nyerges found that the most effectual transparence determinations were integrated, accessible to stakeholders, clear and concise, logical and rational, true, and accountable.[ 19 ] Arguments for Transparency in Public Relations. Transparency serves to protect single rights and organisational engagement.[ 20 ]Transparency ensures better behaviour on the portion of concerns while assisting to measure public presentation, both critical to organisational answerability.[ 21 ]The public values transparence and as mentioned earlier, expects it in the digital age. In relation to political transparence, Koppell writes that the â€Å" openness of authorities to regular review is so steadfastly ingrained in our corporate consciousness that transparence has unconditioned value. †[ 22 ]One survey found that organisations committed to transparence, besides experiences heightened occupation satisfaction and continuances, innovativeness and accomplishment.[ 23 ]Transparent determinations lead to more informed determinations, because transparence â€Å" promotes improved entree to information as a manner to construct public assurance in the determination procedure and s trengthen credibleness. †[ 24 ] Internal transparence has been studied every bit extensively as transparence for corporate repute intents. Harmonizing to a survey sponsored by the public dealingss house Fleishman Hillard, 27 per centum of the study pool assessed corporate duty based on the organisation ‘s intervention and wellbeing of its employees. In fact, merely three per centum of respondents associated corporate duty with public service and outreach.[ 25 ] Transparency is linked to other corporate issues including efficiency and long-run cost nest eggs. For case, transparence can cut down the demand for doubling attempts, the likeliness that determinations will hold to be revised ( at potentially immense cost ) , and the hazard of possible fiscal punishments. Constructing a sense of battle and engagement among employees goes requires more than compensation. Companies will effectual communications sections strategically inform employees of just wage constructions to keep enthusiasm and committedness internally and make positive perceptual experiences with external stakeholders.[ 26 ]In a universe of examination and instantaneous communicating it is in the best involvement of an organisation to handle its workers good. Arguments Against Transparency in Public Relations. The chief challenge confronting public dealingss professionals in the new media millenary is the legitimacy of information provided through transparence schemes. For case, corporate web site must non be the lone medium for unwraping of import information. Handiness to the Internet is still a job confronting developing states and destitute populaces. Those that have entree may be overwhelmed with excessively much information if the web site is non well-designed. Increased promotion and transparence may besides hold an unsought effect-increased negative imperativeness. All of these possible effects could sabotage legitimacy and make public misgiving.[ 27 ] Another job arises when tactical transparence schemes are combined with bureaucratic or political petitions. In these fortunes, sensitive information may go more creatively controlled, ensuing in an equivocation of duty to the organisation ‘s populaces.[ 28 ]On the other manus, transparence may take to full revelation when â€Å" herd inherent aptitudes take over market determinations. †[ 29 ]Meetings and corporate assemblages, including those webcast may take participants to dissent based on group treatment. This may do group members to take the most popular determinations or concerns, ignoring via media or dialogue. The concluding apprehensiveness noted in transparence literature related to answerability. While transparence does open up the organisations to public reappraisal and unfavorable judgment, it does n't ever do these organisations more accountable.[ 30 ]Critics argue that the ascertained organisations will reorient the information to fit the demands of transp arence without really unwraping organisational worlds.[ 31 ] Traditionally opaque organisations and their leading pose the most concerns about following tactical transparence schemes. For these companies, get the better ofing expostulations is hard because they have benefitted from keep backing information from the populace. Typically these expostulations fall into one of four classs: legal and regulative ( transparence might do it easy to go against internal and external ordinance ) , competitory ( the organisation may lose its competitory advantage by sharing valuable information ) , proficient ( deficiency of resources and to pull off transparence enterprises ) , and investing ( deficiency of clip, money, or substructure ) .[ 32 ] Legal concerns are paramount in our litigious society. It is the function of corporate council to minimise possible legal hazards. Public dealingss practicians working for pharmaceutical companies may be most untalkative in implementing tactical transparence due to the figure of modulating establishments including the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) .[ 33 ]A web log, for case could open drug companies to publicity of off-label indexs ; a ordinance against doing drug recommendations for anything other than FDA-approved conditions would punish the companies and sully corporate reputes.[ 34 ]Competitive concerns, frequently voiced by members of the leading squad, are frequently related to the possible utilizations of information by rivals. In other words, if practicians expose the inner-workings of the organisation, how might the competition usage this information against them?[ 35 ]Technical concerns are frequently voiced by information engineering ( IT ) representatives, because their duties include seting the substructure in topographic point and supervising the web and web sites after building. In order to present societal networking sites, web logs, and video-casts to the intranet, clip and disbursals are spent to prove the applications against the bing substructure.[ 36 ]There is besides a hazard of virus infection whenever employees have entree to networking sites on the Internet.[ 37 ]Cost is a dwindling concern because most societal networking sites require really small capital, but some major corporations still have prohibitions on open-source package applications.[ 38 ]These organisations argue that the benefits do non outweigh the costs of enterprise-level societal media tools.[ 39 ]Case StudiesTransparency as the Right Choice. Every iPod proprietor recognizes Steve Jobs as the face of Apple, Inc. After his rejoinder to Apple, Jobs donned a black polo-neck and bluish denims and reestablished Apple as the industry leader in design and invention. Ap ple ‘s thaumaturgy is portion design and portion strategic secretiveness. Tonss of online fans discuss what new engineerings Apple will let go of and when they will hit the market, so much that sites such as iLounge.net, MacRumors.com, everythingiCafe.com are forums dedicated to these treatments.[ 40 ]However, in September of 2007 when Apple lowered its monetary value of the iPhone from $ 599 to $ 399 to spur holiday gross revenues, on-line recoil from early iPhone purchasers caused a manic tumult.[ 41 ]The â€Å" stupid revenue enhancement, † as the online community nicknamed it, became the act of purchasing early at a higher monetary value, something loyal Apple clients had been making to be the first with the newest engineerings.[ 42 ] Steve Jobs ‘ response was non overtly excusatory, but did turn to the discontent on the portion of loyal clients and even offered a $ 100 recognition at Apple retail and on-line mercantile establishments to iPhone proprietors.[ 43 ]The apology offered in an unfastened missive to Apple clients read: Even though we are doing the right determination to take down the monetary value of iPhone, and even though the engineering route is rough, we need to make a better occupation taking attention of our early iPhone clients as we sharply go after new 1s with a lower monetary value. Our early clients trusted us, and we must populate up to that trust with our actions in minutes like these.[ 44 ] Jobs evidently realized that in this instance, tactical transparence would keep Apple accountable but non unwrap every minutia of concern grounds for dropping the monetary value. For a company who employs transparence as a selling maneuver and for competitory grounds, this really crystalline action was successful because it was good though out. He apologized for the badness of the monetary value bead, provided minimal inside informations about the decision-making procedure, and offered shop credits, showing that follow-through was an of import portion of the apology. The company ‘s repute beforehand ( held in high regard ) provides for an appropriate application of transparence tactics. Finally, Jobs as the CEO was able to implement the recognition procedure before the vacation season and hence retained his extremely valued consumer base.[ 45 ] In the blogosphere, crystalline organisations are being heralded on a day-to-day footing for implementing unfastened tactics. GiveWell.org follows charitable organisations and NGOs with ethical models, including those strategic coverage methods.[ 46 ]One web log entry called Against Malaria Foundation the â€Å" most crystalline developing-world assistance organisation † they ‘d of all time seen.[ 47 ]The organisation, which distributes mosquito cyberspaces in the quest to contend malaria in developing states, is alone in its publication of undertaking inside informations. Many organisations supposedly distribute donated cyberspaces without followup in the parts they service, taking citizens to utilize the mosquito cyberspaces for intents such as catching fish in local Waterss.[ 48 ]There is besides concern about the cost-effectiveness of bringing methods, purchase monetary value, and fund allotment. But the AMF lists all of its plans, by part, day of the month, givers, and position. Website visitants can see to the full elaborate proposals, post-project studies, and transportation records. Donors ‘ gifts correspond to funded, large-scale undertakings.[ 49 ] Many organisations are utilizing micro-blogging services such as Twitter to allow people cognize what they are making. The ability to supervise public conversations and respond about instantly has given organisations an ability to infix themselves into duologue as it occurs, before populaces have the opportunity to go angered or alarm the media. Although these tactics have been perceived as Large Brother actions on juncture, largely populaces are excited that organisations are unfastened to dialoging, listening and responding to concerns in an reliable mode.[ 50 ] When popular film manager Kevin Smith was kicked off of a Southwest Flight because the captain made the call that he was excessively heavy to busy a individual place, Smith told his side of the narrative to his 1.5 million Twitter followings in real-time.[ 51 ]Southwest had already implemented both a company web log and Twitter history and was able to utilize both beginnings to react to the â€Å" Twitter-induced media storm, † what some considered a public dealingss incubus for Southwest.[ 52 ]Southwest acknowledged the event and issued an apology to Smith himself followed by an apology on its web log, Nuts About Southwest. In a web log station titled â€Å" Not So Silent Bob, † a public dealingss representative noted that it was non a customary Southwest method of Customer Relations to work publicly through the ailment procedure, but that the Tweeting call had called for a more crystalline attack.[ 53 ]The station defended the company ‘s initial response, adverting the personal apology it had issued to Smith via Twitter and a phone call instantly after the issue occurred. It besides noted that the flight Smith boarded from Oakland to Burbank was technically standby and that typically Smith purchased two seats on Southwest flights. The most crystalline characteristic of the station was the specificity of the information provided about Southwest ‘s Customer Size policy: Southwest instituted our Customer of Size policy more than 25 old ages ago. The policy requires riders that can non suit safely and comfortably in one place to buy an extra place while going. This policy is non alone to Southwest Airlines and it is non a gross generator. Most, if non all, bearers have similar policies, but alone to Southwest is the refunding of the 2nd place purchased ( if the flight does non oversell ) which is greater than any gross made ( full policy can be found here ) .[ 54 ] JetBlue Airways corporate communications director Morgan Johnston uses Twitter and societal media tools to interact with clients every bit good. When asked why JetBlue follows flyers on Twitter, Johnston responded: With any of the microblogging tools available, people are able to air what they ‘re traveling through at the minute. If you can tap into and observe those types of activities while they ‘re go oning, you can assist them much more instantly. Before they have a opportunity to travel place and fret about it, you can assist them while they ‘re in the thick of the state of affairs. Is n't that better than seeking to retrieve a state of affairs afterwards?[ 55 ] Transparency as the Wrong Choice. In some instances, the truth wo n't put organisations free. Alternatively, it may do greater public misgiving and unfavorable judgment. Amy Jussel, laminitis of ShapingYouth.org, a web log devoted to the impact of marketing on kids, late voiced concerns to Target about an advertisement run picturing a adult female splayed across the celebrated mark form, the dark lantern at her fork. In response, a Target public dealingss representative wrote, â€Å" Unfortunately we are unable to react to your enquiry because Target does non take part with untraditional media mercantile establishments. This pattern is in topographic point to let us to concentrate on publications that reach our nucleus invitee. †[ 56 ] The message that societal media does n't number as a Target policy surely was n't received good by its devoted client base. Target, whose image as a hip and modern-day, low-cost retail mercantile establishment was admiting indifference of web logs, the hip and modern-day, free media channel.[ 57 ]When interviewed for a New York Times article titled â€Å" Target Tells a Blogger to Travel Away, † Amy von Walter, a Target spokeswoman maintained, â€Å" We do non work with bloggers presently. But we have made exclusions and we are reexamining the policy and may set it. †[ 58 ]Target ‘s current policy is to concentrate limited resources and the little public dealingss squad attempts on the large media mercantile establishments, corroborating its prioritization of selling over relationship and repute direction. Target did non draw the ad in response to Jussel ‘s concerns or the blogosphere tumult that followed.[ 59 ]It may hold been smarter to hold to a short int erview with Jussel, a representative of it largest consumer, female parents, alternatively of estranging loyal clients and ignoring societal media mercantile establishments. Lack of Transparency as a Pitfall. Social media crisis response tactics have non been studied to full, but will probably go a major sub-specialization in public dealingss scholarship. Spuring this country of survey are force per unit areas from on-line militant communities and populaces. In the spring of 2010, Nestle was under fire from Greenpeace for purchasing palm oil and utilizing it in merchandises. Greenpeace ‘s Facebook page and YouTube videos depicted Nestle as a protagonist of deforestation and the cause of Orangutan extinction.[ 60 ]Nestle tried to hold one picture associating the Kit Kat saloon to Orangutan extinction removed, claiming the picture violated their hallmark.[ 61 ]This prompted Greenpeace members to post angry comments on Nestle ‘s Facebook page. To protect its page and the company ‘s legal security, Nestle removed the remarks. Although the issue was likely a major corporate concern, Nestle kept its internal deliberation lull which translated into a deficiency of transparence and unconcern.[ 62 ]In this instance its silence spoke volumes about its contempt for the Greenpeace motion. If Nestle had kept its stakeholder populace ( which included militants ) informed of its attempts toward replacing the non-environmentally-conscious merchandises, there might hold been a positive societal media response. Publishing imperativeness released one time a hebdomad may hold worked in the past, but with today ‘s instantaneous information flow, there is no alibi for silence. Although Nestle ‘s stock monetary value did non look to be effected in anyhow, the corporation must still go on to run into Greenpeace criterions and if it falls back on these promises, will probably confront a public dealingss firestorm hard to get the better of.[ 63 ]This is one of the first documented instances of successful environmental activism which took topographic point about wholly in the societal media kingdom.[ 64 ]A Astroturfing is a term used in the public dealingss industry to mention to strategic runs designed to look as self-generated grassroots attempts.[ 65 ]Edelman, the universe ‘s largest independent public dealingss house late practiced astroturfing in a popular web log for Wal-Mart titled, â€Å" walmartingacrossamerica.com † The stations chronicled the cross-country escapade of a couple sing Wal-Mart shops and talking to clients about their shopping experiences. Jim and Laura ‘s first web log station meekly stated: â€Å" We are non bloggers, but since our lives have ever been more journey than finish we are adventurers at heartaˆÂ ¦ . We figured we ‘d give it a spell. †[ 66 ]Laura and Jim ‘s brushs included run intoing Wal-Mart employees, from shop clerks to photogenic executives, who all reported loving their employer and work environment. Critics questioned the genuineness of the run early on. â€Å" Anyone familiar with Wal-Mart and its repute for being quite stingy with rewards and benefits will turn over their eyes at such a rose-colored image, † wrote one Business Week editorialist about the astroturfing world.[ 67 ] The fact that the venture was funded by Working Families for Wal-Mart ( WFWM ) was non publicly disclosed. In this instance, merely saying the fact that the twosome was paid would hold likely saved the traditionally crystalline Edelman from contention.[ 68 ]

How does the first act of the play prepare us for what follows? Essay

The play – Hobson’s Choice sets in late 1880s the Victorian times. If you knew about how do things look like and how people act, you can tell there are lots of differences and things have changed between now and the past. In the past, most of the women were indeed conservative, you can tell that from their costumes. For example, they used to wear very tight, grow bumptious and narrow neck costumes which show that they had no freedom, sometimes they were not even allow to choose their own dresses. However, they were willing to give up their freedoms for beauty. On the other hand, they also emphasized their deportment. Nowadays, women have more freedom, they can wear whatever they want to, and they do not have to wear tight and narrow neck dresses. Furthermore, the marrying age in the old days is around early 20s, but these days the marrying age is between late 20s and early 30s. The play is set in Salford, Lancashire, and the north of England. Hobson is of middle class background but has been running his show shop set in Chapel St, successfully, for some year. Hobson’s shop is quite big. It shows that he has the money to buy a better quality shop. The Hobson’s family is well educated. Also, the trap door shows the social status. Hobson is a really selfish and immature man. He does not care about his daughters’ and he leaves all the works to Maggie and relies to her. He lets her to run the shop and the house, all he cares is when he should goes drinking. He usually goes out at night and stay over until the next morning he comes back for lunch and goes out again. â€Å"He can go on waiting.† This quote shows us that Hobson is an unpunctual man. He doesn’t care how people feel, he cares about only himself. Also, he is extraordinarily lazy. He is so arrogant and he thinks he is better than everyone else. He hates lawyers because its wastes of money and they help people who are supposed to be send into jail. The author tells us that he hates lawyers so this gives us a clue that one of his daughter might marry a lawyer or start a relationship with a lawyer. â€Å"But I’ll tell you this, you’ll none rule me.† This quote demonstrates us that Hobson has a very bossy characteristic. â€Å"You’re pretty, but you’re bumptious, and I hate bumptiousness like I hate a lawyer.† And â€Å"You can lie like a gasmeter.† These quotes tell us that Hobson does not care about his daughters’ feelings; he says whatever he wants to say. Also, he never tries to choose Maggie a husband and he told Alice and Vickey that he is choosing their husband himself. Hobson’s eldest daughter – Maggie, she is 30 and single because of the selfishness of Hobson, he would not let her to find a husband herself but he did not find her a husband. He wants to keep her in the shop to work for him; he does not want to take to responsibility to manage his shop. Hobson often laughs at Maggie’s age as she has already passed the marrying age. â€Å"We’re not here to let people go out without buying.† This quote shows that she is a strong and powerful woman and she is an intelligent business woman. Her character also shows that she is not afraid of her father. Maggie is also Hobson’s favourite daughter. He thinks that Maggie is the most useful to him compare to Alice and Vickey. Maggie is well educated and behaves in a good manner which shows that she is a respectable woman. She takes good care of her sister and cares about them. However, she also cares about Will, but in a different way, this shows that she has feelings for him. As Maggie has a really strong personality, she might have a fight with Hobson later on. Hobson’s second daughter – Alice, she is 23 and with Albert. She helps Maggie to cook and to clean the house but not the business. She despises people; she also often scorns Maggie and reminds her that she has passed the marrying age. This shows that she maybe doesn’t get on really well with Maggie. â€Å"Mr. Prosser didn’t come in to buy boots.† This quote tells us that Maggie has a special relationship with Mr. Prosser, and she assumed that Maggie knew it. Hobson’s youngest daughter – Vickey, she is 21 and with Fred. She is a bit impatient and fidgety, she is the bad one in the family. If things are bad and negative to her, she gives bad comments and tries to make it bad. Vicky also despises people and full of herself. â€Å"Father, have you heard the new about out Maggie?† This quote shows that Vickey wasn’t being very nice to her sister, Maggie. As she knows that if Hobson knows about Will and Maggie, he will definitely stop them. To conclude, I think since the author provides enough clues for us, it prepares us really well for the next chapter. Therefore, this makes me really want to read on as I wanted to know what is going to happen next, and also makes me got really interested in this book.