Designing Clear Sentences Essay Sample

Designing Clear Sentences Essay Sample Constructing Clear Sentences and Paragraphs Linguistic Essay Constructing Clear Sentences and Paragraphs Linguistic Essay Correct wording is vital in developing well-structured sentences and paragraphs. If one wants to make communication clear, he or she must arrange words properly to develop clear sentences and well-developed paragraphs. It is crucial to make sentences and paragraphs understandable to readers or listeners. After building correct sentences, the next thing in the process of designing well-written articles is to join the sentences into perfect paragraphs. This is essential if the writer wants to communicate his/her ideas in an organized manner. This has to be done in order to convey a complete topic or idea. There is not any formulae to determine the number of sentences that should be in a paragraph, and this only depends on the complexity as well as the depth of the logic used. The harmony as well as the way ideas are related among the laid down sentences determines the constituents of a paragraph. Each sentence in the paragraph should at least have a relationship with the primary idea i n a clear manner. This essay provides ways and various steps in designing clear sentences and organizing paragraphs from them. First, the ways of creating good sentences include: content limit, short sentence method, word-economy method, determining emphasis in a sentence, provision of unity, and, lastly, arrangement of sentences to provide clarity of thought. Second, the various ways of designing a paragraph that is clear and precise include: providing unity in the paragraph, keeping it short, providing a topic sentence, shun unnecessary details, and, lastly, issue paragraph movement (Bell Farkas, 2001). Ways of Designing Clear Sentences When designing clear sentences, one should ensure that they are not wordy. Bell and Farkas (2001) state that short sentences are attractive to many readers arguably because of human mind limitations. The researchers also state that most readers are rather busy, and writing short and precise sentences saves time. Short sentences, in most cases, range from sixteen words to eighteen words. However, the excessive usage of short words proves to be less attractive. The two ways of shortening sentences and making them clear include limiting the content of the sentence and word economy. Limiting the content of a sentence is whereby one is supposed to select thought units first and then develop separate sentences. It is important to avoid de-emphasizing content if the thoughts are closely related. One should avoid excessively using short sentences, since it presents variable effects according to Kelly (2014). Word-economy refers to seeking shorter alternative means of saying things and suggestions, and it includes: Cluttering Phrases One should shun avoid cluttering phrases and substitute them with shorter expressions, for instance, while someone is trying to mean ‘at the present time,’ he/she should just indicate ‘now.’ Besides, if the writer is trying to mean ‘in the meantime,’ he/she should avoid writing such long phrase and write a short and a precise one as ‘meanwhile.’ Instead of writing ‘in the near future,’ just indicate ‘soon’ (Kelly, 2014) Surplus Words One should avoid using surplus words. These are words that do not add any information to a sentence. Most writers often employ meaningless words or phrases as a matter of their habit. This includes such phrases as, ‘The secretary requested chairs that are of executive class,’ This sentence should be written precisely as, ‘The secretary requested executive-class chairs.’ The latter is a short and precise sentence that does not contain surplus words (Kolin, 2013). Construct Sentences Directly to the Point A good writer should describe or tell about something as it is. Direct manner at all times in the best way of communicating a message. For instance, instead of saying or writing a sentence as, ‘She looked at anyone she came in contact with,’ a good writer should paraphrase it as, ‘She looked at everyone she met.’ Another example of an indirect sentence is, ‘The national budget can be observed to be increasing each decade.’ It is better to avoid the aforementioned structure and write, ‘The national budget is increasing each decade’ (Campbell, 1999). Unnecessary Word Repetition Words can be repeated only while emphasizing something or with an aim of creating a certain effect on the recipient. Instead of writing a repetitive phrase as, ‘the children should assemble together at 2:00 pm in the afternoon,’ just indicate, ‘the children should assemble at 2:00 pm’ (Kolin, 2013). The other method of constructing clear and precise sentences is to determine their emphasis, whereby the writer is supposed to provide each item with the due emphasis it requires. That is, by showing the importance of an item in the sentence. Short sentences, in most cases, emphasize the content, but the long ones de-emphasize the same. Determining the emphasis is an issue of fine judgment, for instance, the following sentence only emphasizes on the gained money, ‘Although their business suffered record loss last month, it gained a lot of money.’ The following sentence, on the other hand, emphasizes on the record loss only, ‘Their business suffered record loss last month although it gained money.’ However, the sentence, ‘Their business gained money last month. The gain occurred despite record losses’ has equal emphasis (Kolin, 2013). The Importance of Unity in a Sentence All parts of a sentence should possess a similar thought and have unity. The three causes of error of unity are: unrelated ideas, excessive details, and illogical constructions (Bell Farkas, 2001). Unrelated Ideas Though a sentence may be grammatically correct, placing unrelated ideas together distorts the sentence unity. Kelly (2014) argues that one can, however, avoid such errors by placing unrelated ideas in different sentences. Besides, one should also exercise subordination of ideas. Adding a word, or words, that may present some relationship may reduce this error. For instance, a sentence, ‘Mr. Smith is the overall manager, and he has a certificate in computing’ may be changed to the following one, which shows subordination of ideas, ‘Mr. Smith, our overall manager, has a certificate in computing.’ However, another sentence may be constructed to show separate ideas, ‘Mr. Smith is our overall manager. He has a certificate in computing.’ Excessive Details Excessive details lead to the elimination of a sentence unity. However, if details are important, a writer should put them in a different sentence. This again means employment of short sentences leading to precise writing (Campbell, 1999). Illogical Constructions Illogical construction can deprive a sentence of its unity. If a writer includes active and passive voice in the same sentence, it distorts unity. For instance, ‘First he reduce price, and then the quantity was reduced’ in this sentence, there is no unity. However, such sentence can be rewritten as, ‘First, he reduced the price, and then he reduced the quantity.’ This one, on the other hand, brings unity (Campbell, 1999). Methods in Designing a Good Paragraph Clear writing requires correct grammar use and following all rules based on logical relationships and custom. Proofreading is paramount if the writer wants to provide a well-written work (Bell Farkas, 2001). The four basic steps that should be considered while developing clear paragraphs include unity, order, coherence, and completeness (Wingersky et al, 2009). Unity Each paragraph possesses a particular controlling idea. The topic sentence introduces the main idea of a paragraph. Unity may vary, but unity in a paragraph only concerns its topic. A paragraph is summarized by taking into account the idea presented in the topic sentence. Depending on the writer’s decision, the topic sentence can be the initial sentence or any other sentence in the paragraph. This topic sentence in a paragraph directs the reader to the writer’s main idea he/she wants to express. It is a general sentence in the paragraph. The writer should make clear judgment while creating a topic sentence and consider all the points and themes intended to be put in the paragraph. The other sentences in a paragraph are known as supporting sentences, and they provide extra details of the topic sentence. They may include examples, facts, and some further details. They issue a clear explanation why the main idea is true. A paragraph can have several supporting sentence in order to corroborate the central idea (Kolin, 2013). Order Order in designing a paragraph refers to the manner in which a writer organizes his or her supporting sentences. The manners include: a) chronological, which refers to time order or order of events; b) spatial, which refers to understanding of the way things are organized in space; c) emphatic, where the writer has to present details in their order of emphasis or significance; d) cause and effect, where the writer has to indicate a specific situation; and e) comparison and/or contrast, where the writer examines differences and similarities of things (Wingersky et al, 2009). Coherence Coherence is a quality that enables a written work to be understandable. The sentences placed in a paragraph need to have connection, and they should work together. The best manner to achieve this is to employ transition words. A writer may employ transition words that show order, e.g. ‘first,’ ‘second.’ A writer may also show spatial relationship, for instance, by using such words as ‘below’ and ‘above.’ The writer may demonstrate logical relationship, for instance, by using such transitions as ‘in addition to’ and ‘furthermore.’ The other different means of maintaining coherence is the employment of constant verb tense. In addition, it is important to be consistent with the presented point of view (Kelly, 2014). Completeness Completeness refers to a good development of a paragraph. That is, if all sentences in a paragraph support the central idea sufficiently and clearly, then the paragraph may be regarded complete. A paragraph is incomplete if there are not enough sentences that elaborate the main point. In most cases, for a paragraph to be declared complete, it must have at least three sentences supporting the main idea, a topic sentence, and a concluding sentence. The concluding sentence gives a summary of the key idea through offering reinforcements to the topic sentence. This concluding sentence finishes the paragraph and prepares one to perceive the information presented in the following paragraph (Kelly, 2014). Transition In other cases, the writer may opt to begin a paragraph with a reference to the previous paragraph, and this is termed as paragraph transition. Transitions are vital in providing clarity. Transitional words demonstrate to the reader of the article all possible shifts in the sequence of thoughts. Besides, they assist in giving ideas in an organized and clear manner. Some of the transitional words assist in presenting the sequence of ideas, whereas others are employed in clarification of the relationship that is present between these ideas (Kelly, 2014). Editing Editing belongs to the last stages of writing, where a writer is expected to proofread the paper’s content and check each paragraph for mistakes and rectify them. In this stage, the writer checks spelling mistakes and grammar. He or she also ensures that there is a subject in each sentence and that the verbs and the subject correlate. In each sentence, the writer also verifies verb tenses and makes sure each sentence is meaningful. Moreover, when editing, the writer has to ensure that all paragraphs have a topic sentence and that the supporting sentences refer to the key idea. It is crucial to check if the paragraph has a concluding sentence. In addition to supporting sentences, a writer should also ensure that all sentences relate to the central idea. Afterwards, it is crucial to check the usage of transitional words and, finally, verify that the paragraphs are interesting (Bell Farkas, 2001). Tone While writing formal essays, one should eliminate the usage of first and the second person, which means avoid using ‘I’ or ‘you.’ Besides, in formal essays one should not use contractions, for instance ‘aren’t’ or ‘don’t.’ It is preferably to use the full version of the words, ‘are not’ and ‘do not’ respectively (Kelly, 2014). Length of Paragraphs An article is considered perfect, when its paragraphs are short and precise. Short paragraphs present some organization in the work, while the long ones become complicated to the reader and show some disorganization in the written work. Arguably, most readers would prefer written work that contains short paragraphs than the one with long paragraphs. Short paragraphs are written on average in eight lines (Campbell, 1999). Ensure Perfect Employment of the Topic Sentence Topic sentence assists in developing good paragraphs. However, not all paragraphs carry a topic sentence. This highly depends on whether the writer wants to place a topic sentence (Kelly, 2014). Eliminate Unnecessary Details Unnecessary information should not be included in the paragraph. One should include only the information that the reader wants, and this is after the writer has studied the readers and determined what they want to know. This is a matter of judgment (Kelly, 2014). Provide Movements in the Paragraphs For a written article to be considered of high quality, movement must be included in the paragraphs. Movement refers to the quality of writing that moves the reader towards the writer’s goal by implementing logical steps (Wingersky et al, 2009). In conclusion, it is paramount for a writer to follow the aforementioned steps in order to make his or her work attractive. A writer should also keenly study the behavior of the intended readers, that is, what the readers know and think. After obtaining this information, one can develop a design of what is required in a sentence. In particular, the writer should employ simple sentences while targeting people with fewer communicative abilities and employ complex sentences while targeting knowledgeable audience. Writing communicates optimally if it is not taxing the comprehension of readers. Emphasis should be managed while designing sentences. Designing of sentences should be done in a manner that is expressing the key point or idea. One should construct a manner with which to merge content into a chain of sentences. If one is presented with particular information, he or she should decide what information to use in forming a clear sentence, considering the order and the form to follow . Fostering awareness of separate sentence types as well as elements will assist one to become a good writer.

The effect of temperature essays

The effect of temperature essays Temperature changes affect most of the biochemical and physiological processes on our planet (Campbell denaturation, it sharply decreases the rate of movement and becomes inactive or dead. In the same way, when the temperature comes close to absolute zero (0 K = -273.15 C), all rate of motion comes down to zero (Campbell ll examine the rate of activity through osmosis, enzyme activity, and respiration. Osmosis is the diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane (Campbell kinetic energy. Gases will disperse and diffuse in a rapid motion when placed together because of its high kinetic energy. Enzymes are proteins that are function as catalysts. Catalysts are chemical agents thata change the rate of a reaction without being consumed by the reaction (Campbell The rate of respiration of fish should be able to tell us how temperatu...

Organic Food and Cancer Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organic Food and Cancer - Research Paper Example In a region where the climate is relatively constant, and the soil dry and healthy, vegetables play a primary role in the dishes throughout the region. Herbs, fish and dairy serve as complimentary ingredients. And unlike the rest of the world, beef and pork are rare from Mediterranean cuisine because the land cannot support the herds. For many people who want to feel young, healthy and vibrant, shifting to a Mediterranean diet is the perfect way to get these. Moreover, people who wish to prevent cancer can easily do so, thanks to the vitamins and minerals found in Mediterranean dishes. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is the leading cause of death globally, accounting for 7.6 million deaths in 2008, where lung, breast, colorectal, stomach and prostate cancers were considered as the most common type. It is important to note that countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR, composed of Cyprus, Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan and the Palestine) have the lowest incidence rates of cancer (see table 1 below). This paper argues that this low cancer prevalence is due to the healthy components of the region’s cuisine. ... .int/gho/ncd/mortality_morbidity/cancer_text/en/index.html According to Mazzanti, a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables is the best way to be healthy and reduce the risk for the most common cancer forms. Meanwhile, Mediterranean diet is composed of fresh produce (which were also produced organically) so it contain essential nutrients that help reduce cardiovascular disease and cancers (Gallus, Bosetti and La Vechhia). Moreover, high intake of vegetables results to decreased prevalence in common epithelial cancers while a high consumption of fruit was associated with a decrease in cancers of the stomach, urinary tract and upper digestive tract. Mediterranean diet is also characterized by the consumption of legumes, cereals and fish; low consumption of cheese and red meat; the use of olive oil as a seasoning (Pelucchi et al.) and the avoidance of alcohol and tobacco (since these are prohibited in Islam, the religion of most of the countries in the EMR) promote a healthier lifestyl e. All these claims are supported by corresponding scientific studies, as discussed in the next part of this paper. In a study done by Carlo La Vecchia it was discovered that beta-carotene, vitamin E and calcium help decrease the risk for breast cancer. Lycopene from tomato intake also lessened the risk for several digestive tract neoplasms. The pomegranate was revealed to have a high antioxidant content which effectively inhibits the growth and spread of breast cancer (Sturgeon and Ronnenberg). The Mediterranean population frequently consumes allium vegetables (defined as those vegetables belonging to the lily family and grow from bulbs, particularly garlic, onion, chives, leeks and shallots) which has a favorable association specifically to stomach and colorectal cancer (Pelucchi et al.;

Summary Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 10

Summary - Research Paper Example During those days, Nike had taken a top-down approach to ensure that their products reach to the targeted people through the use of famous sports people and endorsements that were thought to influence their fans to start using the Nike products (Scott). A couple of years back, Nike started experiencing problems with the old marketing strategy of using celebrity sport people as they were subject to scandals that impacted poorly on the company’s sale. Hence, as a new marketing strategy, Nike company opted to go digital and invest heavily in marketing through social media as it involved more word of mouth together with marketing (Panos). Nike managed to create a fan base through a couple of social Medias and get followed who were constantly kept updated with the latest advancements in Nike products. Panos. "Why Nikes Buzz Marketing Strategy Is Riskier Than Red Bulls." 18 September 2012. Forbes.com. 23 April 2014

Power point presentations PowerPoint Presentation

Power point presentations - PowerPoint Presentation Example PowerPoint format has limited ability to accommodate relatively large information per slide. Besides, the graphical and statistical holds marginal content, which encourages bulleting form of presentation (Doumont 67). PowerPoint is criticized for its inability to allow for faster information transfers, and bogging down of the viewers or presented following the saturation of the slides. According to Tufte (5-6) in his theory referred to as â€Å"cognitive style of PowerPoint†, he asserts that the biggest crime leveled against bulleting presentation is the ability and tendency to â€Å"dilute thoughts†. He criticized PowerPoint because bullets were profound of disorganizing speakers while encouraging generic, simplistic and superficial thinking, which in turn ‘make us stupid’. The same sentiment were echoed by Harvard Business Review, by indicating that bullet statements are incomplete as it fails to state the critical assumptions as well as leaving the relationship unspecified. PowerPoint presents data in a monolithic manner which is historically outlined in a basic linear relationship and is generally acceptable. However, given the complexity of the results, the outcomes should be determined in a more complex multi-linear relationship. PowerPoint presents limited ideas and concepts which potentially limits the smooth flow of information. Tufte proceed by pointing out that in general, all the slides used by PowerPoint have a limited rate of information transfers compared to formal talk since a normal slide can only show a maximum of forty words, which only constitute eight seconds of any reading material (Tufte 16). Though this may be a significant tool of jarring the memory and organizing talks, the content is inadequate in case of a complex budget argument, solving non-linear multifaceted issues and intricate problems. In conclusion, the adoption of cognitive style of bullet presentation in our learning institutions is a

Employee Rewards Essay Example for Free

Employee Rewards Essay Introduction The purpose of this essay is to critically examine the processes used by Scotia Learning and identify if their rewards are appropriate to those of the market. The report will begin by discussing the background of Scotia Learning and follow on to define reward management highlighting the objective and constraints within the reward strategy. We will then consider the legal framework and examine why there are variations in pay and how job evaluation can ensure equity and fairness is achieved. Finally we will discuss the concept of motivation and the implications of pay for performance within the reward strategy. The report ends with an analysis of the key issues of the topic. Scotia Learning is the case study for this essay and is one of a network of university-based study centres offering preparation for students wishing to study undergraduate and postgraduate degrees for progression into university degree courses. The company has joint venture partnerships with top universities throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and United States of America. â€Å"Reward management is concerned with the formulation and implementation of strategies and policies that aim to reward people fairly, equitably and consistently in accordance with their value to the organisation† (Armstrong Murlis, 2007, p3). Research by Redman Wilkinson (2009) indicates that reward is an enormously complex issue and has to take account of three fundamental principles in determining systems and structures: internal equity, external equity and business strategy. In addition Thorpe Homan (2000) state that the organisation should identify what objectives and behaviours the payment system should have for example, labour market competitiveness and management skills whilst Perkins White (2009) highlight the importance of legal regulations that can put constraints on organisations, for example minimum wage (legal), collective bargaining (trade unions), and the external labour markets. Scotia Learning does not recognise a trade union however it does recognise that collective bargaining has been influential in discussing and setting pay arrangement due to internal and external rates of pay not being equal. Within the employment legislation pay has always been an area of controversy especially when one considers employee’s collective concerns (Brown et al., 2003). The introduction of The Equal Pay Act 1970 outlawing unequal pay for men and women having since evolved into equal pay for equal work and the Equal Pay (Amendment) Regulations 1983 after the UK joined the EU in 1973 (Perkins White, 2009), now gives employees a certain degree of protection in their employment relationship. To strengthen current legislation The Equality Act 2010 was introduced highlighting human rights and discriminatory factors, such as equal pay, sex discrimination, race, disability and equality (religion, sexual orientation, and age) (Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2012). In response to this Scotia Learning are aware that they have a ‘duty of care’ to all employees and comply with the Equal Opportunities Policy by ensuring the relevant training is undertaken by managers and employees ensuring everyone understands the importance of and their responsibilities under this Policy. This is also promoted in all recruitment documents, ensuring that wording of job advertisements does not discriminate against any potential applicants. As part of this legislation, employers are legally required to ensure their pay structures are not discriminatory against men and women in terms of valuing work between them in their employment and in order to defend themselves against equal pay claims, organisations must be able to prove that the jobs within their grading system are valued according to the job rather than the gender of the person doing the job. Failure to adhere to these regulations can result in a tribunal claim and if proven the organisation will have to pay all money accrued which can be backdated six years in England and five years in Scotland. In the case of (Birmingham City Council v Abdulla and others [2012] UKSC 47), the Supreme Court ruled that equal pay claims brought in the High Court more than six months after the end of the claimants employment, which would have been out of time in an employment tribunal, should not be struck out under section 2(3) of the Equal Pay Act 1970. The reasons for a claimants failure to bring a timely claim in a tribunal are not relevant in any way to the notion of convenience under section 2(3). (PLC Employment Law Weekly email). Within Scotia Learning pay and benefits are provided on the basis of objective criteria, free from discrimination taking into account the principle of equal pay for equivalent work or work of equal value. In addition we ensure transparency within the reward system is clear to all employees in that they understand how their pay is worked out and what is required from them to achieve this. Job profiles and person specifications for each new vacancy are drawn up in keeping with other jobs of a similar size and responsibility which focus on the skills, experience and qualifications that are directly relevant to the job. Armstrong Murlis (2007, p115) state that â€Å"the payment system is important as it not only conveys a signal to the employees what the organisational priorities are but also acts as a catalyst for wider organisational change† a view reiterated by Armstrong (1996) in which he proposes that the foundations of reward management are to achieve the individual and organisational behaviour that a company needs if the business goals are to be met. Therefore the term ‘employees are the key to enhanced organisational performance’ becomes relevant with links to Kessler and Purcell (1994) where they emphasise that payment systems are related to recruitment, retention and motivation of staff and that the determination of pay is not only the interaction of market forces but also employers. It is also acknowledged that variations in pay can occur for a variety of reasons and from a legal perspective it is important to understand why (Redman Wilkinson, 2009). Firstly the power scenario, in that if labour is scarce, employees will have more power and hence may be able to demand higher pay, in contrast with an over-supply of labour employers have the power and hence may be able to hold pay at lower rates (Redman Wilkinson, 2009). Secondly, it has been acknowledged that ‘the rate for the job’ should be the same for employees doing the same job but considering organisational performance is reliant on the employ ee’s effort, skills and competencies, it is not logical to assume that effort should be rewarded and pay should vary accordingly. A view shared by Redman Wilkinson (2009, p161) who advocate that â€Å"variable pay schemes (VPS) are said to hold out the promise towards the creation of internal labour market that is fairer in rewarding people as it is only ‘fair’ that rewards should have a direct link with effort†. The argument with this theory is that ‘risk adverse’ workers will be less willing to ‘gamble’ on pay related performance than a set amount of pay. Thirdly, we should also take into consideration the external market rate of pay and uneven market pressures such as differing regional or occupational rates of pay as Kessler (2007, p167) states â€Å"external equity is an organisational imperative as failure to respond the labour market changes will leave organisations at a disadvantage competitively†. Scotia Learning responds to these challenges by regularly benchmarking and studying the market rate of pay within the educational sector. Data collected i s beneficial in determining pay to ensure pay scales are in line with and competitive with similar jobs. For example, when recruiting teaching staff, the use of organisations such as SATEFL and other educational websites are particularly useful, for administration staff we would use S1jobs.com and jobseeker.gov.uk website and with management we would use agencies. However, although the aforesaid strategy is very useful, Scotia Learning is a relatively large organisation with Centres worldwide and other factors have to be taken into consideration, such as location and cost of living. In determining the value of jobs within our organisation, although we consider the external market pay rates, decisions concerning pay are done through a coherent wage and career structure internal to our organisation which ensures consistency and fairness in our reward systems. It has been reported that issues with this reward system have arisen within the banking sector resulting in Government intervention to deal with inequalities of pay setting at senior management/director level and low pay via the nati onal minimum wage. This is not an area of concern for Scotia Learning as the annual salary increase is a % rate consistent throughout the organisation and our pay structure process involves a job evaluation â€Å"a systematic process for establishing the relative worth of jobs within an organisation† Redman Wilkinson (2009, p141). In addition Scotia Learning is accredited to the British Council and British Accreditation Council and all HR policies and personnel files are properly documented and filed. Our job evaluation comprises of an analytical (i.e., jobs are broken down into individual components) broad-band pay structure with a range of factors such as knowledge and skills, problem solving, decision making and then allocating points to them. It is interesting to note that research by IRS (2007) showed that an average of 86% of organisations use this form of job evaluation. Within this broad-band pay structure we have 6 wide overlapping salary bands made up of management, HR, teaching staff , finance, student services and cleaning staff with a salary range for each bank of at least 75%. Progression up the bands will be by skills and qualifications, performance and competence enhanced through individual career development thus supplying the motivation for continuous learning. To support this, the annual performance review takes place, however it is not linked to pay or rewards and is based on the objectives of skills and competence which are linked to organisational performance. In terms of equity and fairness the rate of pay for full-time and part-time teaching staff is calculated on the same hourly rate therefore ensuring consistency and fairness within the system. It is interesting to note that research by Redman Wilkinson (2009, p139) argues that by paying an hourly rate â€Å"employers control over pace and performance is reliant on either direct supervision or the willingness of employees to engage with the task† synonymous with the argument surrounding ‘risk adverse’ workers. This point of view may be viable in organisations such as ‘call centres’ where technology enables the monitoring and regulating of work by measuring output and input and within the customer service industry where we have the ‘secret shopper’, but within the education sector autonomy is part of the job as is their professional code of ethics which includes commitment, motivation and discretionary behaviour which is contradictory to the argument by Thorpe Homan (2000) who suggest that non-financial aspects are secondary and rarely given the same prominence in the design of payment systems. Managing rewards is largely about managing employee expectations linking to their psychological contract which is concerned with pay, performance and the development of skills (Armstrong Murlis, 2007). The argument then becomes, if reactions to rewards depend on the psychological makeup, values and needs of individual, one cannot wholly rely on performance related pay schemes to enhance all employees’ performance as not everyone is motivated by money. Motivation only takes place if rewards are worthwhile to the individual and if the process is seen to be fair, therefore, it would require to be customised for every individual in the organisation (Armstrong Murlis, 2007). For example, an employee nearing the end of their career may be more interested in job satisfaction (intrinsic reward), whereas a graduate beginning their career may be more interested in training and development (extrinsic reward). For that reason it can be argued that both intrinsic rewards such as respect, recognition, job satisfaction and responsibility are just as important as extrinsic rewards such as pay rises, bonuses, training and development opportunities and benefits such as annual holidays, company sick pay and company pension. This highlights the importance of implementing an equitable and fair reward strategy in that by incorporating financial and non-financial rewards is that they can be used as a tool to enhance employee motivation resulting in improved organisational performance. Finally the importance of management skills cannot be undermined as they are a fundamental element of human resource management. The management strategy within Scotia Learning is based on autonomy, communication and high levels of trust between management and employees. Evidence to support this is the turnover rate of staff with one employee resigning over the past two years and the annual absence levels within Scotia L earning for all staff inclusive stands at 0.1% of working hours, which is the lowest in the entire organisation. Conclusion This objective of the report was to establish the processes that ensure equity and fairness in the reward systems. We have covered the legal aspects, strategies, market awareness, motivation, job evaluation and performance appraisal and it has become evident that Scotia Learning complies with all legal legislation, and displays equity and fairness within the reward systems. However there was an air of negativity surrounding performance and reward as within Scotia Learning the annual appraisal is not yet connected to pay for performance. It is possible that issues could arise if this was implemented, namely, it could seriously affect the dynamics of the office environment between a very closely-nit team of employees, managers and directors in that, how does the manager justify their decision in the event of a low reward without affecting the equilibrium of the office environment and within a unionised organisation all trade unions argue against performance linked to pay. Schemes relating pay to performance, although generating a tremendous amount of interest have very little in the way of conclusive evidence concerning their effects on performance (Redman Wilkinson, (2009). This echoes Thompson (1992) findings in which he states, â€Å"research fails to provide convincing evidence of a link between individual performance-related pay schemes and improvements in productivity†. The evidence supports that other approaches should be considered in rewarding employees, for example a one-off bonus payment which would not affect the employees’ annual salary. References Armstrong, M. (1996) Employee Reward, London: Kogan Page/IPD Armstrong, M., and Murlis, H. (2007) Reward Management. 5thedn. London: Hay Group Brown, W., Marginson, P., and Walsh, J. (2003) The management of pay as the influence of collective bargaining diminishes. In: P.K. Edwards, Industrial Relations: Theory and Practice, Oxford: Blackwell IRS (2007) Job evaluation is thriving, survey finds: Employment Review, 667 Kessler, I. (2007) Reward Choices: strategy and equity. In: Storey, J. HRM: a critical text 3rd edition, London: Thomson Learning Kessler, I., and Purcell, J. (1994) Performance Related Pay: Objectives and application, Human Resource Management Journal, Vol.2, No.3 Perkins, S. J., and White, G. (2009) Employee Reward: Alternatives, consequences and contexts, 2nd edn. London: Chartered Institute Of Personnel and Development, Redman, T., and Wilkinson, A. (2009) Contemporary Human Resource Management: Text Cases, 3rd edn. London: Prentice Hall, Thompson, M. (1992) Pay for Performance: The employers experience, Brighton, Institute of Manpower Studies Thorpe, R., and Homan, G (2000) Strategic Reward Systems, Harlow: Financial Times Williams, S., and Adam-Smith, D. (2006) Contemporary Employment Relations: A critical introduction, Oxford: University Press Equality of Human Rights Commission, available from: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/human-rights/ date accessed 23/10/12 PLC Employment Law, available from: [emailprotected] – date accessed 26/10/12

Essay on The Crucible: Motivations for the Trials :: Essay on The Crucible

Motivations for the Trials in The Crucible  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚   In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the madness of the Salem witch trials is explored in great detail. There are many theories as to why the witch trials came about, the most popular of which is the girls' suppressed childhoods. However, there were other factors as well, such as Abigail Williams' affair with John Proctor, the secret grudges that neighbors held against each other, and the physical and economic differences between the citizens of Salem Village. From a historical viewpoint, it is known that young girls in colonial Massachusetts were given little or no freedom to act like children. They were expected to walk straight, arms by their sides, eyes slightly downcast, and their mouths were to be shut unless otherwise asked to speak. It is not surprising that the girls would find this type of lifestyle very constricting. To rebel against it, they played pranks, such as dancing in the woods, listening to slaves' magic stories and pretending that other villagers were bewitching them. The Crucible starts after the girls in the village have been caught dancing in the woods. As one of them falls sick, rumors start to fly that there is witchcraft going on in the woods, and that the sick girl is bewitched. Once the girls talk to each other, they become more and more frightened of being accused as witches, so Abigail starts accusing others of practicing witchcraft. The other girls all join in so that the blame will not be placed on them. In the novel, Abigail starts the accusations by saying, "I go back to Jesus; I kiss his hand. I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osburn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!" Another girl, Betty, continues the cry with, "I saw George Jacobs with the Devil! I saw Goody Howe with the Devil!" From here on, the accusations grow and grow until the jails overflow with accused witches. It must have given them an incredible sense of power when the whole town of Salem listened to their words and believed each and every accusation. After all, children were to be seen and not heard in Puritan society, and the newfound attention was probably overwhelming. In Act Three of The Crucible, the girls were called before the judges to defend themselves against the claims that they were only acting.