How to Write a Good Essay

How to Write a Good Essay How to Write a Good Essay: A Step by Step Guide to Acing Your Paper How to Write a Good Essay: A Step by Step Guide to Acing Your Paper So you need to learn how to write a good essay. This may seem like a pretty intimidating task, but it’s really not that bad when you take the time to know and understand what you’re doing. A standard essay has a lot of working parts. There’s the formatting, thesis statement, writing structure, grammar and punctuation, and much more. It can seem overwhelming when you think about how many elements you need to remember. But it doesn’t have to be that hard. With the right advice, you can get ahead and make sure that you turn in a paper that will blow your professor’s mind and get you the grade you need to ace your class. Ready to learn how to write a good essay? We’ll walk you through it, from beginning to end. With our help, you can learn and understand exactly what goes into an A+ essay. Let’s start at the beginning. Types of Essays and Papers First, it’s good to take a look at the different types of essays that you could be writing. Each type of essay will have different requirements or formats that you should follow in order to complete the best work possible. Here are some of the more common essay assignments you may need to write during your time at school: ? Argumentative Essay: This type of essay will present an argument to the reader and provide solid evidence as to why they should agree with your stance. ? Research Essay: A research essay takes an in-depth look at a specific topic using lots of reliable and academic sources, facts, and other data. It’s similar to the expository essay below. ? Expository Essay: This type of essay is used to explain something without taking a particular stance. When writing this paper, assume that you are writing for an audience that knows nothing about the topic and provide them with facts and data. ? Compare/Contrast Essay: With a compare/contrast essay, you are taking two things and analyzing them to showcase their similarities and differences. ? Personal or Reflective Essay: Generally, this type of essay doesn’t always follow typical format and can make use of first-person voice to reflect on your thoughts and experiences about something specific. ? Literature Review: A literature review essentially provides an overview of the literature and research that has already been done about a particular topic. ? Book Review: A book review essay is done to provide a critical analysis about a book or other piece of literature. It generally includes a summary and assessment. View this post on Instagram ?? Remember that your title page often does not count towards the total word count, unless indicated by your professor! Watch the Homework Help Show for more tips on essay writing (link in bio). #AskHHG A post shared by Homework Help Global (@homeworkhelpglobal) on Feb 2, 2019 at 9:24am PST How to Start an Essay If you’re not overly familiar with how to write a good essay, it can be tricky to know where to start. This is the point where most people sit down, stare at a blank document, and start to get stressed. Don’t let yourself get stressed out before you’ve even done anything. Every good essay starts with a topic and a plan. Begin by determining which type of essay you’re going to write. This helps you pick the right topic. For example, if you’re writing an argumentative essay, you want to make sure that you choose a topic you have an opinion about and can argue one way or another. If you’re writing a research paper, you want to make sure you choose a topic that you can find a lot of academic research about. So, with that being said, it’s time to choose your topic. Choosing the Right Topic For Your Paper Choose your topic wisely. A good topic makes a big difference when it comes to your paper. It’s what drives all of your research, defines your writing, and keeps people interested â€" including yourself. Do you really want to spend the next few weeks writing about some topic you couldn’t care less about? Probably not. Don’t make things harder on yourself. Put some thought into this portion of your paper, or you’ll really regret it when you sit down to write. It Should Be Interesting to You You’re going to be doing a lot of reading and writing about this topic, so you should always choose something you’re interested in wherever possible. Sometimes you’re given your topic and don’t have a choice, but you can still spin it so that it’s something that interests you. This is incredibly important. You’re going to be sifting through academic journals and dedicating a lot of your time becoming an expert in this topic. Make sure you’re not going to get bored. Being interested in the topic also helps you write content that really engages your reader and hooks them right away. When you’re excited about something, you want to show all of the facts and present the best argument about that topic. If you aren’t interested in what you’re writing about, how can you sell that topic to your reader? Do the Research First Start with some research. Don’t make a decision until you’ve been able to take a look at what’s out there and how much research you’re actually going to find about it. Often, doing initial research helps you notice and identify any trends in this topic and if there are certain research questions that come up more than others. For example, you may find that there’s a certain question or issue that keeps popping up when you’re doing the initial research. If you keep seeing those patterns, this can guide you because it may be something you want to look into. Start Broad, Then Narrow It Down Your topic should be something that you can narrow down to one statement or argument. Start with a broad topic that you know you want to write about (or that you have to write about as per your teacher’s request). Then, think about smaller topics within that broad argument, and figure out how you want to get specific. Find your niche and go with it. You can’t simply take a broad topic and write about it. This is not the best way to learn how to write a good essay. You’ll find way too much research to actually make a point about something, and your essay will just be filled with generic information. This makes it really hard to find the focus of your paper, which will score you a lower grade. For example, a topic about World War II would be really broad for one essay. Instead, you could narrow that topic down to one specific topic about World War II. So, if you’re writing an argumentative essay, you could choose the topic “why aerial warfare during World War II changed modern warfare” or “contributions by women during World War II.” However, be cautious about being too narrow with your topic. Make sure you can still find enough relevant information before you start writing. And don’t worry â€" you can always adjust your thesis statement after you start writing. In fact, this happens to the best of the best more often than you can imagine. It’s all part of the writing process. View this post on Instagram ?? Writing the perfect thesis statement can be tough! Check out our Instagram story for quick tips on writing a good thesis statement. #TheHomeworkHelpShow A post shared by Homework Help Global (@homeworkhelpglobal) on Jan 17, 2019 at 2:17pm PST Crafting the Perfect Thesis Statement Your thesis statement is the most important part of your essay. It’s the argument or statement that will guide the rest of your paper. You will be using your thesis statement to structure your entire paper, guide your research and determine what points you should include, and to formulate your overall argument that indicates your knowledge and opinions on the subject. A thesis statement is basically your answer to a research question. Think about what you want to answer within your paper. This question could be something basic, such as “why were William Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets important to the English language?” Once you have your question, think about your answer, and put it into a sentence. So, for this particular question, your thesis statement could look something like this: William Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets were important to the English language because they developed many words and terms still used today, he was the first writer to use modern prose, and he set a precedent that today’s playwrights still follow. Now, this is still a broad thesis statement because you could fill up pages and pages about each of those arguments. But you can see the idea of how we are trying to narrow down your thesis and formulate arguments that answer the research question you’ve selected. Don’t be afraid to continue narrowing down your thesis and refining it until you’ve hit something perfectly narrow. A thesis statement should also act as an outline for your paper, which tells your readers what you’re going to present to them and how you will be organizing that argument. It is not uncommon to see thesis statements that state outright what the paper is aiming to do. For example, you could use a thesis statement that looks like this: This research paper will examine the contributions William Shakespeare made to the English language by analyzing his use of modern prose in three of his plays: Richard III, Hamlet, and Titus Andronicus. Generally, your thesis should be a maximum of one to two sentences. If you can’t explain your argument or the purpose of your paper within two sentences, you need to narrow it down further or find another way to describe what you’re thinking. Decide On the Right Essay Format to Use, Then Make an Outline Once you’ve decided on your perfect thesis statement, you can start to plan out how your essay will be structured in a nice outline. Some professors will ask you to provide your outline before you start the research paper as an initial assignment. However, even if your professor doesn’t ask for this, you should still make sure you always use an outline to help yourself as you write. This is one of the biggest secrets when learning how to write a good essay. A good outline always gives you something to follow and helps you stay on track without getting sidetracked. Once you do a couple papers using an outline, you won’t want to write one without an outline again. The Importance of an Essay Outline Making an outline to follow for your essay can be a major help when it comes to your research and writing. It will help you stay on track, and guide you as you begin to write your paper, ensuring that you stay organized and follow your thesis statement. A structured essay outline also helps you understand what you need to write about and where you should look for sources and information. Then, you can stay on track and make sure you are only looking for information that helps your paper without getting distracted by unnecessary details that don’t matter to your paper. Your outline should, of course, follow the specific format for your essay. The professor of your course will have likely provided you with essay assignment instructions, which sometimes include the format you should be using. Determining which essay format to follow comes down to two main factors: the type of essay you’re writing, and the referencing style you’re using. Sometimes your professor will tell you which style guide to follow, while others will give you the choice. Standard Essay Format: Building a Tasty Burger Most essays follow the standard format of an introduction, body paragraphs for each argument or statement, and a conclusion. You will often see this type of essay format being described as the Hamburger Outline. That’s because the meat, cheese, and toppings (your body paragraphs and the bulk of your argument) are in the middle, while the buns hold it together and round it out (your introduction and conclusion). This also goes for each individual paragraph: each point needs a topic sentence and a conclusion sentence to round it out, just like burger buns. Here’s a basic outline you should follow according to the standard burger outline: 1. Introduction Paragraph a. The first sentence should be catchy and attention-grabbing. b. Then, introduce the topic and provide some basic background about what you’re going to be covering. c. The last line should be your thesis statement. 2. Body Paragraph 1: First Argument or Point a. Start with a topic sentence introducing the point you’ll be making in that paragraph. b. Use evidence and sources to make your points. c. Write a transition sentence that concludes your argument and leads into the next paragraph. 3. Body Paragraph 2: Second Argument or Point a. Start with the topic sentence introducing your point and arguments. b. Use evidence and sources to make your points. c. Add the transition sentence to lead into the next paragraph. 4. Body Paragraph 3: Third Argument or Point a. Start with your topic sentence. b. Add your evidence. c. Conclude with your transition sentence. 5. Conclusion Paragraph a. Restate your thesis statement (not word for word, though). b. Summarize your arguments and provide further questions/thoughts, or relate your arguments to a greater context. Specific Essay Formats For Different Types of Papers If you’re writing a specific type of essay, your paper structure might look slightly different than the standard burger format. However, they’re all going to follow the basic concept of the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. For example, argumentative essays look a little different. Argumentative essay format generally contains a section where objections or opposing viewpoints are expressed and rebutted. You want to make sure this comes after your main arguments and before your conclusion. Some argumentative essays also include a section for rebuttal after each main argument, showcasing that you have acknowledged both sides of the story. How to Write a Good Essay Using the Proper Referencing Styles It’s important that you properly use the specified referencing style in your paper. You could lose marks simply for not following these guidelines. These are lost marks that could easily be avoided if you check the online referencing guides and take the time to follow the right instructions set out by each style manual. There are usually three main types of referencing styles used to write most academic papers. They are MLA, APA, and Chicago/Turabian. If your program is more specialized, you may find that you are required to use other types of citation, such as ASA or Harvard. However, these three are the most common styles you will encounter and you will likely use at least one of them throughout your time in school. MLA Citation Modern Language Association (MLA) citation is a general format typically used in the humanities. A typical in-text citation using MLA contains the author’s last name and the page number. Here is an example (with a completely fabricated fact): Shakespeare’s Macbeth is commonly associated with the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 and the subsequent execution of Henry Garnet for crimes of treason (Hudson 22). When using MLA, your sources will be listed at the end of the paper in a separate Works Cited page. For a full guide on MLA citations and references, visit our handy MLA citation guide. However, to give you some idea, a typical MLA Works Cited entry for a book looks like this: Hudson, Mila. A Global Guide to Shakespeare. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008. Papers using MLA citation style do not require a title page and usually just have the student’s name, the professors name, class title, and date in the upper left corner, with the title centered on the next line. Page numbers are in the top right corner with the student’s last name and the page number. APA Citation American Psychological Association (APA) is commonly used for papers within the social science and behavioral science fields. It’s a little more tricky than MLA because there are some specifics you need to follow. In-text citations include the author’s last name, date of publication, and page number. They look like this: One study found that one in four Americans are diagnosed with ADHD (Ingers, 2004, p. 324). Sources are listed at the end of the paper on a separate References page. Generally, titles are written in sentence form (with capitals only for proper nouns and at the beginning). A typical reference for an academic journal would look like this: Ingers, E. (2004). ADHD clinical trial studies in small town America: Finding solutions for young children. The Journal of Social Science Research, 14(3), pp. 296-340. Your paper should include a title page with the name of the paper centered on the page, then the institution name and the student’s name on their own lines approximately two to three lines below the title. Page numbers are in the top right corner, with the title of the paper in all capitals on the top left of the page. The title page is structured slightly different â€" in front of the title, it should state “running head:” and continue with the title. Here is an in-depth guide on how to cite specific sources in APA, including some examples if you’re not sure about what you’re doing. Chicago/Turabian Citation Chicago/Turabian citation is a very common citation style for history papers, but is also used for fine arts and business related subjects. It uses the footnotes-bibliography format. This consists of footnotes at the bottom of each page with a short form reference, with a full bibliography at the end of the paper. Your first footnote from a specific source will be a full version, slightly modified from the bibliography, and then any footnotes following would be shortened. Here is an example using a completely made up source from a peer-reviewed journal. The in-text citation would include the sentence followed by the footnote number. First Footnote: John Hughes, “Kamikaze Fighters in World War II,” The Journal of War History 22, no. 1 (March 2002): 68. Subsequent Footnotes: Hughes, “Kamikaze Fighters,” 68. Bibliography Entry: Hughes, John. “Kamikaze Fighters in World War II.” The Journal of War History 22, no. 1 (March 2002): 50-80. Papers using the Chicago style citation generally include a title page, with the title of the paper centered in the middle, and then the student’s name, the professors name, class title, and date on their own lines a few spaces down from the title. Don’t Overlook the Introduction The introduction of your paper is extremely important. When learning how to write a good essay, think about it from the perspective of the reader. One of the first things you’ll notice is the introduction. This is where you’re going to hook your reader and write something catchy that makes them want to keep reading. You have to give your reader enough information to understand what you’re getting at, without spilling the arguments and evidence you’re going to use in the body of the paper. Essentially, you’re explaining to your reader why it’s worth it for them to read the rest of your paper. Start with your first sentence. Think of something that will make someone become unable to resist reading to find out more. You should avoid using cliches when you’re trying to think of something catchy. This can be hard because we’re so used to seeing those cliches in other areas of our lives, but they really have no place in a paper and often professors will dock you for being unoriginal. When writing the rest of the introduction, start broad and then narrow down until you come to your thesis statement. It’s best to write with the assumption that your audience doesn’t know much about the topic. Give your audience a bit of context as to what you’re going to talk about so that they have enough background information to understand the points you’re making. For example, if you’re writing a paper about one of the characters in a book, give the audience a small summary about the book and the author. If you need to, leave your introduction and write it after you’ve written the rest of the paper, or at least some of the main body paragraphs. Sometimes you need a little bit of context from the rest of the paper to understand what you need to be telling your reader, so it can be helpful to do this afterward. Body Paragraphs All essays, regardless of format, should be separated into different body paragraphs for each main point you’re making. Each body paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that introduces the specific point you’ll be making in that paragraph. This is almost like a mini thesis statement introducing that specific detail. At the end of each body paragraph, you should have a concluding sentence that acts as a transition to the next paragraph, whether that’s a new topic point or your conclusion. Basically, you want to follow the same structure you would use for your introduction. Start broad, and then narrow it down until you’ve included the details and evidence to argue your point. Use as many citations from sources as you need to prove your point, but always make sure that you explain yourself and justify why that information is relevant. You need to be able to contextualize your sources and show that you have a broader understanding of the subject at hand. There are two main styles when incorporating research and sources into your body paragraphs: induction and deduction. When using induction, you are taking specific details and information and forming a general conclusion. With deduction, you’re doing the opposite. You take general information and details, and narrow down a specific conclusion about those details. Induction is based on facts and logistics, while deduction is based on reasoning. So, for example, if you are using induction to show that Macbeth is not a qualified leader in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, you’d prove this by showcasing how many people died under his watch and how many enemies he created. On the other hand, if you are using deduction to prove that Macbeth is not a worthy leader, you could argue that good leaders don’t kill kings and show remorse for others. Therefore, since Macbeth does not show qualities of a good leader, he is not one himself. Nailing Your Conclusion The conclusion is where you’re going to sum up everything. This is where you take your paper, package all the information, and put a nice bow on top to present it. All conclusions should begin with a sentence re-stating your thesis statement from the introduction. This should be the same points, but paraphrased in a new way. After that, restate some of the general information that takes you back to your original points. Don’t start introducing new ideas and concepts. If you haven’t already talked about it in the paper, don’t mention it now. This is a summary. A good conclusion provides the reader with something to think about. Think of this like the “so what?” portion of the essay. Why should your reader even care about what you have to say? Why are you talking about this? This is where it’s a good idea to relate your information to the current day or explain why it’s a significant subject to talk about now. For example, if you’re writing that paper about aerial fighting in World War II, talk about why this is relevant for us to talk about today. You could do so by mentioning the way our modern wars are fought from the skies and that aerial warfare paved the way for nuclear weapons, which changed the game for everyone. Lastly, your final sentence should leave an impression on your reader while concluding everything in your paper. Be sure to go out with a bang! View this post on Instagram Its time to put down the computer and put your knowledge to use! Check out our latest episode for tips on how to write a research paper (link in bio). A post shared by Homework Help Global (@homeworkhelpglobal) on Jan 22, 2019 at 12:08pm PST Reliable Research is Key With most good essays, research will be key. Sometimes you’ll have a specific number of sources you need to use to hit minimum requirements for your paper. Other times, it’ll be up to you and what you find in your research. You will have already done a little bit of initial research when deciding on your topic and thesis statement, so now you can expand on that. Don’t be afraid to broaden your horizons. Check books, browse academic journals, and even ask your local librarian if you need to. If you really want to know how to write a good essay, pay attention to your sources. The strongest essays are backed up with a good variety of primary and secondary sources, with only reliable and credible information. Here is a breakdown of the main types of sources you may use when writing essays. Use Academic, Peer Reviewed Sources Preferably, unless your teacher has specified otherwise, you want to use reliable sources from your school’s library or online academic database. These should always be peer reviewed. You can find this in the journal’s guidelines, the specific article details, or by filtering for peer reviewed articles when searching your online library. Stay away from Wikipedia and other online encyclopedias. Professors hate these because they aren’t factual or peer reviewed and often can be edited by just about anyone. Books are great too, but sometimes they can be risky because many people write them with bias about a certain subject or topic. When using books, you need to be sure that you are using something that is published by a historian, a professor, or another expert in the field. However, this depends on the subject of your paper. If you’re writing about a certain event in history and you’d like to use a book written by a firsthand witness, use quotes from their book sparingly to emphasize your point. Primary Sources There are two main types of academic sources that could be included in your paper: primary and secondary sources. Secondary sources are those mentioned above â€" anything that is peer reviewed or written from the perspective of someone providing an analysis of an event or other subject. Primary sources are generally firsthand accounts or documents from a specific event or time. They are commonly used in history and the humanities, but could apply to many other types of essays. Some common types of primary sources include: ? Letters ? Diary entries ? Reports ? Interviews ? Government documents (such as the U.S. Constitution) ? Newspaper articles or advertisements from the time period ? Manuscripts or plays ? Other correspondence, such as ship’s logs ? Journal articles that provide new research conclusions or results Finding primary sources can be difficult, but many of these documents are available online. For history papers, try the Internet History Sourcebooks Project. If you’re looking for old government documents from a particular time period, you can try your country’s National Archives. Your school’s library should also have its own collection available for you to use. How to Write a Good Essay Title For Your Paper Of course, your paper will need a catchy and awesome title. It’s best to save this step for last, when you’re done writing your essay. If you have a working title at the beginning, that’s great. But go back to this at the end, when all of the details are fresh in your mind and you know exactly what the content of the essay includes. A good title should be interesting, unique, original, and relate directly to your thesis. Yes, that seems like a lot for one title. But it’s an important part of getting your reader’s attention and telling them what you’re going to be talking about. It will establish the tone, the context, and the premise of the paper. So, how do we decide this title? Don’t be afraid to get creative. Write out a bunch of options and see which one catches your eye. The more you draft, the easier it is to find something that works. You can even ask a friend or classmate to take a look at giving you feedback on which title they like best. When in doubt, use a how or why question. More Essay Writing Tips to Follow as You Go As with many other things in life, writing an essay has its fair share of tips and tricks that many writers develop over the years. Some of these seem basic, but they’re easy to overlook when you’re worried about getting everything done right. Here are some additional essay writing tips to improve your writing that could help you learn how to write a good essay. ? Don’t use a first person voice, EVER, unless your teacher has specifically requested it or you are writing a personal/reflective essay. ? Avoid contractions or casual language. ? Always proofread and edit your work. Re-read the paper and check for clarity issues, smoothness, and flow. ? Be open to feedback from peers. This is how you learn and grow. ? Read all of the instructions carefully. Your professors are expecting you to follow directions and are grading you based on these expectations. ? Slow down, don’t rush, and give yourself time. It’s easy to miss details when you’re pushing yourself to go faster. ? Avoid run on sentences. ? Keep it consistent. Make sure you’re using the same tense throughout the paper, and that you’re sticking to one style of spelling. For example, don’t start an essay in American spelling and then finish it in British spelling. ? Don’t stress yourself out! Take breaks and reward yourself for a job well done. Still Can’t Figure Out How to Write an Essay? Get Essay Writing Help From Homework Help Global When You Need It All of this seems like a whole lot of information to take in. When it comes to writing essays and getting ahead in school, it never hurts to ask for help. Sometimes you just don’t have time to balance a social life or a part time job and the amount of schoolwork that keeps piling up. If you’re fading under stress and piles of work, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional who can help. For starters, take a look at Episode 57 of The Homework Help Show, where we go over how to write a good essay. Our host, Cath Anne, goes over some awesome tips and tricks that can help you feel more comfortable with your assignments. If you still feel a little lost, consider looking into a professional custom essay writing service. Homework Help Global provides reliable essay writing services that can help you get your paper done to the highest possible standard. Our team of highly educated professional and academic writers are here to take a load off your shoulders and complete your assignments with utmost care and consideration to every detail. We take care of the hard work, so you don’t have to worry about trying to check all of the boxes and meet all of the requirements. If this sounds like something that you could benefit from, get in touch with us for a quote today. Our team is on hand and ready to take on your assignments. How to Write a Good Essay How to Write a Good Essay: A Step by Step Guide to Acing Your Paper How to Write a Good Essay: A Step by Step Guide to Acing Your Paper So you need to learn how to write a good essay. This may seem like a pretty intimidating task, but it’s really not that bad when you take the time to know and understand what you’re doing. A standard essay has a lot of working parts. There’s the formatting, thesis statement, writing structure, grammar and punctuation, and much more. It can seem overwhelming when you think about how many elements you need to remember. But it doesn’t have to be that hard. With the right advice, you can get ahead and make sure that you turn in a paper that will blow your professor’s mind and get you the grade you need to ace your class. Ready to learn how to write a good essay? We’ll walk you through it, from beginning to end. With our help, you can learn and understand exactly what goes into an A+ essay. Let’s start at the beginning. Types of Essays and Papers First, it’s good to take a look at the different types of essays that you could be writing. Each type of essay will have different requirements or formats that you should follow in order to complete the best work possible. Here are some of the more common essay assignments you may need to write during your time at school: ? Argumentative Essay: This type of essay will present an argument to the reader and provide solid evidence as to why they should agree with your stance. ? Research Essay: A research essay takes an in-depth look at a specific topic using lots of reliable and academic sources, facts, and other data. It’s similar to the expository essay below. ? Expository Essay: This type of essay is used to explain something without taking a particular stance. When writing this paper, assume that you are writing for an audience that knows nothing about the topic and provide them with facts and data. ? Compare/Contrast Essay: With a compare/contrast essay, you are taking two things and analyzing them to showcase their similarities and differences. ? Personal or Reflective Essay: Generally, this type of essay doesn’t always follow typical format and can make use of first-person voice to reflect on your thoughts and experiences about something specific. ? Literature Review: A literature review essentially provides an overview of the literature and research that has already been done about a particular topic. ? Book Review: A book review essay is done to provide a critical analysis about a book or other piece of literature. It generally includes a summary and assessment. View this post on Instagram ?? Remember that your title page often does not count towards the total word count, unless indicated by your professor! Watch the Homework Help Show for more tips on essay writing (link in bio). #AskHHG A post shared by Homework Help Global (@homeworkhelpglobal) on Feb 2, 2019 at 9:24am PST How to Start an Essay If you’re not overly familiar with how to write a good essay, it can be tricky to know where to start. This is the point where most people sit down, stare at a blank document, and start to get stressed. Don’t let yourself get stressed out before you’ve even done anything. Every good essay starts with a topic and a plan. Begin by determining which type of essay you’re going to write. This helps you pick the right topic. For example, if you’re writing an argumentative essay, you want to make sure that you choose a topic you have an opinion about and can argue one way or another. If you’re writing a research paper, you want to make sure you choose a topic that you can find a lot of academic research about. So, with that being said, it’s time to choose your topic. Choosing the Right Topic For Your Paper Choose your topic wisely. A good topic makes a big difference when it comes to your paper. It’s what drives all of your research, defines your writing, and keeps people interested â€" including yourself. Do you really want to spend the next few weeks writing about some topic you couldn’t care less about? Probably not. Don’t make things harder on yourself. Put some thought into this portion of your paper, or you’ll really regret it when you sit down to write. It Should Be Interesting to You You’re going to be doing a lot of reading and writing about this topic, so you should always choose something you’re interested in wherever possible. Sometimes you’re given your topic and don’t have a choice, but you can still spin it so that it’s something that interests you. This is incredibly important. You’re going to be sifting through academic journals and dedicating a lot of your time becoming an expert in this topic. Make sure you’re not going to get bored. Being interested in the topic also helps you write content that really engages your reader and hooks them right away. When you’re excited about something, you want to show all of the facts and present the best argument about that topic. If you aren’t interested in what you’re writing about, how can you sell that topic to your reader? Do the Research First Start with some research. Don’t make a decision until you’ve been able to take a look at what’s out there and how much research you’re actually going to find about it. Often, doing initial research helps you notice and identify any trends in this topic and if there are certain research questions that come up more than others. For example, you may find that there’s a certain question or issue that keeps popping up when you’re doing the initial research. If you keep seeing those patterns, this can guide you because it may be something you want to look into. Start Broad, Then Narrow It Down Your topic should be something that you can narrow down to one statement or argument. Start with a broad topic that you know you want to write about (or that you have to write about as per your teacher’s request). Then, think about smaller topics within that broad argument, and figure out how you want to get specific. Find your niche and go with it. You can’t simply take a broad topic and write about it. This is not the best way to learn how to write a good essay. You’ll find way too much research to actually make a point about something, and your essay will just be filled with generic information. This makes it really hard to find the focus of your paper, which will score you a lower grade. For example, a topic about World War II would be really broad for one essay. Instead, you could narrow that topic down to one specific topic about World War II. So, if you’re writing an argumentative essay, you could choose the topic “why aerial warfare during World War II changed modern warfare” or “contributions by women during World War II.” However, be cautious about being too narrow with your topic. Make sure you can still find enough relevant information before you start writing. And don’t worry â€" you can always adjust your thesis statement after you start writing. In fact, this happens to the best of the best more often than you can imagine. It’s all part of the writing process. View this post on Instagram ?? Writing the perfect thesis statement can be tough! Check out our Instagram story for quick tips on writing a good thesis statement. #TheHomeworkHelpShow A post shared by Homework Help Global (@homeworkhelpglobal) on Jan 17, 2019 at 2:17pm PST Crafting the Perfect Thesis Statement Your thesis statement is the most important part of your essay. It’s the argument or statement that will guide the rest of your paper. You will be using your thesis statement to structure your entire paper, guide your research and determine what points you should include, and to formulate your overall argument that indicates your knowledge and opinions on the subject. A thesis statement is basically your answer to a research question. Think about what you want to answer within your paper. This question could be something basic, such as “why were William Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets important to the English language?” Once you have your question, think about your answer, and put it into a sentence. So, for this particular question, your thesis statement could look something like this: William Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets were important to the English language because they developed many words and terms still used today, he was the first writer to use modern prose, and he set a precedent that today’s playwrights still follow. Now, this is still a broad thesis statement because you could fill up pages and pages about each of those arguments. But you can see the idea of how we are trying to narrow down your thesis and formulate arguments that answer the research question you’ve selected. Don’t be afraid to continue narrowing down your thesis and refining it until you’ve hit something perfectly narrow. A thesis statement should also act as an outline for your paper, which tells your readers what you’re going to present to them and how you will be organizing that argument. It is not uncommon to see thesis statements that state outright what the paper is aiming to do. For example, you could use a thesis statement that looks like this: This research paper will examine the contributions William Shakespeare made to the English language by analyzing his use of modern prose in three of his plays: Richard III, Hamlet, and Titus Andronicus. Generally, your thesis should be a maximum of one to two sentences. If you can’t explain your argument or the purpose of your paper within two sentences, you need to narrow it down further or find another way to describe what you’re thinking. Decide On the Right Essay Format to Use, Then Make an Outline Once you’ve decided on your perfect thesis statement, you can start to plan out how your essay will be structured in a nice outline. Some professors will ask you to provide your outline before you start the research paper as an initial assignment. However, even if your professor doesn’t ask for this, you should still make sure you always use an outline to help yourself as you write. This is one of the biggest secrets when learning how to write a good essay. A good outline always gives you something to follow and helps you stay on track without getting sidetracked. Once you do a couple papers using an outline, you won’t want to write one without an outline again. The Importance of an Essay Outline Making an outline to follow for your essay can be a major help when it comes to your research and writing. It will help you stay on track, and guide you as you begin to write your paper, ensuring that you stay organized and follow your thesis statement. A structured essay outline also helps you understand what you need to write about and where you should look for sources and information. Then, you can stay on track and make sure you are only looking for information that helps your paper without getting distracted by unnecessary details that don’t matter to your paper. Your outline should, of course, follow the specific format for your essay. The professor of your course will have likely provided you with essay assignment instructions, which sometimes include the format you should be using. Determining which essay format to follow comes down to two main factors: the type of essay you’re writing, and the referencing style you’re using. Sometimes your professor will tell you which style guide to follow, while others will give you the choice. Standard Essay Format: Building a Tasty Burger Most essays follow the standard format of an introduction, body paragraphs for each argument or statement, and a conclusion. You will often see this type of essay format being described as the Hamburger Outline. That’s because the meat, cheese, and toppings (your body paragraphs and the bulk of your argument) are in the middle, while the buns hold it together and round it out (your introduction and conclusion). This also goes for each individual paragraph: each point needs a topic sentence and a conclusion sentence to round it out, just like burger buns. Here’s a basic outline you should follow according to the standard burger outline: 1. Introduction Paragraph a. The first sentence should be catchy and attention-grabbing. b. Then, introduce the topic and provide some basic background about what you’re going to be covering. c. The last line should be your thesis statement. 2. Body Paragraph 1: First Argument or Point a. Start with a topic sentence introducing the point you’ll be making in that paragraph. b. Use evidence and sources to make your points. c. Write a transition sentence that concludes your argument and leads into the next paragraph. 3. Body Paragraph 2: Second Argument or Point a. Start with the topic sentence introducing your point and arguments. b. Use evidence and sources to make your points. c. Add the transition sentence to lead into the next paragraph. 4. Body Paragraph 3: Third Argument or Point a. Start with your topic sentence. b. Add your evidence. c. Conclude with your transition sentence. 5. Conclusion Paragraph a. Restate your thesis statement (not word for word, though). b. Summarize your arguments and provide further questions/thoughts, or relate your arguments to a greater context. Specific Essay Formats For Different Types of Papers If you’re writing a specific type of essay, your paper structure might look slightly different than the standard burger format. However, they’re all going to follow the basic concept of the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. For example, argumentative essays look a little different. Argumentative essay format generally contains a section where objections or opposing viewpoints are expressed and rebutted. You want to make sure this comes after your main arguments and before your conclusion. Some argumentative essays also include a section for rebuttal after each main argument, showcasing that you have acknowledged both sides of the story. How to Write a Good Essay Using the Proper Referencing Styles It’s important that you properly use the specified referencing style in your paper. You could lose marks simply for not following these guidelines. These are lost marks that could easily be avoided if you check the online referencing guides and take the time to follow the right instructions set out by each style manual. There are usually three main types of referencing styles used to write most academic papers. They are MLA, APA, and Chicago/Turabian. If your program is more specialized, you may find that you are required to use other types of citation, such as ASA or Harvard. However, these three are the most common styles you will encounter and you will likely use at least one of them throughout your time in school. MLA Citation Modern Language Association (MLA) citation is a general format typically used in the humanities. A typical in-text citation using MLA contains the author’s last name and the page number. Here is an example (with a completely fabricated fact): Shakespeare’s Macbeth is commonly associated with the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 and the subsequent execution of Henry Garnet for crimes of treason (Hudson 22). When using MLA, your sources will be listed at the end of the paper in a separate Works Cited page. For a full guide on MLA citations and references, visit our handy MLA citation guide. However, to give you some idea, a typical MLA Works Cited entry for a book looks like this: Hudson, Mila. A Global Guide to Shakespeare. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008. Papers using MLA citation style do not require a title page and usually just have the student’s name, the professors name, class title, and date in the upper left corner, with the title centered on the next line. Page numbers are in the top right corner with the student’s last name and the page number. APA Citation American Psychological Association (APA) is commonly used for papers within the social science and behavioral science fields. It’s a little more tricky than MLA because there are some specifics you need to follow. In-text citations include the author’s last name, date of publication, and page number. They look like this: One study found that one in four Americans are diagnosed with ADHD (Ingers, 2004, p. 324). Sources are listed at the end of the paper on a separate References page. Generally, titles are written in sentence form (with capitals only for proper nouns and at the beginning). A typical reference for an academic journal would look like this: Ingers, E. (2004). ADHD clinical trial studies in small town America: Finding solutions for young children. The Journal of Social Science Research, 14(3), pp. 296-340. Your paper should include a title page with the name of the paper centered on the page, then the institution name and the student’s name on their own lines approximately two to three lines below the title. Page numbers are in the top right corner, with the title of the paper in all capitals on the top left of the page. The title page is structured slightly different â€" in front of the title, it should state “running head:” and continue with the title. Here is an in-depth guide on how to cite specific sources in APA, including some examples if you’re not sure about what you’re doing. Chicago/Turabian Citation Chicago/Turabian citation is a very common citation style for history papers, but is also used for fine arts and business related subjects. It uses the footnotes-bibliography format. This consists of footnotes at the bottom of each page with a short form reference, with a full bibliography at the end of the paper. Your first footnote from a specific source will be a full version, slightly modified from the bibliography, and then any footnotes following would be shortened. Here is an example using a completely made up source from a peer-reviewed journal. The in-text citation would include the sentence followed by the footnote number. First Footnote: John Hughes, “Kamikaze Fighters in World War II,” The Journal of War History 22, no. 1 (March 2002): 68. Subsequent Footnotes: Hughes, “Kamikaze Fighters,” 68. Bibliography Entry: Hughes, John. “Kamikaze Fighters in World War II.” The Journal of War History 22, no. 1 (March 2002): 50-80. Papers using the Chicago style citation generally include a title page, with the title of the paper centered in the middle, and then the student’s name, the professors name, class title, and date on their own lines a few spaces down from the title. Don’t Overlook the Introduction The introduction of your paper is extremely important. When learning how to write a good essay, think about it from the perspective of the reader. One of the first things you’ll notice is the introduction. This is where you’re going to hook your reader and write something catchy that makes them want to keep reading. You have to give your reader enough information to understand what you’re getting at, without spilling the arguments and evidence you’re going to use in the body of the paper. Essentially, you’re explaining to your reader why it’s worth it for them to read the rest of your paper. Start with your first sentence. Think of something that will make someone become unable to resist reading to find out more. You should avoid using cliches when you’re trying to think of something catchy. This can be hard because we’re so used to seeing those cliches in other areas of our lives, but they really have no place in a paper and often professors will dock you for being unoriginal. When writing the rest of the introduction, start broad and then narrow down until you come to your thesis statement. It’s best to write with the assumption that your audience doesn’t know much about the topic. Give your audience a bit of context as to what you’re going to talk about so that they have enough background information to understand the points you’re making. For example, if you’re writing a paper about one of the characters in a book, give the audience a small summary about the book and the author. If you need to, leave your introduction and write it after you’ve written the rest of the paper, or at least some of the main body paragraphs. Sometimes you need a little bit of context from the rest of the paper to understand what you need to be telling your reader, so it can be helpful to do this afterward. Body Paragraphs All essays, regardless of format, should be separated into different body paragraphs for each main point you’re making. Each body paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that introduces the specific point you’ll be making in that paragraph. This is almost like a mini thesis statement introducing that specific detail. At the end of each body paragraph, you should have a concluding sentence that acts as a transition to the next paragraph, whether that’s a new topic point or your conclusion. Basically, you want to follow the same structure you would use for your introduction. Start broad, and then narrow it down until you’ve included the details and evidence to argue your point. Use as many citations from sources as you need to prove your point, but always make sure that you explain yourself and justify why that information is relevant. You need to be able to contextualize your sources and show that you have a broader understanding of the subject at hand. There are two main styles when incorporating research and sources into your body paragraphs: induction and deduction. When using induction, you are taking specific details and information and forming a general conclusion. With deduction, you’re doing the opposite. You take general information and details, and narrow down a specific conclusion about those details. Induction is based on facts and logistics, while deduction is based on reasoning. So, for example, if you are using induction to show that Macbeth is not a qualified leader in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, you’d prove this by showcasing how many people died under his watch and how many enemies he created. On the other hand, if you are using deduction to prove that Macbeth is not a worthy leader, you could argue that good leaders don’t kill kings and show remorse for others. Therefore, since Macbeth does not show qualities of a good leader, he is not one himself. Nailing Your Conclusion The conclusion is where you’re going to sum up everything. This is where you take your paper, package all the information, and put a nice bow on top to present it. All conclusions should begin with a sentence re-stating your thesis statement from the introduction. This should be the same points, but paraphrased in a new way. After that, restate some of the general information that takes you back to your original points. Don’t start introducing new ideas and concepts. If you haven’t already talked about it in the paper, don’t mention it now. This is a summary. A good conclusion provides the reader with something to think about. Think of this like the “so what?” portion of the essay. Why should your reader even care about what you have to say? Why are you talking about this? This is where it’s a good idea to relate your information to the current day or explain why it’s a significant subject to talk about now. For example, if you’re writing that paper about aerial fighting in World War II, talk about why this is relevant for us to talk about today. You could do so by mentioning the way our modern wars are fought from the skies and that aerial warfare paved the way for nuclear weapons, which changed the game for everyone. Lastly, your final sentence should leave an impression on your reader while concluding everything in your paper. Be sure to go out with a bang! View this post on Instagram Its time to put down the computer and put your knowledge to use! Check out our latest episode for tips on how to write a research paper (link in bio). A post shared by Homework Help Global (@homeworkhelpglobal) on Jan 22, 2019 at 12:08pm PST Reliable Research is Key With most good essays, research will be key. Sometimes you’ll have a specific number of sources you need to use to hit minimum requirements for your paper. Other times, it’ll be up to you and what you find in your research. You will have already done a little bit of initial research when deciding on your topic and thesis statement, so now you can expand on that. Don’t be afraid to broaden your horizons. Check books, browse academic journals, and even ask your local librarian if you need to. If you really want to know how to write a good essay, pay attention to your sources. The strongest essays are backed up with a good variety of primary and secondary sources, with only reliable and credible information. Here is a breakdown of the main types of sources you may use when writing essays. Use Academic, Peer Reviewed Sources Preferably, unless your teacher has specified otherwise, you want to use reliable sources from your school’s library or online academic database. These should always be peer reviewed. You can find this in the journal’s guidelines, the specific article details, or by filtering for peer reviewed articles when searching your online library. Stay away from Wikipedia and other online encyclopedias. Professors hate these because they aren’t factual or peer reviewed and often can be edited by just about anyone. Books are great too, but sometimes they can be risky because many people write them with bias about a certain subject or topic. When using books, you need to be sure that you are using something that is published by a historian, a professor, or another expert in the field. However, this depends on the subject of your paper. If you’re writing about a certain event in history and you’d like to use a book written by a firsthand witness, use quotes from their book sparingly to emphasize your point. Primary Sources There are two main types of academic sources that could be included in your paper: primary and secondary sources. Secondary sources are those mentioned above â€" anything that is peer reviewed or written from the perspective of someone providing an analysis of an event or other subject. Primary sources are generally firsthand accounts or documents from a specific event or time. They are commonly used in history and the humanities, but could apply to many other types of essays. Some common types of primary sources include: ? Letters ? Diary entries ? Reports ? Interviews ? Government documents (such as the U.S. Constitution) ? Newspaper articles or advertisements from the time period ? Manuscripts or plays ? Other correspondence, such as ship’s logs ? Journal articles that provide new research conclusions or results Finding primary sources can be difficult, but many of these documents are available online. For history papers, try the Internet History Sourcebooks Project. If you’re looking for old government documents from a particular time period, you can try your country’s National Archives. Your school’s library should also have its own collection available for you to use. How to Write a Good Essay Title For Your Paper Of course, your paper will need a catchy and awesome title. It’s best to save this step for last, when you’re done writing your essay. If you have a working title at the beginning, that’s great. But go back to this at the end, when all of the details are fresh in your mind and you know exactly what the content of the essay includes. A good title should be interesting, unique, original, and relate directly to your thesis. Yes, that seems like a lot for one title. But it’s an important part of getting your reader’s attention and telling them what you’re going to be talking about. It will establish the tone, the context, and the premise of the paper. So, how do we decide this title? Don’t be afraid to get creative. Write out a bunch of options and see which one catches your eye. The more you draft, the easier it is to find something that works. You can even ask a friend or classmate to take a look at giving you feedback on which title they like best. When in doubt, use a how or why question. More Essay Writing Tips to Follow as You Go As with many other things in life, writing an essay has its fair share of tips and tricks that many writers develop over the years. Some of these seem basic, but they’re easy to overlook when you’re worried about getting everything done right. Here are some additional essay writing tips to improve your writing that could help you learn how to write a good essay. ? Don’t use a first person voice, EVER, unless your teacher has specifically requested it or you are writing a personal/reflective essay. ? Avoid contractions or casual language. ? Always proofread and edit your work. Re-read the paper and check for clarity issues, smoothness, and flow. ? Be open to feedback from peers. This is how you learn and grow. ? Read all of the instructions carefully. Your professors are expecting you to follow directions and are grading you based on these expectations. ? Slow down, don’t rush, and give yourself time. It’s easy to miss details when you’re pushing yourself to go faster. ? Avoid run on sentences. ? Keep it consistent. Make sure you’re using the same tense throughout the paper, and that you’re sticking to one style of spelling. For example, don’t start an essay in American spelling and then finish it in British spelling. ? Don’t stress yourself out! Take breaks and reward yourself for a job well done. Still Can’t Figure Out How to Write an Essay? Get Essay Writing Help From Homework Help Global When You Need It All of this seems like a whole lot of information to take in. When it comes to writing essays and getting ahead in school, it never hurts to ask for help. Sometimes you just don’t have time to balance a social life or a part time job and the amount of schoolwork that keeps piling up. If you’re fading under stress and piles of work, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional who can help. For starters, take a look at Episode 57 of The Homework Help Show, where we go over how to write a good essay. Our host, Cath Anne, goes over some awesome tips and tricks that can help you feel more comfortable with your assignments. If you still feel a little lost, consider looking into a professional custom essay writing service. Homework Help Global provides reliable essay writing services that can help you get your paper done to the highest possible standard. Our team of highly educated professional and academic writers are here to take a load off your shoulders and complete your assignments with utmost care and consideration to every detail. We take care of the hard work, so you don’t have to worry about trying to check all of the boxes and meet all of the requirements. If this sounds like something that you could benefit from, get in touch with us for a quote today. Our team is on hand and ready to take on your assignments.

How Does Golding Show Conflict Between Ralph, Jack Piggy...

In lord of the flies, Golding presents a strong sense of conflict, between the boys, the boys and nature and the boy’s personal lives. The theme of conflict is an important one within the novel, as it helps to represent the disagreement and fighting of World War II which was happening during the time that Lord of the flies was written and that Golding experienced first-hand. Golding’s main message in Lord of the flies was how cruel men could be to one another and conflict is an obvious link to this idea. We begin to see conflict very early in the novel, even before the story begins, as Golding tries to introduce the key themes at the start of the novel. The boys are actually brought to the island itself by the conflicts of World War II.†¦show more content†¦Golding could be making a point that your background does not necessarily determine how intelligent you are and that a lower class child can be very intelligent. We experience more tension between Ralph and Piggy due to Ralph’s attitude that he is superior, through linguistic conflict. Piggy continuously asks Ralph questions, such as ‘what’s your name?’, ‘you haven’t seen the others have you?’ and making comments and telling Ralph about himself: ‘My auntie told me not to run...on account of my asthma’ and ‘I expect we’ll want to know all there names’. He is enthusiastic and keen to talk to Ralph, possibly due to the usual lack of attention he receives back home. However Ralph ‘tried to be offhand and not too obviously uninterested’ and replied to Piggy’s comments with just a shake of his head or not even acknowledging him at all. As well as this, when Piggy asked Ralph his name he ‘waited to be asked his name in turn but this proffer of acquaintance was not made’. This yet again shows how Ralph thinks of himself as superior to Pig gy and doesn’t feel he needs to treat or show piggy the same respect and interest that he gave to Ralph. Piggy also partly creates a gap between himself and Ralph by following Ralph and showing so much interest in him. Piggy ‘hung steadily at his shoulder’ and ‘stood by him, breathing hard’. This could show that Ralph has a natural sense of leadership about him which makes Piggy feel as though he should look up toShow MoreRelatedExplore The Significance Of Fear In The Novel Lord Of The1798 Words   |  8 PagesExplore the significance of fear in the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding Lord of the Flies is a novel written by William Golding. It was published in 1954. Golding based this novel on two personal experiences one of which was his time teaching at boys public schools and the second his experiences in World War II. One of the main themes in William Golding s novel, the Lord of the Flies, is Fear. From the first chapter, to the last, fear plays an important role in the text. 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Analysis Of Jack London s The Call Of The Wild

Have people ever thought about writing style? Or about different literary movements? There are many different kinds of writing styles, along with many different literary movements. Authors choose the writing style they want, and whether or not to be in a movement. Jack London was one of these authors. He chose to be a part of the naturalism movement. Naturalism is a literary movement with the belief that humans and animals being shaped by their environment. He then chose to use indirect discourse in one of his most popular books The Call of the Wild. Free Indirect Discourse is when the reader knows the thoughts of the main character while having a third person view. Free indirect discourse can differ from direct discourse because it allows third and first person rather than just third person. The use of indirect discourse in Jack London’s work emphasizes the naturalist movement on humans’ industrialization. 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What do we mean by business environment Free Essays

Business Organisations simply mean a group of people working together as a team in a particular organisation by delivering products, goods and services to customer in exchange of profit. But, these organisation are influenced by many factors within the environment in which they operate and said to be the very dominant force in the shaping and moulding of the organisation. What do we mean by business environment? Business environment is a set of influence, which shapes and moulds an organisation. We will write a custom essay sample on What do we mean by business environment? or any similar topic only for you Order Now There are number of factor which shapes and moulds an organisation. In other word, the development and strength of an organisation lies on these seven main influence such as ways of doing thing, rules and regulation, principle and procedures, attitude and behaviour, product and service, framework of an authority and finally the channel of communication. As everyone knows, different people have they own of ways of doing thing because they are not necessary to have the same thought with others and maybe it all depends on some sort of style or tradition, which need to be followed. For an example, a football team has many strategic such as 4-4-2, 4-4-3, 3-5-2 and so on. But, they use different strategic when facing different opponent or maybe changes their strategic when it comes to a certain circumstance e. g. player got sent off or injured, difficulty in defending, urgency to score, etc. No one can declare a particular method or way of doing thing of organisation is the best. This is because each given set of circumstances requires different solution. Rules and regulation is must for an organisation. Without it, everyone will not be bothered to do what he or she supposes in a proper manner within the dateline. Let us take a look at this example, which is sound familiar for some of us. Being an APIIT student, everyone strictly prohibit the wearing of T-shirt, jeans, sneakers or slippers, as well as provocative and immodest attire. Principle and procedure are essential for an organisation. Every job or task given must be done according to a particular principle and procedure to ensure a good output or result in return. For instance, let’s take a look at a football team again. In order to score a goal, the ball must be played to one another until someone has the golden opportunity to score a goal. Attitude and behaviour play an important role for an organisation. Basically, there is two type of business environment, which is external and internal. What do we mean by external environment? External environment is non-controllable environment, which is outside an organisation. This environment can be divided into a number of areas such as politic, economy, social, technology -P-E-S-T- and last not the least globalisation. Political environment refers to the set of law, regulation and government policies existing within a particular country. Some people argued that this is the most powerful influence at work e. g. if a businessman wants to start up a business in a particular country, first he or she must ensure the political stability of that country. For instance, an unstable political climate in a country will not instill confidence in people and this will in turn affect the business climate adversely. If given an option to run a business in Kabul, Afghanistan or Tokyo, Japan, I am pretty sure that everyone will choose the second option. Moreover, the tax treaties, which are agreements between governments to avoid, double taxation of profits by the foreign and the domestic government would serve to accelerate the foreign investment in a country. Two main policies are privatisation (where government sells off some of its existing public corporation to the private sector e. g. MAS, Telekom) and deregulation (removal of government redtape and bureaucracy from the operation of the market or better known as duty tax e. g. same rate). Next, economic environment, which is mainly, emphasizes on customers’ demand for good and services and the resulting supply situation. How an organisation will fare depends on the level of demands for its goods and services. Factors such as buying behaviour, purchasing power, price levels, interest rates, etc. are important determinants of demands. Since, World Cup is this month, let us take another example on football. The football fever starts, as you walk around in the city you can see many football freaks wearing their favourite teams’ jersey. This clearly indicates the demands for jersey increases as the interest rates increases. Beside that, the state of economy in terms of changes in levels of income, employment, inflation and foreign exchange rates affect the level of consumption and the standard of living. Business organisation themselves can boost demand by extending employment and investment, and conversely they can adversely influence the economy when they cut back on investment or retrench workers. For instance, the current state of economy of Argentina will decrease the foreign investment and. As a result, many of their countrymen were unemployed and creating havoc everywhere causing a major setback for the government. Social environment is made up of the attitudes, beliefs, customs and values of people in society. Entrepreneurs must realise that these social factors vary with the different classes of people within a country – the rich and the poor, the educated and the uneducated, the liberal and the conservative, etc. For an example, in India the Indians belief and consider the cow as their mother for providing milk. Therefore, they do not eat beef. But, lately a McDonald outlet in India offers some sort of burger or meal with beef. These turn out to be a disaster for McDonald as many of the citizens got angry and begin to create havoc in the country. McDonalds’ outlet in India finally found a solution. They modified and make slight changes in their recipes, beef burger is replaced by fish burger. An excellent moves which paid off when they got an immediate response from the citizen. This show how important is to know the beliefs and customs of a particular country. It is fool to underestimate the beliefs and customs of a country. Hence, it has become necessary for businesses to analyse and study carefully these factors and issues if their goods and services are to be accepted. Another important and not a new factor in the overall environment is the technology environment. Its increasing importance and influence is now being felt clearly and powerfully than at any other time. The changes in technology are virtually revolutionising how work is perfomed in factories and offices, and indeed the whole market. For instance, massive advancement in technology and rapid changes in information technology helps to increase the productivity of an organisation. The usage of hi-tech machines and equipments will greatly influence the success of organization. It simply save a lot of time, energy and helps to cut down number of employees. Organisations that are not able to keep pace with such changes are left behind, and consequently edged out of competition. One area that has emerged as being vital to business organization is information technology. Assume that an organization dealing with thousands perhaps millions customers data, somehow need to use the the technology employed to collect, process, produced, maintain and update the customers information. Microprocessors have allowed the introduction of small low-cost micro-computers that have household application for monitoring weather conditions. Many industries such as motorcar manufacturers are using microprocessors to control the operation of the car engine. Globalisation environment is an essential factor in organization. With the rapid advancement of telecommunication infrastructure and information technology has forced organization to proceed beyond their national or geographic boundaries in search of ways and means to exploit existing new technology so as to ahead of their competitors. Speed and quality in addressing the needs of world-wide customers and continuously learning of organisations will greatly influenced the success of organizations. As everyone knows, the current business environment is one where the whole world is seen as one market place, borderless world. In short, the ability to think globally while acting locally. One example is the usage of internet and mobile phone which connects you to people all around the globe no matter where they are. Market environment is very much similar to the economic environment, but there are a number of distinguish features. Essentially this is the environment of competitors, buyers and sellers. It is important to monitor these three groups of people. For instance, competitors must also be analysed closely with regards to their strengths and weakness. Customers must also be researched thoroughly in order to establishe needs and trends. Businesses should also be constanly on the look out for new products and materials from existing or new supplier. It actually refers to an organization behavioural system whish is constantly changing as it adapts to the evolving requirement of society. As you can see customers itself influence the demand level because they have the buying or purchasing power. If you look out for mobile phone industries, there are number of companies competing each other to outplay, outwit and outlast one another to become the number 1 leading mobile phone. That is why you can see many mobile phones with different size and outlook out for sales like mushroom to satisfy the customers need. Finally, lets take a look at internal environment. There are number of area which covers internal environment such as the rules and regulation, employee management, produst and service and facilities. Rules and regulation is must for an organisation. Without it, everyone will not be bothered to carry out his or her duties and responsibilities in proper way. There are many rules and regulations in an organisation such as attire (e. g. wear modest attire), punctuality (e. g. always meet the dateline), behaviour (e. g. must be polite and coorperate with other colleagues). As an organization, employee management is important to run business systematically. The management is the backbone of an organization thus it needs to be strong to overcome any difficulty. A good management always productive and try their level best to meet their target or objective. Product and service is the most important factors without it business cannot be run. Customers is fussy and choosy, they always want the best product or service. Therefore, organisation must always upgrade their product and service to meet the need of so called customers. The best quality products with reasonable price always attract the customers. Last not the least, facilities and infrastructures which play an important role too in an organisation. Basically, a high class facilities and latest infrastructures simply help both the organisations and the customers to connect each other. Thus, a country with an excellent network of highways and railroads will definitely be attractive to foreign investment to start business there. It is vital to note that business orgnisation interact with the above environmental factors. This means that the influence and impact is not one-sided. How to cite What do we mean by business environment?, Papers

Organisational Issues at Lufthansa Airlines

Introduction and Background With increased oil prices, airlines all over the world have found themselves in a position where reducing their operation costs seem the only viable way of remaining profitable. The situation in the industry is so bad that British entrepreneur Richard Branson, in his characteristic jest, once said that becoming a millionaire is easy if one was to start as a billionaire and venture into the airline industry.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Organisational Issues at Lufthansa Airlines specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Branson was referring to the loss-making potential that airlines are exposed to in current operating environment different factors are seemingly conspiring to reduce the profit-making potential of airlines. Such include rising oil prices and increased pressure from competitors (most especially low-cost airlines). Deutsche Lufthansa AG (Lufthansa Airlines), like other airlines across the world has opted to cut its costs in a bid to remain profitable. Unlike some of its competitors however, Lufthansa is also facing extra challenges brought about by its workers. Represented by their labour unions, Lufthansa workers have been on and off strike action since 2008. As recently as March 2013, the airline was insistent that it would continue with its austerity plans, which seeks to cut 3,500 employees and ‘force’ its employees to take longer work days (an extra hour per week), in addition to having no pay rise within a two-year period (Redl 2013). Lufthansa’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Simone Menne has been quoted saying that the company is â€Å"ready for new strikes, if necessary also by the pilots† as it pursues its long-term goals of cutting costs and enhancing its profit-making (Redl 2013, para. 6). Adamant that the cost-cutting measures were necessary to protect the company’s long-term growth, Menne stated that the management would not address employees because by so doing, the company would be compromising the airline’s future for the sake of short-term harmony. But what long-term growth was Menne referring to one may ask. Well, according to Redl (2013, para.4), â€Å"Lufthansa is trying to bolster its finances so it can avoid jeopardizing a planned multibillion-euro investment in new, more fuel efficient aircraft†. The main employees’ issues that Lufthansa is grappling with include a 5.2 percent wage increase demand, enhanced job security demands, and improved trainee conditions demands (The Hindu Business Line 2013). The employees are represented by two unions, namely Ver.di, and Unabhangige Flugbegleiter Organisation (UFO). The former is a large union representing a large number of employees at Lufthansa, while the latter is a niche union representing two-third of the flight attendants in the company (Lindsey 2012).Advertising Looking for research paper on bu siness economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Statement of the problem Considering that Lufthansa Airline employees may have an inkling of the financial status of their employer, this research paper seeks to find out some of the reasons why employees still demand wage increments. Additionally, the paper seeks to find out if the management at Lufthansa has behaved in a manner that has prompted employees to feels as if the organisation does not value their input into the company. Drawing from organisational behaviour theories, the paper will also find out if the behaviours exhibited by the employees should be interpreted as an indication of their dissatisfaction with the management. The paper will also investigate some of the viable solutions that Lufthansa can use to end the labour relations stalemate. Methodology This paper uses a review of literature as the main research method. Primarily, the researcher has used academic art icles as the basis of theory, but has also used online newspapers articles and commentaries to understand the situation in Lufthansa. The researcher used keywords such as ‘managing labour disputes’, ‘managing strikes’, ‘labour disputes and organisational behaviour’ among others when searching various databases for academic articles for use in the literature review. The writer further obtained information about Lufthansa’s strike from online sources, but had to pay particular attention to the use of credible websites such as BBC, the Telegraph among others. The methodology was intentionally meant to help the researcher find, evaluate and synthesise information that would correspond with the task of statement of the problem as described above. Literature review According to Darlington (2012), employees do not always strike because their employers fail to grant them promotions, improved wages, or improved work environments. In some cases, t he indifferent attitude displayed by the employer is enough to make workers down their tools. In an age where disagreements are bound to occur, Darlington (2012) observes it is how the organisation deals with employees who go on strike that really matters. For starters, Darlington (2012) argues that organisations must be willing to find out what caused the strike, take measures to resolve the strike, and control the consequences of the strike. Most notably, lean organisations are becoming an everyday occurrence in the workplace, and so are changing employee expectations and loyalties. Competition on the other hand, is forcing organisation to rethink and design strategies to improve productivity. According to Darlington (2012), the aforementioned factors present challenges and opportunities, which modern organisations must confront and/or gain meaningful insights from.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Organisational Issues at Lufthansa Airlines specific ally for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Writing specifically about the airline industry, Hirsch and Macpherson (2000) observe that though unlikely, labour strikes in the airlines industry can occur, especially if negotiations between airlines and labour unions stall. The labour unions in the airlines industry have substantial bargaining powers (Hirsch Macpherson 2000). Since it is not in the interest of labour unions and the employees they represent to bankrupt their employers, Hirsch and Macpherson (2000) observe that the airline industry (especially in the United States) has developed a compensation plan that enable unionised workers to earn more as the profits increase, and moderate pay increases when airlines are experiencing tight profit margins. For the aforementioned to happen, unions must be able to appropriate company profits, but the company must also embrace innovation in order to develop products and services that generate profits. Inno vation often comes from the human resource, and this means that increased profits (and the consequent improvement in wages) are a product of good management that encourages good organisational behaviour. The appropriation of company profits by unions also requires good sharing of information between the two parties. Information sharing between union and employers on the other hand requires a good working relationship between the two. According to Bryson (2001), the nature of relationships that exist between unions and employers depends on the efforts and motivation that each side applies towards creating a good working arrangement. According to Bryson (2001) persistent work stoppages through strike actions are a manifestation of the collective distrust and resentment that labour unions (and the employees they represent) have towards the employers. The main prerogative of creating a good relationship between the two parties however appear to remain with the employer; Bryson (2001, p. 91) for example observes, management can â€Å"foster a high trust relationship with employees by ensuring that unions have sufficient power to make a positive contribution to the running of the workplace†. Bryson (2001) further observes that adversarial relationships are also an indicator of the bad faith motives and questionable endgames between employers and employees (represented by labour unions). In some cases for example, disrespect of unions by employers motivate strike actions.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Bryson (2001) however indicates that unions also (sometimes) play a part in creating bad relationships with employers. An example is when union’s bargaining is informed by politicised values, without paying particular attention to the employer’s ability to meet their demands. In a different study, Bryson (2005) observe that unions can also approach bargaining with doctrinaire views with the intention of establishing or enhancing their reputations among workers. In some cases, unions might even have the intention of solidifying their ranks as negotiators by assuming hard-line positions. Considering that strike actions (and the subsequent work stoppages) have greater negative consequences on the employer, Bryson (2005) argues that they (employers) should focus more on interest-based and integrative bargaining as a way of reducing the risks of work stoppages. Specifically, Bryson (2005) observes that negotiations should ideally emphasize commonalities between workers and their employers in order to attain goals and objectives that cater for the interests of both parties. By so doing, the parties would facilitate decision-making that is based on well thought-out assessments of the situation. The decision about work stoppages usually involves both parties making specific considerations. The employees for example judge the costs versus the benefits of such a strike by considering the anticipated price in lost wages, lost goodwill and a loss of concessions that the employer may have pledged against the predicted work stoppage outcome (Gunderson 2001). If the latter is more than the former, employees would no doubt opt to go on strike. The employers on the other hand contrast costs incurred during work stoppages against expected cost of increasing wages, and if the former is greater than the latter, Gunderson (2001) observes that employers usually agree to increase the wages. Through wage increment, the management of a company facing strike threats saves the company from absorbing work stoppage-related costs. Gunderson (2001, p. 444) further notes that unionised employees are â€Å"relatively protected from layoffs, and hence have little incentive to engage in concession bargaining unless a credible threat of a plant closing is imminent†. In some cases, employees may even want to extract high wages from firms that are near bankruptcy. Gunderson (2001) argues that while the intention of employees is to bankrupt a business, the management has a prerogative to protect the interests of the investors. Gunderson (2001) further observes that work stoppages/strikes occur as a result of erroneous outcome assessments by either the employer or the employees and their representative unions. This line of thinking suggests that strikes are mistakes, which result from imperfect information about the economic flexibility of either the employer or the unions. Gunderson (2001) further argues that if union members are well informed about their employer’s ability to tolerate production losses, and if employers are well informed about the union members’ capacity to go without remuneration, strikes would not occur. Drawing information form asymmetric information theories, Tracy (1987) supports the foregoing argument by observing that strikes are sometimes motivated by the union member’s attempt to extract information about the economic condition of the organisation from the employer. In other words, the limited information leads employees to distrust their employers, making strikes the only viable way of extracting information from them. The probability of strikes increases if either parties base their perceptions, demands and/or offers on the opponent’s current position (Darlington 2012). Relying on prevailing indicators (e.g. increased short-term profits and higher costs of living), may lead employees to ask for wage increments. However, if they would consider other leading indicators such as s ecurity of contracts, the threat of business failures, and the competitive environment, perhaps employees would be more considerate when placing their wage increment and other demands. Again, Darlington (2012) indicates that conflicting expectations can be corrected through effective information sharing, which would ideally enable parties to assess the cost and benefits of strike actions from a knowledge-based angle. In a different approach from Darlington (2012), Godard (1992, p. 162) argues that â€Å"strikes should be viewed primarily as expressions of worker discontent rather than a result of imperfect or asymmetrical information†. In a different article (Godard 1998, p.3) observes that the conventional employment relation places workers at a subordinate position to their employers, because, it is generally accepted that â€Å"capital hires labour†. Authority in the workplaces is hence exercised in a manner that places the interests of the owners above those of wor kers. Consequently, workers encounter difficulties related with trust, legitimacy and fairness. Godard (1998, p.3) therefore argues that strikes are largely a manifestation of the aforementioned difficulties, and should therefore be perceived as a â€Å"primary means through which workers are able to collectively voice discontent and distrust, either with the exercise of managerial authority in general, or with management’s position on a particular issue†. Apart from the economic consequences, Godard (1998) observes that strikes can also remodel how parties perceive themselves and each other. The changes in perceptions have implications on employees’ orientations towards work, unions, and their employer. Godard (1998) however observes that strikes are a reflection of the interactions between employers and employees, and the choices they make. Both the interactions and choices are shaped by variables in convention industrial relations, which may include among oth er things, social variables (trust, job satisfaction and effective communication), economic variables (profitability vs. Employee wages), and law variables (the consistency or lack thereof of labour laws with economic models) (Godard 1998). The literature sources reviewed herein reveal that employees chose to go on strike for different reasons. Key among such reasons is distrust in their employers. Such distrust can be triggered by ineffective flow of information between the employees and their employers among other things. The emergent theme from the literature review segment is that strikes are a medium through which employees communicate their dissatisfaction and distrust towards the management. From an organisational behaviour perspective, factors such as fear, moral concerns, affective concerns, and distrust among employees, and the management’s/employer’s inability to array such factors appear to be the underlying causes of strikes. Findings The first major strik e in Lufthansa was in September 2012 involving flight attendants. The strike occasioned some estimated â‚ ¬5-10 million losses to the company (BBC News 2012). The strike did not come as a surprise to analysts, who argued that it (the strike) was the culmination of negotiations which had taken more than a year and eventually stalled. Additionally, the management had deployed temporary workers on some routes despite resistance from unions representing the permanent employees. The deployment of such workers was interpreted to mean that the organisation did not mind what the employees (and their unions) thought. More exasperation on the employee’s side was triggered by a threat by Lufthansa Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Carsten Spohr, who prior to the September 2012 flight attendants strike, had said that the company would hire temporary workers to replace anyone who went on strike. Lindsey (2012) observes that the threat by Spohr triggered even more resistance from workers wh o were daring him to make good his threat. Welt (cited by Lindsey 2012) observes that even if such a threat would have worked to discourage employees from going on strike, it would have compromised the service provision by the same employees to customers. Welt (cited by Lindsey 2012) noted that in addition to Lufthansa being a transportation provider, it is the in-flight services that attract customers (especially considering that ticket prices is no longer a point of competition); as such, grumbling workers would likely offer poor in-flight services to customers and this would have inevitably reduce the airline’s ability to attract customers. Problem Analysis From a sociological approach, there are four interrelated issues that the management at Lufthansa failed to address, and which can be said to have led to increased dissatisfaction by the employees represented by the labour union. The first was the question of hiring temporary workers. At the time, every indication from the management showed that they were being hired to take up the jobs of permanent employees who chose to go on strike. Smith et al. (1993) observes that fear is an emotional result of a perceived threat or danger. It occurs in sudden or unexpected situations where it is believed that rewards or punishment are present (Smith et al. 1993). Fear also occurs when one perceive their control or ability to cope with a situation as being low. Ideally, people respond to fear by seeking support, confronting the situation, avoiding the situation, or practising self-control. In Lufthansa’s case, it would appear that employees responded to fear by confronting the situation and seeking support from the unions. Yet, the continued disregard of conditions set up by the union (e.g. the condition requiring Lufthansa to stop further recruitment of temporarily staff) was not headed by the airline. This could thus mean that the distrust between the two parties worsened. The second issue that the m anagement at Lufthansa failed to address appears to be affective; specifically, it would appear that a significant number of employees represented by both the UFO and Ver.di unions were demoralised by the management’s decision not to increase wages within a two-year period, while increasing the work periods by an hour. While the aforementioned measures were meant to be the employees’ contribution to the airline during the hard economic times, it seems the decision to implement them was not discussed and agreed upon by a majority of the employees. As such, a significant percentage of them felt that the management decision was imposed on them. The strikes, which the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO) at Lufthansa Stefan Lauer says are occurring at a three-months frequency, can thus be interpreted to be an indication that the management have been unsuccessful in convincing employees why the austerity measures are beneficial for both the airline and its employees in the long-te rm. The third factor which Lufthansa failed to address is related the morality of the strikes. According to CPO Stefan Lauer (cited by the Associated Press 2013), the union (ver.di and UFO) that have been pushing for increased wages for their members are motivated by a desire to improve their positions in the fragmented union landscape. In other words, Lauer is arguing that the unions understand quite clearly the reasons why wage increments and other demands placed on the airline cannot be met in the short-term, but their desire to gain credence among the employees they represent is blinding them. While Lufthansa may argue about the morality or lack thereof of the strike organised by unions, it would appear that the management has been adamant in its non-recognition that employees may have genuine issues that need to be addressed. The fourth and perhaps the most important factor that Lufthansa failed to deal with is distrust. Media is awash with news about the tough times faced by a irlines. This means that Lufthansa workers had an understanding of the economic pressures that their employer was facing. The fact that some employees are still clamouring for wage increments is an indicator that perhaps they do not believe that their employer’s financial situation is dire. As indicated elsewhere in this paper, it is not the intention of the employee to bankrupt their employers; after all, most employees understand that their job security is related to continued profitability of the firm. Notably, Lufthansa has indicated that wage increments would jeopardise its future plans to invest more fuel efficient aircrafts (Redl 2013). The question therefore begs, do the employees understand that fuel efficient aircrafts would benefit them, or do they perceive the short-term austerity measures as strategies to benefit their employer in future at their short-term expense? Clearly, such is a question that would clear the air of distrust that exists between Lufthansa and its employees. Possible solutions/ discussion The first possible solution involves Lufthansa compromising its current position and agreeing to the wage increment and working conditions improvements as demanded by the unions. Such an action would correspond to Gunderson’s (2001) views that in some cases, employers cannot concede to wage concessions, and even prefer layoffs, because they have information regarding their ability to pay, that the unions and the employees may not have. Again, such an argument refers to the asymmetric information argument, which Gunderson (2001) observes is a product of the principle-agent framework. The second possible solution involves Lufthansa upholding its stance and using legal means (as it has already indicated) to resolve the dispute. In the meantime, the airline would have to brace itself for occasional disruption to operations and consequent losses whenever the unions call for a strike. As indicated by Gunderson (2001), pleading inabilit y to pay is one way that employers can refuse to meet the high wage demands, and justify layoffs. Considering how costly strikes are, it would be generally understandable that employers would meet the pay demands (and other conditions) if its finances were in good shape; However, the fact that the organisation is absorbing costs occasioned by frequently strikes could arguably mean that the firm is honest in its inability to pay. The third solution would be negotiating for a new deal, which meets the employees in the middle (i.e. agree to some wage increments (ideally the amount should be less than the 5.2% demand by the unions). Already, Lufthansa has offered a 1.2 % wage increase offer with no job guarantees, but it would appear that the Ver.di union is not content with the offer’s contents. If negotiations fail, Lufthansa can table its final offer or state its final conditions, in which case the unions would either have to take or refuse the same. The fourth solution would probably follow British Airways (BA) response to the cabin crew strike led by the Unite Union. BA had responded by removing travel concessions from its cabin crew members who had participated in the strike, and subjecting some of them to disciplinary action. Additionally, the airline used volunteer crew, borrowed some from other airlines and chartered jets (BBC News 2011). During the 7-day strike in 2011, BA reportedly operated 58 percent of its short-haul flights and 79% of its long-haul flights (BBC News 2011). Although it operated below capacity during the seven days, it managed to send a clear message that no one is indispensable. As a result, some workers chose to work during the strike and by so doing, BA succeeded (albeit to a minor degree) in weakening the support that the union enjoyed from employees. Solution and implementation Considering the tough stance taken by both Lufthansa and Ver.di, it would appear that the third solution above (i.e. negotiating) a new deal is the most viable way of resolving the dispute. Before commencing the negotiations however, it would be advisable for Lufthansa to verify whether the strike by workers is as a result of information asymmetry or just a frantic measure by the employees to communicate their discontent and distrust towards the management. Lufthansa must also look into the possibility that Ver.di (and other unions) is using the strikes to remain relevant in a fragmented labour union environment. Whatever the case, Lufthansa must be willing to improve its communication with employees in order to make them willing to support the firm in its long-term strategies. For example, the firm must be willing to explain why the freezes on wage increments were necessary during the two-year period, and must also engage employees the decision to either scrap or uphold the one-hour-per-week work extension. Additionally, the management must specifically pay attention to work councils, because as Europa (2011, p. 8) indicates, they â€Å"are the main form of employee representation at the establishment level†. Engagement with the councils would thus provide a platform from where Lufthansa can address employee concerns in a manner that improves information sharing and trust levels. Through the councils, the management can attempt to appeal to personalities, while reiterating the need to develop citizenship behaviours. According to Ilies et al. (2009), employees who feel valued by the employer are more likely to exhibit good citizenship behaviours, and are even more likely to be satisfied in their jobs even when wages increments are not forthcoming. Ilies et al. (2009) observe that agreeableness and conscientiousness is more evident in organisations with high rates of job satisfaction. Notably, however, job satisfaction is the result of careful development of a deliberate organisational culture, which in addition to enhancing satisfaction, improves other employee dimensions such as performance, comm itment, strategy implementation and cohesion (Lund 2003). Justification It is widely agreeable among scholars that there are no final or definitive solution to the challenges and problems that organisations face. However, Lund (2003) indicates that the dynamics of organisational behaviour requires managers to recognise and separate the bad ideas from the good. Additionally, Lund (2003) observes that managers need to know when to be artful and when to be scientific. In Lufthansa, it would appear that the scientific approach to handling and appealing to employees to support the firm during the tough economic times is not working. Threats do not seem to be working. As such, perhaps it is time that Lufthansa tried to be artful. Effective communication and convincing employees that their future in the company depends on the short-term austerity measures is an ideal way to start. Adopting a cooperative approach towards resolving disputes would also be a wise idea for adoption by the Lufth ansa management. Notably, Lufthansa is not lacking lessons from its past, which it can learn from. In 1999 for example, the airline signed a pay agreement with its employees, which indicated the commencement of wage increments after years of stagnation following its 1991/1992 operational crisis. The years between 1992 and 1999 were termed as â€Å"years of sacrifice† since the firm had to restructure for purposes of enhancing its profit-making potential (EuroFound 2002, p. 13). The eight-year period portrayed that successful labour relations are possible if both parties (employees and employers) understand each other, and share similar goals (at least in helping the organisation to regain its footing in the market). Of special interest to the current management at Lufthansa would probably be the combined use of labour relations, personnel policy and management strategy in the restructuring years as indicated by EuroFound (2002). The smooth relations between the management and the employees (despite heavy union presence at the time) was according to EuroFound (2002, p. 13), a product of the â€Å"traditionally co-operative, consensual and relatively peaceful labour relations at Lufthansa†. The use of the word ‘traditionally’ in the foregoing quote creates the impression that labour relations at Lufthansa have not always been confrontational as witnessed since 2008. Ideally, such information should provide the current management with thought-provoking lesson. Ideally, the management should find out when and why labour relations changed from being â€Å"cooperative, consensual and relatively peaceful† as indicated by EuroFound (2002, p.13), to the current approach where work stoppages have become a regular occurrence. Conclusion From the literature review, and the findings of this research, it is clear that both Lufthansa and employees have valid reasons to their divergent views and positions. On one hand, the management at Lufth ansa has the right to protect the investors’ interests by upholding a wage bill that is within its ability to pay. Employees on the other hand have a right to petition their employer for wage increments and improved working conditions. Both parties are aware of the tough operating environment that airlines face, but it would appear that the employees do not believe their employer’s claim about inability to pay. As indicated herein, it could also be that employees are out to bankrupt the employer, or the unions are just using the strikes to remain relevant. Whatever the case, it would appear that the relationship between Lufthansa and its employees is fraught with distrust. Notably and as indicated in the discussion section, Lufthansa has several approaches with which it can resolve the labour relations problems it is currently facing. The approach Lufthansa takes must be based on the recognition of the important role that its human resource function plays. However, it must also balance the needs and wants of its human resource with the business objectives of the company. In other words, the company needs to embrace a solution that will guarantee its sustainability. One such approach is negotiating a new deal, whose main premise will be founded on trust and transparent sharing of information. References Associated Press 2013, ‘Lufthansa cancels about 1,700 flights amid strike’, The Montana Standard. Web. BBC News 2011, ‘QA: What’s the BA dispute about?’ BBC News Business. Web. BBC News 2012, ‘Lufthansa cancels flights as crew stage second strike’, BBC News Business. Web. Bryson, A. 2001, ‘The foundation of ‘partnership’? Union effects on employee trust in management’, National Institute Economic Review, vol.176, no.1, pp. 91-104. Bryson, A. 2005, ‘Union effects on employee relations in Britain’, Human Relations, vol.58, no.9, pp. 1111-1139. Darlington, R. 2012, à ¢â‚¬ËœThe interplay of structure and agency dynamics in strike activity’, Employee Relations, vol.34, no.5, pp. 518-533. EuroFound 2002, ‘Pacts for employment and competitiveness: case studies Lufthansa AG’, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. Web. Europa 2011, Germany: industrial relations profile- facts and figures. Web. Godard, J. 1992, ‘Strikes as collective voice: a behavioural analysis of strike activity’, Industrial and labour relations review, vol.46, no. 1, pp. 161-175. Godard, J. 1998, ‘strikes and the law: a critical analysis’, Industrial Relations, vol. 53, no.2, pp. 258-277. Gunderson, M. 2001, ‘Economics of personnel and human resource management’, Human Resource Management Review, vol. 11, pp. 431-452. Hirsch, B. T. Macpherson, D. A. 2000, ‘Earnings, rents and competition in the airline labour market’, Journal of Labor economics, vol.18, no.1, pp. 125-155. Il ies, R., Spitzmuller, M., Fulmer, I. Johnson, M. 2009, ‘Personality and citizenship behaviour: the mediating role of job satisfaction’, Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 94, no.4, pp. 945-959. Lindsey, D. 2012, ‘The world from Berlin: ‘A question of Lufthansa’s very future’’, Spiegel Online. Web. Lund, D. B. 2003, ‘Organisational culture and job satisfaction’, Journal of Business Industrial Marketing, vol. 18, no.3, pp. 219-236. Redl, N. 2013, ‘Lufthansa cancels 690 flights as workers strike’, The Wall Street Journal (US Edition). Web. Smith, C., Haynes, K., Lazarus, R. Pope, L. 1993, ‘In search of the â€Å"hot† cognitions: attributions, appraisal and their relation to emotion’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 65, no. 5, pp. 916-929. The Hindu Business Line 2013, We will not risk long-term growth for short-term harmony: Lufthansa finance chief. Web. Tracy, J. S. 1987 , ‘An empirical test of an asymmetric information model of strikes’, Journal of Labour Economic, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 149-173. This research paper on Organisational Issues at Lufthansa Airlines was written and submitted by user Kelsey Buckley to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Computer Techonology In The College Classrooms

The use of computer technology is an ever rising trend in today’s colleges. Even though computers have been in classrooms for decades, there were initially limited to specific times and practices. College professors from all over the country have jumped on the bandwagon of computer technology within classroom environments. College professors are surrounded by multi-facets of computer diversity concerning college. Instant messaging and chatting, distance learning, and video conferencing are among the trends of diversity surrounding teaching tactics employed by college professors. Instant messaging and chatting has become an increasingly popular tool for college professors. They can allow students to Instant message questions to the teacher’s assistant during lecture. This can allow students to ask for clarification without the embarrassment of asking in front of the entire class. Another example used by college professors are, the used of chatting during lecture. Students are allowed to chat between each other during the lecture by explaining points that are put out by the professor. Video conferencing is another useful tool for college professors to employ. Professors can lecture students from the privacy of their own home. Professors and students are also able to visually see each other. In addition, the professor and the students are able to talk to each other as if in an actual classroom environment. Distance learning has become an inexpensive way to teach students for institutions. College professors are able to teach students from all over the country all from the privacy of their own home. Moreover, students are able to participate in distance learning from the privacy of their homes. Distance learning is an inexpensive way to handle the increased need for remedial education.... Free Essays on Computer Techonology In The College Classrooms Free Essays on Computer Techonology In The College Classrooms The use of computer technology is an ever rising trend in today’s colleges. Even though computers have been in classrooms for decades, there were initially limited to specific times and practices. College professors from all over the country have jumped on the bandwagon of computer technology within classroom environments. College professors are surrounded by multi-facets of computer diversity concerning college. Instant messaging and chatting, distance learning, and video conferencing are among the trends of diversity surrounding teaching tactics employed by college professors. Instant messaging and chatting has become an increasingly popular tool for college professors. They can allow students to Instant message questions to the teacher’s assistant during lecture. This can allow students to ask for clarification without the embarrassment of asking in front of the entire class. Another example used by college professors are, the used of chatting during lecture. Students are allowed to chat between each other during the lecture by explaining points that are put out by the professor. Video conferencing is another useful tool for college professors to employ. Professors can lecture students from the privacy of their own home. Professors and students are also able to visually see each other. In addition, the professor and the students are able to talk to each other as if in an actual classroom environment. Distance learning has become an inexpensive way to teach students for institutions. College professors are able to teach students from all over the country all from the privacy of their own home. Moreover, students are able to participate in distance learning from the privacy of their homes. Distance learning is an inexpensive way to handle the increased need for remedial education....

Lesson on Proverbs for English Learners

Lesson on Proverbs for English Learners Using proverbs as the starting point for a lesson can help open up many avenues for learners to express their own beliefs as well as discover cultural differences and similarities with their classmates. There are a few ways to go about using proverbs during a lesson. This article provides a number of suggestions for how you can use proverbs in class as well as how to integrate them into other lessons. There is also a list of 10 proverbs for each level to help get you started. Monolingual Class - Translation If you teach a monolingual class, ask students to translate the proverbs you have chosen into their own mother tongue. Does the proverb translate? You can also use Google translate to help. Students will quickly discover that proverbs usually do not translate word for word, but the meanings can be expressed with completely different expressions. Choose a few of these and have a discussion concerning the cultural differences that go into proverbs that get at the same meaning but that have very different translations. Whats the Lesson? Ask students to write a short story, much like Aesops fables, for a proverb they have chosen. The activity can start off as a class discussion of the meaning of a few level-appropriate proverbs. Once its clear students understand, ask students to pair up and create a story that will illustrate a proverb. Consequences This activity works especially well for advanced-level classes. Choose your proverbs and then lead a class discussion to check proverb understanding. Next, ask students to pair up or work in small groups (3-4 learners). The task is to think of logical consequences that might / could / must / cant happen if a person follows the advice the proverb provides. This is a great way to help students explore modal verbs of probability. For example, If a fool and his money are soon parted is true, then a fool must lose a lot of his / her earnings. Fools might have difficulty understanding real opportunities from those which are false. etc. Finding an Example in Class English learners that have been together for a longer period of time might enjoy pointing the finger at other students. Each student should choose a proverb they feel especially applies to someone else in class. Students should then explain, with plenty of examples, why they feel that particular proverb is so fitting. For classes in which students arent as familiar with their classmates, ask students to come up with an example from their own group of friends or family. To begin with, here are ten selected proverbs grouped into appropriate levels. These ten proverbs or sayings have been chosen for easy vocabulary and clear meaning. Its best not to introduce proverbs that take too much interpretation. Beginner Tomorrow is another day.Boys will be boys.Easy come, easy go.Live and learn.Never too old to learn.Slow but sure.One step at a time.Time is money.Eat to live, not live to eat.Theres no place like home. Intermediate Intermediate-level proverbs begin to challenge students with vocabulary that is less common. Students will need to interpret these sayings, but the allegories used are less culturally based, which can impede understanding. Any port in a storm.Blood is thicker than water.Dont count your chickens before they hatch.The early bird catches the worm.History repeats itself.A miss is as good as a mile.The more you get, the more you want.Many are called, but few are chosen.Still waters run deep.The tree is known by its fruit. Advanced Advanced-level sayings can explore the full gamut of archaic terms and meanings which demand detailed discussions of cultural understanding and shading. It is better to travel hopefully than to arrive.The company makes the feast.Discretion is the better part of valor.A fool and his money are soon parted.All that glitters is not gold.He who pays the piper calls the tune.From the sublime to the ridiculous is only a step.The opera isnt over till the fat lady sings.United we stand, divided we fall.Dont throw the baby out with the bathwater.